If you have a variety of debts, then you may find it hard to keep up with when and where you should pay money, and you may also be paying more than you need to. If this is the case, then you should think about getting a debt consolidation loan. This means you can take all your debts and put them into once place, which will make it easier to budget each month and also reduce your monthly payments.

Why get a debt consolidation loan?

The main reason to get a debt consolidation loan is to get out of immediate debt the fastest way possible. By borrowing a large lump sum of money, you can pay off your existing debts and then pay back one monthly repayment. Although this payment may be lower than your current repayments, it is likely to take longer to pay off. Despite this, it gives you a fresh start and allows you to begin to move out of debt.

How can I consolidate debt?

Although the simplest way to consolidate your debt is to get one large loan, there are many other ways that you can consolidate your current debts and so reduce your monthly payments:

Credit card transfers

One way to reduce your monthly payments is to transfer credit card balances to new cards with a 0% fee. This can be useful if you can pay the debt off within the special offer timeframe, although it can be time consuming to keep switching between cards.

Home equity loans

One of the best ways to consolidate your debts is you're a home equity loan. By securing a loan against your home equity, you will get the best interest rates and also be eligible for tax deduction against some of the interest. The only problem is that if you cannot make the repayments, you will lose your home equity or even your entire property.

Another problem is that home equity loans are usually over a longer period, meaning that even if you save money in interest, the additional length means you might end up paying more back than your current debts.

Retirement funds

You can often access your retirement funds as a loan from your employers, although this should only be used in an emergency of if you have nowhere else to turn. Using your retirement fund can speed up the debt repayment, but may leave you with less money in the future, and if you quit your job then the loan will be recalled in full with immediate effect.

Renegotiate with your current lender

If your debt problems relate to your mortgage, then the only way to consolidate your debts or improve your situation might be to negotiate your current terms. Most mortgage lenders would rather renegotiate than repossess your home, as they will lose out if you default. Stretching out payments may help you to better manage your debt when you need to the most.