Managing multiple personal loans at once? These tips can help
What's the story
Managing multiple personal loans can be a daunting task, especially when unexpected financial emergencies arise. If you find yourself in a debt trap with several loans and struggling to keep up with EMIs, don't worry. Here are some effective strategies to help you manage your loan repayments efficiently and avoid falling into a debt trap.
Automation
Automate your EMI payments
Keeping track of multiple EMI payment dates can be tedious. To simplify this, consider automating your EMI payments through an auto-debit facility. This way, you won't have to manually pay each EMI. If possible, try to schedule all your EMIs on the same date by talking to bank officials. This will make it easier for you to keep track of your payments and manage other household expenses accordingly.
Debt assessment
Create a consolidated overview of your debts
Once you've automated your EMIs, it's important to get a clear picture of your overall debt situation. You can do this by creating an Excel sheet with details of each personal loan such as bank name, loan account number, amount borrowed, the interest rate, tenure, number of EMIs paid so far, and outstanding balance. This consolidated view will help you devise a repayment plan for becoming debt-free.
Budgeting
Prepare a monthly budget
With your consolidated debt overview in place, the next step is to create a monthly budget. This will give you an idea of how much extra cash flow you have for debt repayment after accounting for monthly expenses and EMIs. A budget can help identify unnecessary expenses that can be cut down on, freeing up more cash flow for debt repayment.
Consolidation
Consider loan consolidation
After creating your consolidated debt overview, see if you can consolidate your overall debt. This means checking if multiple smaller personal loans can be combined into a single one. Managing repayments for a single loan is much easier than juggling multiple ones.
Strategy exploration
Explore different debt repayment strategies
Depending on your situation, you can explore various debt repayment strategies. One option is to use your free cash flows to prepay or foreclose the loan with the lowest outstanding amount. Once that's done, move on to the next loan with a low outstanding amount. This step-by-step approach can help you gradually reduce your debt burden and work toward financial freedom.
Bank consultation
Seek professional help if needed
Visit your bank and discuss possible debt restructuring options with their officials. See if multiple loans can be consolidated into one, making it easier to manage. You can also ask about lowering the interest rate or extending the loan tenure, which would reduce your EMI burden. These measures could provide some relief in managing your loan repayments effectively.