Saturday, November 1, 2008

What Alternatives Are There To Bankruptcy?

By William Blake

No one wants to file for bankruptcy. You hear about big corporations doing it all the time. But corporations are different than an individual. Finding alternatives to bankruptcy can save you a world of trouble in the long run.

A debt consolidation loan may be the answer. Debt consolidation is when all your debt is combined with one loan for the total amount. Creditors are paid money owing to them and the bank who issues the loan receives a reasonable monthly payment from the consumer.

Debt consolidation mainly includes unsecured debt. Examples could be credit cards, store credit cards, unsecured lines of credit and gas cards. Creditors have a more difficult time recovering unsecured debt as it's not backed by any collateral.

You can go through an agency if a bank isn't willing to consolidate your debt. Counselors will negotiate on your behalf as they are used to dealing with these agencies. In some instances you can have your debt dropped by as much as 60 percent. The agency takes care of the creditors and you make just one monthly payment to the agency.

You do not have to liquidate your assets to consolidate you debts. In the case of bankruptcy, the court may order you to sell your belongings to raise money to pay your creditors. With debt consolidation you can keep your belongings and have another option.

Something else that you can do yourself is to get another income. It's not the easiest thing to do but if it allows you to increase your credit card payment monthly for a year or two until it's eliminated, it could be worth it. If you can't manage a second job then maybe you can get some overtime at your current one. The key to reducing your debt is finding a way to bring in more money.

A second income can also give you extra money while paying off a debt consolidation loan. Life has a way of throwing things at us when we least expect it and a little extra cash can help with that. You can save for a rainy day and still pay off some of your debt.

Starting a home business is another option. Some home businesses can be started with little or no money if you don't have time for a second job. Even selling items on eBay can bring in some extra cash when needed.

Do you have a special skill? Market that to others who could use your services. Remember to earmark the money to be used for resolution of debt and not to spend freely and incur more debt.

There are better alternatives than to file bankruptcy. The alternatives that you pick don't need to be forever, just until you can get yourself back on track financially. - 15465

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