When budgets are tight and you’re short of cash towards the end of the month, a payday loan can seem like the ideal answer, giving you enough money to see you through until you receive your next wage. Unfortunately, this can be too simplistic a view, and using payday loan facilities to paper over the cracks of a bad financial situation can make matters even worse, given the relatively high fees involved in short term, small dollar loans.
The fact that a typical payday loan will cost around 25% of the amount borrowed in fees, repayable within a period of a month or so of receiving the advance, means that in APR terms the cost can be astronomical even though the actual dollar amount may seem small. This means that potential borrowers need to think carefully about whether they really need a loan, as there are alternatives that may be a better option.
The major danger with payday loans is the temptation to use them to cover bills and allow a certain amount of living beyond your means. It’s easy to fall into the trap of having to take out a new loan every month to make ends meet, all the time paying the high fees. Once in the trap, it’s very difficult...