Out With The Old, In With The New: Clean Up Your Debts   5.
Clean up your debts.  No, I don’t mean just repay them. For most
people in debt, saying “pay off your debts” is pretty trite.
It’s an action that they can’t afford or else they wouldn’t have
debts to begin with.  Instead, a better first step to take is to
clean them up. Minimize interest rates. Lower monthly payments.
Refinance. Negotiate. Consolidate.  Here are several steps you
can take to clean up your debts which will both reduce your
monthly payments as well as the interest you owe on the debts
without wrecking your credit rating.  Refinance your mortgage
Interest rates on home mortgages are ridiculously low right now,
often dipping below 4%. If you are not underwater on your home
and you have an interest rate that’s above 5% and you still have
more than a few years to go on your mortgage, it’s almost
assuredly worth your while to refinance.  If you have other
collateralized debt (usually a car loan) that’s at a higher rate
than your refinanced