The next step in getting started is to make certain that you understand the need to leave your money invested for a reasonable period of time. That should really be no less than five years in spite of any overnight success stories you may have heard. Markets fluctuate and at times they can be very volatile. As with any other major decision you should do some checks to make certain you are doing the right thing. Ask about them at your church. Consult the Better Business Bureau and speak to your state consumer affairs representatives. One final point to keep in mind when you start to make your enquiries. All these organizations stand to benefit by having you as a customer. There is no guarantee that an organization offering bill consolidation services will be any better just because they're non profit. Consolidation of debts is a complicated matter and it requires clear thinking and some tough negotiation skills. So yes, a non profit may charge you less but they could still end up costing you more if their people aren't good at reducing your monthly or weekly payments. There are a number of internet based sites that will allow you to put in your figures and will then spit out the answer for you. Be prepared for a shock though! It's almost certainly going to be far higher than you first imagined. Once you've got that figure you need to work out the cost of your consolidation loan. Those credit card debt facts can make truly frightening reading. And it's not just those of us in paid employment that are running up our credit card debt. Facts show that even students and the unemployed are increasing the amount they owe. So what can we do about this situation? Well the first thing to recognize is that we are all responsible for our own borrowing. Here we list the four important points you have to look at when you are scouting for banks that can provide best saving accounts. (i) The first thing you have to look at is naturally the rate of interest. Since it is the bank that will be paying you the interest, you have to select the bank that provides you the highest rate of interest.