Payday loans are a way to get quick cash to get yourself out of a financial emergency. Although these loans are often very helpful, they do have a downside. Armed with this information, you will be able to decide if a payday loan is right for you.
Always know that the money that you borrow from a payday loan is going to be paid back directly out of your paycheck. You need to plan for this. If you do not, when the end of your pay period comes around, you will find that you do not have enough money to pay your other bills.
There are a large number of companies that give out payday loans. Look up the company and their service before you decide to get a loan from them. Read reviews from previous customers, if they are available. Conducting a bit of online research is a good way to locate reviews.
There are many situations where a payday loan is your only option. If you can help from doing this, do so. Always consider every other option, such as family or friends, before you sign up for a payday loan.
Payday loan companies will work around the laws to charge you the highest amount. They can charge fees as high as the interest itself. This can add up to a total amount in paid interest that exceeds the standard rates offered by regular banks by more than 10 times.
Understand that you usually have about two weeks to pay back your payday loan. Things happen; sometimes you may not be able to come up with the cash to resolve the loan by its due date. Don’t worry about being in default. A lender may offer the option to roll over or extend payments but there are extra costs to doing that.
If you have to use a payday loan because of an emergency, or unexpected event, understand that many people are put in an unfavorable position by doing this. If you do not use them responsibly, you could wind up in a cycle that you cannot get out of. You could be in debt to the payday loan company for a very long time.
Understand what APR means before agreeing to a payday loan. APR, or annual percentage rate, is the amount of interest that the company charges on the loan while you are paying it back. Even though payday loans are quick and convenient, compare their APRs with the APR charged by a bank or your credit card company. Most likely, the payday loan’s APR will be much higher. Ask what the payday loan’s interest rate is first, before you make a decision to borrow any money.
You must always investigate alternatives prior to accepting a payday loan. Your overall financial situation will be better if you can get the money you need through a bank loan, from a relative, or even off of your credit card. No matter what you choose, chances are the costs are less than a quick loan.
Before taking out that payday loan, make sure you have no other choices available to you. Payday loans can cost you a lot in fees, so any other alternative could be a better solution for your overall financial situation. Look to your friends, family and even your bank and credit union to see if there are any other potential choices you can make.
Expect the payday loan company to call you. Each company has to verify the information they receive from each applicant, and that means that they need to contact you. They need to speak to you in person before they approve the loan. Therefore, don’t give them a number that you never use, or apply while you’re at work. The longer it takes for them to speak with you, the longer you have to wait for the money.
Do not use the services of a payday loan company unless you have exhausted all of your other options. When you do take out the loan, make sure you will have money available to pay back the loan when it is due, otherwise you may end up paying extremely high interest and fees.
Ask what the interest rate of the payday loan will be. This is important, because this is the amount you will have to pay in addition to the amount of money you are borrowing. You might even want to shop around and get the best interest rate you can. The lower rate you find, the lower your total repayment will be.
An important tip to anyone looking to take out a payday loan is to make sure that whichever lender you are applying to get the loan from is licensed in your state. Lending laws and licensing requirements vary from state to state. Your lender has to be licensed to be able to operate in your home state.
For people who get stuck in a position where they have more than one payday loan, you need to consider alternatives to paying them off. Think about using a cash advance off your credit card. The interest rate will be lower, and the fees are significantly less than the payday loans.
A unwise payday loan can garner you quick cash with costly repayment terms and make your financial situation worse in the long run. Use the tips and advice contained in the previous paragraphs of this article to help you make intelligent decisions when it comes to getting payday loans.