It's the long term cost that can be the sting in the tail with any kind of debt consolidation loan. As a smart shopper you need to do the math on whether the amount you will pay over the life of your refinancing will be worth the monthly reduction in your outgoings. Sit down with a calculator and a pen and figure out the monthly payment of the loan multiplied by the term. Well in some cases that is very true but every case is different and you have to do you own checking to make sure you will be better off. It is important to remember that you are taking the existing balances of your bills and spreading them over the term of the new loan. Obviously you need to sit down with pen and paper and work out just how much that will add up to in interest. But I'll wager that a credit counselling service can do the job better. And what I mean by better is that they will get you a lower repayment schedule. Why? Simply because they have more clout and credibility than you would have as an individual. The main thing is to choose carefully when you're seeking out a consolidation service to act on your behalf. Before asking "how do I get started in the stock market" a better question might be "how much can I afford to lose". A quick dose of reality for some I'm sure but a very necessary one. That is because the truth is that even the most prudent investments carry a degree of risk with them. Ok you know you want to invest for the future but exactly when in the future? If you're in college and wanting the cash in a few years to buy a place to live that will be different from someone who is middle aged and going to start investing for retirement. A second aspect needs to address whether you will make regular set payments or if you're just planning to put in lumps of cash whenever you can afford it. " Many newcomers to the world of investments think only of stocks and shares but there are of course many more options out there. Some of which are possibly far better for beginners. For anyone looking to get started with investing they need to consider whether they will be investing a lump sum or regular monthly payments.