Debt consolidation loans may be either secured or also unsecured, but secured loans are much easier to obtain because they are less risky for lenders. Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit are types of secured loans that are commonly used for consolidation. Debt consolidation loans can often be a very great way to reduce your monthly outgoings and reduce your debt problems. They are not however always the correct solution and are never your only solution. Debt settlement is negotiating with each creditor and paying off a portion of the debt as payment in full. The creditor writes off the remainder and you don’t owe them anything in additional.