Hidden Benefits of Debt Consolidation

One of the primary reasons people pursue debt consolidation is to save money as they work on reducing debt. While this is a very important potential benefit, debt consolidation can also provide other hidden benefits, both financial and psychological.

Switching your debt obligations to a lower interest rate and saving on interest payments is one key benefit of debt consolidation. For the same monthly payment, paying down debt at a lower interest rate means more of the payment is going toward the principal. The debt balance declines faster than at a higher interest rate. Over the life of the debt or loan, the total interest paid may be significantly less for a lower interest loan. The amount of time needed to pay off the debt can be shorter too, as long as more debt isn’t constantly added. There are also some less commonly known benefits of consolidating your debt.

1. The average American cardholder has 7 credit cards. In a two-parent household with other debt obligations for a car loan, student loan or mortgage, the household debt payments add up quickly. When there isn’t enough money to pay off all these debts in full, deciding how much money to allocate to each debt can be a difficult juggling act, one that is repeated every month. Consolidating debt can provide an easier management process, resulting in a lot fewer transactions to track.
2. With so many debt payments, it is easy to miss one every once in a while, even with the best intentions. Missing a single minimum payment by just a few days can result in penalties and fees.