What is debt consolidation?

Debt consolidation rolls several balances (credit cards, store cards, other personal loans) into a single loan with one repayment and, ideally, a lower rate. The appeal is simplicity and potentially less interest; the risk is stretching the debt over a longer term and paying more in the end, or running the cards back up once they're clear.

When it helps

Consolidation tends to help when the new loan's rate is meaningfully lower than what you're paying now, when juggling several due dates is causing missed payments, and when you can avoid re-using the accounts you've paid off. Whether it leaves you better off comes down to the numbers and your habits, not the pitch.

How they compare

The comparison rate against the blended cost of the current debts is the first test, and the term is the second. A lower repayment over a longer term can still mean more total interest. Establishment fees on the new loan and any early-exit fees on the debts being paid out add to the cost. Loans can be compared side by side.

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