Contributed by Rachel Johnson
No one wants to declare bankruptcy, but most people don't realize that debt consolidation can save them from suffering from the most serious credit blemish. Debt consolidation can take a seemingly desperate situation and totally turn it around.
When the bills are just too much to handle and the creditors are calling non-stop, you can stop all of the high interest rates, you can stop the late payment charges, and fear of answering the phone. And, you can actually save thousands of dollars. Debt consolidation can do all of this for you! Debt consolidation can give you the peace of mind to continue to live your life, despite some financial hardships.
Debt consolidation is where all of your debts are rolled into one account or loan. When all of your debts are rolled into one lump sum, you are only paying one interest rate, instead of paying interest on each item that is outstanding. Also, when you are looking at debt consolidation the interest rate is usually much lower than each individual rate is, so in the long run just the better interest rate can mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars in savings.
Also, if you work with a debt consolidation expert they can often get your creditors to settle for a smaller amount than what you actually owe. Usually they'll settle for the amount due, minus all or most of the interest charges. If you've been accruing debt for awhile, getting rid of all the finance charges and late payment fees will save you additional hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Once you subtract late payment fees and finance charges, you may be looking at substantially less money owed. Subtracting these fees will also make a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly payment much more affordable. Debt consolidation companies are willing to work with you, and set up a payment plan that you can afford, stretching it out for as long as six years so that you can pay off the debt, instead of filing for bankruptcy.