Friday, December 11, 2009

Your First Guide To Personal Loans

By Martin Elmer

Personal loans (also called private loans) are money you borrow for private use from a lender. It can either be from and investment broker, a bank or a private lending company. You can find personal loans either on the internet or in your town.

You can use personal loans for a range of need like vehicle repairs, medical expenses, vacation, education or home repairs. They can also be used to pay legal bills and even debt consolidation.

Normally the private loan maximum is $15,000. But how much you actually can borrow depends on guidelines from the lender and is based your income as well as your overall credit rating.

Personal loans are regularly confused with a line of credit; and even though there are some similarities it is not the same. When raising a private loan you will be paid a lump sum of money, while you can access your funds up to your credit line with a line of credit. Then you can have the amount you need; when you need it.

Personal loans can be either secured or unsecured. Secured loans mean you will offer the lender some type of collateral that they can claim in the event you don't repay the loan. This can be a vehicle, land, or other asset you own. Unsecured personal loans mean there is no collateral. The interest rates for unsecured loans are higher because there is a greater risk of non-payment.

The normal terms of a personal loan are one to five years. The lender itself and the amount of money does also impact the terms. You should always be sure that you understand the terms before you accept the loan.

Longer loan terms result in a lower payment. But you will still end up paying more in total, because of the higher interest rates. So always only buy the amount you need. And pay it back as soon as possible. Set the monthly payment within a reasonable amount you can pay.

The most common use of a personal loan is to consolidate other debts. This is a great way to have one monthly payment and reduce your monthly expenses. However, this scenario only works if you are willing to set a budget and life within the boundaries of it. Too often, a person who gets a personal loan to consolidate their debt racks up huge debt again quickly. Then they not only have that debt to pay again, but now they have a personal loan payment to meet each month as well.

To avoid ending up in a situation like that, it is a great idea to enroll in a debt management course. Many non-profit credit counseling centers offers them for free.

Personal loans are an easy way to quick money; and it is very simple to apply for it. Before the lender hands you the credit check you just have to verify your income, employment and residence. You can even qualify for a personal if you have no established credit or bad credit. Just be prepared to pay a higher interest rate and bring some kind of security. - 29904

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