How Payday Loans Become a Vicious Cycle

Payday loans can be deceptive. You are forced to turn over a post-dated check for a loan and in addition, there is a possibility that you will be harassed and threatened because of some collection practices. The high rates of payday loans make it difficult for so many borrowers to repay the loan simply because they are already in a financial crisis.

When we are short of cash, Payday Loans or Check Advance Loans may seem like an easy way out of a temporary cash shortage but for many people, this can be the beginning of a vicious and expensive cycle where you will find difficulty getting out of in the long run.

An example of this situation would be about Carlie. Carlie was short of money to pay for her monthly bill and so she went to a payday lender and borrowed money to make up for the shortage and she was charged $50 for up to 15 days or 2 weeks. She needed to repay her loan when she receives her next paycheck in the next 15 days. When she got her check, she realized she didn’t have enough money to pay off the amount she borrowed with the $50 interest fee, so she paid the additional $50 to the lender and rolled her payday loan for another 2 weeks.This cycle went on for about 6 months and in the end, she had paid a total of $600 in fees and still owed the principal amount of $200. She had already paid 3 times more than what she borrowed and that puts her in a much deeper financial debt than she was in before she made the first loan.

The interest rates on a personal loan from a bank tend to be 10 times lower than even the lowest rate payday loans. Even a high-interest rate credit card has a much lower rate than a payday loan. The interest rates of payday loans rate from a whopping 300%  which may go up to to 1,000%.

A payday loan is requested for a short period of time, usually one to two weeks. You will be required to provide proof of employment and some identification and to secure the loan, you will also be required to write a post-dated check for the principal and interest fees of the loan.  A $100 loan can cost you $15 of interest for 2 weeks. This may seem reasonable enough  for an emergency situation,however, did you know that the annual interest rate on that loan can amount to 360%? If it becomes a vicious cycle, you will end up more badly in debt than you were in when you first borrowed money from the payday lender.

If the money you need is not for an extreme emergency, you may want to try these other alternatives for less expensive loans:

• Ask your employer for a pay or cash advance.
• Consider asking your friends and family for a loan first.
• Consider a credit card advance.
• Contact a local credit union for a small loan.
• Request additional time to pay the bill from your creditors.
• Try credit counseling.
• Prevent financial emergencies.

To prevent financial emergencies, take time to look at your income and expenses. Write it all down. Try to save a little money each time you get your paycheck. No matter how little, this still will add up and it’s still better to have some when you need it.

Are Banks Better Than Payday Loan Companies?

Payday loans from Banks are designed to help customers who have recurring deposits on their account.It is not intended for a large line of credit but it is viewed by the banks as a relationship product.

Most banks offer this feature as long as you pass the requirements such as having a checking account with them for more than 6 months and as long as the the direct deposits are automatically made into the account. A customer may get an advance of up to 50% of the amount that is regularly deposited into their account with a limit of $500 for an interest of 10% or a maximum of $50. If a customer regularly borrows for 6 months ,then they also have to go through a “cooling period” that shuts off the customer’s borrowing. The reason for this? Banks say that they they don’t want customers to be habitual borrowers and that it is only intended for emergency use by providing short term credit quickly. It is not intended for long-term financial needs.

The question is, are banks really a better source of payday loans? Note that while banks offer these loans to be paid out in a month or a few weeks, their policy is to pay themselves back during the first direct deposit of $100 or more. If a customer borrows $100 a week before payday, the amount of $110 is deducted immediately upon direct deposit which would be quite unfair given the fact that some people borrow for emergencies and instead of getting help, theyv’e just dug a deeper hole for themselves. A fee of 10% for only a few days? Certainly sounds like the equivalent of loan sharking by mobsters..In addition, banks can raise their fees as high as they want.

Payday loan companies on the other hand, offer short term loans that charge 20% or more for a few weeks. If you borrow $100 today then you pay back $120 or maybe more on payday.Payday loans are thriving in the US now with the most popular companies such as www.DollarsDirect.com.au , www.CityFinance.com.au , www.DebtRelief.com.au . While payday loans are safer than loan sharks, they certainly won’t break your legs but they can do much damage to your credit rating.

While you would think that payday loans seem to give a higher interest rate than banks, they could end up cheaper in the sense that with banks, if you bounce a check, there is a huge penalty and you can save up to 60 or 70% and there is also a $30 or more in late fees.

In comparison, BANKS:

Has a slow processing, may take 10 to 15 days.
Has tireless procedures: no appointments
Need an explanation for the loan
Have uncertainty even if you qualify
Bad credit rating affects the processing of loan
Have strict repayment schedules.
Provides lower interest than paydayday loans.

while PAYDAY  Loans:

You get instant approval if you qualify.
Are easy to get: just fill out the online form
.                       Asks no explanation for the loan.
Even people with bad credit can get a loan.
Repayment schedule can be changed.

Ultimately, only the borrower will decide if they will go to the bank or some lending institution to get a cash advance.Either way, the thing to keep in mind is to make a loan only during emergencies and not for any luxury.