There will come a time over the course of our lives when we’ll need additional funds to help us deal with various expenses, whether that’s personal loans to help with important life events, a mortgage to buy a house, or a short-term loan for an emergency. Short-term loans bad credit can be extremely helpful when it comes to dealing with unprecedented expenses when your income is already stretched.
Read on as we take a closer look at these Short-Term Loans, what they are and how they work;
1. Short-term loans: by definition
As you can probably guess from the name, a short-term loan is a finance option that is meant to be used in the short term. There are a few different types of short-term loans you could choose from depending on what you’re using them for and the term you’re hoping for – for example, payday loans are meant to help those dealing with an emergency expense stretch their income to payday, which typically means they need to be repaid within a month. But other short-term loans can have a term of up to a year, but typically no more.
The length of your loan, as well as the other terms and conditions you need to adhere to, depends on the type of lender you choose. In contrast to long-term loans, like mortgages and personal loans, short-term loans should only be used to help you in an emergency situation and shouldn’t be used as a long-term solution.
2. How to find a short-term loan
If you’re looking for a Short-Term Loans, where do you start? There are a few factors to keep in mind to help you find the loan you’re looking for. Here are some factors to consider:
- Research online lenders: The first step to take when it comes to finding a short-term loan to suit you is to research online lenders. Most short-term loan lenders are based online for easy applications and approvals, so you can apply for the amount you need in the comfort of your own home.
- Determine loan type: Think about the type of loan you need – do you need funds to get you to your next payday, or are you looking for an option you can pay off over a longer term? This will help narrow down your search.
- Look for reviews and feedback: Make sure you look for reviews and recommendations for a range of lenders.This can help you gain an unbiased view of the service they provide to their customers and determine whether they’re trustworthy and can offer you what you’re looking for.
- Review terms and conditions: To ensure you get a loan that’s right for you, review the terms of the loan so you know what your lender expects from you. This will help you work out whether you can meet the repayment terms and will help you identify any additional fees and red flags.
3. The application process
Once you’ve found a Short-Term Loans lender to suit you, you can start the application process. If you’ve never applied for a short-term loan before, let’s take a closer look at what you can expect.
Firstly, you’ll need to determine your loan amount so you can apply for as much as you need – try not to apply for more than this. Then you’ll need to gather your documents. Your lender will most likely ask for proof of ID, income, and bank account information so make sure you have this all to hand. You can then move on to filling in and submitting your application.
Once it’s sent off, simply wait for your lender to review it – this can sometimes take less than 24 hours, to a few days depending on your lender. If approved, your lender will send you an agreement that you must read carefully and sign – and then, you can benefit from funds in your account. Make sure you read your agreement carefully to ensure you’re going to be able to meet the terms and conditions before you sign on the dotted line.
4. Factors to consider
When applying for a short-term loan, there are a few things to consider. Let’s take a closer look at a few factors you should keep in mind when applying.
- Interest rates and fees: Typically, short-term loans have higher interest fees, so make sure you look at how much your chosen lender is charging so you can determine the total cost of the loan.
- Payment terms: This is one of the most important factors – make sure you’re aware of the payment terms that come with the loan you’re choosing. If your loan length is short, be aware that you’ll have less time to pay it and therefore may be more difficult to manage.
- Credit score: Check whether your lender requires a certain credit score before applying for a loan with them.Generally, short-term loan lenders will offer bad credit options, so you don’t have to worry if you’ve struggled to manage your money in the past. However, a higher credit score means better interest rates.
- Lender reputation: Always check your lender has a good reputation. This way, you’re less likely to end up involved with a lender that has predatory lending practices. Do this by looking for reviews and feedback from other borrowers to get an unbiased idea of how they operate.