DebtFreeIQ.com: debt consolidation programs guide to freedom

Debt consolidation loans help you eliminate overwhelming debt and teach you how to manage your debt in the future. They function as a game plan for rebuilding your credit and getting you back on your feet. If you have multiple loans or credit card debt spanning across several different cards, debt consolidation loans can help you get them paid off quickly without handicapping you financially. There’s no shame in asking for help.

How Debt Consolidation Programs Work

Debt consolidation programs are numerous in America, so doing your research is critical to making sure the program you select is a good fit. Talk to managers at several different companies. These people are experts whose job is to show you the road to a more financially stable future. They’ll teach you about how the loans combine all of your debt, pay it off, and leave you paying it back to the company with single, easy, monthly payments. When all is said and done, you wind up paying less than you would have trying to pay multiple creditors. This is also uniquely beneficial because the debt consolidation loan will typically have a lower interest rate than that being charged by each of your lenders individually, saving you in the long run.

Debt consolidation programs are a much better option than declaring bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is a last resort; you should always exhaust every option before turning to filing. Keep in mind that with most debt consolidation loans though, you will have to put up some form of collateral. The amount of money you’re seeking will typically determine what kind of collateral is necessary.

Banks and creditors support such measures, as they guarantee them payment, whereas you might otherwise default on your debts. Actually, many creditors will even work with you to find a good debt consolidation program. They just want their money, and if helping you find the right program is the best way for them to get it, they’re all too happy to help out.

Here are some more debt consolidation programs resources...

7 Ways to Spot a Credit Repair Scam
If you've recently had an application turned down because of bad credit, you know the importance of good credit as well as anyone. Having bad credit can make life a little inconvenient. You might find yourself paying high security deposits or getting turned down for credit cards, loans, and even jobs....<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/27/7-ways-to-spot-a-credit-repair-scam.htm">Read Full Post</a>
12 Reasons Your Budget Isn't Working
Are you about to give up budgeting because you can't get your budget to work? Check out these <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/od/reducingdebt/tp/troubleshoot-budget.htm">12 reasons your budget isn't working</a> before you throw in the towel. Usually when budgets go wrong, it's because of the method, not the budget itself....<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/25/12-reasons-your-budget-isnt-working.htm">Read Full Post</a>
Beware Email and Phone Credit Card Scams
Credit card thieves come up with more clever ways of tricking you into giving your credit card information. They like to pose as your credit card company, calling or emailing you to alert you to trouble with your account. Be suspicious any phone calls or emails you receive from someone claiming to with your bank or card company....<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/24/beware-email-and-phone-credit-card-scams.htm">Read Full Post</a>
The Debt Collector Could Be Checking Your Facebook
If you tell the debt collector you're about to file bankruptcy today, you probably shouldn't post pictures of your new Corvette tomorrow. Otherwise, the debt collector could use that information against you. The <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://azstarnet.com/business/local/article_400b63da-f20e-5d16-900c-7bc6f2728a61.html">Arizona Daily Star</a> report tells of a the debt collector who discovered information on Facebook and used it to confront a businessman who'd lied about his inability to pay a $17,500 debt. That confrontation got him to pay up....<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/20/the-debt-collector-could-be-checking-your-facebook.htm">Read Full Post</a>
Could This Be the Best Cashback/Balance Transfer Card Ever?
How does this sound for a cash rewards deal? Five percent cashback on gas purchases, two percent on groceries, and one percent on everything else. What about a 4.99% interest rate on balance transfer for two years?...<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/15/could-this-be-the-best-cashbackbalance-transfer-card-ever.htm">Read Full Post</a>
Which Comes First: Mortgage or Credit Card Payment?
In this economy, more people are choosing to pay their credit cards over their mortgages, according to a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/TransUnion-Study-Finds-More-Consumers-Making-Payments-on-Their-Credit-Cards-Before-Their-1111336.htm">TransUnion study</a> released in February. Traditionally, homeowners would pay their mortgages before anything else because they wanted to keep their homes....<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/14/which-comes-first-mortgage-or-credit-card-payment.htm">Read Full Post</a>
Looking for Money to Pay Your Debt?
If every penny of your paycheck is already dedicated to something else, paying off debt seems out of reach. You can come up with the money to pay off your debt, but you have to be creative. For example, have you considered getting a roommate or border? What about selling some old things on eBay or Craigslist? I have a list that includes 77 ways to come up with extra money for your debt. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/od/reducingdebt/a/moneyoutofdebt.htm">Check it out</a>....<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/13/looking-for-money-to-pay-your-debt.htm">Read Full Post</a>
Will a Magnet Stop Your Credit Card From Working?
I'm pretty sure some of you ladies have had a credit card stop working after you've put it in a purse or wallet with a magnetic closure. Apparently any type of magnet, and possibly even your cell phone, could potentially stop your credit card from working. Check out this article from CreditCards.com: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/magnets-wipe-out-credit-card-data-cell-phones-1272.php">6 answers about magnets' impact on credit cards</a>....<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/12/will-a-magnet-stop-your-credit-card-from-working.htm">Read Full Post</a>
The Credit Card Fraudster's Favorite Schemes
Credit card fraud has been heating up right along with the summer temperatures. It seems like there are more credit card fraud stories than ever. In all the fraud stories, there seem to be some types of schemes that credit card thieves like more than others. Perhaps these are the ones that are most successful. Check out <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.cardratings.com/creditcardblog/2010/07/cards-scams-fraud-rings.html">Fraud Rings' Five Favorite Schemes</a> from CardRatings.com.
Police Find Credit Card Skimmers Equipped With Bluetooth
In a few Gainesville, FL gas stations, police have uncovered credit card skimming devices equipped with Bluetooth. This means the credit card thieves don't even have to get out of their vehicle to retrieve the credit card numbers picked up by the device. They just have to be close enough to the gas pump to connect via Bluetooth and then they can download stolen credit card data to a cell phone or laptop computer....<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://credit.about.com/b/2010/07/09/police-find-credit-card-skimmers-equipped-with-bluetooth.htm">Read Full Post</a>