Debt Management for Personal Loans

Personal loans can offer individuals a way to have the funds for an array of uses. Some are necessary while others are for pure enjoyment. It is important that you consider the financial obligation that comes with personal loans. Too often, individuals access money quickly then struggle to repay it. If you don’t have a good budget in place you may find yourself unable to make the payments on your personal loan.

An area where many individuals get into trouble with personal loans is debt consolidation. Within a year most people who use personal loans for this find themselves in even worse financial shape. This is because they have not altered their spending habits any. The result is they charge their credit cards up to the limit and now have those payments to make again as well as a personal loan payment. They may soon find they are drowning in the swimming pool of debt.

Enrolling in a debt management plan may be a great alternative for you to help you meet your financial obligations. Most debt management plans involve working with your creditors to reduce interest rates as well as working with the individual to establish a realistic budget and work to change spending habits.

The first step in the process is to do some research on the debt management programs available. Find out how long they have been in business and check for any reports from customers with the Better Business Bureau. Once you have chosen one, call to discuss your situation with them and schedule an appointment. You will need to bring statements for all of your bills as well as verification of your income.

With a debt management counselor you will discuss your monthly obligations. They will work with your creditors to reduce the interest on your debt. This will reduce your monthly payments. You will then make one monthly payment to the debt management agency. They will then disburse the funds to your creditors. You will continue to get monthly statements from your creditors for your records.

It is important that you understand you can’t use any of your credit cards that you place into a debt management program. Keeping that in mind, you might want to choose one with a very small limit that you pay separately. You will avoid making any additional charges on that credit card unless it is an absolute emergency. You will want to discuss this with your debt management counselor.

Most creditors are willing to accept the terms of a debt management program because it shows you are accepting responsibility for your debt. They want to recoup the money you owe so this is a very realistic way for that to happen. Most debt management agencies have policies in place about missing payments. Generally, if you miss two payments in a row they will drop you from the program. It is important you notify the debt management agency if you are having difficulties with making a payment.

Obtaining credit is often too easy, yet repaying it can be a struggle you have for a large portion of your life. If your personal loans and other debt have spiraled out of control, contact a debt management program to see if they can help your situation.

The Budget – The Ultimate Financial Management Tool

A carpenter uses a set of house plans to build a house. If he didn’t the bathroom might get overlooked altogether.

Rocket Scientists would never begin construction on a new booster rocket without a detailed set of design specifications. Yet most of us go blindly out into the world without an inkling of an idea about finances and without any plan at all.

Not very smart of us, is it?

A money plan is called a budget and it is crucial to get us to our desired financial goals.

Without a plan we will drift without direction and end up marooned on a distant financial reef.

If you have a spouse or a significant other, you should make this budget together. Sit down and figure out what your joint financial goals are…long term and short term.

Then plan your route to get to those goals. Every journey begins with one step and the first step to attaining your goals is to make a realistic budget that both of you can live with.

A budget should never be a financial starvation diet. That won’t work for the long haul. Make reasonable allocations for food, clothing, shelter, utilities and insurance and set aside a reasonable amount for entertainment and the occasional luxury item. Savings should always come first before any spending.

Even a small amount saved will help you reach your long term and short term financial goals. You can find many budget forms on the internet. Just use any search engine you choose and type in “free budget forms”.

You’ll get lots of hits. Print one out and work on it with your spouse or significant other. Both of you will need to be happy with the final result and feel like it’s something you can stick to.