It’s very common for people to run out of money, especially now, considering the cost of living crisis. If you are somebody who doesn’t have a lot of savings and is being hit hard by rising inflation and the cost of everyday goods, then you might want to consider taking out a loan.
Borrowing money is a highly effective way of ensuring that you are able to pay for essentials, or for emergencies.
However, a loan isn’t something that should be taken lightly. Not repaying a loan could destroy your credit score, preventing you from ever being able to borrow again.
This post will tell you what you need to consider before applying for a loan.
Finding Lender
If you want a loan, then the first thing that you need to do is to find a lender. You also need to consider whether you need to take a personal loan, a secured loan, or any other type of loan.
When searching for a lender, be sure to find one that has positive online reviews, is regulated, and has a good history. You can find out about a lender’s history by conducting a simple internet search.
Loan Reasoning
What’s your reason behind needing a loan? If you do not have a clear reason for needing one, then it’s best not to take one out. Do not make the mistake of frivolously borrowing.
A lot of people do this, and with everything that’s going on with the economy at the moment, there’s never been a worse time too.
When borrowing money, there needs to be a clear purpose for it. You also need to be confident that you are going to be able to repay it when the time comes.
Credit Score
You won’t be able to borrow money anywhere if you do not have a good credit score. You can check your credit score for free online.
If your score isn’t good then you will need to take some steps to improve it, before making an application. When you apply for a loan lenders perform a head search on your report.
When a hard search is performed, it causes your score to drop. If you already have a very low score and a hard search is performed, it can cause your score to drop very low. Continuous searches will drop it even further.
Making Repayments
Repayments need to be made on time. If you are not able to repay a loan, then do not attempt to borrow money. A lot of people make the mistake of borrowing without thinking about whether or not they are actually going to be able to repay it in the future.
Usually, loan repayments start the month after the loan is paid out. If you miss any repayments, then you will get missed payments reported on your credit file, which will make it fall.
Then, further missed payments will lead to a default notice being issued, which will destroy your score.
Interest Rates
Always check a lender’s interest rates before borrowing money from them. Interest rates are up at the moment, which means that it’s not a good time to borrow.
If you are going to borrow then try to find the best interest rates that you can. The easiest way of doing this is using a loan comparison site.
A loan comparison site will show you all of the latest deals and interest rates from established lenders. Using a comparison site is also a good way to find lenders, meaning you don’t have to conduct online searches.
Late Payments
Making late payments will be very bad for your credit report, as mentioned earlier. However, if you know you are not going to be able to make a payment on time, then reach out to the lender you have taken out a loan with.
Sometimes, lenders will be happy to rearrange your payment schedule for you, so that you don’t miss a payment. Always get in touch with your creditors whenever you are having trouble paying them back.
Getting in touch and explaining your problems will probably lead to them sorting something out for you, so you do not get put in further debt or any marks on your credit report.
Using Collateral
Collateral is sometimes necessary if you want to take out a loan. Usually, collateral is asked for when a person does not have a good credit score and wants to borrow money.
If you are planning on putting collateral up, make sure you are confident that you can repay your loan. If you do not put it up, then you could end up being unable to repay it.
Another way of getting a loan is to have a guarantor. Again, be sure you are confident you can repay your loan before finding a guarantor, or you can get into a lot of trouble.
Repayment Orders
A repayment order will be issued if you do not repay your loan on time, as well as a default. When a default is issued, it stays on your credit report for six years.
During that period of six years, no lender will consider lending to you, because of the default. After six years, it disappears.
A repayment order will mean that bailiffs will be sent to your house, in order to collect the money that you owe. If you do not pay them, you could be taken to court.
Alternative Options
Finally, if you are unable to get a loan or you think that it is an unwise thing to do, then consider alternative options.
If you are desperately in need of money, then you could ask your family or your friends. Alternatively, you could try and sell some of your things online.
Selling your things on eBay is very simple, and very fast. If borrowing from family and friends, make sure you are able to repay them.
If you cannot, then you could destroy your relationship with them and make things difficult for them.
Loans are a fantastic way of getting out of debt or paying for things in an emergency. However, they must be taken seriously.
You must think through all of the things mentioned here before getting one, so you can prepare yourself.
