Consumer credit problems are literally consuming the United States, and for a number of reasons. First it was easy to get credit cards, then it was high interest rates, then overspending because credit loans were easy to get, and then the economy tanked and has yet to fully recover. Many Americans lost their jobs or took pay cuts to stay employed, homes were foreclosed on, and consumer debt hit the $2 trillion mark. In reactionary states of financial trouble, many turned to the traditional method of debt consolidation without considering the consequences.

Getting a debt consolidation loan is easy if you have collateral, and if the debts are too high, it means a second mortgage on a house if there are no other tangible assets available. Suddenly, to pay off a few credit card bills, you’re jeopardizing the roof over your head. Doesn’t sound like a very smart move, does it? it isn’t. The only parties it works well for are creditors, who get paid, and banks, who either get their money back, or else keep the property. For the consumer, debt counseling is akin to walking a tightrope with no safety net. This is not the economic time to bet on debt relief consolidation. It’s time to reduce average credit card debt, eliminate as much risk as possible, and get back on track.

Debt settlement and debt management are two much better and less risky solutions. They’re not perfect, but the way out of a debt problem is usually not without its windfall, and these two programs come the closest to delivering just that. Because both work with debt restructuring, it means that creditors start to reduce the number of balances owed in order to recover at least a portion of what is owed to them. That boils down to the consumer paying less than he owes. Eliminate debt, pure and simple. Debt consolidation loans do not do this. They reorganize debt and add to it, and for a much longer period of time than most consumers care to think. If there’s a choice between staying in debt for another thirty years or hoping to be debt free in three to five years, the choice seems obvious, and it’s no surprise that millions upon thousands of American consumers are now using these methods as their number one credit debt help. It is not necessary that the debt consolidation loan and the consumer credit depend on each other.

Neither debt settlement nor debt management are magic tricks. They don’t make the problem go away, but they do reduce the numbers to a more deliverable and affordable amount to deal with. Even the federal government understands how viable these methods are and recently passed consumer protection laws to cover them. And, consumers can be sure that accredited debt relief organizations subscribe to all regulations and qualifications that the National Foundation for Credit Counseling imposes on its members and the industry in general.

National Relief is one of the most reputable debt settlement providers in the country and prides itself on high ethical standards. He has helped thousands of Americans gain financial freedom by fighting for it every day. If you want a good ally in your quest to be debt free, visit their website.