One of the most helpful forms of debt relief is debts consolidation, whereby you pay off several high interest loans or credit card balances with lower rate loans or balance transfers. However, there can be difficulties that may make this plan difficult or unwise. The procedure can work several ways. First, you can take out a low interest loan to pay multiple debts or cards, leaving you with one low interest payment. However, if you already have marks on your credit score, you may be unable to obtain an unsecured loan and have to take out a second mortgage, possibly putting your house in jeopardy. You can also transfer high rate credit card balances to a low rate card, hoping that you won't miss payments or reach the end of an introductory rate that will put you right back in high interest territory once again. Finally, you can enlist the help of credit counselors or debt managers to negotiate with creditors to lower interest rates, then take over the payment of your debts out of one monthly payment you make to the service. Obviously, they must be reliable so as not to skip or pay your bills late, and you must be willing to pay their fees. Thorough investigation before agreeing to such an arrangement is essential.