There are times when your paycheck just doesn’t cut it. The end of the month is coming, but not quite fast enough. This may be the time to look into payday loans.
What is a payday loan? On its face, this is a very simple process. It is a much simpler type of loan to get than a bank loan, as there is no credit check or any of the other hoops one needs to jump through when going through a bank.
All that is generally required to get a payday loan is proof of employment – such as a pay stub – and a checking account. You can even apply for them online. They are generally quite quick to get, as the basic process is determining how much you need to get through to the next payday and writing a post-dated check for that amount, plus fees, which will then be withdrawn from your account when you are paid.
There is, however, a reason for this ease. The lender has a very high degree of risk in this type of loan, as it is incredibly easy for the borrower to default or to be dishonest. Thus, the interest rate is generally very high.
This type of loan is also one of the primary borrowing avenues for people with bad or damaged credit. They are a place for emergency cash for people who cannot qualify for bank loans at this point in time. Again, credit problems mean that the borrower is in a higher-risk group, and thus the lender has a higher risk, hence a higher interest rate.
Another factor in this type of loan is how it is used. If a person borrows more than he or she can actually pay off by the next paycheck, they will often find themselves borrowing more to pay off the first loan, which leads to an unpleasant cycle of debt and collection agencies and increasingly high interest rates that make the debt impossible to get out from under.
A payday loan is an easy and quick loan as far as getting the money. It has a significant value in a one-off emergency, provided you can pay the money back by the next check. It should never be used to supplement a monthly lack, as it will ultimately exacerbate the situation rather than improving it. Be cautious of how you use it and also make sure to research your lender.