Payday Loans: Playing Families Like an Instrument

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According to CareerBuilder.com, a whopping 61% of American households lived paycheck to paycheck in 2009. That number is huge, especially since only 49% lived that way in 2008, and only 41% in 2007. Whether it is due to losing one or both household incomes or simply a reduction in the household incomes, the statistic is staggering. With families not able to adequately save for any unexpected expense that may arise, they are finding that more often than not there is more month than money. So what happens when the rent/mortgage payment is due, groceries need to be purchased, and then the car breaks down? For some, a small personal loan at a local bank is all it takes to get back on track. For many though, this isn’t an option, and they only place they have to turn is payday lending, which may sound like a good idea up front, but in the long run can sink you deeper than you were before.

What is a Payday Loan?

At its simplest, a payday loan is simply a small, short-term loan meant to cover the borrower’s expenses until their next payday. They have many different names: paycheck advance, payday advance, and cash advances are the most popular when referring to payday loans, but the basic concept is the same. The borrower visits the payday lending store, secures the loan – $500 is the average loan – by providing proof of income, their Social Security Number (SSN), recent bank statements, and other personal information, and writes a post-dated check to the lender for the amount of the loan plus all loan fees.

That sounds pretty good, right? Go in, apply, leave with money the same day; what could be better? A lot. For starters, on the maturity date of the loan – usually within two weeks after the loan is approved – the borrow...

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...han one loan at a time, and don’t use a payday loan for everyday expenses, to pay down credit card debt, to pay off another payday loan, or to try and solve a long-term financial challenge. Payday loans are meant to be used for emergencies, not to fund your shoe fetish or video game habit.

Payday Lending: The Bottom Line

Although payday loans walk a fine line between beneficial and detrimental to your financial health, by being a responsible borrower you can avoid the payday loan roll-over cycle. Know the laws regarding payday lending in your state. Be sure you know the terms and repayment schedules of the loan, and only borrow what you know you can afford to pay back. Only use them as a last resort after exhausting all other possible options. But better yet – avoid payday loans altogether, try to live within your means as best you can, and save, save, save!

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