Saturday, February 17, 2007

How Payday Loans Work

Have you ever been burdened with an unexpected expense, like a big car repair bill? How have you handled it? Do you use your credit card and pay for it, including interest, over a period of time? But perhaps you don’t have a credit card. Or maybe you’re one of the millions of people who carry too much debt, and have already “maxed out” your credit card. Do you have friends to borrow from? Most of us don’t like to do that – and most friends don’t like that, either. So what do you do? Well, you could get a payday loan.

What is a payday loan?

A payday loan has many names. Some call it a cash advance loan. Some call it a check advance loan. Another name is a post-dated check loan. Still others call it a deferred-deposit check loan. The Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. calls it “costly cash”. No matter what you call it, it’s the same thing: a small (usually $50-$500) short-term loan with high interest.

Why would you get a payday loan?

Payday loans are popular for a number of reasons. To those who are in the position of needing one, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. And there are disadvantages, but we’ll look at those later.

First, put yourself in the shoes of the person who needs some quick cash. Perhaps you’ve just been put in the unenviable position of unexpectedly needing some cash and being “caught short”. You might have had an unexpected medical bill or car repair bill, or you might have to travel unexpectedly, like in the case of a death in the family. Others who need quick cash use it to pay their everyday expenses, like rent, groceries, utilities, etc. Whatever the reason, you need that cash and you just don’t have it.
Is a payday loan your last resort? Do you have other alternatives you could explore first? Well, what are the benefits of payday loans? Let’s see:

You won’t have to go through the hassle of a credit check.
You can apply in person, on the phone or on the Internet.
The process takes less than 20 minutes.
The loan proceeds are automatically deposited into your bank account within 24 hours.
It’s affordable, at least immediately – you don’t have any up-front costs.
It’s discreet – nobody else is involved.
It’s secure – your financial information isn’t shared with others.


Ok, that makes sense. Those are enough reasons to get rid of the stress of being short of cash. It’s a “quick fix”. You can cover the shortage, and get on with your life. And you’ll be able to pay it back next payday, right? So you’ve solved your problem.

Where can you get a payday loan?

Payday loan companies are all over the place. There are over 10,000 payday loan outlets in business in the U.S. And they’re spread out in similar fashion throughout the world. If there isn’t a payday loan store near you, you can search the Internet and find hundreds of online payday loans there.

These companies are in business to “help” those in dire financial need. They offer these loans to people who can’t find the money they need anywhere else. Let’s profile one company who offers payday loans as part of their overall financial services business – Money Mart.

Money Mart was created as an alternative to banks. Their hours would extend beyond banking hours, and they’d situate themselves in more accessible locations than banks. They could cash checks when banks were closed, and people wouldn’t have to travel very far for their services. They must have been on the right track because now, they have 1,700 locations in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.

A typical Money Mart customer is an average working person, 32 years old (82% of customers are under the age of 45) and employed, with an annual income around the national average. These customers go to Money Mart because of their fast service, their convenient locations, and their extended operating hours. The founders of Money Mart were right – their original ideas still hold true today.

Since adding payday cash advances to their financial services, they’ve carved themselves a very nice niche in the industry. But they’re definitely not the only choice. You can now find at least one, and usually several, payday loan centers in every community.

Why would you choose not to get a payday loan?

Now that we’ve looked at the convenience of payday loans, let’s take a fair look at the disadvantages. Throughout the U.S., governments on every level are looking at payday loan outlets with increasing concern. Many people think that they take advantage of low-income people in financial trouble. Some go as far as to say they “prey” on them. Their argument to that is that they’re filling a need and they’re not doing anything illegal. So the controversy continues – let’s examine why.

Remember back when you thought you’d solved your problem and you could get on with your life? Well, what if your next paycheck, after your budgeted expenses, wasn’t enough to pay back the loan?


If you came up short again, you needn’t worry – payday loans are renewable, or extendable. This process is called “rollover” and, if you do it too many times, it could end up costing you a lot of money. Let’s look at an example: Say you borrowed $100 for 14 days (until your next payday). You write a check to the lender for $115 (includes your $15 fee). The APR (annual percentage rate) of that loan is 391%! If you can’t pay back the $115 on the due date, you can rollover the loan for another two weeks. If you rollover the loan three times, the finances charge would reach $60 for a $100 loan. That’s pretty high interest, don’t you think?

These are things you need to consider when you’re deciding if a payday loan is the right choice in your particular situation. Yes, the cost of the loan is high, but it provides you with the money you need, when you need it, thus avoiding a lot of stress and trouble. It’s very true in consumerism today that convenience costs money. But is it worth that much? That’s a question you’ll have to answer for yourself.

Payday loans are controversial – but they do fill a need

Now we’ve clearly shown both sides of the argument – and it’s a huge argument these days. So which party do you side with? That depends on your immediate situation. If you really just have to have it, and you don’t have any other choice, then a payday loan is probably the wise thing to do. At least you’ll be able to keep your sanity, even if it does cost you a few dollars.

When you find yourself in that situation, use it as an opportunity to learn. Remember, there are no mistakes – just lessons. If you have to get a payday loan, make sure you don’t roll it over too many times – that’s when it becomes a problem. And in the meantime, try to build up an emergency fund so you will be able to cover those unexpected costs. Become a good financial manager. Then you’ll have an alternative, and you won’t have to rely on a payday loan as ”your last resort”.

Friday, February 9, 2007

Which College Loan is Right for You?

Many young college students are under tremendous pressure trying to figure out how they are going to pay the high costs of college tuition. Often times, their parents are equally concerned about where the money will come from for their child's education expenses. If you're a worried student or have a college bound child and have exhausted the financial aid and scholarship avenues, your only solution is a college loan. There are several kinds of college loans available, but which college loan is right for you?

The first type of college loan is a federal student loan.

This loan is either subsidized or unsubsidized. Subsidized college loans are when the government pays the interest of the loan for the student for the time they are in school, but the student must show a great financial need to get this type of loan. Unsubsidized federal loans are available to anyone. With an unsubsidized college loan, the student must pay the interest beginning at the time the loan is issued. There is no deferment. Federal student loans are very easy to obtain and are the most commonly used.

The next type of college loan is a private student loan.

A private student loan may be required to add funding when other types of financial aid are not enough to cover the student's costs. Private student loans are credit based. They are unsecured, which means they require no collateral, but they have very high interest rates. Private college loans can be used for anything, not just tuition costs.

Parent college loans are another type of college loan to consider.

A parent college loan is a loan the parents can take for the full amount of the college tuition. This loan can span the tuition costs for all of the years the student will be attending college. This loan is convenient because it will be the only loan needed for the duration of your college years. The interest rates are much lower on parent student loans.

The last type of loan is the college consolidation loan.

This loan is used to consolidate several prior loans into one loan source with one payment to a single lender, rather than having several payments to several lenders. Most students find that they need this type of college loan after they made the mistake of not getting enough funding in an initial loan.
These are the college loans available. Before choosing a college loan, try to figure out how much you need. Then see if you can get any help from your parents, financial aid or scholarships. Be sure that when applying for a college loan that your credit is as good as possible. With some careful thought, you should be able to select a college loan that is right for you.


By Jill Dow

Business Loans - A Source of Finance for your Business

Have you been planning to start a new business but lack of sufficient funds has been stopping you? You need not worry; Business Loans are here to help you realize your dreams.
Business Loans are the loans granted for the use of a business. Business Loan can be used to start a new business, expand the existing business, to buy a new machine or equipment or for any other business related activity.

Business Loans can be a secured or an unsecured one. Secured Business Loan is a loan that is provided in exchange of property, machines or plants that serves as collateral such as houses, cars, savings accounts or bonds. Secured Business Loan also provides finance for working capital, which can be used to purchase raw material, paying the labour charges etc. Unsecured Business Loan is granted without keeping a property as a security with the lender.


Business loans can be taken for short, intermediate or for a long term, it depends on you which one do you want to take and for what purpose. Short-term loans are given to businesses that need cash to start operating, this loan is granted for one or less than one year. Intermediate term loan helps businesses to buy equipments and cover initial large expenses, this is granted for a period of one to three years. Long-term loans are used to assist start-up businesses with initial costs and are granted for a period of three to seven years.

Now you would say why only, Business Loan, when other loans are available in the market. Business Loans are tailored specially for people who want funds for their business. Business Loan provides the flexibility to preserve your cash and working capital. Business Loan also helps in managing cash effectively by offering flexible repayment options. Capital forms an integral part of every business.
If you are planning to apply for the Business Loan you need to look into three key issues: -

Cost –

You need to check the cost and risk involved in taking a loan.

Loan Size –

You need to decide the amount of loan you want that would satisfy your need.

Payback Program –

It is very important to decide at the time of taking a loan that how will you repay the loan amount and the monthly installments, otherwise it may create problems for you in future.
You can get a Business Loan from a bank or a financial institution. But shop around and search for as many lenders as you can, you can also look for online lenders. Collect quotes from various lenders and make a comparison among them to get the best deal.

You must make a loan proposal:

When applying for a loan you need to keep in mind that you must make a loan proposal. Lenders will grant you the loan only if they find your proposal worth because no lender will be interested in taking risk. While writing a loan proposal you should always give industry-specific details so that the lender is able to know in-depth about what business do you want to start or how your present business is run and what market trends affect it.

You should also give details about the existing or proposed business, collateral which you want to keep as a security with the lender, loan repayment plans, personal financial statement and projection of your future operations. The possibility of getting a loan will be higher if you have a good loan proposal and are able to convince the lender about your future business plans.
You can get a secured business Loan if you have CCJs, arrears or bankruptcy. Your bad credit history cannot stop you from getting the cash you needed to invest in your business or to start up your own business. Business Loan provides funds to businessmen who want to expand their business or people who want to start a business of their own. Success has no limits. Business loan provides you with the funds now it depends on you how use this money to climb the ladder of success.

By Pamella Scott

Monday, January 22, 2007

Debt Consolidation Secured Loan Tips

If debt is a way of life for you, it's time for you to consider finding a debt consolidation secured loan. This loan is designed so that you can pay off some or all of your debt, leaving you with a single low monthly payment instead of multiple payments that keep increasing as time goes by.

Since you offer collateral as security for the loan, the debt consolidation secured loan usually has a lower interest rate and is easier to get than some other loans? making it great for the person who is deep in debt and doesn't have a spotless credit history.

The best part is that not only does a debt consolidation secured loan stop your outstanding debt from harming your credit score further, but on time repayment of your loan helps to rebuild your credit as well!

Securing your loan

Since a debt consolidation secured loan requires collateral, it's important to choose the right collateral for the job. Instead of putting up precious metals or collectibles which need to be appraised to determine their value, it's often best to stick with more common forms of collateral? automobiles and trucks, and real estate.

These are high-value items that are relatively easy for the lender to determine the value of, and are easy for them to find a market for should you not repay the loan and they are forced to repossess.
The easier it is for the lender to determine the value of your collateral on a market, the more likely they are to offer you a good rate for your debt consolidation secured loan.

Of corse, good rates are important because it means less money that you have to pay for your loan.
Determining how much to borrow Ideally, you want to borrow enough with a debt consolidation secured loan to repay all of your outstanding debt and have only the monthly loan payment to worry about.

If you're too deep in debt, however, you might have to settle for less? after all, you need to keep the amount that you borrow under the value of your collateral. If this is the case, make sure that you can cover your largest and oldest debts (or at least a significant portion of them) with your debt consolidation secured loan, and then distribute any additional amount included in the loan among the remainder of your debts.

Any amount that isn't covered by the loan should be repaid as quickly as possible (all the while making sure that you don't lapse on your loan payments.)

Paying off your loan

After consolidating your outstanding debts with a debt consolidation secured loan, try to make sure that you get all of your loan payments in on time (if not early.) Not only does this make sure that the lender doesn't have to repossess your collateral, but it also helps to build a good business relationship with the lender as well as doing some needed repair to your credit report. You can use the relationship that you build now later in life when you need financial services again.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Bad Credit Home Improvement Loans

Home improvements are costly. To pay for necessary repairs, some homeowners tap into their personal savings. Unfortunately, everyone does not have the opportunity to save large sums of money. In this case, a home equity loan or refinance is the perfect alternative.

What are Home Equity Loans?

Many people have likely heard the term home equity loan or second mortgage. Home equity loans are available to homeowners who have established equity in their home. These loans allow homeowners to borrow a lump sum of money against their home's equity. Through a second mortgage or additional monthly payment, the loan is repaid to the lender. With a home equity loan, homeowners can receive money in as little as 5 days.

What is a Refinance?

Homeowners needing to make necessary home improvement may also consider refinancing their home to pay for repairs. When a home is refinanced, a new mortgage is created. This is beneficial when the original mortgage carries a high or adjustable interest rate. Thus, two birds are killed with one stone. Homeowners obtain a better interest rate and receive a lump sum of money to pay for home improvements.

Less than Perfect Credit

In order for homeowners to obtain the money needed for home improvements, they must have satisfactory credit. In some cases, it is difficult for individuals with bad credit to refinance or receive a home equity loan. Lenders base credit worthiness on previous credit history and rating. However, there are options for individuals with problem credit. Several lenders are willing to grant home improvement loans to homeowners with bad credit. Nonetheless, homeowners must have sufficient equity in their home. The downside is that bad credit home improvement loans carry a high interest rate. On the other hand, once a homeowner's credit rating improves, they can refinance the loan for a better rate.

Selecting a bad credit home improvement loan with a suitable interest rate involves a lot of research. Homeowners should request a quote from at least three lenders. Furthermore, contacting current mortgage lender may prove beneficial. Because a relationship has been established, these lenders may be willing to negotiate a good interest rate.

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Helpful tips to get personal loans

The personal loan is often borrowed to meet the unforeseen expenses .But if you have the habit of using personal loans to meet needless expenses you are at risk .If the expense can wait till you get the required amount on your own ,then what is the need of personal loan The article throws light on factors to be kept in mind while going personal loan way.This article covers.

1. Questions that you should ask yourself
2. Types of personal loans
3. Factors affecting personal loans
4. Tips on getting best deal personal loans

Here are some very simple personal loans tips that would help you make an informed decision about the type of loan to get and who and where you could get it from. The First Question you should be really asking yourself is:Do I really need it?

1. Can I manage without a personal loan?
2. Is it for a frivolous expense- like a holiday- that I could really avoid?
3. Is it possible that I could secure the money by other means- like borrowing from a relative, taking up a part time
4. job, sale of an asset? If you can avoid it, then don't take the monkey on your back!

Personal loans

People require monetary help on many occasions and for various purposes. And a loan therefore is inevitable for most of them as own sources fall short of requirement. Personal loans have now become a reliable source of finance and are in fact very popular because of their host of advantages. Personal loans can be utilized for variety of purposes like home improvements, meeting wedding and educational expenses or even for consolidation of loans.
Personal loans are approved under secured and unsecured options. Secured personal loans are offered against the borrower’s valuable property like home or jewelry. A main advantage of secured personal loans is lower interest rate which is crucial in reducing the loan burden. Other benefits of secured personal loans are greater amount of loan and larger repayment duration. Usually a secured personal loan of £5000 to £75000 is offered for duration of 5 to 30 years. This implies that the borrower pays less per month towards installments and saves for other expenses. But remember your property is at stake. So pay off the loan installments regularly.


Unsecured personal loans

Unsecured personal loans are given without collateral. Only sufficient repaying capacity and good credit history is sufficient for approving unsecured personal loans. Take a convincing repayment plan to the lender for the better result. Unsecured personal loans are approved at higher interest rates and a smaller amount of up to £25000 is given for a shorter repaying duration. Bad credit people should provide income and employment documents for being approved a personal loan, though secured personal loans are fairly easier to avail as risks for the lenders are well covered. Still check your credit scored first prior to applying for the loan.

For better deal, compare personal loans providers for interest rates. Apply to an online lender for faster processing and approval.

Bad Credit Holiday Loans

Your adverse credit history should not be an impediment in the way of enjoying life, in case you are looking for a loan. These days when almost every one has debts and bad credit, lenders rake up money out of loan deals made with bad credit people, including holiday travelers. Bad credit holiday loans are availed much easier than any bad credit borrower thinks they are.

One sure shot remedy to negate bad credit while asking for a holiday loan is to offer your home or other property as collateral to the lender. Lender is unlikely to run a credit check as your property is with him as security. Not only that, you would be approved secured bad credit holiday loans at lower interest rate also. Secured bad credit holiday loans provide greater amount if need be so. The loan is seldom a burden. You are given larger duration for repaying secured bad credit holiday loan.

On the other side, unsecured bad credit holiday loans do require some credit checks. Lenders approve unsecured bad credit holiday loans if your bank balance is sufficient and you earn a decent income. Unsecured bad credit holiday loans are offered without collateral making them fully risk free for the borrower. However you would be paying higher interest rate on unsecured bad credit holiday loans. The loan amount approved will be smaller and for a shorter repaying duration of say 10 years.
Which ever option you choose, compare different bad credit holiday loans lenders for making a low cost loan deal. Compare interest rate especially. You can also make bad credit holiday loans a way to repair your credit score. To do so, ensure regular payments towards the loan installments.