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Do you know how much debt you have?  Are you looking for a way out of it?

Many people are buried in debt these days and are looking for a way to lessen their financial obligations. Some people aren’t in as much trouble as they think they are, whereas some are much worse off than they know.  Regardless of how you currently sit regarding  debt, if you’re thinking about doing some kind of debt consolidation, you’ll be better of knowing some of the terms and rules that you might end up running into.

But first things first, you need to get over the fear of working on reducing your debt and determine if you’re in big trouble, a little bit of trouble, or no trouble.  Knowing this will help determine what kind and how much help you need.

For instance, if you’re in little trouble a few reductions in monthly expenditures and a clear system for paying down your debt may be the answer to a better future. If you’re in a little more trouble, a debt consolidation loan might be the way to go.  A debt consolidation loan can be in the form of a line of credit or an actual bank loan.  The determination will be if you’ll have enough money after obtaining the loan to still pay your bills and have some kind of life.

If you’re going to be able to go for a debt consolidation loan, and you don’t go for the line of credit, then you should shop around for the best deal you can get.  Usually credit unions will offer the best deals, but some credit unions make you join them, or have a relative who’s a member.  Often, your own bank will be easier on you if you’ve had a good relationship with them over a number of years.

There are two different kinds of loans, and you need to know these terms.  One is a “secured” loan, which means taking a determination of your assets against your debts and using your assets as collateral against your loan.

The other is known as an “unsecured”, or “non-secured” loan.  This usually means they don’t look all that hard at your assets, but your interest rate will be much higher than with a secured loan.  If the interest rate is still much lower than what your outstanding debt is, then you might still be ahead in the end.

For both of these, it’s possible that you may not get the amount of the loan that you’re looking to get.  That’s something else you’ll have to think about to see if the loan is worth taking.

These are only a few of the things you’ll have to be wary of if you’re going to go through with debt consolidation.  Always remember to do your research before you decide to go any route.

See Also:

Secured Loans on About.com

Debt settlement is often referred to as debt arbitration or debt negotiation. This process is used by individuals to reduce their debt to the lender by a mutual agreement between the debtor and creditor, which often reduces the balance owed. The key to negotiating a debt settlement is to hire a debt consolidation lawyer to act on the lendee’s behalf. Consumers who continue to make their minimum monthly payments will not be allowed to settle their debt from the lender. Experts advise consumers to seek out a lawyer or debt consolidation firm that only charges after a settlement is made.

Resources:

Mortgage Reduction Techniques – Debt Settlement vs Debt Consolidation for Help with Card Debt