When you need money quickly to tide you over until your next payday, your options are limited.
A standard personal loan with a bank can be an expensive and time-consuming way to apply for a cash advance. Not only do you have to jump through endless hoops just to be approved, but you’ may also need to borrow a lot more than you actually need.
While, in an ideal world, we would all have savings accounts that we could use to manage unexpected expenses, the truth is that we all face unforeseen emergencies from time to time. The good news is that payday loans are a quick and simple way to get the money you need fast.
Although they’ve had complicated reputations in the past, payday loans are now a fully regulated lending opportunity in the United Kingdom.
The question is, how do you make sure that you’re getting the right deal on your payday advance?
Payday loans are a form of short-term loan designed to deliver the money you need before your next payday. These loans are usually for a small amount of money, and they’re intended to be paid back as quickly as possible. When you’re dealing with an emergency situation, applying for a payday loan can be a must better option than defaulting on a payment, or trying to get a credit card last-minute.
Payday loans are unsecured lending options. This means that you won’t have to put your house, car, or another valuable property up as collateral to get the cash that you need. There are also cheap loans available that won’t require you to have the support of a guarantor either. This means that you can keep your lending experience as discrete as possible.
Some of the common features of payday loans you can expect to see include:
Theys work very similarly to any standard loan. As with any loan, you’ll be expected to pay your loan back by a certain time, along with a pre-established amount of interest. Interest is the fee that you pay for borrowing money, and it’s usually displayed as a percentage of the amount you borrow.
To apply, you’ll need a UK bank account, and you’ll have to be over the age of eighteen. It’s also worth noting that although payday loan providers don’t take credit ratings as seriously as banks and building societies, they will still check your history. If you want to access cheap payday loans, it’s helpful to have a good credit score.
You’ll also need to be able to prove to the lender that you have enough money to pay back the money that you borrow. You can do this by showing your loan provider that you have a regular source of income. Some companies will ask to see a bank statement or payment slip to confirm that you’re receiving a regular wage.
Many companies give customers the opportunity to apply for their loans online. This means that you can fill the forms required out quickly, and often get approval for your loan in the same day. Some particularly speedy providersThem can even get the cash you need into your bank account within 24 hours.
When you’re looking for loans of this nature, one of the first things you’ll need to consider is how much interest you’ll need to pay. Most financial experts recommend comparing the APR that you’re offered from different providers. This is the number that refers to your annual percentage rate, or the amount you would pay over a year for your loan. Importantly, because APRs are calculated every year, they can be difficult to understand when you’re applying for payday advances.
Remember that you’re looking at how much you’d be expected to pay if you were taking out a loan for a year or more. The actual amount you’ll have to pay for your loan will be much lower because you’re only borrowing the cash for a short period.
Another thing to remember when you’re looking at APRs is that they aren’t always an accurate insight into the interest that you’ll pay. The representative APR shown by companies is the rate that they give to 51% of their applicants. If you don’t have a great credit rating or your affordability levels are low, you may be given a different rate to reflect the risk you represent.
As with most lending strategies, the easiest way to ensure that you’re getting a good deal is to compare your options online. Comparison websites will be able to help you to test like-for-like quotes for your loan against each other. This means that you’ll be able to find the loan with the lowest possible interest and potential fees. When you’re examining your options, remember to look at the following things:
Remember, there are no one-size fits all solution when it comes to choosing a provider of cheap payday loans. It’s important to make sure that you choose a trustworthy lender. Usually, this means checking out the testimonials that other customers have left about a provider and making sure that they adhere to the rules of the FCA. Direct lenders are often the best choice for cheaper loans. These companies deal with their loan customers directly, so there are no extra fees for brokers to worry about.
Be careful that you’re not accidentally working with a broker instead of a direct lender when you’re trying to get a loan. Sometimes the two options can be difficult to identify. Avoid anyone who gives you “multiple” opportunities for payday loan providers.
Additionally, when you’re choosing your small loan, it’s best to stick with a lender that has flexible payment options to offer. If you don’t want to pay back everything that you owe at once, it’s always a good idea to look for a lender that can give you instalment options instead.
Most comparison websites are excellent for giving you an insight into the loans that will give you the best deal. Just remember to make sure that you’re comparing your options like for like. This means that you should be looking at the same loan term, amount, and repayment strategy from every provider.
Don’t be tempted to pay more than you need to just because you’re eager to get the money you need fast.