Post-Holiday Debt Consolidation… Bah Humbug!

This holiday season is forecasted to be a big one in the area of personal spending. This trend has been gradually increasing over the last few years, especially in the area of e-commerce spending, and retailers are gearing up for the boom.

Over the holiday season, so many families find themselves using their credit cards to make ends meet. The holiday is a special time with the family and the last things people want to think about during that time are mounting credit card bills or debt consolidation.

The challenge and reality is that credit cards are the most expensive way to shop for the holidays and ignoring your finances through the holiday season can have devastating long-term impacts. With some planning and guidance you can navigate the holiday season with less debt and with a financial plan moving into 2013.

If you have credit cards, then by now you likely know how expensive they can get. You may still be carrying debt left over from last year’s holiday season. The interest is what makes credit cards so expensive. Because minimum required monthly payments are set so low on credit cards, and because the interest compounds monthly (12 times per year), once a credit card debt accumulates it becomes very difficult to pay off. Even low rate lines of credit are difficult to pay off, not just because of the interest rate but because of the way the interest compounds.

For example, if you owe $3000 on your credit card and your interest rate is 17%, that means your monthly interest is $42.00. This will mean that you will have to make significantly more than your minimum payment to pay your balance down. If you accumulated the debt thinking that the minimum payments on your credit card were manageable, chances are you have realized that this is not the case. In reality, it can take years to pay off a debt, even one as small as $3000, by just making the minimum monthly payments. Once the interest begins accumulating, it will begin to consume most of your minimum monthly payment.

Some people find themselves in so much credit card debt that even managing the minimum monthly payments becomes challenging. No one finds themselves in this situation intentionally and it usually happens over a period of time. Paying them outright is often impossible, as things always come up, such as car repairs, children's back to school costs, and of course – at the most expensive time of year – all of that holiday spending.

A debt consolidation can be a vital part of a strong holiday financial plan. By consolidating your debt into a single monthly payment you won't have to pay all of your credit card bills over the holiday season, thus freeing up some much needed cash flow for holiday shopping. Because a debt consolidation involves consolidating your debt into a single monthly payment, you will sail through the holidays without bills from creditors and will be able start the New Year with one, low, single monthly payment.

Choosing the right type of debt consolidation is very important. Some debt consolidations bear interest or are over long terms, whereas others can freeze the interest you owe on your debts. The right debt consolidation solution for you will largely depend on your own personal financial circumstances.

For more information on holiday debt consolidation and to see if you qualify please contact DebtCare at 416-907-2582 or visit www.debtcare.ca.