Understanding Payday Loans: Should You Or Shouldn't You? Often, people have little or no choice about the decisions they must make about money. Sometimes, payday loans are the only option. Read on for more information and some helpful hints on these loans. Don't ever borrow more money than you can pay back. Some lenders try to lure you into a debt trap by offering more money than you actually need. The bigger the loan, the better their odds are of reaping extra profits. Not only do you have to worry about the fees and interest rates associated with payday loans, but you need to remember that they can put your bank account at risk of overdraft. The additional cost of overdrafts and bounced checks fee add significantly to the inflated interest and associated fees of payday loans. Make sure that you know exactly how much your loan is going to cost you. It is well-known that payday loans include higher than normal interest rates. Many payday lenders, however, charge large processing fees on top of the normal interest rate. Read the fine print to find out exactly how much you'll be charged in fees. Go over every detail of the contract for the payday loan prior to putting your name on it. There are many fees associated with payday loans. When the due date comes around, you don't want to suddenly be paying for items that you were not expecting. Cash advances generate millions of dollars of profits every year. The cause of this is the extra high interest rates, which generate huge profits for the lender. Do a little research on different lenders to ensure you get the best loan. You also want to factor in any fees that are associated with the loan to make sure it is still worth it. It is important to get everything in writing when you apply for any type of loan. A lot of times a clerk or customer service specialist might not know all the details; in fact, policies might be different than advertised or explained for you. Take the time to fully read through your contract. If taking out a payday loan bothers you in the slightest, do not go ahead with it. Unfortunately there are many scammers out there, and you have to make sure you know what you are applying for. You are responsible for paying it back, that is why you must know the details of what you're getting yourself into. Before finalizing the amount you want for your payday loan, think about your overall budget. Write out a budget to ensure you can pay for your ordinary expenses. Make sure you will still be able to cover your usual expenses while making payments for your loan. The percentage of your budget that you can afford to spend to pay your loan back should also influence the duration of your payments. It's a handy rule of thumb to keep the size of your loan under one quarter of your paycheck when at all possible. If you are unsure if a payday loan is right for you, take some time to think about it. From application to funding, loans can be processed in under a day and once the money is advanced, you are committed to the contract. Now you know that a payday loan provides you with a helpful solution at times. You do not really need good credit and you can, most of the time, get money fast. By using the tips in this article, you will now be able to safely secure a payday loan and get the cash you need.