Credit Card Debt: Is a Personal Loan a Good Idea? Advice on personal loans 2022-23

Repaying your credit card debt using personal loans could be a good idea if you cut down on interest costs and also avoid accruing charges over and over.

Many millions of Americans are in debt. If you’re one of the majority, you might be tempted to get a personal loan to help pay down your credit card bills. It is possible to do this, however, only in certain circumstances.

Be sure to weigh the pros and cons of the various payment methods will help you decide on the most effective option for your situation.

Why Do You Need a Personal Loan?

Personal loans are money borrowed from a financial institution, credit union, or online lender. It is returned in instalments that include interest over a set time. 

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It is possible to use the funds of personal loans for any need you can think of. Some of the most popular uses include the consolidation of debt or paying medical bills, or purchasing a big purchase.

Typically you can borrow anything between a few hundred dollars to thousands. Your interest rate could be fixed or variable. However, most personal loans are fixed. Personal loans are also often accompanied by fees that could make it more expensive to borrow.

If you are applying to get a loan for personal use, the lender will take into account a variety of factors that, include your

• The amount of the loan.
• Debt
• The score of credit.
• Income

What Is the Best Way to Consolidate Credit Card Debt? Is a Personal Loan the Way to Go?

A personal loan used to pay off credit card debt may be a good idea if two things are the case, according to Todd Christensen, education manager at Money Fit by DRS.

This organization is a nonprofit credit and debt counselling firm. First, you’ve identified the cause of the debt. Additionally, the loan comes with a lower interest rate than credit cards.

Christensen says that identifying and addressing the root that led to your credit card debt is vital. If you do not change the ways of living and the circumstances that caused the debt, you may find yourself in debt again, according to him.

“The borrower risks doubling their debt balances by running their credit card balances back up after transferring the original balance to the new loan,” Christensen states.

Consolidation Debt: Pros and Cons

Alternatives to Personal Loans for Consolidating Debt

A personal loan isn’t the only way to tackle debt. There are a variety of alternatives to personal loans. Include:

Credit card balance transfer card.

Certain issuers offer a time interest-free when you transfer your balance.

Kevin Lum, a certified financial planner and founder of Foundry Financial in Los Angeles, says that a few customers have utilized this strategy.

Most lenders charge a fee of 4% to 5% upfront, but you get 18 months interest-free to pay off the debt,” Lum explained.

Christensen says that a credit card for balance transfers is only appropriate if you have your spending under the control of your finances. 

To be eligible for this type of credit card, it is also necessary to have excellent credit or good credit and a minimum score of 670 on the FICO scale.

“Moving your debt from one account to another just to get a better interest rate is not the best way to eliminate your debt,” he explains.”It’s a debt shuffle.”

Home credit line.

Utilizing the HELOC to pay off debts can drastically reduce the amount of interest you have to pay.

Since the HELOC can be secured with your house as collateral, it is less risky for lenders than other kinds of loans. This means that a lender will typically allow you to take out a loan at a less interest than what you could get on credit cards that are usually secured.

However, using HELOC to repay credit card debt is not without risk. Defaulting on the HELOC could cause your home to be in danger, and some who transfer their obligations to a HELOC might view the newly-cleared credit card as an opportunity to begin charging fees.

Debt snowballs or debt avalanches are a payoff strategy.

Sometimes, your best bet is to not think about getting a loan and instead focus your efforts towards paying off debt. 

In case the borrower cannot obtain a loan that would have a lower interest rate than their current credit card balances, it might be better to eliminate all the debt held by the current accounts rather than to repay the credit cards.than transferring them,” Christensen states.

To pay off debts may typically employ one of two strategies:

1. The debt snowball method is where you pay off the smallest debt first while making minimum payments on your other debts. Use any extra cash to pay the least expensive debt until it’s completely paid off. Then you can move on to the next debt, and repeat until all your debts are cleared.
2. The method of debt avalanche that you use to make payments on your debt with the highest interest even if you have to pay it off over some duration. It is a method of paying off balances from the highest to the lowest per year.

Both approaches have pros and pros and. Some prefer the snowball method since it is a quick win that builds momentum to continue paying off your debts. 

Some prefer prioritizing the debts with the highest interest rates because they will save the most over the long term, even though the process of paying off debt can be challenging.

Directly paying down debt is among the most efficient ways to avoid debt. Nadine Marie Burns, a certified financial planner and the president of A New Path Financial in Ann Arbor, Michigan, states that she took on another position to settle the outstanding debt after receiving an MBA.

“I worked all day, then taught classes at night as an adjunct,” Burns adds. In addition to the funds I received, the time spent working was also the money I did not have to spend on unnecessary expenses. As a result, I was able to pay off the debt more quickly.”

They are negotiating the possibility of a lower interest rate.

Make sure your credit card company is willing to reduce your interest rates, Christensen says.Christensen says that a lower interest rate is typically accompanied by a more down monthly mortgage payment.

Credit card companies will likely lower your interest rate if they are known to have made regular payments for at least one calendar year, Christensen adds. “It’s less likely to happen,” he adds, if you appear to be high-risk to the card issuer, for example, that you’ve maxed out the card.

I am participating in a hardship program like forbearance.

If you’re facing an immediate financial strain and can’t make your credit card payments, inquire about your credit card’s hardship plan, Christensen says. 

Some hardships could include the loss of pay or layoff due to a severe injury, illness, family emergency, or natural catastrophe.

“Each credit card company will have its own hardship program,” Christensen states. As a result, some lenders will offer lower interest rates, while others might offer the option of a month without any payments due.”

According to the official, specific hardship programs last for one month, while others may last as long as six months.

Plan for managing debt.

Suppose taking the matter yourself isn’t working, or you need professional assistance. In that case, a credit counsellor can create a debt management program that combines all your debts into one payment. A debt management program can help you save money by reducing interest rates. It can also help you pay off debts faster.

People who participate in debt management programs could see their credit card APRs “decrease to somewhere in the single-digit territory,” Christensen claims.

Wetzler says a debt management plan could be a viable alternative for many. In addition, she explains that credit cards are closed so that the debt does not continue to grow.

When you get a personal loan for credit card debt, will your credit score suffer?

A personal loan can improve or damage your credit score, based on your credit score and the way you manage the loan. It can improve your credit score through the following:

• Improve your credit score. A personal loan could help you complete your credit profile when you primarily deal with revolving credit cards.
• It establishes a positive history of payment. It is essential to make your payments in full and on time each month for your score to be benefited.
• Paying off the balances on your credit cards. Clearing your card balances will reduce the credit utilization ratio, an essential aspect of credit rating.

If you borrow money to pay off debts could affect your credit score in the following ways:

• You created a complex inquiry in your credit file whenever you made an application. A tricky question may remain in your credit file for as long as two years. However, the impact may begin to disappear after a couple of months.
• It could tempt you to add more loans on credit cards. You may become less financially secure if you use the loan to pay off your credit cards and then begin to charge the same cards again.