Consolidating many small debts into one large debt is well known to be a good first step in getting out of debt, but that's not to say that it comes without risk.

The main reason for this risk is that in order to secure a lower interest rate (and thus a cheaper overall payment rate), you'll need to present some sort of collatoral to back the loan.

In most cases, a person who has equity in a home or other property can get a debt consoladation loan at an extremely attractive rate, but they must make sure ahead of time that they are fully able to keep up with the payment plan. If a borrower is unable to keep up with the payments, they risk forclosure on their property. In this way, secured consoladation loans are similar to home morgages.

If you are unsure of your ability to comply with the terms of a debt consolidation loan, it is a good idea to seek some sort of credit counciling help, before you agree to anything.

About the author:

Jeremy Maddock is the webmaster of FinanceFacts.info, a useful source of finance articles.