If you are thinking about taking out a personal loan,
then there are a number of things you should be aware of
before signing anything. Although personal loans can be extremely useful
for paying off debts or improving
your cash flow, if you make mistakes then you can end up in financial
trouble. If you know about these common personal loan mistakes and how
to avoid them then you will find the right loan for your needs.
Getting too many quotes
Although shopping around for your loan is important, you should also
remember not
to get too many detailed quotes from lenders. Every time you apply for a loan or get a detailed quote, the lender in question has to pull up your credit report. If you credit report is continuously being looked at or loan applications turned down, then your credit rating will suffer. This will affect your chances of getting the loan that you want.
Shop around as much as you want to compare prices and interest rates, but do not make applications until you are sure the lender
is the right one for you.
Hiding financial problems
It may be tempting when applying for a loan to hide your past financial
problems, or to stretch the truth when it
comes to your earnings. If you do this it is likely to end up with you
being refused for a loan, or even being in trouble for giving false
information. If you have had credit problems in the past and have
recovered from them, this is often seen as a positive sign because lenders
can see that you honour your commitments and are able to get yourself
out of problems. If you are honest then you will get more competitive
terms and will not get yourself into legal trouble.
Borrowing more than you can repay
One of the most common mistakes people make is to borrow more than they
can repay. This is especially true if you get a secured loan, because the lender
is less concerned if you pay or not as they have some collateral in
place. You need to be honest with yourself and work out a strict budget.
Only agree to a loan that you know you can pay back not only now but
when times are hard. If you do this then your loan will
help you improve your financial status rather than to make your
problems worse.
Believing in promotional advertising
When taking out loans, too many people focus on the promotional interest
rates that companies offer. Although these interest rates seem like an
amazing deal, you rarely end up being eligible for such a low rate. Even
if you can get a very low rate, there are often hidden charges to
consider that are not mentioned. Instead of looking at APR, look at how
much you have to repay in total, as this is the more important figure.
If you go to a responsible lender then
their fees and charges should be transparent and clear, and you will get
a deal that will suit your needs and not leave you paying more than you
should be.
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