You can do this by yourself without paying a credit counselor or getting a debt consolidation loan.
$1600 is really not bad. Getting a loan isn't really going to help you. I know you feel like you're going under but believe me, there are people on here that are way farther in the hole then you are.
Start with the bill that you owe the least amount on and pay as much as you can on that bill every month until it's paid off, of course paying on the others at the same time. Then start on the next one, and pay as much as you can on it. Within a short time, you'll have a couple of them totally paid off and maybe at that point, you can start an ing savings account to start getting some savings going, all the while, continuing to pay off the debt.
If you have all your bills paid off in a year, you are doing great. At that point, put whatever you can into savings so you'll have a rainy day fund for future emergencies.
Good luck. You really can do this.
2007-03-13 07:35:42
·
answer #1
·
answered by Faye H 6
·
1⤊
0⤋
It is hard to fully answer your question without knowing specifically what the bills are. If they are utilities, almost all electric, gas, water, etc...companies have a cap program where you can pay it off a little at a time interest free as long as you don't miss any payments.
If you have a steady income and can afford to make regular payments you could also opt to transfer the balance to a credit card at a low introductory APR. Many cards will give you 0-2% interest for the 1st year which will allow you to build your credit back up and save money. You could pay $1600 off in less then a year by just paying $150 or so a month. If you can afford to make regular payments, don't bother with this option though because you will eventually have to pay higher interest on the debt and could wind up worse off then before.
2007-03-13 07:38:26
·
answer #2
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
First try to pay the $1,600 off in installment to whoever you owe, be willing to pay some small interest rate (8% - 10%) over a year. This seem like the best since it will keep your fees down.
If that fails See if you can get a $2,500 loan with no prepayment, then immediately pay off $900 ($2,500 - $1,600 you owe).
Last use a credit card for a cash advance (Expensive!) and then immediately transfer the balance to a zero interest card.
I think the best bet is to negotiate with the lender of the $1,600 it will keep your credit clean and allow you to make monthly payments.
2007-03-13 07:38:16
·
answer #3
·
answered by jay5002 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
The first thing to do is to contact each creditor. Inform them that you intend to pay them, but you have limited funds. Depending on how you feel about your moral obligation to pay the debts, you may ask each of them to settle for less than the full amount. A common arrangement is 50% of the balance due if they have already charged off the debt. Start with the smallest debt and work your way up to the largest. Just eliminating them one by one will encourage you and give you a feeling of gaining ground. The amount is not great, so it won't take a long time to clean these debts up, especially if some will settle for less. Good luck!
2007-03-13 07:36:07
·
answer #4
·
answered by larry r 3
·
1⤊
0⤋
First of all, forget about the debt consolidation. all they can do is turn $1600 debt into $1600 debt plus their fee.
Until you pay off the debt, don't worry about the emergency money. If all you owe is $1600, if you put your mind to it, that can be paid off quickly.
Look into a job (or second job) for a brief period.
Save where you can. Forget about the video rentals, Starbucks, ringtones, etc. for awhile.
Look around. what do you have that you really don't need? Get rid of it - premium cable, that latest iPod, etc.
Yeah, I'm mean. I know you don't won't to lose your free time, your entertainment, your stuff. But until you're debt-free and putting away money into that emergency fund, you're not really going to enjoy them anyway.
2007-03-13 07:35:09
·
answer #5
·
answered by pater47 5
·
1⤊
0⤋
I had the same problem with hospital bills. I got a credit card through my bank with a very low interest rate and the first six months I didnt even have interest on it. So I paid all my bills with my credit card and then paid my credit card off as fast as possible.
If you chose to go this route you have to be smart about it. Don't get a high interest rate, and don't be late on your payments or you will have fee's. Which will make your debt worse.
My bills were about $1200 and I got them paid off in a jiff. You also might want to take a small loan out with your bank. Both can work, as long as you do it right. You can email if you need to....
grneyedchnce@yahoo.com
2007-03-13 07:33:43
·
answer #6
·
answered by Becky 2
·
1⤊
0⤋
You're looking for a consolidation loan and usually, you have to meet certain requirements to qualify for approval for those. If you must have a loan, look into getting a personal (signature) loan, or perhaps a line of credit from these places. In the loan details, you can simply say you want to pay off such-and-such bills with the money. Lines of credits are like credit cards without the high interest and the plastic card.
2007-03-13 07:55:38
·
answer #7
·
answered by Krista B 6
·
0⤊
0⤋
Consolidation loans are generally expensive. I think you are doing great! You realize you have a responsibility to pay off these debts, and you're doing it! Be glad you were smart enough to not get in deeper over your head.
I'd like to recommend a book to you. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S Clason. Paperback, under $10, short fun read. Changed my financial life 20 years ago. Good luck to you!
2007-03-13 08:32:38
·
answer #8
·
answered by Radio 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
The places you are going won't help you because you don't have that big of a problem. You are young, $1,600 in debt, and will be out of debt in a year. The average American has more debt than you. If you still believe you have a problem, then get another job.
2007-03-13 07:33:15
·
answer #9
·
answered by Anonymous
·
1⤊
0⤋
Listen, I'm going to refer you to my website
http://www.thecreditrepairmanual.com
Everything you need to repair your credit.
2007-03-13 10:07:05
·
answer #10
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋