When it comes right down to it, there are very few situations in which bankruptcy has to be the answer. Often times, when it comes to debt issues, unsecured debt consolidation loans are much less damaging answer than bankruptcy. What is important, though, is that you understand what it is about before you dive in and what your alternative debt consolidation options are.
Unsecured debt consolidation loans are personal loans, and as the name implies, they are not secured. What that means is the loan has no collateral or physical items, backing it up. The only collateral is you, the borrower. Because banks then see unsecured debt consolidation loans as risky, they are often a bit expensive and not easy to get. They are also a much better answer than bankruptcy if you can, though.
Before you dive into any unsecured debt consolidation loans, you will want to check out the interest rates. Remember, any loan, unsecured debt consolidation loans or not, are only as good as the interest rate and what it means for you in terms of well being. If, though, you find that the interest rates are too high for the loan to be worth it, you may want to go ahead and consider an alternative method of debt consolidation. Just make sure you check the total cost of the loan, including the interest, from start to the day you pay it off. You will then be able to make an informed decision on whether or not unsecured debt consolidation loans are what is right for you.
If you don’t think that unsecured debt consolidation loans are going to be right for you, another option may be a credit counseling agency. While they don’t consolidate your debt like a loan will, they will often be able to work out lower payments and interest rates for many of your debts. You will make one payment to the credit agency, who will, in turn, pay your debts for you. They won’t hurt your credit, but you will want to research well before you using a credit counseling agency to insure that they will pay your bills on time. If they are late, it will show up that you are late and then hurt your credit or debt further.
Another alternative to unsecured debt consolidation loans are debt negotiation companies. What these companies do is have you stop paying your bills and make a single monthly payment to the company. As each of your debts falls behind, your creditors contact the company rather than you. The company then settles your debt balances for less than what is due. These companies can get you out of debt much faster in many cases, but they also hurt your credit in the short term and sometimes long term if you don’t get on with the right company.
