Taking out a personal loan for credit card debt can help you pay off your credit card debt in full and get control of your finances. ... A balance transfer credit card, for example, is another good way of consolidating your credit card balances into a single monthly payment.
Taking out a personal loan increases your credit mix, which makes up 10% of your score. It shows creditors and lenders that you're responsible with money by carrying many different types of credit and debt. You'll also lower your credit utilization by paying down your debt.
How to use a personal loan to pay off your credit cards
Consolidating debt with a personal loan can be a good idea if you can get a new loan with favorable terms and a lower interest rate than current debt. Whether you can qualify for a consolidation loan depends on your credit scores, income and other financial factors.
The smartest strategy to pay off credit card debt is through credit card consolidation. When you consolidate credit card debt, you combine your existing credit card debt into a single loan with a lower interest rate. With a lower interest rate, you can save money each month and pay off debt faster.
You might find that with a debt consolidation loan, interest rates are lower than your current credit card. However, interest rates will likely be higher than other loan options, such as a personal loan. Personal loans are great if you need additional cash flow for specific items, life events or bills.
The average debt for individual consumers dropped from $6,194 in 2019 to $5,315 in 2020. In fact, the average balance declined in every state. Following years of growth, both outstanding credit card debt and credit limits from issuers dropped in 2020 amid the coronavirus crisis.
In a Nutshell
Taking out a loan to pay off credit card debt may help you pay off debt faster and at a lower interest rate. But you might only qualify for a low interest rate if your credit health is good.
A personal loan will cause a slight hit to your credit score in the short term, but making payments on time will boost it back up and and can help build your credit. The key is repaying the loan on time. ... Your credit score will be hurt if you pay late or default on the loan.
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