Payday loans are an ideal short term option. A payday loan is a personal loan, unsecured. Bad debt is usually not a problem as long as the borrower has a job and a bank account with direct deposit. Payday loan lenders rarely do credit checks. The borrower fills out an application and may have to provide information to the lender, such as a bank statement and pay check stubs. Then the lender either deposits the money into the borrower’s account, or gives them cash on the spot. When the loan is due, typically on the borrower’s next pay day, the borrower will either pay the lender directly or the money will be debited from the borrower’s bank account.
Although fairly good for smaller amounts of debt consolidation, payday loan solutions may not be ideal for larger amounts of debt. The interest on a payday loan is usually around 20%, meaning that on a $100 payday loan, the borrower will have to pay back around $120. On a $1000 loan, the pay back will be around $1200. The amounts can add up if the borrower is not careful and it is important to think beyond the immediate need of instant cash to consider the feasibility of repaying the entire loan plus interest at the end of the loan term.
When considering a payday loan, the first thing to look at is the location of the lender. Different states have different laws regarding how a payday loan is handled. Many companies do not allow a roll over of the account, meaning the borrower only pays the interest and the account is roll over to the next pay period. In several states, this practice is illegal and the loan must be paid in full at the end of the lending term. The borrower can apply again and take out another loan, usually immediately, but most places will not allow roll overs.
For many, the payday loan is a very good option. It is a small personal loan, unsecured, bad debt friendly and usually pretty simple to obtain and pay off. While the interest on these loans can be rather high, they do vary from company to company. The amount of money that the borrow can get is usually based on their income, so a borrower who has $2000 direct deposited into their bank account by their employer every two weeks may be capped out at $1000 to borrow. But that could be just enough to use the loan as a debt consolidation payday loan. That is provided the debt is not out of control. So while a payday loan may be a viable option for a quick loan on the short term, it is advisable to carefully review the loan terms prior to signing. As with any financial venture, any type of loan, the borrower must be certain that they can repay it, or they will just incur more debt.
Suzie O'Connor
