What is debt?
A debt is an amount of money lent from one person to another. It is money borrowed. Many companies and individuals may take on debt, borrow money in order to make large purchases that they cannot afford.
In most cases, there are debt arrangements. This means that the borrowers will have to repay the money borrowed at a later date, usually with an interest. Common lenders are banks and licensed moneylenders. In some cases, borrowers may choose to borrow money from their friends or relatives.
Common debts and how they work
The usual debts taken are personal loans, mortgages, renovation loans, business loans and credit card debts. Based on the loan terms agreed on, the borrower will have to repay the borrowed amount by a certain date. The loan repayment amount usually includes interest rates. In the loan contract, it usually states the amount of money the borrower is required to pay monthly or annually, expressed as a percentage of the loan amount.
Loan interest is included as a way to ensure that the lender is compensated for giving out the loan which brings a certain amount of risk to themselves. It is also a method to encourage borrowers to repay their debt as quickly as possible to reduce the amount of interest paid.
For most unsecured loans, interest rates are higher as no collateral is needed. The risk is higher for such lenders. Likewise for secured loans, interest rates will be lower as collateral is needed. While risk still exists, it is less.
Credit card debts are a form of unsecured loans which have very high interest rates. They have a more open-ended repayment date. They might only need to repay a minimum amount at the end of every month. However, this in turn prolongs the credit card debt and incurs greater interest. For individuals who have too many credit card debts or have taken on too many personal loans, they may sometimes opt for a debt consolidation plan.