Credit Card Consolidation - Benefits and Drawbacks
S.E. Kirk
It is not uncommon for families or individuals to find themselves in the midst of credit card debt. Many people wonder if credit card debt consolidation is for them. What is involved in this process? Basically, a credit card balance transfer takes place so that all your credit cards are consolidated into one card. You receive one statement and deal with one company for the full balance of all your cards. Several companies offer this type of deal, and a Citi credit card is a good example.
Benefits:
Credit card debt consolidation can lower your monthly payments, which is very appealing to those in need of tightening their budgets. Combining all your credit card bills into one means that you only pay one bill. If you were paying the minimum balance of fifty dollars on three credit cards each month, you were paying a total of one hundred and fifty dollars on credit cards alone. The interest you were accumulating was at a high rate, as well, extending the time you are required to make payments and the total balance to be paid off.
But if you were to transfer the balance of all three cards onto a new Citi credit card, you would combine the balances and accumulated interest into one new balance. The Citi credit card offers free interest on balance transfers for twelve months to qualified card holders. So you will no longer be accumulating interest on the unpaid balances, at least for the first year. During this time, you can either pay only the minimum fifty dollar (for example) monthly payment, saving yourself one hundred dollars out of pocket each month, or you can continue paying the one hundred and fifty dollars monthly to quickly reduce your debt and avoid the interest that will arrive after twelve months.
In addition, with a credit card balance transfer, you will often get a better interest rate. The basic Citi credit card offers an interest rate of 10-12% after the first year on your balance transfers. Both of these benefits add up to more cash for other expenses.
Drawbacks:
The drawbacks to credit card balance transfer are worth considering before you make a decision about your credit card debt consolidation.
When you transfer your balances to a credit card with an interest-free trial period of six months to a year, keep in mind that the interest will go up after the trial period is up. So if you haven't paid down your balance by then, get ready to accumulate more interest and make more payments.
Also, most card companies will include in the terms of service agreement a clause about default. Defaulting on your agreement about the interest-free trial period can include making a late payment, making a payment that doesn't go through, or going over your line of credit. When you default during your trial period, the interest-free part of the agreement is made null and void. This means that you are no longer entitled to the free interest on your credit card balance transfer. Most companies will assess a very high interest rate after a customer defaults. The basic Citi credit card comes with a default interest rate of about 30%. That is a huge portion of your balance and will cost you a great deal of money.
About the author:
S.E. Kirk is the owner of http://SearchCardsToday.com and
http://Creditcard-Directory.com Kirk's sites provide consumers
the ability to find & apply for free credit card offers for
business and personal use.
Kirk's most recent venture on the web is http://DomainRegistrationBusiness.com offering low cost turnkey websites reselling domain name registrations and other web services.
The latest information and news on Consolidate Debt Online :
SALEM ? The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers of bogus debt-consolidation or counseling services. Residents in Oregon and southwest Washington have reported getting phone calls from solicitors pushing such services.
More consumers likely to seek help in 2009: debt counsellor (CBC via Yahoo! C...
The Credit Counselling Society says 2009 will likely be a busy year for debt counsellors in British Columbia due to the global economic downturn.
How to escape the debt hole (Dallas Morning News)
The holidays are over, but for many consumers, the headaches are just beginning as the bills start to flow in. Tackle them now, because many experts say 2009 will be a tough year, especially for those who are debt-laden.
Photronics a Sell to $1.50 (Zacks.com via Yahoo! Finance)
Almost all of the debt is convertible subordinated notes, which if exercised, could potentially be dilutive to equity shareholders.
Nonprofit Organization Credit Counseling Debt Consolidation (PIZZAHEROS)
The first man function of a nonprofit debt consolidation company is debt consolidation. This is important because many people will often have many different credit cards and different debt associated with each particular card.
Severe retail downturn forecast for 2009 (San Francisco Chronicle)
The new year is here and the retail party is over. After years of aggressive expansion fueled by easy debt and plastic-wielding customers, the industry is in for a major correction in 2009, analysts predict. The shift could recast much of the Bay Area retail...
Carpetright set to vacuum up rivals (Financial Times)
Carpetright will look at buying weaker peers in a year?s time, including Topps Tiles , as the UK flooring retailer controlled by Lord Harris of Peckham sets out medium-term growth plans.
US Dollar Ends Day Mixed, Could See Directional Moves on Releases of ISM Serv...
- Euro Tumbles on Dovish ECB Comments, Euro-zone CPI Could Exacerbate Sentiment on Tuesday - British Pound Shows Signs of Life as Gilts Yields Rocket Higher
Beating the credit card trap (The Courier Mail)
THERE is no secret to paying off your credit card debt quicker. All you need to do is source a lower interest rate card and increase your repayments.
(AFX UK Focus) 2009-01-06 05:06 Glance-PRESS DIGEST - Financial Times - Jan 6...
The Financial Times