Archive for the ‘Payday Loan Basics’ Category

Understanding Payday Loans

Tuesday, August 14th, 2007

Payday loans are specialized loan products often advertised by check cashers, finance companies, and others. These are typically small, short term and high rate loans that go by various other name as well, such as cash advance loan, post-dated check loan, check advance loan, or deferred deposit loan.

The basic idea is pretty simple to understand. The company offering the loan will typically grant you the loan as long as you agree to repay them on your next payday. Therefore, you can see that these loans are typically short term and usually are only for small amounts, to meet your basic financial needs. They are also unsecured loans, so you don’t have to put up any collateral such as a car, house or other valuables.

The borrower usually writes a post-dated check to the lender to cover the loan amount plus any fees. Then the lender provides the borrower with the amount of money agreed upon. The fees are usually a percentage of the face value of the check. Depending on the lender, you may be able to extend the loan for a period of time, but additional charges will probably be applied to whatever amount you owe.

Under the Truth in Lending Act, the lender is required to disclose the actual cost of the payday loan so you can make an informed decision. Information you should be aware of include finance charges and the annual percentage rate (APR) of the loan.

Payday loans are intended to be a solution for short-term cash crunches that we all find ourselves in from time to time. Because of the high cost of such loans, they are not suitable for ongoing financial problems for which credit counseling or other financial planning would be more appropriate. However, for those unfortunate times when life throws you a curve ball, payday loans can be just what you need to make it till your next pay check.

Benefits of Payday Loans

Tuesday, August 14th, 2007

We’ve all had times when we just hit a bad streak or needed a little extra cash to get over the hump. While a payday loan isn’t the best option for large financial burdens or for long term financing, for a short-term cash crunch, these types of loans can be just what you need to make ends meet and take care of your immediate needs.

There are some pretty compelling benefits of getting a payday loan. First, they’re short term, so you won’t have to worry about being in debt for years down the road. Of course, this is assuming that you’re really using this type of loan for its intended purpose and that when you get back on your feet, you’ll pay off the loan immediately. Otherwise, you could end up paying quite a bit in fees over the long haul. However, when used properly, these are pretty quick and easy tools to help you through the rough times.

They’re available to you regardless of your credit too. Most lenders don’t even bother pulling a credit report since the loans are short term and the amount is based on your current employment and bank history. They figure if you have a stable job and don’t have a slew of non-sufficient funds charges on your bank account, you can probably be trusted with a loan over the next few weeks or so. Many lenders also hold a postdated check which you provide them so they know exactly when they can get their money back and don’t have to rely on the borrower to come back in or send the money. It protects them and gives you one less thing to worry about when it comes time to pay back the loan.

You can get your money extremely fast…as quickly as the same day depending on when you apply. This can be very important if you’re in a crisis situation and need the money immediately. You don’t have to wait in line at the local bank, only to hear them tell you know and kick you out the door. In fact, payday loan lenders would welcome your business and would be able to provide you with a quick turnaround time on processing your application and transferring your money. So quite literally within a few hours to a day at most, you can have the cash you need to take care of your immediate needs.

These are some of the reasons why a payday loan might be the perfect option for you if life catches you by surprise. At least now you know there are options available. Now it’s up to you to decide if a payday loan sounds like the right choice for you and your situation.