Payday Loans Target The Poor

People have been taking out what we call payday loans since time began. Many times it was called an advance that you would get from an employer. On the seedy side it may have been a visit to the local loan shark. Then there was always the pawn shop where you could hock your watch for a temporary loan. Today and entire industry has grown up dealing only with payday loans.

Paycheck loans are unsecured, short term, and typically are not greater than $1500 and usually much less. The payday loan is designed to tide a person over when their money runs out before their paycheck arrives. Consequently these loans are for 7 to 14 days.

Everyone has found themselves in the position of running short on cash. People with good credit fill the shortage by using their credit card. People with no credit or bad credit use payday loans. On the surface this looks like a legitimate service that provides a source of credit to a population that would otherwise be without credit. Why would anyone think that this service is a rip off?

Consumer advocate groups contend that the payday loan industry is charging interest rates that are far in excess to what they need and that they are targeting poor people. Interest rates as high as 700% APR are not uncommon. Each state sets the rules for the industry and consequently the interest rates and other terms vary state to state. So a person with no credit or bad credit is charges 700% where a person with good credit would be charged 14% on their credit card.

Payday loan companies do target poor areas. In fact over 80% of their stores are located in areas designated as distressed or poor. Banks on the other hand, stay away from those areas with only 34% of their total facilities serving poor areas. When you are the only game in town, as the payday loan people are, you can pretty much charge what the market will bear.

The service they provide, small, short term loans is also a product that conventional banks have no interest in. The only thing required to be approved for a payday loan is a verification of identification, proof of income, and a checking account. No credit check is performed so there is no inquiry on the borrowers credit report. Loans are processed typically in a single day and the funds are wired or ACH to the borrowers checking account.

It would not be surprising to discover some banks planning to enter this lucrative market at some point in time. Today however, they do not serve this market in any significant way. Payday loan customers actually see the loans as their safety net. When the $100 utility bill is due four days before you get paid, where else can you go to get the cash to cover it. The $30 that the $100 loan will cost is just the cost of doing business. Paycheck loan customers do not view these loans as an ongoing resource but rather a one time expense.

Payday loans have found a new market thanks to the high unemployment and housing disater. Persons formerly holding “good credit” ratings are now finding themselves with bad credit ratings and being locked out of conventional credit access. The loan companies have all jumped on the internet where this “new” market lives. Online loans are identical to the shop loans but are much more convenient.

If you find yourself contemplating using a payday loan service, make sure the company is licensed to do business in your state. Also make sure you understand the interest rate and the consequences of not paying off the loan on time.

Looking at Different Student Loan Programs

The cost of attending college can be great. Not everyone will receive enough scholarships or grants to cover the total cost of their education. This is where student loans come in. Trying to find the right student loan for your situation can be stressful. There is a lot of different terminology used - not to mention all the different interest rates and payback numbers. So, let’s take a look at a couple of student loan programs.

Sallie Mae is the number one student loan lender in the United States. Sallie Mae handles two types federal loans as well as private loans. If you’re in a continuing education program or are beginning an education program you can get a career training loan or a continuing education loan from the company with a minimum of $1,000.

Federal loans that are received from Sallie Mae can usually be used for living expenses as well as paying for college tuition. Living expenses for college usually includes things like a place to live (rent), a computer for school use, and even food. These federal loans offer a lower interest rate than private loans and usually have limited fees.

Undergraduates will also find many private student loans from Sallie Mae, including the Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan. This loan is for students that still need money after using all scholarships and grants and allows students to borrow up to the full cost of education.

Sallie Mae also offers international student loans for those that are going abroad to get an education. These loans have good rates, low fees, and allow you to choose your repayment plan.

The United States Governments can also help out a student in need of money for their college tuition. They provide another option apart from Sallie Mae, but it could be more difficult to get enough funds to cover a students entire education costs. These other two options are PLUS loans ans Stafford loans.


One of the most cost efficient student loans available for a student comes from the government in a Stafford loan. Stafford Loans offer the student a fixed interest rate that can be as low as 6%. This means the interest rate won’t change as the student pays off their student loan. Like most student loans the Stafford loan can be used on living expenses as well as tuition costs. A student needs to fill out a FAFSA for a change at getting a Stafford loan.

PLUS loans are the second type of student loan that the U.S. Government gives to students. Like most processes for getting money for college a completed FAFSA is required in order to be in consideration for a PLUS loan. PLUS loans are like other loans in that they are given to undergraduate students, but they can also be taken out by graduate students or parents of a student. As with Stafford loans, PLUS loans offer a low interest rate which makes them easier for the student pay off.

These are a few student loan programs that are available to students. Finding a student loan can seem like a daunting task especially when looking at all the costs and numbers, but not everyone can get their education cost completely covered by scholarships and grants. Student loan programs help you pay for a student’s education costs so they can focus on learning and not on paying.

Payday Loan Companies Have Become A Niche…

Cash advance and payday loan companies have formed a niche in society that caters to anyone needing money on the fly with no place to turn to get it. Borrowing money when you have an emergency can be time consuming and difficult. When small issues arise many people can rely on family or friends to help out, but in some cases people just don’t want to inconvenience others with their problems. If you have bad credit, a loan from a bank might be difficult to obtain, but a quick cash loan might be an alternative solution to a cash crisis where a substantial amount of money is needed and you have no place else to turn.

I did some research on payday loans and this is what I found out. The first thing I discovered is that there are hundreds of payday loan companies to choose from both online and offline. I did not notice a big difference between the two. Online companies generally do not require credit checks or faxes and many do not require references. The online forms are short, one to two pages. An active bank account is required and the money is direct deposited into your bank account upon approval and can take anywhere from one to two business days before the money is available. If you need immediate cash, you can usually pick it up from a local lender within a few hours after completing the application, which usually requires more information than online lenders and references are required as well as check stubs and in some cases a recent utility bill. The local lenders also require a bank account in good standing, meaning no bounced checks in the last 30 days. This brings us to how it works.

When you apply for a payday loan from a local lender, you will get cash in turn for a post dated check that the lender will cash on your next pay day. If you are unable to pay your loan back then, you would need to notify the lender so you don’t end up with a bounced check. Interest does accrue each time you extend the payday loan and therefore can become very costly. Online lenders have a similar process, but the loan process is a little more convenient as the whole transaction takes place online. Online lenders do not require credit checks or references and the money is direct deposited into your bank account, then drafted out on your next payday. Online lenders automatically roll your loan over, so if you can’t pay it back, it automatically extends to your next payday. The loan fee can range from $10.00 to $30.00 for every $100.00 borrowed

and continues to go up each time you roll your loan over. It is important to understand how a payday loan works before applying for one. If you borrow one hundred dollars and the fee is $20.00, you will pay back $120.00. If you roll the loan over one time you will end up paying back $140.00 and so on. The more reputable payday loan companies have a limit on how many times you can roll your loan over.

I found this to be the case with www.cashadvancecentral.com. After talking with one of the representatives there, I discovered that Cash Advance Central runs a check to see if you have payday loans out elsewhere. If so, your application could be denied. Cash Advance Central works to help people with bad credit get money when they need it and does not want to see people get in over their heads. “It is costly and time consuming for the lender to chase down a borrower for money they owe on a loan.” This seems to be the case with many of the major lenders. They will allow you to take out as many loans as you want, but you must pay off your previous loan(s) first.

A payday loan can be an advantage to you and less costly than insufficient fund fees on bounced checks or the fees you might pay to have your utilities turned back on because you could not pay your bills on time. The best way to utilize a payday loan is to borrow only the amount you need and pay the loan back as quickly as possible.

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