How Payday Loans Work – A Last Resort?
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 money from? Most of us don’t like to do that – and most friends don’t like that, either. So who will help you? 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. 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.
Is a payday loans 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 checks.
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 easy available, at least immediately – you don’t have any up-front costs.
It’s discreet – nobody else is involved.
It’s also 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.
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, we will help you by payday loan
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”.
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