Tag Archives: low
Balance Transfer Credit Card – Debt Consolidation
Balance transfer credit cards can provide an excellent option for debt consolidation. Many Americans are currently in debt and struggling for a way out. Some choose to use a home equity loan to help get themselves out of debt, but not everyone has a home with built up equity to use for this purpose. In addition, putting your home up as collateral for debt consolidation can be a bit nerve-wracking and many banks enforce annual maintenance fees and monetary penalties if you try to close the equity line before a specified period of time.
Rising Interest Rates
Anyone that has been a credit card holder for some time or who pays attention to the financial marketplace knows that credit card rates on many cards have been on the rise. Often, credit card companies are more than happy to increase interest rates when the prime rate is raised, but they are not so quick to bring the rates down when the prime rate decreases. By consolidating your debt with a balance transfer credit card, you can remove your debt from your high interest cards and place it on your card with a lower interest rate. The best balance transfer credit cards offer low introductory rates or low fixed rates on balance transfers, making them a great option for debt consolidation.
What to Look For
When looking for a balance transfer card for debt consolidation, you generally want to find the card with the lowest long-term rate. More than likely, you will be consolidating a debt that you will be unable to pay in a short period of time. If this is the case, your low interest introductory period may be over long before you are done paying off the debt.
You also need to be cautious about fees when looking to consolidate debt with a balance transfer credit card. Many credit cards charge a fee for transferring balances from another card onto theirs. The best balance transfer credit cards will not charge an additional fee. In addition, some balance transfer credit cards require transferred balances to be requested at the time of application for the card in order to be eligible for the special introductory offer. While this may be fine for some people, you might want to have the flexibility to transfer balances. In this case, you will want to select a card that allows you to transfer balances any time throughout the introductory period.
For the very best balance transfer credit cards, you will want to find one that maintains the low APR throughout the life of the balance you have transferred. In other words, a balance you transfer on a card may have a 0.00% APR for the first six months, but then rocket to 19.99% when the period is over. On the best balance transfer credit cards, however, the low introductory offer remains in place until you pay off the entire amount you have transferred.
Self-Discipline
Obviously, a balance transfer credit card cannot do all of the work for you. While you can consolidate all of your bills onto just one card, you will need to be disciplined enough to pay the balance off. If your introductory period expires after so many months, you should create a budgetary plan that will have the balance paid off by the time the period is over. You might need to cut out some of the extras, such as the cup of fancy coffee you grab every morning, to help create a little extra cash flow. It will be well worth it when you find yourself out of debt. In addition, the money you are saving in finance charges should be paid toward your credit card debt
Home equity loan: Access the equity built in your home
Taking home equity loans depend on the current needs and desires that prompt you to go for home equity loans as the first choice. Home equity loan has become a fast-track way of paying down debt consolidation, for home improvement, for higher education, unexpected family emergencies, medical expenses, etc.
Home equity loans are secured against the equity in your home. Home equity is the sum total of two things:
The down payment and the monthly repayment that the borrower i.e., the homeowner has made against the total mortgage balance on his or her home.
The amount with which the property has appreciated in price will also affect the homeowner equity.
Many of us think that for taking home equity loans, you will have to sell the house. But its absolutely wrong. Being a homeowner, you can take home equity loan without selling your home. The value of your home will determine the loan amount and the rate of interest. If you want loans at low interest rate, you will have to offer high equity collateral.
In Home equity loans, bad credit report does not make too much difference. Bad credit is common now-a-days. But, having a good credit record can definitely fetch you loan at comparatively low rate of interest.
Once you have calculated the value of your home, its now time to apply for the loan. For applying home equity loans, you should bring with you the credit card or some other document for identity purpose. Lenders offer home equity loans with competitive rates on interest. So, market survey is a must. Choose the lender who provides you the best loan deal.