Americans are about $804 billion in credit card debt, according to consumer debt data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
The average amount of credit card debt for someone living in the state of Missouri is $6,097, while the average amount for Illinois residents is $6,228.
While the average amount of debt Americans as a whole and as individuals hold has started to decline recently, it’s still a lot. If you don’t pay high-interest debt off quickly, it can start to interfere with your life plans, goals and dreams.
Why is high-interest credit card debt so messy?
Paying off multiple debts at high interest rates can be cumbersome and difficult to manage. Worse, the heavy interest rates mean more of your money goes toward the lender and less goes toward paying down the principal of the debts.
To put it clearly, you’re spending your hard-earned money on interest instead of putting it into your savings account or spending it on things you actually want.
Also, if you have several credit cards, you have to manage making those payments each month. That means setting reminders to pay, remembering login information and making sure you have enough available money for each credit card. Who has time for that?
Consolidate debt and balance your life
With current low interest rates and record-high home prices, now is a great time to tap into your home’s equity (or the positive difference between what is owed on a home and its current value).
A home equity loan or line of credit allows you to borrow a large amount of funds against your home’s equity for any use you want. If approved, you can consolidate your high-interest credit card debt within a matter of days.
Using a home equity loan or line of credit to consolidate debt into a single low-interest loan can slash the interest that you pay by several thousand dollars and help shorten repayment time by several years. Rates on home equity loans are generally lower than rates on personal loans and balance transfer cards, making them a favorable way to gain more balance in your life.
What makes Arsenal home equity loans and lines of credit unique?
- Most lenders only let you borrow up to 80 percent of your home’s available equity. At Arsenal, we have a 100-percent option for qualified borrowers. Most financial institutions don’t offer this.
- Closing costs include title search, title company rep fee, document preparation and appraisal. We pay for all of this*, saving you between $500 to $1,500 when you close your loan.
Apply for a home equity loan or line of credit
- Visit our home equity loan page and learn more. Fill out the form and one of our reps will get back to you.
- Schedule an appointment at your closest Arsenal branch.
- Speak to a staff member about loans and current interest rates by calling 314.962.6363 (618.239.6363 for Illinois members), option 4 then 2.
- Start a live chat (bottom-right corner of the screen) or a live video call during normal business hours.
*Arsenal Credit Union may pay closing costs for home equity loans or lines of credit. If the borrower repays the loan within the first 12 months, the borrower must reimburse the credit union for the closing costs.
