Payday loans draw a lot of attention, both positive and negative. On the positive side, many consumers and legislators recognize that payday lenders provide a valuable lending service to people who need emergency cash. On the negative side, critics accuse lenders of being predatoy, chargin unreasonable interest rates, and trapping their customers in debt. Are payday loans really a trap? It all depends on how they’re used.
Like all financial tools, payday loans online should be used carefully and responsibly. Anyone can trap themselves in payday loan debt just like anyone can trap themselves in credit card debt. The tool itself isn’t bad, it’s how it’s used that matters.
Payday loans are designed for short-term lending. Any efforts to extend payday loans beyond their two week or 31 day window will result in higher interest rates and a higher likelihood of getting trapped in debt. Payday loans make an excellent short-term solution to temporary problems like car repairs, late bill payments, or other small, sudden emergencies. Extended payment plans and roll overs can alleviate debt for a short time, but will end up making a short-term loan much more expensive in the long run.
It’s a good idea to plan out your finances before you borrow a loan, whether it’s a payday loan, credit card, or a personal loan from the bank. Make sure you’ll have enough money to pay off your loan and afford your other regular monthly expenses before you sign the agreement. Not looking out for the near financial future is never smart, especially when debt products are involved.
The more carefully you plan your borrowing, the less likely you are to fall into a debt trap. It doesn’t have to take long. Take stock of your resources before submitting your application. Do you have a savings account you can draw from to help reduce the amount you need to borrow? What about available credit from a credit card, or even a helping hand from friends and family? Pool together your resources first, determine how much cash you have available from other sources, then decide how much extra you need to borrow to fill in the gaps. The more you can reduce your borrowing from any kind of lender, the better.
Be smart about payday loans and you won’t have to worry about falling into any traps.