How much will debt consolidation reduce my payments?

26 October 2009

One of the biggest advantages of taking out a debt consolidation loan to manage your debts is that it can enable you to reduce your monthly outgoings.

However, like any debt solution, debt consolidation comes with its downsides too, and you should always get advice from an expert before you go ahead.

How debt consolidation works

A debt consolidation loan is a loan big enough to pay off multiple existing debts, meaning you will effectively `consolidate` several debts into one. This means that instead of making several separate monthly payments, you`ll have just one to deal with.

You may also be able to reduce your monthly outgoings by repaying the debt consolidation loan over a longer period of time than your original debts. This can make your debts much easier to manage and free up cash for other purposes - for unexpected costs, for example.

However, be aware that repaying your loan over a longer period will also mean paying interest for longer, which could mean paying more in the long run.

But you may be able to save money overall if the interest rate on your debt consolidation loan is lower than the rates on your original debts, although the longer you take to repay it, the less chance there is that you`ll save money.

How much will debt consolidation reduce my payments?

This will depend on how many debts you have, how you`re repaying them at the moment, what the interest rates are on those debts, what the interest rate is on your debt consolidation loan, and how long you intend to take to repay your debt consolidation loan.

For example, if you decide to repay your debt consolidation loan over six years and your original debts would have taken three, you can expect your monthly payments to be significantly lower - especially if your consolidation loan has a low interest rate.

However, the calculations can be complicated, and you should always speak with an expert debt adviser about all the costs involved before you take out a debt consolidation loan.

For more information on debt consolidation, click here or call 0800 161 3516 today.

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