Category Archives: Finance

Trading Stock For Dummies: Stock Trading is Really Not As Hard As You Think

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I’m calling this article trading stock for dummies because I want to illustrate to you the stock trading does not have to be as difficult as you might think.

In fact, it can actually be quite simple but, of course, you must follow a few basic rules.

If you’ve never traded stock before or have traded unsuccessfully you have to realize that it’s time for you to learn stock trading. Whether you’re interested in online stock day trading training or you want to trade longer-term, there are tons of resources available online and offline to help you gain the knowledge you need.

Before we get into that let’s chat a little bit about what stock trading is. Trading and investing are terms that are often used interchangeably. Investing is longer-term in nature. Trading stock is typically shorter term in nature and seeks to take advantage of smaller market movements within the larger trends.

Trading stock, means that you are taking a more active role than if you are investing in stock. Let’s look at an example of a very simple stock trade.

Buy 100 Shares Of XYZ Company at Monday’s Open

Sell 100 Shares Of XYZ Company at Friday’s Close

Please keep in mind that this is just a simplified example and not a suggestion of a trade for any security. The above example is of a very simple trade that lasted for one week. Here’s an example of stock day trading using the same fictitious company is above.

Buy 100 Shares Of XYZ company at Monday’s open

Sell 100 Shares Of XYZ Company at Monday’s close

As you can see in both examples we open the trade with a buy order and close the trade with a sell order. In both cases we were “bullish” and chose to “go long” the stock. Our second example was a stock day trade because we opened and closed out our position all within the same trading day. Some stock day traders place a much greater frequency of trades during the day.

You can also see that in both examples we specified the quantity to be traded and also both examples we closed our trades using that exact same quantity. It’s always important to keep this in mind and make sure you are completely out of a trade when you want to be. What I mean by that is that when your trading method requires your position to be closed make sure that you close the trade using the same quantity of stock as you opened the trade with…That way you will not have any unwanted open positions that may potentially move against you.

Something else that’s important for you to keep in mind is that different types of stock trading will require different amounts of capital. For example, opening a standard stock brokerage account can require as little as $500-$1000 to get you started. If, however you find that you will frequently day trade than your minimum may go up if you’re classified as a pattern daytrader. A pattern daytrader places four or more day trades in a rolling five-trading-day period, stock brokerages will then require that you maintain a minimum balance of $25,000 in your account and this may vary upward depending upon the online stock broker that you are using.

So you can see trading stocks need not be mystical or difficult as long as you keep the “trading stock for dummies” attitude in mind and continue to learn while you earn while keeping things as simple and uncomplicated as possible.



By: Reginald T. Hobbss

About the Author:
Learn to trade stocks profitable using our free Stock Market Game info. Trade stocks with confidence with our complimentary stock market report and newsletter. Get your free copy here at Effective Stock Trading today.



Day Trading Stock Tips Can Help You Tread the Volatile Stock Markets With Ease

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If you are in day trading, then you must be alert and have a keen ear to what is happening around in stock markets. Day trading involves selling and buying of stocks in a given day. You have to close all your positions in the same trading day. Since decisions have to be made quickly and on the spur of the moment, you need to follow certain day trading stock tips to be able to sail through day trading more smoothly.

What should you do to maximize your profits in day trading stock tips and avoid losses. The answer is very simple – follow day trading tips. First thing that you need to do is to take the services of a broker who is well conversant with what is happening in the stock markets. But just do not blindly approach any broker. Make sure that you reach a broker who has a strong previous track record in day trading. Inquire about the broker you want to consult.

If you are a new comer, then buy some books on day trading. There is a plethora of books on stocks and day trading. You can really benefit from them as there are some beginners guide for new day trading enthusiasts. Plus you will also experience great pleasure reading these books if you are a bookworm and like to read books on financial markets and stocks. You can also start watching business news channels that offer invaluable inputs about the market. The business news channels offer direct information on the minute to minute happenings.

Information is the key to success in day trading. Try to gather as much information as you can because if you have the latest updates on the stock prices, then you will be able to take right decisions on which stock to buy and which stock to sell. You will have ample knowledge on which stock is rising and which is falling.

If you can religiously follow the above-mentioned day trading stock tips, then you will really be able to reap its benefits. Stock market is a volatile place and you have to be street smart if you really want to remain floating in this market and do not want to get drowned.



By: David Jose

About the Author:

This article is written by David Jose on Day trading stock tips. David Jose has been a avert writer on various online trading communities.



Don’t Believe All Stock Trading Myths-It Could Cost You

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Stock Trading Myths – Share Price and P/E Ratio

A common misconception among investors and traders is that a stock at $5 per share is “cheaper” than a stock trading at $500 per share. This seems to be common sense, but in reality, it just isn’t true.

Many investors, particularly newcomers to the world of trading, are tempted by the allure of a “cheap” stock trading at under $10, failing to realize that the stock may not be cheap after all.

For many, this lesson is learned the hard way – through the loss of hard-earned money. Here are some simple concepts and examples illustrating what actually makes a stock “cheap.”

Stock Trading Myth #1: All Stocks Are Created Equal

The idea that a stock trading for a triple-digit share price is more expensive than a one trading for less than $10 is one of the most persistent, and yet completely baseless of all trading myths.

On the surface, this stock trading myth makes perfect sense. After all, a bottle of wine that sells for $280 is undoubtedly more expensive than a bottle of the same size that sells for $2. Sure, you would expect the $280 bottle of wine to be of higher quality, but that’s a matter of personal preference, not fact.

The fact of the matter is that the two bottle of wines are equal in terms of size, but not in terms of price – one is expensive and one is cheap.

When it comes to trading, the difference is that not all shares of stock are created equal. They are, in fact, not all the same size. If a company has a total of 1 million shares of stock outstanding, and you own 100,000 shares, you own 10 percent of the company.

If another company has a total of 10 million outstanding shares, and you also own 100,000, you own just 1 percent of the company. Unlike the two 750 ml bottles of wine, these two stocks are not equal in any way.

Stock Trading Myth #2: Sirius Is Cheaper Than XM

Take the example of Sirius (SIRI) and XM Satellite Radio (XMSR). Sirius trades for around $5 per share and XM trades at $15. On the surface, it would seem as though XM were three times as expensive as Sirius, but upon closer inspection, Sirius is clearly the more expensive of the two.

This is because XM has around 258 million total shares outstanding, whereas Sirius has 1.4 billion. If you owned 10 million shares of XM, you’d own approximately 4 percent of the company, whereas if you owned 10 million shares of Sirius, you’d own less than 1 percent of the total shares.

Neither Sirius nor XM have made positive earnings (profits) as of yet. Sirius had annual sales of $325 million in 2005, whereas XM had sales of $663 million.

Per share, this equals sales of about $0.24 per share of Sirius. XM had sales per share of $2.88. Since the share price of Sirius is about 1/3 that of XM, it would be fair to multiply Sirius’s results by three.

Even making this adjustment, $15 of Sirius stock earned sales of just $0.72 in 2005, whereas $15 of XM stock earned $2.88. XM is, by all reasonable measures, much cheaper than Sirius.

Do you see the insanity of thinking that Sirius is cheaper just because its share price is lower? A stock trading at a low share price is not necessarily cheap. A stock at a high share price is not necessarily expensive.

The above example used sales data because neither company has turned a profit as of yet. Normally, earnings (profits) data would be used to determine the stock’s P/E (price-to-earnings) ratio.

Conventional wisdom says that a stock at a lower P/E ratio is cheaper than a stock trading at a high P/E ratio, and in this rare case, conventional wisdom is correct. But anyone who says that a stock at a lower P/E is a better value than a stock trading at a higher P/E takes the conventional wisdom too far.

Just think of the wine example: Some $2 wine might be as good as some $10 wine. In this case, the $2 bottle is a bargain. But some, if not most, $2 wine is cheap for a reason. The same is true for a stock at a low P/E ratio.

Stock Trading Myth #3: Low P/E is Good; High P/E is Bad

The key to making money on a stock is to find a stock at a value. Mere share price is not enough information. P/E ratio, income statement and balance sheet data, and technical chart patterns are the tools of true stock trading pros.

First and foremost, though, novices must overcome popular trading myths that only inhibit stock trading success.



By: William Smith

About the Author:
William Smith the author provides additional financial information on many subjects as well as the secret to his success in the market along with 5 Free power stock picks emailed daily so grab your Free subscription on his website at Stock Trading (All is Free)



Stock Trading – How To Pick Stocks For Stock Trading

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I have found that the best stocks for stock trading and day trading are the stocks that make up the S&P 500. The reason for this is that the large Mutual Funds and large Institutional Buyers concentrate on these stocks in their never ending quest to beat the S&P 500. These stocks generally have strong relative strength and absolute performance to the S&P 500 Index. Of these stocks, I like to concentrate on those that are in the Nasdaq 100 Composite Index. It is the Nasdaq stocks that I like to trade the most because of their volatility of the stocks in the Nasdaq 100, I concentrate on those stocks that I that I like to refer to as “trading where the action is” stocks. These are stocks that show tremendous volume in the number of shares being traded during the day, at least 15 million shares and preferably 20 million shares and more. My real preference is share volume of 30 million plus per day.

In addition, the stocks must have a large daily stock trading range, which is the difference between the high price and low price of that stock for the previous trading day, and a lot of volatility. I look for a trading range of at least $2.00 per share, but I really prefer those that are more volatile and have a daily travelling range of $3.00 to $6.00 and more.

The reason for this is that I trade both sides of the market, both the long side and the short side on an intra-day basis. I have no interest in whether the stock closed in positive, or negative territory the previous day, just as long as the volume and price action are there.

All I want is the price action, high volume and the volatility. If I have these three ingredients, I know that the major players are very active in that stock and they are either increasing, or decreasing their weighting in that stock. Adding to and contributing to the price and volume action are what I call the “accelerators”, which are the momentum players, the program traders and the hedge funds who are trying to jump in ahead of the mutual funds and front run the stock, either up, or down. This is when the action really heats up and you will see “climatic volume” where each stock trade is occurring in less than a second. I have seen this many times every day. It happens all of the time.

One thing that may not be apparent to you on the surface is that what I have done when I pick stocks for stock trading is that I have used the major players as my research department. The money flow is very visible because most institutions are on the same page in terms of what they are buying and selling. This shows up in the price action, the volatility, and volume for the stocks in play. It is awfully hard for a herd of elephants to hide their foot prints in the sand.

Now with a potential list of stocks to trade. I then load those stocks into my “stock trading” watch list . In addition to that watch list I have another watch list that contains every stock in the Nasdaq 100. When the market opens I spend the first 5 minutes or so, observing the volume, price action, and direction of the stocks in both watch lists.

I am looking for certain patterns to develop and if I see a pattern that I like to day trade, I will pull the trigger and take the trade, either on the long side or the short side based on what the stock (price action and volume) tell me, what I see the market makers doing on the Level II screen, and provided the stock is trading in line with the chart of the Nasdaq 100.

I always have a fairly tight protective stop in place to protect me in case I am wrong and took the trade too soon. I may attempt that trade 2 or 3 times before I get the right entry, each time taking a small lose. But when I get the right entry, there is a lot of money to be made, especially when you are in the right stock.

One of the things I like to do is to stay with the same stock, as long as it satisfies my stock trading requirements. I may trade the same stock all week as along as it is performing for me and I am making good profitable trades with it. One of the benefits in doing this is that you really get to know the stock well, and how it trades.

To recap, in my opinion the best stocks for stock trading are those stocks with very high velocity and high volume, high volatility and a good intra-day travelling range. When you have these characteristics, you know the large institutions and the “accelerators” are involved in the stock.

For stock trading, you will need a direct access day trading account from a stock trading broker that offers direct access stock trading software. This is an absolute must have for day trading. The software will have Level II, charts, technical indicators, etc. Direct access means that your buy and sell orders are sent directly to the market by you without using a middle man to place the orders for you..

The first thing you need to do before you even attempt stock trading, and this is even if you do have some experience, is to take a good day trading course so that you really understand how the business of stock trading works, what patterns to look for, how the markets work and how everything fits together. It will be the best investment you ever make. If you don’t eductae yourself – you have better than a 90% chance of failing.

* the words stock trading and day trading are interchangeable.

Good luck and good trading,

The Maverick

Larry Schade



By: Larry Schade

About the Author:
Learn about: Stock Trading and Day Trading



Understanding the Basics of Stock Day Trading

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Opinions about day trading vary widely. Some people swear it is the best way ever to make a profit in the stock market…others, including the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) advise strongly against day trading, insisting it is too risky. As with many things having to do with investing and the stock market you will hear all kinds of things about day trading. The trick is to sort the information out.

But what exactly is day trading and why do so many advise against it? Day traders literally trade everyday, all day, buying and selling sometimes very rapidly. They hope to see a stock going up, for instance, quickly buy a block of that stock and then sell it again as soon as it has risen enough to make a reasonable profit. If everything works right the trader makes a profit every day from the normal movement of stock prices up and down.

Day traders try to concentrate on certain stocks that are particularly suitable for day trading. The most important thing is that the stock must be one that is highly liquid, which means it is bought and sold often. This allows the day trader to buy and sell easily. Liquidity varies with market volume and the size and nature of the business. In general almost all stocks on the major exchanges are more than liquid enough for day trading purposes.

To be suitable for day trading a stock also needs to be sold in sufficient volume that the buying and selling activity of one trader won’t affect the market price of the stock. Day traders usually buy and sell big blocks of stock so a good day trading stock needs to have at least 500,000 shares traded a day. Day traders also look for stocks that have high volatility, which means that the price goes up and down rapidly. A stock with a rapidly changing price is perfect for day trading. The ideal is at movement of at least $2 a day.

A day trader also needs to be able to find sufficient real time information of the orders for a stock. This is sometimes called price transparency or market depth and lets the trader know how much stock they can probably move in a certain period of time. Traders need to have access to the NASDAQ level II quote screens in order to gather this information.

There is nothing illegal about day trading but it can be extremely risky. Almost all day traders are working with borrowed funds which they hope to increase through their buying and selling. If the NYSE and the NASDAQ classify someone as a “pattern day trader” then that trader must trade through a margin account with at least $25,000 as a deposit in it. The broker who handles the account will require that further deposits be made if the trader’s holdings drop too far in value.

Because day trading is so risky the Securities and Exchange Commission has devoted quite a bit of energy to spreading warnings about the practice. Their fear is that people will become involved without understanding how much money they can lose in a very short time.

Anyone who decides to try day trading can expect to suffer huge losses as they try to learn how to do it successfully. Very few will succeed and make money in day trading. No one should ever try day trading with money that they cannot afford to lose without any problems.

Day traders are not really investors. They buy and sell over the span of time as short as seconds or minutes. They never hold stock after the close of the trading day because the risk of overnight price changes is too great for them. Day trading is really speculating; some call it gambling.

Be sure to avoid websites which promote day trading by talking about the great profit potential and then offer you ‘expert information’ or ‘hot tips’ for money. The recommendations are usually actually paid for themselves and the advice is worthless.



By: Reginald T. Hobbss

About the Author:
Stop wasting time and money looking for the latest Stock Market Quotes tips, tools, and techniques by visiting http://www.YourInvestmentOptions.com – a popular website that specializes in providing the most up to date info on stock trading and investing for traders of all experience levels.



Debt Management With Christian Debt Consolidation Services

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Generally, Christians feel uncomfortable if they are in huge debts and also while choosing debt consolidation loans. That’s why Christian debt consolidation services have sprung up and they offer Christians excellent solutions to get rid of their worries associated with several debts. Many debt consolidation companies specially offer Christian debt consolidation services for Christian clients. This is the latest service that promises debt-related solutions suitable for Christian clients.

Christian debt consolidation loans are exclusively designed by keeping Christians’ concerns towards credits and debts. You will be assigned with a credit counselor who analyses your debt and credit records. After reviewing your financial details, the credit counselor will suggest you options for debt consolidation loan that will help you to combine all your debts in a correct manner. The Christian debt consolidation companies also assist the borrower in establishing a repayment schedule. In addition to this, the counselor provides spiritual counseling that will help you to understand the method of avoiding the chance of debts in the future.

A Christian debt consolidation company offers this service, as it is aware that the people will earnestly try to repay the debt in good faith and obligations. That’s why it offers favorable terms to Christian clients. By offering this service the Christian debt Consolidation Company can play safe by offering loan to you. In the recent years many debt consolidation companies has jumped into this service and competitively offer debt consolidation loans for Christian clients.

One of the greatest advantages of Christian debt consolidation service is that everything is done in a consistent way in accordance with the teachings of Bible and Christian belief. The credit counselor through spiritual counseling lets them know of how best they can avoid debts. The company provides all the services in an appropriate manner like consolidating debts, negotiations with multiple creditors, negotiation of interest rate, establishment of repayment schedule etc.

Like all other debt consolidation loans, the Christian debt consolidation service includes all types of debts like credit card loan, student loan, bad credit, bill related dues etc. A Christian debt consolidation loan has significant advantage over the others as it offers easier terms to Christian clients. The terms and conditions for all the loans like credit card debt consolidation, bad credit debt consolidation, debt and bill consolidation, student loan debt consolidation etc are offered specially for Christian clients with a lot of importance to their religious belief and concerns.

Another best part is that most of the Christian debt consolidation companies are non-profit organizations and hence their primary motive is helping their fellow Christians to come out of the burden of heavy debts.

The average interest rate of these companies ranges between 6 percent and 8 percent and enables you to complete the repayment over a period of 3 to 6 years. They also allow you to pay one payment in a month on any day of your choice. Christian debt counseling will be based on Bible approach and the counselor looks for reasons behind the debt like any accident, illness, loss of job etc. that made you freeze repayment. For Christian debtors, the Christian debt consolidation service is an excellent way for solving their various debt problems in good faith.



By: Lesley Lyon

About the Author:

Visit http://www.cashguru.info for a complete understanding of several debt consolidation methods. Also, check out http://www.debteraserzone.com to find out which credit card will suit your needs well and how to manage credit card debts in a better way.



Stock Trading – An Introduction To Trading Stocks In The Stock Market

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Stock Trading is of great interest to many people. Stock trading is an exciting, shorter term strategy where it is you against the market. Stock trading is one of the most exciting things you can do, but it does require a lot of skill and discipline to succeed. Stock trading is done at at a stock exchanges, which are places where buyers and sellers meet and decide on a price. Stock trading is affected by supply and demand. Online stock trading is considered one of the best ways for valmost anyone to get in on the market. One of the best resources out there on the internet today for the investor looking to educate him or her self about online stock trading is http://dowtrend.com and http://tradelikethepros.com. Online stock trading is all about selecting the best stock opportunities and following your buy and sell signals.

Trading

Trading stocks online is downright fun if you enjoy the art of maximizing gains and protecting them by minimizing risks. Trading stock online has been becoming popular tremendously as a large percentage of population is having an access to the computers. Trading a stock basically means you are either buying or selling. You will need to be well-disciplined and goal orientated, as these are the main skills that separate winners and losers in the trading world. Online trading can be a good way to make a lot of money or to bring a small residual income to supplement your regular income. Being greedy in the online stock trading world can cost you a lot of money; however, you will be able to find advice everyone on the Internet about online stock trading; and if you follow the advice properly, then you may be able to make your living off of the stock market alone.

Stocks

Stocks that are well traded have a group of major traders and those traders have habits, patterns. It seems pretty easy to make money by trading stocks but predicting short term price movements and to benefit from that is very difficult in real life. You need a system or set of indicators to find stocks to trade. Fortunately, with a little education and a little research the average stock trader can decide whether online stocks are the right tools for success or if they are more comfortable sticking with traditional venues. When it comes to finding stocks, there are free stock screeners but you can also spend hundreds of dollars per month, it all depends on what you are looking for and how close to the market you want to be. Discipline is required for every decision and action you make while trading stocks. Now the easy part, finding stocks to trade. Either by viewing stock charts or using technical analysis software stocks which present good buying opportunities can be found. Please remember, trading stocks is a probability game.

Stock trading is not as difficult as many people think. Stock trading is very enjoyable and I wish you good luck. Stock trading is a very competitive field and in order to succeed you need to FOCUS on a set of simple strategies that you can implement without hesitation. Stock trading is educatiuon is so important that day traders from all over the world are indeed frequent visitors to top stock trading websites. In truth, stock trading is like anything else that requires the utmost skill and discipline to succeed. The Basics Of Stock Trading The most important aspect of stock trading is to develop a stock trading strategy that suits your needs, expectations and personality type. One of the biggest advantages option trading has over outright stock trading is to be able to take a view on market direction with limited risk while at the same time having unlimited profit potential. The only thing needed to start online stock trading is a brokerage account.



By: Larry Schade

About the Author:
Written by Larry Schade at www.dowtrend.com on the topic of Stock Trading You can also get more information here on Stock Trading



Discovering the Best Day Trading Stock Tip

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Learning how stock trading works is an important part of stock investment. Even if you don’t plan to pursue stock trading as s full-time career, knowing the ins and outs, and the rules that govern online and real-time stock trading is essential.

For beginners, having a working background on stock trading will make the difference in getting the best day trading stock tip and information, or losing big or a wrong stock pick. To jumpstart your stock trading education, signing up to an online trading firm is your first stepping stone.

Sign up with online trading firm that offers free registration for your account. Choose a site that offers clear and easy instructions. Don’t rely on sites and traders who state all you have to do is sign up, punch your credit card credentials, then sit back and relax, and let them do all the hard work. That could be a fraudulent operation in the works. So choose one that you’re most comfortable with and know to be reliable. Many sites will also show the steps and ways for you to manage your stocks, keep track of your stock investments, as well as offer the best day trading stock tip updates, and other stock options and news.

There are mostly trading sites that also offer online stock services to support beginners who want to learn more about buying ans selling stocks using vital stock reports and day trading stock tip updates and information. Many online brokerage sites offer real-time day trading stock tip and stock quotes to keep you informed of the shifts and movements on the floor. Some may even offer after hours stock tip and updates for your mutual fund options and stock investments.

Of course, nothing beats a site that offers ways for you to get firsthand information from the market. These sites offer day trading stock tip developments, stock quote data, and other stock trading information. Getting real-time stock information is essential especially for day trading and direct stock investments.

However, trading stocks online is not as instantaneous as it is on the floor. A lag time of twelve (even up to twenty-four hours!) may pass from the moment you act on that day trading stock tip you got, till the offer is closed, twelve or even twenty-four hours, may have elapsed. If your stock firm doesn’t tell you this, consider yourself forewarned especially if the stock you’re interested moves in a rapid clip. That day trading stock tip you got could become worthless.

The reason for this is because the internet cannot duplicate the market hours. So while you’re learning the ropes, avoid stocks that are volatile and make the most of daily news and day trading stock tip updates available to you. Keep a pulse on what’s happening on the stock market floor so you you can make the necessary adjustments.

Keep yourself updated with the latest stock information is the best way to make any day trading stock tip work for you. And keep this in mind: When you’re starting, start small, buy safe and keep away from the shares that swing wildly. As your experience grows, you can develop a working stock trading strategy, so be patient and learn as much as you can, when you’re learning about stock trading.



By: Zachary Riff

About the Author:

Find more day trading stock tip. Get your free stock trade guide online.



Credit Card Debt Consolidation: Finding The Right Program – Advantages And Disadvantages

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You never know when and who would need help from a credit card debt consolidation program. Sometimes unexpected circumstances can lead to financial difficulties which in turn would lead you to consider debt consolidation. Some of these circumstances are loss of job, loss in business, death of an earning member and so on. If you are finding it hard to pay off your credit card loans, then it is wise to consider debt consolidation. This is much better than bankruptcy. This article will help you with steps in finding the right credit card debt consolidation program, make you aware of the advantages and disadvantages of debt consolidation so you can decide whether credit card debt consolidation is the best option for you or not.

Basics of Debt Consolidation

Debt Consolidation is a big loan that will pay off your credit card loans. There are several ways these debt consolidation programs work. The most popular way is to take one lump sum amount of money from you (the borrower) and distribute it to your credit card companies (the lenders). All your loans will be consolidated into one payment usually withdrawn directly from your bank on a fixed date every month. These programs make the card holders life easier.

As a general rule, if you have many credit cards from different companies with high interest rates, then debt consolidation can help you manage your debt with only one bill and much lower APRs. These debt consolidation companies negotiate a lower interest rate for you and this can save a lot of money in the long run. This will work out in your favor if you have credit cards with APRs of around 30% because the debt consolidation programs can reduce these interest rates to between 12% – 18%. These programs require a monthly administration fees, which is usually around and this will come off your savings. Remember if the admin fee does not come off your savings, then it is not a good idea to sign up for a debt consolidation program.

So it looks like everything about the credit card debt consolidation is positive. Well, it is not always the case. There are a few advantages and also disadvantages of debt consolidation programs. You have to find a balance between them. The fact is that credit card debt consolidation companies do help you in paying off your debt. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of these programs.

Advantages

1. Decreased payment amounts: The monthly payments will be less than what you were paying before debt consolidation because you are paying off the loan over a longer duration.

2. Simpler to manage: After you signup in the debt consolidation program, you will have a relief from reading your credit card statements, deciding how much to pay for each credit card and then making the payments one by one. Usually, the company will withdraw the money directly from the bank and you will not have to be concerned about late payments.

3. Decreased interest rates: This is one of the major advantages for many credit card owners. Some of the debt consolidation companies bring down the interest rates much lower than the current ones. This can save lots of money for you.

4. Debt Management tips: Many of the good debt consolidation give lots of free tips on managing your debt. They draw out a plan on debt management. These tips are invaluable. They even mail out booklets on debt management.

Disadvantages

1. Lower FICO scores: Many experts debate that debt consolidation does not have any effect on credit (FICO) scores the fact is that debt consolidation has a negative effect on the credit scores. Enrolling into debt consolidation will always be reflected in your credit history. Most credit repair companies mention that it is difficult to increase your credit score if you are currently working with a debt consolidation program. Your credit scores can be raised after you have paid off the loans and are not currently in any debt consolidation program. Even if you can remove one credit card from the debt consolidation program that can help you increase your credit scores.

2. Higher Payment: Since your payments are made over a longer duration of time i.e. in more number of the years, then you will end up paying more in the long run. One way to prevent this is – if your financial situation has improved, then you can pay off larger sum of money. Most of times there will be no penalty for paying off the debt sooner than the agreed number of months. Before enrolling in a credit card debt consolidation program, you can confirm if there is a penalty or not for paying off the debt sooner than the agreed number of months.

3. Credit cards inactivation: If a credit card payment is enrolled in a debt consolidation program, then that particular card account will be inactivated. i.e., that credit card can no longer be used.

4. Negative Impact on Future Loans: Once you have enrolled in a credit card debt consolidation program, this will remain in your credit history. So, all future loan requests (new credit card applications, home loan, car (automobile) loans etc.) will involve references to your debt consolidation. i.e., the lender will have knowledge about your participation in debt consolidation program. Some people are very uncomfortable about this but it is up to you decide. Your credit history is a private record and will be provided by credit score companies only on a need-to-know basis. If you apply for home loan, then the chances of getting rejected is higher and if you get accepted, then mortgage broker will ask for explanation. Again all these conversations are kept confidential.

So, the question is – when should you consider a credit card debt consolidation? If you are paying high interest rates around 30% on a credit card, you have many credit cards, you are unable to make payments or your are barely able to make just the minimum monthly payments, you are finding it difficult to manage all the payments etc., you must consider signing up for a credit card debt consolidation program. After reading through the advantages and disadvantages mentioned earlier, make decision about signing up or not signing up for credit card debt consolidation program.

How to find a good debt consolidation program / company?

Signing up with the right debt consolidation program is critical for saving money and successfully consolidating your debt. There are a good number of scams in the debt consolidation business so it is in your best interest to proceed cautiously to prevent being victim of a scam. Here are some very good sources of finding the right debt consolidation program.

1. References from friends and relatives: It is best to ask your trusted friends if they have any recommendations for reliable credit card debt consolidation program i.e., if they have enrolled in one of these or know of anyone who enrolled in one and is satisfied. As mentioned before, there are many scams and so with this option, you can feel safe. This should be your first option.

2. Television advertisements: Most of big and established companies run advertisements on TV. These are companies that have a lot of experience and have been successful with debt consolidation. But it is a wise thing to research the company. Look for their website and check for their standing in Better Business Bureau (BBB) and must have been in existence for a few years. Also, search http://ripoffreport.com website for this company – this website where victims of scams post their experiences.

3. Mails: When you are unable to payoff debt on time, you will receive mails from some companies that will offer help with debt consolidation. These companies have permission to access some of your basic information. The good thing here is that your fit their profile of enrollees and that is why you received a mail with their credit card debt consolidation services. As mentioned earlier, research these companies using the same methods described above.

4. Telemarketing phone calls: Typically, telemarketing phone calls that you get is because your debt situation is such that it fits the requirement of their enrollees. If you receive a phone call, remember to never enroll in the first phone call. Note down all the details of this company such as the websites, contact person and phone number to call. Research the company extensively as mentioned above.

5. Online Research: Research the internet for good credit card debt consolidation companies both non profit and profit companies. Once you create a list of possible companies, research the companies extensively. Talk to these companies until you are comfortable about enrolling with them.

For a few months or years, if you can handle the disadvantages of credit card debt consolidation programs, then enroll in a program. Debt consolidation can get you out of your current debt problems and save you a lot of money by lowering your interest rates but if you do not spend judiciously, then you will be back into the same debt problems and this cycle will never end. So the long term solution to debt problems is to change your spending habits and live slightly below your means. Remember you need to manage the money / debt and NOT let the money / debt manage you.



By: Lokesh Kumar

About the Author:
The author Lokesh Kumar is a business owner, investor and has very good financial knowledge. Visit Best Credit Cards and Debt Consolidation website and blog for quality information about credit cards, debt consolidation, credit (FICO) scores and honest reviews of 500+ credit cards.