Instalment loans may not be as costly as they first seem when comparing to a payday loan - spreading the repayments could help avoid the reliance on payday borrowing and the expensive borrowing trap that so many fall into.
A traditional payday loan is designed to bridge the gap until the next payday, it’s specifically designed for those months when an unexpected cash flow problem hits for whatever reasons such as car maintenance, unexpected travel costs, heating repairs etc. Borrow a small sum of money, pay it back on payday and that’s it! However, what more and more people are finding is that they are taking out a payday loan to tide them over, paying it back and finding themselves short the following month and so bridging the gap with another payday loan and hence falling into the start of the payday loans trap - relying on borrowed money each month.
Consider this - instead of paying back in full and in one payment and then having the need to borrow again the following month why not spread the cost of the loan into smaller, regular repayments over a period of months … that’s exactly what an instalment loan does. Spreading the cost will reduce the negative effect on monthly cash flow and hence the need to borrow again and again and all the resultant additional costs.
A short term payday loan usually needs to be paid of in full and in one single repayment on an agreed date sometimes just a few days away or up to a maximum of a month or so later. Repaying in full and in one hit is OK if that;s what is genuinely needed but so often this leaves the lender short the following month and with no alternative but to borrow again. The big difference with an instalment loan is that it provides the ability to spread the repayments over an agreed period of weeks, months or even years.
Costs will vary from lender to lender however all lenders are now required to display a representative example showing the interest rate, APR, total repayment cost and charge for credit which will enable the borrower to decide on the most cost effective solution for their own particular circumstance. A payday loan of 200 borrowed over a 30 day period may cost around 50 in interest and hence a payment of 250 needs to be paid back in full and in a single payment - do the same again the following month and the month after that 200 has now cost 150 and you’re still short of cash the following month! Interest rates on instalment loans may vary quite considerably as can repayment terms but these representative examples can be used to initially compare costs and to work out the best way of borrowing for each individual situation.
Whilst a payday loan may provide a practical solution assuming there to be no negative impact on finances the following month, if there’s any danger of the repayment creating yet another cash flow issue and hence the possible need for a further payday advance then look at and research the many available instalment loans. Spreading the repayments may work out to be a more cost effective solution.