Archive for the ‘Personal Loans’ Category

Using a Bad-Credit Personal Loan Correctly

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

A bad-credit personal loan can be a powerful tool for accessing fast cash in an emergency!

It can allow you to pay off your credit cards with an even higher interest rate, or help pay for an unexpected financial situation. However, these kinds of can also put you at higher risk for default and mismanagement. In fact, experts recommend that individuals with bad credit take an active part in clearing up their credit first, before considering more high-cost debt.

The key to wisely managing a personal loan with bad credit is to crunch the numbers and determine how quickly you’ll be able to repay that debt. Many borrowers with bad credit only look at how much they can afford to pay back each month, and then borrow the maximum amount while planning to make only the minimum payments. What you really should do is plan to borrow the lowest amount possible for your situation, and then plan to make monthly payments that are a good deal higher than the minimum amount required. The sooner you can pay back a loan when you have bad credit, the better off you will be in the long run.

The first logical step in repairing your credit is to review your credit report and fix everything you can (if for no other reason than to expand your options in the future). Remember: the credit reporting agencies often make mistakes, so a careful review of your report may turn up something that you can easily fix. Tackling the other issues with your credit may take time and patience, but there is no quick fix for improving bad credit.

What A Debt Collector Can and Cannot Do!

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

Recently, Congress enacted the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) to prohibit some actions of “debt collectors” which were considered unfair or abusive. This term includes collection agencies and lawyers who collect debts for their clients, but it doesn’t include the creditor to whom money is owed (keep this in mind). The act applies to the collection of personal, family, and household debts, including car payments, medical bills, and credit card accounts.

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors:

• May contact you only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• May not contact you at work if they know your employer disapproves.
• May not harass, oppress, or abuse you.
• May not lie when collecting debts, such as falsely implying that you have committed a crime.
• Must identify themselves to you on the phone.
• Must stop contacting you if you ask them to do so in writing.

So keep all this in mind the next time a collector gives you an inappropriate collection call!

Getting a Loan While Unemployed?

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

Unemployment happens. The good news: it is only temporary. The bad news: at times, financial situation takes over and you are thinking of ways to fight it out.

If you’ve ever been through this before, you’ll know that people are going to tell you some tall tales of how grim your situation is, and how difficult it’ll be to get a loan. Usually an unemployed person doesn’t think that they’ll be able to get a personal loan, but this is not the truth. However, this is a stereotype that people are often led to believe. At least until they hear about personal loans for unemployed, that is. What are these loans? Well …

These loans will be either secured or unsecured. Secured personal loans for unemployed require security for approval. There is considerable equity in home to get secured unemployed personal loans. Home is most acceptable form of collateral. However, depending on the loan amount alternative form of collateral might be acceptable for secured personal loans for unemployed. Unsecured loans for unemployed will be perfect for those who have no evident asset to offers as security. Unemployed tenants and homeowners can both apply for unsecured personal loans.

These type of loans are indeed the instrument which takes a person through unemployment and makes things normal again for them. The good news is that personal loans for unemployed are easily accessible without much difficulty and delay. The bad news is, well … if you’re in this case, there isn’t any — go for it and get back on track.

Final note: financial decisions are always to be made after considerable thought and backed by good financial understanding.