Credit cards are still a fantastic way to earn rewards such as cash back or travel miles. They can provide an emergency source of money and can assist lay the groundwork for new purchases including a car or a home.
But life happens, and before you know it, you’re saddled with multiple credit cards, each with a different balance. Planning and implementing a debt-reduction strategy can be difficult, but it is doable.
With so many options for debt consolidation and repayment, the optimal tactic could vary from person to person. Today, we’ll look at some common and unusual approaches to consolidating credit card debt.
What Is the Definition of Credit Card Consolidation?
Consolidate Credit Card Debt: Credit card consolidation is just a strategy that combines numerous credit card balances into a single balance. This simplifies tracking because there is only one monthly mortgage as well as a due date to remember. These consolidation strategies frequently include a lower APR, which reduces total interest paid and allows you to pay off the balance faster.
What exactly is a debt consolidation loan for credit cards?
Credit card consolidation loans are when you take out a new loan to pay off your existing debts. As an example, suppose you have 3 credit cards with $1,000 balances each. A consolidation loan will indeed entail taking out a $3,000 loan, going to have to pay off your 3 $1,000 credit card balances, and consolidating your debts.
What Is the Process of Credit Card Consolidation?
In general, it can be seen that the credit card consolidation processes are simple. You gather all of the debts you want to combine into one payment, either with the help of a loan officer, a credit counselor or on your own. Following that, a plan or loan is established for you all to start making your monthly payment in one place, making it much easier to recognize your due date and, hopefully, having a lower overall APR to pay.
With this in mind, let’s go over a few consolidation strategies that you might be able to use. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it may provide some ideas you hadn’t considered before.
Personal Loans to Consolidate Credit Card Debt
One of the most common methods for consolidating credit card debt is to contact your local bank account as well as ask for a debt consolidation loan. Often, applications can be finished over the phone and online. What’s awesome about these loans is that they frequently have flexible payment options (typically 12 to 60 months) and a consistent monthly payment due, which helps with budgeting. As a bonus, several financial institutions will pay your creditors directly, saving you the trouble.
Keep in mind that ones interest rate will most likely be ascertained by the loan term as well as your credit score. Loans may be subordinate to financing costs, which increase the overall loan cost.
Income, total assets, credit score, and total debts are frequently used in lending . Metrics such as level of education, length of current residence, and even employment experience can result to permission that a bank may have not. This is incredibly beneficial for newer debtors who do not have a strong credit history.
There are some disadvantages, such as the possibility of financing costs as well as fewer loan rates to choose from. Rates are significant compared for those with good credit, but they can be much greater if your credit rating is poor.
Programs for Debt Consolidation
Consolidate Credit Card Debt: A debt consolidation system is typically a service for debtors that combines your credit cards into a cash transaction. From that, you commonly make a specific payment to the program, which then distributes the funds to your creditors. This is not to be confused with such a debt consolidation loan, which is a loan that is granted to pay off your existing debts. Your existing debts remain, but they may be more feasible.
Ideally, your program’s monthly payment would be less than trying to make all of your payment transactions separately. This also means that a larger portion of your payment will go toward reducing debt your existing debts. Debt consolidation programs exist with your creditors to reduce interest rates and eliminate fees such as late charges, though neither is guaranteed. A few debt consolidation programs require you to close some or all of the cards you’re consolidating, so double-check if you want to keep your cards.
If you need assistance overcoming debt repayment issues which affect nonprofit credit counseling organizations, your credit such as the National Foundation for Credit Counseling can pull your report and scoring system for free and review the results with you. While the ultimate goal of all these programs is to start creating a payment strategy that fits for you, some do charge varying predefined or monthly fees. This should be considered when deciding which company to work with.
Credit Card Offers with 0% APR
Many credit cards provide an introductory rate of 0% APR on cash advances for a limited time after the card is opened. While they may still be subordinate to the balance transaction fee (commonly 3% – 5% of the balance been consolidated), they frequently offer 0% beginner’s periods of twelve to eighteen months to avoid the balance accumulating any additional interest.
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card, for example, is an excellent option for those considering taking this route. It comes with a $0 annual fee and a respectable 0% intro APR for 21 months on eligible balance transfers from date of first transfer and 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 14.49% – 24.49% based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.
The disadvantages of balance transfer cards are indeed the credit limit and the fact that they are only available for a limited time before interest begins to accrue. Extending over a longer period of time may be more advantageous for some, even if it necessitates paying interest. If you’re thinking about trying to apply for a credit card with a 0% introductory period, you should have good to great credit.
HELOC or second mortgage
If the value of your home has increased over the years or the rebalancing has already been reduced significantly, using your home to solidify your debts may be an option. Taking out a new mortgage while using a line of credit (HELOC) effectively amounts to using your property as security to pay off other debts.
Because these loans have an underlying asset, the interest rate is very often lower than that of a personal loan, allowing us to make smaller monthly payments or avoid higher rate of interest with some other methods. The lower interest rate might very well allow you to pay off the balance more rapidly. If you go this route, you may incur additional mortgage-related costs.
Peer-to-Peer Finance
Consolidate Credit Card Debt: Another option for obtaining funds for an installment loan is peer-to-peer lending. Peerform, an open market lending platform, connects those looking for loans with those looking to invest. The purpose is to create a situation in which everyone benefits. Having to borrow to consolidate debts into a single easy monthly payment or an investor looking for a consistent and valuable return on investment.
Owned Vehicle Equity
This might be a fascinating route to take if you do have a car which is paid off or even has a reduced balance in comparison to what it is worth. Taking out a loan with your car as collateral would opt to pay off your other debts. In this case, you gain access to an auto loan rate that is generally much lower than just an unsecured private loan.
The disadvantage here is that the loan is limited to the price of the vehicle. Furthermore, when having to carry an auto loan, often these lenders require complete auto insurance media attention on the car, which may increase monthly expenses if you typically carry PLPD. However, this is yet another method of leveraging an asset to achieve a lower loan rate.
Would be Credit Card Debt Consolidation Beneficial?
The target of it is typically to combine your high-interest credit card bills into aa single, simple payment with a lower interest. If nothing else, the terms tend to get a fixed paydown period, which gives a clear path to debt freedom. Even though there are some enterprising or origination fees, this more constructed feel could be exactly how much you have to be on your manner to debt-freedom.
In conclusion:
Consolidate Credit Card Debt: Credit cards as well as their affiliated reward schemes can be fantastic for trying to earn and saving money for your next vacation or simply putting money back in to your pocket. Getting into credit card debt, on the other hand, can be emotionally draining but also quickly nullify the value of all the points, miles, and cash back you’ve ever earned. Exploring options for quickly eliminating this debt can help you achieve financial freedom and return to effectively leveraging your credit cards.