10 Tips When Considering a Payday Loan
There comes a time in everyone’s life when you just don’t have enough money to cover your expenses between paydays. Whether it’s due to an emergency car repair, an injury not covered by health insurance or some other emergency it happens to more people than you think and you’re not alone. Most everyone has run out of money before they’ve run out a month and sometimes a payday loan is the right solution for your situation.
Below are 10 tips you need to consider before applying for a payday loan.
1. In order to qualify for a payday loan you need to be at least 18 years old and have a job on a full-time basis.
2. You need to be receiving a steady income on weekly, bi weekly or monthly basis.
3. You need to have a checking or savings account.
4. When you apply for a payday loan online or in person you will need to have proof of these items to convince the lender you are a trustworthy risk and you will be able to pay back your payday loan.
5. When choosing a payday loan company be sure it is registered and in good standing with the Better Business Bureau with no outstanding or unresolved complaints.
6. You need to understand the terms of the payday loan you are applying for.
7. When selecting a payday loan company online their website needs to clearly state the fees involved and the interest rate being charged.
8. You need to know the penalties if you do not pay the loan back on time.
9. You need to read and understand the fine print of your payday loan.
10. If you can not easy find the above information on the lenders website then don’t use them.
There are plenty of payday loan companies online that are completely legitimate but you need to protect yourself by reading the fine print. One rule of thumb I use is if a company is advertising on the internet they are most likely trustworthy because it cost money to advertise and the company would have to be profitable to pay for the advertising. Most customers will not deal with a non-reputable company very long and they eventually will be out of business with no profits to spend on advertising.
As you consider the above tips keep in mind you need to be able to repay your payday loan and still cover next weeks bills. Payday loans at times make perfect sense and you need to use them wisely to help your short term cash flow problems.
Payday Loan Hints and Tips
If you are a week or two away from payday and need cash urgently, then a payday loan might be the answer. Payday loans are short-term loans that give you the money you need until you get, at which time you have to pay the money back. Payday loans are also known as cash advance loans or cheque loans. If you are in need of cash before payday, then this guide can help you to decide if payday loans are right for you.
How much can I borrow?
The amount of money that you can borrow is usually quite low, because the loan is for the short term and you can get it quickly. Somewhere between £50 and £400 is the usual amount. The way you get a loan is that you write a personal cheque for a certain amount of money plus the fees, and then the lender will give you that money in cash. The lender will hold the check until your next payday, and then if your situation is better the lender will cash it in. If you still cannot pay, you can pay more fees to keep the cheque held for a few more weeks.
What are the advantages and disadvantages?
The advantages of payday loans is that you can get hold of urgently needed money very quickly, which can get you out of a tight financial situation. The loans are also useful for people who have poor credit and so find it hard to get other types of loans or credit cards. The loans are good if you know you can pay back the amount in a few weeks when you get paid.
The biggest disadvantage of payday loans is that the fees are very high. Normally you will have to pay around 10% or more of the cost of what you borrow. So borrowing £100 is going to cost you £110, or even more if you keep extending the borrowing time. You can also end up in a vicious cycle where each month you run out of money too early because of having to pay the original loan back. Payday loans should be used as a last option, or if you know that this month is an exceptional month and you will be back on track afterwards.
What are the alternatives?
There are a number of alternatives to payday loans, especially if you have good credit. You could use a credit card to pay for the things you need and then pay this amount off at the next payday. Although credit cards have fairly high interest rates, if you know you need more than a few weeks to pay back the amount then this interest is cheaper than a payday loan. If you need more long-term help with debts or lack of money, then a personal loan might be a better option, as long as you can afford the repayments. If you have poor credit, then a payday loan is often the best option because there is no credit check. The only information that needs to be verified is your current employer.
If you are struggling for money before you reach the end of the month, then you should look at payday loans as an option to help ease your short-term financial pressures. However, you should make sure that you only borrow as much as you can afford to pay back next month whilst still having enough to make it to the next payday.
