A new loan that pays off two or more existing loans or indebtednesses, usually resulting in lower payments.Home equity lines of credit are often marketed as consolidation loans, urging consumers to pay off high-interest-rate credit cards and automotive debt for lower-interest-rate, tax-deductible, mortgage debt.While the practice does reduce monthly payments significantly, it replaces relatively short term debt with long-term debt and results in higher total interest payments over time.