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Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make When Shopping For Loans

Debt is not necessarily a dirty word. Most of us make use of it, whether responsible or not. In fact, it can be a highly valuable tool to help you when it comes to planning for your financial future. However, debts can turn bad when you don’t think hard enough or plan meticulously enough when it comes to getting out loans. Here, we’re going to look at some of the mistakes you should ensure that you avoid when you are looking for, applying for, or paying off loans.

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Not knowing how much you need and what for

The first thing you should do is make sure that you’re getting a loan for the right reason. If you’re borrowing simply for the sake of having some extra spending cash or as a debt management strategy, then you should probably take the time to look for other options instead. You should also get an idea of how much you need to borrow, in particular. For instance, if you’re borrowing so you can buy a house, then use a mortgage calculator to see how much you’re likely to need. You don’t want to borrow more than you have to, after all, or to borrow less than you need.

Failing to budget for those loans

One of the most important steps of managing your finances is building a budget. Your budget is the structured approach to expenses that makes sure you have enough to pay off all of your essentials, enough for some discretionary expenses, and some put aside for savings goals. Get a thorough understanding of what you’re going to be paying back each month and make sure that you put it into your budget. If you see that you don’t have room for it, you need to consider other options.

Not paying attention to the fees

You should not be looking at only the interest that you have to pay on your loan, nor even how much you’re going to be paying monthly. Depending on the kind of loan that you take out, you might find that there are all kinds of one-time or irregular fees that you have to pay. This can be at the start of the loan, once a year, or even at the end of the loan. Consider the loan type, look up some common fees, such as common mortgage fees, and get an idea of how much they might add. Do your research so you can tell when lenders are adding fees simply because they can, rather than because they’re necessary. This can help you weed out those greedy lenders that you don’t want to work with.

Not getting your credit in order

Your credit score is going to determine the kind of loans you have. A low credit score is going to equal higher interest and less control over your loan terms. The higher your credit, the less likely you’re going to have to pay back and the more flexibility that lenders will offer you. No credit history is almost as detrimental as bad credit history, too. Low credit options like direct lender loans can help you start building your credit history. Otherwise, make sure that you’re taking steps to address any black marks on your credit report, such as paying any late fees, lowering your credit utilization rate, and tracking down and fixing any errors.

Not having your financials at the ready

When you apply for a loan, you should make sure that you have your financial details available to share with them. This can include bank balances, as well as reports of income, and the value of assets that you might have. The more information you can provide, the surer the lenders will be about how much you can responsibly borrow. Not having your financial details to hand can urge them to be more cautious since they don’t fully know your financial situation. Estimates can be bad, as well, as you might over-estimate or under-estimate, either taking on more debt than you can handle or shooting yourself in the foot so you can’t borrow as much as you need.

Not letting your credit “rest” for a while before

Lenders take a look at your credit report to help them judge whether or not you are a reliable partner in a credit agreement. Not only do they want to see that you’re able to manage a loan with them, but they want to make sure that you don’t like you’re making erratic or rash decisions or that you are already too deep into existing credit agreements. For that reason, even if you have accessible overdrafts or credit cards, you should avoid using them for a while, just while you’re applying for a loan. In fact, if you pay them off somewhat and lower your credit utilization rate, that can even help by bumping your credit score.

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Applying for too many loans at once

You don’t want too much activity on your credit report when applying for loans. When someone performs a credit check, you want to make sure that everything looks nice and calm. When you apply for a loan that results in a hard credit check, your credit report is going to keep a record of it. As such, if you’re applying for five loans at once, each of those lenders is going to be able to see that. Someone applying for a lot of loans at once isn’t going to look very reliable and, as such, you’re more likely to get rejected. Not only that, but when you get rejected after a hard credit check, it can drive your credit score down. As such, apply for one loan at a time and only after you’re reasonably sure that you’re in a good position for an accepted application. Don’t expect or put plans in motion based on that acceptance, but just put yourself in the best possible position for it.

Closing your credit cards before applying

You might think “I don’t want to look like I have too much debt on my plate” before applying. This is a good notion. However, this doesn’t mean that you close open credit agreements. Even if you are a little bit into your credit card and haven’t fully paid it off, keeping it open is better than closing. Keeping your credit card open or keeping an overdraft shows that you are able to reliably maintain a credit agreement. In a similar vein, you shouldn’t pay loans ahead of time to close them earlier. Rather than showing how good you are at paying the money back, it shows that you can’t stick to pre-planned terms of the agreement so it can actually hurt your chances of a successful application a little. Of course, too many open credit cards and loans can hurt your credit score, so you need to balance it.

Making late payments on other loans

This one is relatively simple. Make sure that you are current with all loans before you apply for new ones. Even being temporarily late on other loans can give lenders justified cause for concern. You can mitigate the damage done to your credit score, at least, by catching up with what you owe ASAP. There are plenty of payment reminder apps that you can use to make sure you know what you have to pay and when you have to pay it, which can make it easier to keep current with loans, bills, and other regular payments.

How To Get Loans Even With your Terrible Credit Score

Only a few things make you feel like the world is ganging up against you more than having bad credit and desperate to access a loan for your business or personal use. If this sounds like your current situation, calm down as we are about to show you five simple ways to work around this problem.

A caveat here, though, is that most of these tips will not guarantee instant results, but if you keep taking the small and consistent actions we recommend, you should soon be able to qualify for loans even with the bad credit. We also recommend that you check out Crediful for additional tips for managing your finances.

How To Get Loans Even With your Terrible Credit Score

Review your credit reports

The very first step you should take is to try and understand where your finances stand and how much you owe past credit providers. This means looking for your credit reports and finding out more about your current credit score. If you notice some errors or false-negative marks, this is a great time to dispute and get them removed. The idea is to look for anything that positively impacts your overall credit score and ultimately increases your chances of accessing higher credit.

Strive to improve your score

Now that you have a clearer picture of what your credit report looks like, it’s time to find ways to improve your profile. Begin by targeting all the key factors that contribute towards credit health, including your payment history, length of credit history, and credit usage. One of the most practical methods you can use here is to mend broken relationships with current creditors by paying off bad debts quickly. Besides, try to keep your debts levels low and do not make a mistake of closing your credit accounts, especially if they can help to prove to future creditors that you paid off your debts.

Choose your loans wisely

Even with bad credit, you might still be able to access loans from some creditors. Unfortunately, these loans often come at a steep price in the form of high-interest rates and stringent terms. At this point, it makes sense to weigh your options very carefully to avoid committing yourself to another loan that could potentially worsen your already terrible financial health.

For starters, avoid credit facilities that come with unreasonable terms such as payday loans and auto title loans. Most of these loans have high origination fees, high-interest rates, and very short terms that will most obviously harm your finances even more.

If you have to take a loan with bad credit, then go for friendlier ones that look beyond the credit score. For example, you may consider applying for a secured loan, whereby all you need is to provide collateral like your car, home equipment, or even your home. You can also choose to go for personal installment lenders, especially if it’s an emergency case. The only thing you need to do is to avoid short-term, high-interest loans that put you at risk of getting into more losses.

Go for a co-signer

A co-signer, just as the name suggests, is someone with a better credit rating than yours and who knows and trusts that you will repay a loan once they take it on your behalf. Most creditors accept this kind of arrangement as it assures them that they’ll get their money back should you fail to honor your agreement with them.

Usually, the amount of loan you get depends on the credit score of the co-signer, so be sure to get someone who qualifies for the amount you need. Worth mentioning here is that both you and the co-signer are responsible for paying the loan amount, so strive to make timely payments to avoid transferring any unfair burden to them.

Join a credit union

Credit unions often accommodate customers with bad credit, and can therefore be an excellent option to consider when you want to take loans. Unlike banks and many other financial institutions, credit unions take into consideration many other factors apart from your credit score when giving you a loan. All you need to get considered is to be an active member while you might also need to prove to them that your financial health has improved in recent months or weeks. Most trade unions then consider other aspects like where you work, your residence, or even where you attend school to determine your creditworthiness.

Are you finding it difficult to access loans from creditors due to your bad credit profile? What are you doing to reclaim your creditworthiness? We’d love to hear your feedback.

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How To Teach Your Children To Be Money-Conscious

You want your children to have the best qualities of you and your partner. Something that might be important to you as money. Now money should never be the thing that controls your life, but it will certainly help define what you do in it. So with that in mind, here are a few tips to teach your children in being more money-conscious.

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Show Them How To Budget

Children are never going to learn how to handle money, and many parents won’t even teach them until they’ve started earning money themselves. It’s also not something that many of us would learn about at school, particularly as it’s not always likely to be something within the school curriculum. Leading by example is important, and so it matters that you are budgeting your household income in order to show them when they are at an age to learn. It’s never too early to teach them about money. Earning pocket money for doing errands around the home is going to help them being grateful but to also know that hard work can be rewarding. 

It might be a good idea to let them see the family finances and that way, they can have an understanding of what they may need to know about going forward. Giving them an insight into a typical budget plan can be very helpful for their own in the future.

Warn Them About Loans And Borrowing Money

When you find something that might come at the right time for you or your household when they need it. However, they need to remember and be wary of having loans and borrowing money in general. If they become too complacent with knowing that money is effectively free and available to borrow, that could be quite dangerous for those who enjoy spending their money a little too frivolously. So warn them about taking them out and that they should be used in emergency situations too. You as a parent are likely to want to know about financial situations that they’re in when they are young, so always tell them to approach you first for help. It’s better for your child to pay you back, rather than to a bank or loan shark

Encourage Them To Get A Job

When they’re of an age at which they could work, you should be encouraging them to do so. Being able to get a job will help them see and learn the value of money and what it does in their own life. Having savings is important and having a job can help them put some money into their account so that they are well provided for later on in life when they need it. It also helps them to live their lives to the fullest and to show them how money can influence the type of lifestyle that they may want in the future.

Teaching your children these important life lessons is very beneficial to give them the best start in life.

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Online or In-Person: Which Loan Access Best Suits Your Needs?

Millions of people are faced with financial circumstances that they are not ready for, causing them to seek outside sources for help paying for their obligations or needs.  With the number of people in need of financial help increasing by the day, businesses specializing in different types of loans have been becoming more readily available as well.

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Today someone in need of a loan can choose from a multitude of different options, from unsecured small personal loans to larger, secured loans for big purchases.  In addition to this abundance of selections, potential borrowers can also apply in person or online at their convenience, 24 hours a day.

Before you decide that you are ready to apply for a loan, however, you need to decide which type is the best one for your financial needs.  Look over all of your options before signing on the dotted line: there may be a better route to fix your current situation than the one you are currently in process with or thinking about getting.

The Ease – and Dangers – of Online Loans

Mobile apps and online stores have gotten us used to convenient shopping at the click of a button.  We rarely have to interact with anyone, choosing instead to complete the buying process impersonally without pushy sales people or outside opinions.

Online loan shopping is similar.  You can apply for a personal loan through your phone, laptop, or tablet any time of day or night, any day of the year.  Many people prefer this route because they don’t have to fear rejection – if you are not approved for one loan, you can move on to the next, but this constant checking of your credit can silently impact your score without you even realizing it.

On the other hand, using online loan review sites like https://loanreviewhq.com/lender/net-credit-review/ can give you immediate access to loan calculators to help you estimate your monthly payments based on the amount you want to borrow before you go any further in the process.

These online sites also are transparent about their loan criteria and repayment terms, helping you to get all of the information you need before you make a decision about which type of loan you want to take out and how much you should borrow.

Customer service for online sites varies depending on the company.  Some places have direct contact through customer service center chats, while others require you to make a phone call if you have any questions, often at specific times of the day when their office has their working hours.  Many of these loan specialists are located outside of the United States, so when you are online shopping for a loan you may not receive customized service that is individualized based on your needs.

Applying for a Loan in Person

This may seem inconvenient to those consumers who are used to immediate service, but there are definitely benefits to applying physically at a bank or consumer loan business.  Sitting down one-on-one with a customer service specialist can help you understand your options and seek out a loan that is tailored to your needs.

However, loan shopping in person has drawbacks to it as well.  While online loan applications can be done at your convenience, using an in-person service means that you are limited to when you can apply.  You may have to set an appointment, travel to the location, take time off of work, and consider a number of inconvenient factors that make applying in person more cumbersome than looking online.

In addition to the scheduling inconveniences, sitting down in person to complete the paperwork necessary for your loan to be approved may require documents that you forgot or did not realize that you needed.  Before your loan can be processed, you would have to return home, retrieve the missing papers, and return to the bank.

Another downside of in-person loans is that you only have access to the information that your loan specialist gives you.  That means you have to take at face value the interest rates and repayment terms that you will be responsible for.  Searching online allows you to compare rates and terms, giving you the opportunity to get the best possible deal on your loan.

Types of Personal Loan Options

There are two main types of loans:  secured and unsecured.  However, underneath that umbrella of terms there are more specific types that you should understand before you decide which one is right for you.

To start, unsecured loans are the most common for smaller purchases.  These loans do not require you to put any of your personal property up for collateral and simply rely on your financial information and your credit score to determine whether or not you qualify and what your interest rate will be.

Secured loans are more common with large purchases, such as opening a business.  These loans do require collateral, often in the form of your home, your car, CDs or savings accounts, or other valuable items that you own.

Personal loans are often unsecured.  These can be obtained in a variety of ways.  Fixed rate personal loans have interest rates that are the same throughout the terms of the loan.  Variable rate loans have interest rates that may fluctuate up or down based on a predetermined schedule.  They may have a cap of how much each adjustment can change, but it’s usually not in the consumer’s favor.  Installment loans are generally fixed-rates, while credit cards or lines of credit tend to be variable rates.

Installment loans are small loans obtained for a specific amount, at which time terms are agreed upon for a specific monthly payment to be made to repay the debt over a scheduled period.  These can be secured or unsecured and often include such purchases as mortgages, automobile financing, and basic personal loans.

Line of credit loans are often used for large expenses such as home repairs, medical expenses, or college tuition.  In a line of credit, you are allotted a certain fund amount, which you can use, repay, and use again until the time period of the loan has run out, by which time you should have paid the entire amount in full.

Another option for borrowing money is a short term loan.  These tend to have higher interest rates, more fees, and more stringent repayment terms.  They are often called payday loans and are used by people who need access to immediate cash without a lot of credit checking and paperwork.  Other short terms loans can be secured by property, such as the title of your vehicle.  While there are fewer fees involved, failure to repay these loans can result in the loss of your personal property.

A very common way to borrow money is through credit cards.  With a credit card you have immediate access to the credit limit, as long as you are paying your monthly payment regularly.  Your interest rates are based on your credit score and can be fixed or variable.  Your monthly payment is usually based on a percentage of your balance versus your maximum credit limit.  Keeping your balances high can impact your credit score negatively, however, and having multiple credit cards with high balance to limit ratios will often cause your interest rates to rise.

In addition to making immediate purchases of goods and services, credit cards are also used for cash advances.  In these, you have access to cash up to a certain amount depending on your maximum benefits, but cash advances tend to have higher interest rates attached to them.

People also use credit cards to transfer their balances from one loan with high interest rates to another card that may have lower rates or better repayment terms.  Some credit cards also offer rewards for balance transfers or purchases.  However, before you choose a balance transfer, be sure to compare the options available, fees that may be incurred, and introductory rates versus long-term rates in case you are not able to pay off your balance within the initial period of time.

Watch for These Features in Your Loan

No matter what type of loan you are borrowing, you need to know that your lender is reputable and your terms are reasonable.  Your rates should be competitive and your repayment terms should be flexible.  Check for fixed-rate interests, which stay the same throughout the life of the loan, versus adjustable-rates, which may start out low but then balloon up if you have not paid your balance by a preset date.

Be careful of hidden terms, as well.  Some companies will charge you a hefty fee if you pay off your loan early.  They also may charge processing fees and other hidden numbers, adding them onto the balance that you owe and charging you interest on the already high fees.

Regardless of the loan you choose or how you go about applying – either online or in-person – there are pros and cons to each of them.  Do your research and analyze each type of loan before deciding on the one that is right for you, and comparison shop for the best repayment terms and interest rates that you can be approved for.

 

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Strategies For Tackling Debt – Which Is Best?

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As any financial expert or debt advisor will tell you, the way to approach tackling your financial woes is to take a systematic approach. However, there are a few different strategies you can employ on your quest to become debt free. Some will work well for you; others may not. But how can you tell which is best for you and your finances?

Today, we’re going to go through a broad range of debt-tackling strategies and explain everything you need to know. Let’s take a closer look at some of your options, and – we hope – point you in the right direction for the strategy best for your situation.

Debt Consolidation

Most debt experts will advise you that you should never consolidate your debts – or, at the very least, be incredibly careful about doing so. However, there are some benefits in going down this route as long as you do your research and choose the right path. For example, interest-free balance transfers can switch your debts so that you don’t pay any interest at all for a set period, meaning all the repayments go towards paying the debt off. However, given that you need a good credit score to enjoy interest-free balance transfers, it’s not always an option. In this case, you might try to look for bad credit loans and consolidate that way. Bear in mind that these can be expensive, so it’s important to work out whether consolidation is worth your while. It might be the case that tackling your debts individually is a more cost-efficient tactic. If you decide that this route is better, the following strategies might help.

The Avalanche

The avalanche method is where you pay off your debts one at a time, focusing on the debt with the highest interest – or highest balance – first. Once you have paid off your highest interest debt, you move onto the next highest, and so on. Using this method is thought to be useful as your higher interest debts will, ultimately, cost you more. However, if the debt is large, it can take a significant amount of time to pay it off, and it requires you to put a lot of money towards it if you want to see quick results.

The Snowball

The debt snowball method focuses on your smallest debts first. The idea here is to get rid of your debts in a systematic way, eliminating them one by one and feeling like you are making progress. Now, let’s take a look at some of the snowball and avalanche methods in more detail.

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APR Method

This method involves working out which creditor is charging you the highest annual percentage rate. You continue paying your minimum repayment to all other creditors, and put any spare money into the highest interest charger. Once you have cleared the first debt, you move onto the next – not forgetting to include your minimum repayment. As you pay off each debt, you can take the minimum payments from your old debts and add them to the next biggest debts, ‘snowballing’ your repayment amounts as you go along. By the time you start paying off your largest debts, you should have a significant sum of money set aside, and it should – in theory – take less time to clear.

Highest Balance Method

You can also consider the highest balance method to repay your debts. This strategy can work if you have a couple of big debts that seem impossible to erase. However, if you put every spare cent you have into tackling your most significant debt, it won’t take long to start seeing your results. Let’s say you have $5,000 on a credit card. If you could, for example, pay $200 a month, in a year’s time you will have whittled this down to $2,800, assuming you have managed to freeze all other interest charges. It’s a dramatic impact that has reduced your debt with that creditor by almost half.

Quick Win

When you keep getting bill after bill in the mail, debts can actually start impacting your life and wellbeing. And it’s always difficult to know where to start. There is a solution, however – go down the quick win route. Using this strategy puts your focus on eliminating your easiest debts first – the ones with the lowest number of repayments left. If there are two debts with similar end dates, tackle the one with the higher monthly payment. While this strategy might cost you more in the long-term than, say, the APR method, it will still give you a sense of momentum. And, most importantly, reduce the number of debts you have far quicker than the other strategies.

Low Balance

Similar to the quick win strategy, the small balance method involves tackling easy debts first – the ones with the least amount of money outstanding. Removing these irritating small debts gives you a sense of momentum, and you can then collate all the minimum repayment monies and use them to tackle the bigger problem areas. If you are struggling to pay off your debts, it’s a strategy worth considering as research shows it is often the most successful.

The family loan

Finally, consider borrowing money from a family member or trusted friend. There are a few reasons why this can work for both parties. First of all, let’s take a look at this strategy from your family member’s point of view. If your mom or dad has, say, money in a standard savings account, the chances are that they aren’t earning lots of interest on it. So, you could offer them a better deal over a set period of time, while still enjoying a lower interest rate than you are currently paying your creditors. This strategy is like a super-charged consolidation plan, as everyone on your side of the fence wins – and you get to pay off your creditors in one hit. It’s always worth doing this as the sooner you can repay your problem debts, the sooner you can start rebuilding your credit score and reducing the impact on your lifestyle and borrowing power.