Is an Unsecured Loan for Debt Consolidation For You?

People get themselves into a vicious cycle that they carry with them for years and years.  Its seems so easy to simply charge as much as you can on your credit cards and then seek the shelter of an unsecured loan for debt consolidation. Then they turn around and start spending on those cards again while they are still paying every month for the unsecured loan for debt consolidation they got earlier. 

Its easy to abuse the benefits of an unsecured loan for debt consolidation by first paying off your credit cards with the loan and then starting to charge them back up again.  An unsecured loan for debt consolidation has no collateral and eventually everyone either runs out of credit or stretches themselves way too thin.  An unsecured loan for debt consolidation is supposed to save you from financial problems and not bring you closer to them.

The first thing you want to decide before you even get your unsecured loan for debt consolidation is which cards are going to be cut up and the accounts canceled.  Running your credit cards back up after you have already paid them off with a consolidation loan is pointless.  Everyone should have at least one decent sized credit card in case of emergencies or for travel so try and get yourself down to that one card and see if a lot of your financial problems don’t start going away.

Consolidation Loans Do Not Always Cover All Your Debt

An unsecured loan for debt consolidation is nice but don’t count on more than a few thousand dollars.  If your need exceeds the $5,000 or $6,000 mark then you may want to start talking to a credit counselor because you are headed down a dark path with that debt.  But if a few thousand will do then go ahead but always make sure that the loan you are getting carries a lower interest rate than the cards you are paying off or you are probably making a huge mistake.  Comparing interest rates is a big part of this little game.

Having a good relationship with your bank or credit union is going to help but eventually every financial institution reaches its limit.  If you find yourself scouting banks for loans because your main bank says you are maxed out with them then it may be time to get some serious financial advice from a professional.

by Trent Goldenblum