I am $50K in credit card debt, what are my options in terms of debt consolidation?

Question

I own my home, but do not have enough equity built to refinance and get $50K to pay off credit card debt-what are my options? Someone told me a second mortgage may work, but I have only owned my home for 14 months. Balance on my current mortgage is $77K, home value is max $90K.

Answer 1

You can't borrow your way out of debt. Try and locate a lower interest credit card and transfer your balance. Some accounts have 0 transfer fees and maybe 0 interest or low introductory interest for the first few months. If you have that little grace period you need to pay as much as you possibly can right away and lower that principal amount. Scrimp and save, cut coupons, brown bag your lunch, get a roommate, whatever it takes to start paying down that debt. That is a huge amount of money if you are paying 18%--your interest alone is probably a couple of hundred every money and if you are only paying the minimum you aren't making a dent in the actual debt.

You have my sympathies. I was in debt for a long time and it took a long time to get that debt monkey off my back. Now that it is, I drive a 14 year old car and think carefully about anything I will owe on for more than a few months. It is enormously freeing not to be in debt. You have so many options and you sleep better. Good luck!

Answer 2

Debt consolidation is an option, and you should look into it. Just be careful about WHAT you're getting into. Some plans, because of their higher APR rates get you into more trouble than you were.

Also, some lenders look poorly upon it later on. Some institutions believe that it really is a black mark. It will depend upon the types of deals that your particular company or lender work out, and of course, your own individual circumstance. For some with absolutely NO way out, debt consolidation is a welcome option.

Take a good hard look at all the options and plans offered, and don't let a single company pressure you into something you just can't do. Make sure that you're comfortable with the plan offered before you commit to it.

In any case, it doesn't hurt to investigate debt consolidation as an option. It doesn't cost you anything to find out more information about it.

If you want a place to start your investigating, there's information and listings for debt consolidation providers on the page listed below. You'll probably find something of use there:

http://axalda.info/debt-consolidation.html

Answer 3

Credit card debts will kill you because ot their high interest rates. You have a problem because you don't have enough equity to get a second mortgage for money at a low interest rate to pay off th ecredit cards and in any case owing so much may not allow you to qualify for a second mortgage.

Your only option now is to cut up all of your credit cards and start paying down those debts to get you out of your current problem situation.

STOP USING THE CREDIT CARDS

Answer 4

First - STOP CHARGING THINGS ON THE CARDS. Cut them up, throw them away, and pay cash or do without. Find a credit counseling service - you need help understanding how to deal with credit.

Make a list of all the credit card debts, and list them according to how much you owe, and which ones are overdue. Make a list of the minimum payment for each one, too. Make the minimum payment on each card except for the overdue account with the smallest balance. PAY EVERY SINGLE SPARE NICKEL YOU CAN TOWARDS THAT CARD EACH MONTH UNTIL IT'S CURRENT. Then pay the minimum amount, and do the same with the other overdue cards.

Now, starting with the account with the smallest balance, WRITE the credit card company, and tell them you want to pay the balances, but it's impossible to do so with the interest rates they charge. Ask if you can work out a payment plan, where you will pay more each month if they can reduce the interest rate. You have to write them, not do this over the phone. Otherwise they are not obligated to answer you. Work out an amount that you can pay each month, and pay it. Don't go to movies, don't go out to eat lunch at work, don't go out for drinks, don't buy booze, cigarettes, drugs, fast food, sodas, fancy coffee at Starbucks, or bottled water. Don't go on vacation, either. That money goes to make payments.

Do this with on each account. When an account is paid off, WRITE THE COMPANY AGAIN to request the account be shown on your credit report as paid in full, and that it be closed. Then go to the account with the next highest balance, and do the same thing all over again. EVERY SINGLE NICKEL GOES TOWARDS THAT PAYMENT AGAIN.

Lastly - go out and find a 2nd job. If you earn even $50 a weekend by working fast food, that's an extra $150/175 after taxes each month that you can use to pay down this debt. If you get a vacation at your main job, use that time to get more hours at the 2nd job if you can.

It took time to get this deep into debt - it'll take time to get out. If you apply yourself, you can do it.

Answer 5

Consolidation is the best solution available to the credit cardholders to improve their future credit. People go for debt consolidation for many reasons: prolonging the loan period from 5 - 15 years and reducing the interest rate. Consolidation allows you to go for a loan with lower interest rate than the one you are currently paying. Besides it simplifies the loan repayment as you are paying only one lender in place of various payments to different lenders.

Answer 6

May be I Can Help You:

Just try:

http://www.proloanz.com/Debt_Consolidation.htm

http://www.mortgagerefinancingatlowrate.com/debt-consolidation-loans.asp

http://www.topamericanmortgage.com/debt-consolidation-loans.asp

http://www.apply4less.com/debt_consolidation.htm

They Will Definetly Help You

Answer 7

That is a precarious situation. The most feasible solution is probably bankruptcy... That way you can settle some of the debt and start over. Try this credit counseling organization, they will have some advice.
http://www.995hope.org/index.htm

Answer 8

To add to sunshine_today and Ralfcoder, it wouldn't matter if you had a 100k in equity because I have the feeling that your credit is so screwed that no decent lender would give you money anyway.

Answer 9

Let's see, if you're a female (as your id says) you have no chance in hades!! IF you are male -- you've got a good chance!!! BUT, either way $50K is a LOT of CC debt!!! Call Spenders Anonymous -- you need help!!!

Answer 10

Damn that's alot of debt. What did you spend $50K on? Good luck. My guess is you'll be paying that until you're a very old woman.