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The UK’s Growing Debt Crisis and a Summary of Possible Solutions

An estimated 3m people owe more than 10,000 on credit cards, overdrafts and loans, new research shows.

Among these people just over 2.5m have unsecured debts of more than 50,000, according to debt solutions company One Advice.

Their research found that one in 10 people who owe five figure sums are worried about whether they will be able to repay their debt.

A fifth of people also admitted they had months where they found it difficult to meet their repayments, and 3% said they had problems affording repayments most months.

In 16% of cases people said they were planning to take action to address their financial problems, with 7% claiming they were considering going bankrupt.

London has the highest proportion of people with large unsecured debts, with 9% of the population owing more than 10,000, followed by the North and Yorkshire at 8%.

People in the Midlands were least likely to have big debts, with just 4% of the population owing more than 10,000.

Debt advisors are already braced for a surge in pleas for help when people realise the scale of their problems after Christmas.

Those worrying about their finances should seek professional advice, as taking out the wrong debt solution could make matters worse.

New Bankruptcy Rules have come into force, which may enable people with severe debt problems to become debt free much quicker than previously. Bankruptcy may be a better solution than debt management, an IVA or Trust Deed

Indeed, bankruptcy can sometimes appear to be the easy way out for people with serious financial problems. But there are difficulties associated with this that can remain for some time.

Bankruptcy stays on your credit file for six years, which can affect your ability to get a mortgage and credit.

An alternative to bankruptcy could be an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) (or a Trust Deed for Scottish residents). With these solutions you pay back an affordable amount over a fixed period (normally 5 years for an IVAor3 for a Trust Deed). After this time the remainder of your debt is written-off. During this time no interest is charged on your accounts and all creditor action is suspended. If you have equity in your home you are normally expected to release this by way of are mortgage or secured loan. These solutions may not be available if you have too much equity (because your lenders would then quite rightly expect you to use this to pay your debts) or if your debts are mainly with 1creditor (because this creditor may choose to vote against the process).

Other solutions available include getting a debt consolidation loan or remortgage. These can help reduce your monthly outgoings but can lead to your overall payments over the term of the loan increasing. You may also be converting unsecured debt to debts secured on your home. A consolidation loan can help save money if the interest rate on the new loan is lower than the interest being charged on your existing debts (especially if these are store cards or credit cards).

A short-term solution may be to transfer credit card balances to other credit cards that offer an interest free period or cash-back.

A less formal route than an IVA is s debt management plan. These can enable you to reduce your monthly outgoings to a more affordable level. A 3rd Party negotiates with your creditors to accept reduced payments and where possible to accept freeze interest/charges. Debt Management plans and advice are offered by Charities including CCCS, Citizens Advice Bureau and PayPlan and from a number of commercial companies including Harrington Brooks, All Clear Finance, Baines & Earnst and Gregory Pennington.

Your creditors may also accept a repayment proposal if you contact them direct.

The key to solving your debt problems is not to bury your head in the sand. Don’t ignore calls and letters from your creditors and if you are unable to cope seek help. Additional advice on becoming debt free is available at debt free.

If you are experiencing debt problems then one solution may be to take out a debt consolidation loan to sort yourself out. Getting into a spiral of debt doesnt just affect your finances it can be a stressful experience that can also affect your health and mental well-being. So, it makes sense to take action as soon as you can before the situation gets completely out of hand.

If your debts are worrying you and remember, you dont have to owe a whole lot of money to have debt problems then there are three basic stages to debt consolidation that can help you make the right decision on what to do. Lets take a look at your options.

Stage One Decide what you want

It doesnt matter how big or small your existing debts are if they are a worry to you then debt consolidation loans could provide you with the right kind of solution. So, are your debts so bad that you need this kind of loan?

The first thing you need to do is to work out how bad your financial situation is. If, for example, you spend most of your monthly income on repaying your debts leaving you with little or no cash spare to live on every month then you may well need to look at this kind of solution.

The problem with many debts nowadays is that most of us end up borrowing money on products such as credit cards and overdrafts. So, every month you may find that you are simply repaying the minimum sum allowed whilst high rates of interest are added to your initial borrowings. All too soon you can find that you arent making any headway at all to repay what you owe as more is added to it every month even if you have curbed your spending. So, you may find that you have to borrow more to even make the minimum payments which will only make the situation worse. If this scenario sounds familiar to you then a debt consolidation loan could be the answer to your prayers.

Stage Two Look at what debt consolidation can do for your finances

The key advantage to a debt consolidation loan is that it will repay your existing debts for you. Youll still have to repay this loan but itll cost you less and it will get you out of the spiral of debt increases. This kind of loan is usually a standard personal loan so the interest rate advantages youll get are huge. Personal loans have far lower interest rates than products such as credit cards, for example. So, youll have to spend less on debt repayment every month and less overall to repay your borrowings.

Plus, this kind of loan will give you just one monthly payment which can be set at a fixed rate so you will know exactly where you stand. If you have any doubts about what this kind of loan will do for you then do a bit of research first before you make a decision. Work out how much you currently pay every month on repaying your debts then, if you log on to a specialist website such as www.uk-consolidation-loans.co.uk you can see how much a debt consolidation loan will suit you. And, youll get the instant peace of mind of knowing that your debts will be repaid at the end of the loan. There really is an end in sight here!

Stage Three Get the best deal

Debt consolidation loans can come in various forms. If you prefer you can take out a specialist loan or simply opt for a standard personal loan. If youre a homeowner you can opt for a secured loan or if you prefer or you dont own your own property, then you can use an unsecured option. In any case, the key thing to remember is that you want a reputable lender with the best deal possible. Its vital to keep the interest rates you get for your loan as low as possible to make sure that you pay back as little as possible over time.

The easiest way to do this is to shop around. In todays Internet focused world you dont have to do this yourself there are many specialist sites that can help you find great rates and deals.

For many of us a debt consolidation loan can be the first step we take on the road to a debt free life. With this in mind its a solution worth looking at no matter what level of debt you currently have.

As a student, do you find it hard to repay your student loans? While student loans are great in that you and I will probably not be able to afford a tertiary education without it. On the other hand, it can be difficult to pay the monthly payments on time due to the high interest rate and other external factors which can challenge your wallet.

If you have a difficult time in repaying your student loans, you might want to consider a direct student loan consolidation.

So what is a direct student loan consolidation?

In essence, it is simply exchanging or consolidating your existing outstanding student loans with higher interest rates for one loan with a more manageable, fixed interest rate. The interest rate is determined by the average of your loans, rounded to the nearest 0.125 per cent.

A direct student loan consolidation is especially useful if you know you are about to default on your monthly student loan payments. A direct student loan consolidation can mean a new start since it is considered a new loan.

When you consolidate your student loans under a new loan, your existing loans will show up on your credit card as paid off, thereby increasing your credit score.

Before getting a direct student loan consolidation, you need to know the types of plans for repaying. There are four major types. You may like to investigate more to consider which is best for your needs.

1. Standard Repayment Plan

Standard Repayment Plan allows you a fixed monthly payment for up to 10 years depending on the amount you owe.

2. Extended Repayment Plan

An extended repayment plan allows you up to 30 years. Obviously, the longer the period, the less amount you need to repay each month. Do note, however that you will end up paying more as a whole if you spread your payment over longer periods of time due to interest rates.

3. Graduated Repayment Plan

Graduated Repayment Plan usually have a repayment period between 12 and 30 years. The main difference between graduated and extended repayment plan is for graduated, the amount of your monthly payment will increase every two years.

4. Income Contingent Repayment Plan

If you have a job, then this plan may be what you are looking for. The income contingent repayment plan set a monthly payment based on your gross annual income. Other factors include your family size and the amount owe. The repayment period is usually 25 years.

A word of caution, if you are close to paying off your student loans, then a direct student loan consolidation may not be suitable for you since you will be paying more due to interest rates over the long term.

However, if you have difficulty in repaying your student loans and it is still years away from being paid off, then a direct student loan consolidation may be the answer. Not only do you pay less interest over the long term but it can improve your credit rating as well.

Reduce Your Debts, Improve Your Credit Score Bad Credit Consolidation Loans

Taken too many debts not able to make payments on time? Also the tension of bad credit history you are carrying with you. Bad credit is a matter of concern for most of the people these days. Bad credit consolidation loans will help you to recover from your bad credit history.

A bad credit history can deny you from talking a loan, as it matters a lot to the lender offering his money to you as loan amount. There are many causes for occurring of a bad credit record. Non-payments of debts in the past, late-payments of installments, your unpaid credit card bills, the number of debts you have taken, all these things adds to your bad credit score.

A bad credit score is a three digit score calculated by financial agencies. Any score below 500 is considered as a poor score. This score largely affects the loan amount you are applying for. This score get improved with time as when your debts are cleared, payments are made on time.

Bad credit consolidation loans can help you out in improving your bad credit score by consolidation or combining all your debts into a single debt. Paying too many debts simultaneously may lead you to pay more interest as the interest rate varies for different debts. You can pay all your existing debts by the loan amount. So that there remains only a single debt of bad credit consolidation loan, which you can pay at a low interest rate.

You can apply for these loans by offering your security as a collateral, however it is not obligatory. Applying for a loan by offering collateral or security will get you a lower interest rate. The title of possession of asset will be transferred to the lender till the loan amount is fully paid. This loan will be termed as secured bad credit consolidation loan.

You can also apply for an unsecured bad credit debt consolidation loans if you dont want to put your asset at a stake. As the risk involved for the lender is more the interest rate will be slightly higher. But it will give you the freedom from the fear of possession of your valuable asset.

Online websites gives you the opportunity to compare different lenders on the basis of the loan packages they are offering. Most of the websites provides you the free quotes from different lenders. You can choose the one with low interest rates, the amount of loan and the term of repayment, which suits you, the most. You can fill a simple online form to get the online services of the lenders. You can also make a phone call to the lender if facing any difficulty.

Bad credit consolidation loans will help you out in getting out of you bad credit score as well as keeping your finances in an arranged manner. So you dont have to worry much about your finances anymore. Bad credit consolidation loans will provide you the best deal to get rid of your existing debts.

With Credit Cards Hitting Hardest, UK Consumers Tax Themselves With Penalty Charges On Personal Finance Options

A rise in costs for users of any financial service usually results in public outcry, why is it then that so many of those same consumers allow penalty fees and charges to accrue on their credit cards, when the problem could so easily be avoided?

The financial groups Defaqto and MoneyExpert have released a report in which the startling figure that one in five consumers have had to pay just such a charge, and while credit cards were the worst offender, a number of different personal finance services also incurred unnecessary charges. These services included charges for simple personal finance errors such as allowing an overdraft to go over the agreed bank limit, or investing in an inflexible mortgage and then paying off the debt early. In both cases either better preparation beforehand with regards to choosing the right provider (such as using an online personal finance database like Moneynet (http://www.moneynet.co.uk/credit-card/index.shtml ) or Motley Fool (http://www.fool.co.uk ) ) or taking advantage of financial options now readily available would have presented more flexible options which would not have imposed the penalties.

To take an example, credit cards allow greater control over your personal cash flow – you can pay now for a product or service even if the funds you use will not be available to you until the following month, at which point you pay off the credit card. Credit cards also have valuable incentives for their use with larger purchases, featuring, as the majority do, insurance options and traceability. However when you are making smaller purchases, say clothing or household products, then the use of a credit card may not be the best use of your money: searching for a suitable personal loan would most likely result in better short-term rates and the avoidance of penalties such as those imposed on the one in five people surveyed by Defaqto and MoneyExpert.

With the survey also producing the result that one in twenty consumers faced charges in excess of 100 it would seem that this problem is more than a trifle for a large portion of the UK population and that while there are a great number of personal finance options available out there, there are very often not used to the advantage of the consumer as they could so easily be with a little research.

Disclaimer

All information contained in this article is for general information purpose only and should not be construed as advice under the financial Services act 1986. You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

There’s no doubt you’ll have heard plenty about debt consolidation loans – our TV screens are full of adverts promising freedom from financial worry, and the internet is positively flooded with solicitations to lock in a low rate with a refinancing package.

If you’re having difficulties keeping up with your bills and credit repayments, or even facing the prospect of recovery action on overdue installments, then the idea of debt consolidation can be very seductive. By combining all your current debts into one single loan, the theory goes, you’ll be benefitting from both a reduction in your monthly repayment amount and a lifting of the stress caused by constantly having to juggle your finances.

But is debt consolidation really as simple as all that? Of course there are benefits to restructuring your financial life in this way, and the adverts aren’t shy of pointing out the positive side, but before embarking on this course of action there are a few negative aspects you’d be well advised to consider. Only then can you make a fully informed decision on whether debt consolidation is right for you.

Firstly, in order to secure a lower monthly repayment you either have to get credit at a lower interest rate, or spread your payments over a longer period. Most consolidation packages rely on a combination of both, but it’s almost certain that the deal will involve a lengthy loan term. This means that you’ll be paying interest on your debt for longer, and the total amount of interest you’ll be charged will in the long run be higher. You may feel that this is a price worth paying for reducing your monthly bills to a more manageable level, and you may indeed feel you have little other choice, but it’s a point to bear in mind.

Another potential problem with consolidation is that, in a sense, you’re giving yourself a fresh start financially. You’re wiping out all those worrying debts and getting your finances back under control. This is of course a good thing – but you’ll be left with all your old credit card accounts with a zero balance, and all the temptations to spend that that may provide. If you’re not careful, you could end up in an even worse situation – having to pay back a large loan while running up new debts at the same time.

This pitfall can of course be avoided by cancelling your card accounts at the same time as you clear the balances, and it is strongly advisable that you do this.

The final problem to bear in mind is that by consolidating you will probably be shifting unsecured debt into a secured loan using your home as collateral. This means that if, in the future, you fall behind with your payments, you could risk losing your home as your creditor calls in the debt through foreclosure. This is a serious drawback, and if most of your current debt is unsecured then you might wish to explore every other possibility before tying it up to your home.

So, is debt consolidation an altogether bad option for sorting out your finances? Not at all. It can be a very effective strategy for dealing with problem debts, but it shouldn’t be entered into blindly, no matter how attractive the advertisements may appear.

Reduce Your Debt – How To Use Debt Consolidation To Get Yourself Out Of Debt Permanently

Debt consolidation can get you out of debt permanently if you make it part of a financial plan. Within five years, you can have your unsecured loans paid off and on your way to debt-free living. The key is to plan for the future.

Get Your Bills In Order

If you are in the hole with debt payments, then debt consolidation may be your way out. Debt consolidation programs lower your interest rates on unsecured loans with creditors. With their low fee, they handle payments, account paperwork, and direct dealings with creditors. All you do is send them a monthly payment for all your consolidated bills.

Initially, you will see a slight drop in your credit score, eliminating your ability to apply for more credit. However, within two years you can apply for credit as lenders see your commitment to repaying loans. You can even apply for a mortgage loan at this time.

To make sure you are betting the best deal, shop around for a debt consolidation company. Request quotes on fees and information on their services. While you want the best deal, dont be lured by false promises.

Pay Bills Faster

Once you have one account paid off, apply that monthly cash toward another account. Not only will you be paying off your bills sooner, but you will be saving money on interest payments. Also consider applying any refunds or bonuses toward your bills.

Also, look for ways you can cut spending, even if just temporarily. Cell phones, cable TV, or eating out can all be reduced or cut out. It is difficult, but keep your eye on your goal of being debt-free.

Plan For Your Future

It is not enough to get out of debt, you also need to plan for your future. You may find a credit counselor can help you create goals and design a budget. You can also find a lot of good information on finances online or through books.

One of your future goals should be creating a financial safety net. Even while you are paying off debt, you should be saving money every month. While a job loss or a major illness cant be avoided, you can minimize their financial impact by being proactive with your finances.