Decide Whether to Consolidate Your Debts

You have debts scattered across cards, loans and an overdraft and wonder if one loan would be simpler. This checks consolidation against the rate, the total interest over time and whether it just frees up cards you will run up again. Good if a balance-transfer ad has caught your eye. You leave knowing whether to consolidate or leave well alone.

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You have multiple debts across [describe: credit cards, personal loans, overdraft, or buy-now-pay-later] and are wondering whether consolidating them into a single loan or balance transfer would help you pay them off faster.
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<task>
**Assess consolidation against three criteria:**
1. Interest rate: would the consolidated rate be meaningfully lower than the weighted average rate you are paying across all existing debts?
2. Behavioural risk: do you have a history of running balances back up after consolidating? If so, consolidation often makes things worse.
3. Total cost: calculate the total interest paid over the consolidation period vs the total interest on current debts if paid off in the same timeframe

**Then decide:**
4. If consolidation clearly wins on all three: proceed, and name the product type most likely to offer the best rate
5. If the behavioural risk is present: suggest an alternative approach that keeps accounts separate but accelerates repayment
6. If the maths is marginal: name what would need to change to make consolidation worthwhile
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<output_format>
- Three-criteria assessment: one paragraph each
- Decision: one sentence
- Recommended action: one to two sentences
- Length: 250 to 350 words
- Tone: analytical and direct
</output_format>