Debt Consolidation Information - Your Option

We are living in very tough economic times and it is at times like these that people begin to realize just how much debt that they have and wonder if they are going to be able to keep up on their payments. These concerns grow as items become more expensive and people start losing their jobs. Something that is happening around the United States even as you read this. For many people, debt consolidation is a viable option as they get further in debt or are unable to pay their current debts. If you are one of those people who are looking for debt consolidation information, then you should read this first and make sure you know exactly what you are getting for your time, trouble, and yes, money.
Debt consolidation means different things to different people. That is because debt consolidation can take more than one form. Firstly, there is debt consolidation through credit counseling services. This is when you can consolidate your credit card debt into one payment made directly to the credit counseling service. The will provide you with extensive debt consolidation information and once you sign on with them; they will negotiate with your creditors to eliminate your interest payments and close your accounts. Often they will negotiate smaller payments as well to get your monthly payments into a more manageable place based on your income and obligations. Generally, there is a modest monthly fee for credit counseling services, which are included in your monthly payment.
Secondly, there is debt consolidation by means of credit card consolidation loans. In most cases, this loan is in the form of a home equity loan. Most people with large amount of debt cannot get a personal loan, especially if they have bad credit. However, even if they have good credit, the banks will consider their debt to owe ratio to determine their loan worthiness and too much debt means no loan money. Getting a home equity loan, however, has a down side. It means that until the loan is paid off, you no longer have equity in your home, so perhaps you should find other debt consolidation information before resorting to a loan.
Lastly, there is what is called credit card dept settlements. This is when a company negotiates with your creditors to reduce the amount that you owe to them. The up side here is smaller payments. The downside, however, is the fact that you have to pay the total negotiated amount up front and it is often reported as a settled debt on your credit score, which counts as a negative.
Of course, there is always the option of settling your own debts by using the Internet to find as much debt consolidation information as possible. Many people are capable of working through a system on their own, if they just know how.