If you're in the frustrating position of paying off debts that are becoming too expensive to manage you may want to consider debt consolidation. Debt consolidation won't lower your overall debt but it could save you a substantial amount of money that would otherwise be eaten away in interest.

The amount of money you spend on interest payments for a mortgage or auto loan is roughly the same each month and tends to lower over time. With credit cards, the amount of interest you pay each month will rise along with with your balance. Use your credit cards a lot while making only minimum required payments and you'll pay off little or none of the principal amounts owed. As your credit card debt increases, your interest payments alone could rise out of control.

Debt consolidation is designed to help ease the burden of runaway debts and out of control interest rates. When you take out a debt consolidation loan you'll typically take out enough money to pay off your high interest credit cards or other debts all at once. You'll then have one new monthly payment to make on your debt consolidation loan at a much lower interest rate. The lowered interest rate could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars throughout the life of the loan.

Whether you opt for a debt consolidation loan or a credit card balance transfer the concept is essentially the same. With a balance transfer, the creditor you are consolidating with will pay off the high interest debts you want to get rid of.

Although it can be an excellent way to reduce debt, consolidation is not without its own risks. A single missed or late payment could result in your low interest rate rising even higher than you've ever had to pay before. Make sure you read the fine print before signing up for any debt consolidation plan or balance transfer. If the penalties for making a late payment aren't clearly spelled out or seem too harsh, look elsewhere for your debt consolidation needs.

Consolidating your debt can be a rewarding or risky proposition depending on your financial situation. Only careful planning and a full understanding of the pros and cons of any debt consolidation plan will help you get ahead financially.