In today's hectic life, it can often be difficult to stay on top of your monthly repayments. Credit card bills, utilities bills, the mortgage, student loans – they can all mount up, and if you miss a payment here and there, you could quickly find yourself with a mounting interest bill. Fortunately, most of us would benefit from the security of a consolidation loan, providing us with a considerably more manageable financial commitment. In this article, we'll look at how a consolidation loan can help you in your financial situation, and the advantages and disadvantages of consolidating your existing monthly commitments.

Consolidation loans work by amalgamating your total liabilities in the first instance, including any early repayment penalties that may be in place. The consolidation loan covers the entirety of this sum, allowing you to clear your backlog of debt in one move. From there, you then repay the consolidated loan at the agreed rate of interest with your lender, with the idea that managing your finances will ultimately be made a more streamlined process. Consolidation takes away the problems that come with trying to manage a variety of different lenders, and it can also save you money in late repayment charges, by ensuring you only have one monthly commitment to meet.

One major disadvantage with opting for a consolidated loan is that it turns unsecured debt into secured debt against the value of any property that you may own. What this means, in effect, is that if you fail to keep up the repayments as agreed, your lender may recall the property in order to pay off the debt. Again, repaying a consolidation loan may also lead to an increased overall interest repayment. However, if you find meeting various repayment commitments a struggle, and if you end up falling foul of late repayment charges, a consolidation loan can actually save you money on these fees.

If you own a property, or have some collateral behind you, you may find a consolidation loan as a cost effective way to reduce your overall monthly liabilities. By arranging the loan over a longer period, you can benefit from more financial freedom every month with less of a repayment burden. This can be especially beneficial if you still have to meet a mortgage, or if you have to try and support a young family, which can often be a costly business.

Consolidation loans can be a great way to reduce your overall monthly debt burden, although they traditionally come at a greater cost than debt relief options like debt settlement, also known as debt reduction or debt negotiation, or credit counseling and require security of collateral. However, if you find the constant battle to make multiple repayments every single month on time a struggle, consolidating your debts into one monthly repayment figure can be a great way to allow you to breathe, whilst ensuring you can work towards clearing off your outstanding loans without incurring further interest and late payment charges. Ultimately, the consolidation loan is a prime way to realign your monthly liabilities with your earnings to provide a more balance financial picture month on month.