A loan may be a helpful resource if you need extra money for a specific purpose. But, there are a number of factors to consider before deciding what type of loan is best for your financial situation. Broadly speaking, you have a choice between personal loans offered by banks and alternative lenders or payday loans, available through smaller retail outlets.
Personal Loans:
Personal loans offered by financial institutions such as banks or credit card companies are usually for large amounts of cash (i.e., $25,000 and over). A credit check is often required before approval and the lenders perform due diligence on the credit history of their applicants.
Personal loans are also often installment-based with regular re-payments made to the lender. A personal loan can serve as a smart option for those with high credit scores looking for a relatively large amount of cash, perhaps to buy a car or to renovate a home.
Relatively new to the Canadian market, personal loans can also be provided through online applications via alternative lenders. Online loans may be an option to choose from if you are seeking a smaller loan amount (under $10,000) and expect to pay back the loan quickly. Main benefits that online lenders provide are speed and convenience. You spend a few minutes completing the online application and the amount is deposited directly into your bank account, often within 24 hours.
Case in point, Kingston, Ontario-based SkyCap Financial is one of the leaders in Canada in providing a quick and easy online loan application process. SkyCap Financial specializes in helping people with low credit or poor credit gain financial assistance, offering short-term loans ranging from $500 to $10,000. The lender bases its lending decisions on credibility, stability and the current income of the applicant and works to provide quick decisions on loan applications.
Payday Loans:
We’ve all seen the stores with the “quick cash” signs. Payday lenders prey upon those who are in desperate situations and in need of quick access to cash. They advertise themselves as a convenient and reliable source for same day funding.
In reality, however, most payday loans come with extremely high interest rates. No due diligence is done and loans are provided solely based on whether the borrower has a job and can show a pay cheque.
“Payday loans are almost always a bad idea as borrowers typically get stuck is what is referred to as the payday loan cycle,” says Loans Canada. This cycle occurs when a borrower needs to keep taking out more and more payday loans just to cover the previous ones.
Bottom Line:
Whatever type of loan you choose, make sure you feel comfortable that you can afford the payments and make sure the loan is structured in a way that you don’t feel trapped. Although you are pretty safe with personal loans through banks and alternative lenders, payday loans are another story, and best avoided, if possible.
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