Is There a Cheap Debt Consolidation Loan For Poor Credit?

If you have an excessive amount of unsecured debt and you are struggling to make your monthly payments, a debt consolidation loan may be the answer to your problems.

If, in addition to your unsecured debt you have seen your credit score fall, getting an affordable debt consolidation loan may be a bit of a challenge for you. Is it possible to get a cheap or affordable loan under these circumstances? With a poor credit score, any money you borrow is going to be more expensive than if you had an excellent credit score.

Fear of a slightly higher interest rate on a loan is not a good reason to cross this option off your list of possible solutions.

What can you do?

Realize that different lenders have different loan standards and rates. Banks generally have the highest standards, followed by credit unions, followed by commercial lenders. Because commercial lenders usually have access to a variety of sources for funding, credit score problems may not be a stumbling block to borrowing money. With Internet access, you can compare several companies at one time.

But are they cheap?

If a debt consolidation loan can be obtained for a lower rate than the highest rate you are paying on an account, the loan is probably a good idea. Suppose you have credit cards that are at an effective rate of 22% a year. If you can find a loan for less than that amount, getting a loan and paying off the credit cards is a better financial idea.

How do you find a reputable and reliable lending company on the Internet? Start locating companies using a search engine. Research the companies for the number and type of complaints, if any, lodged against them. Check them out with the Better Business Bureaus. Talk to financial experts and bankers in your area. Compare the services and rates between companies.

When you compare the costs related to a debt consolidation loan, remember that you must compare that interest rate to not only the interest rate on your unsecured debt, but you must also include late and finance charges that might be accruing against your unsecured debt when your payments are late.