A personal loan is a type of unsecured loan and helps you meet your current financial needs. You don’t usually need to pledge any security or collateral while availing a personal loan and your lender provides you with the flexibility to use the funds as per your need. It can serve as your solution for managing your travel costs and wedding expenses as well as the expenses of a medical emergency, home renovation, debt consolidation and others Consumer loan granted for personal (medical), family (education, vacation), or household (extension, repairs, purchase of air conditioner, computer, refrigerator, etc.) use, as opposed to business or commercial use. Such loans are either unsecured and secured by the asset purchased or by a co-signor (guarantor). Unsecured loans (are called signature loans) are advanced on the basis of borrower’s credit-history and ability to repay the loan from personal income. Repayment is usually through fixed amount installments over a fixed term. Also called consumer loan.
When you apply and receive approval for the loan, you’ll receive the amount of money you requested to borrow in a lump sum. You pay back that money in installments. The timeframe of those payments is determined by the specific terms of your loan. The interest rate on your loan is determined by your credit score. Most loans are fairly self-explanatory. Usually what they help you finance is right in the name: Home loans are for mortgages when you purchase a home, car loans are for that new ride in the driveway, and student loans are for your education. But what about other types of loans that aren’t so obvious? If you’ve heard of personal loans, you may wonder, “How do personal loans work?” It’s not immediately clear what kind of loan this is, and even less obvious is who should use these loans and when. If you’re wondering “How do personal loans work?” know that they are fairly simple and straightforward. When you apply and receive approval for the loan, you’ll receive the amount of money you requested to borrow in a lump sum. You pay back that money in installments. The timeframe of those payments is determined by the specific terms of your loan. The interest rate on your loan is determined by your credit score. The better your score, the more favorable your interest rate will be. A great rate will save you money when you repay the debt because you’ll be required to pay less on interest. Be sure to look for fixed-rate loans to ensure the interest rate you receive won’t change as you pay off the balance. These details should be in the fine print and included in the terms of your loan. Read all the details and fully understand the loan before signing any paperwork. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask the loan officer for more information on the specific loan you’re looking to apply for.
A few questions you should ask about your personal loan should include:
- What is the interest rate?
- What is the APR?
- What is the origination fee?
- What is the loan term?
- Is the interest rate fixed?
- Is anything else included in this loan?
- Will I have to pay a fee for prepaying the balance on the loan?
- What is the late fee for payments?
It’s important to gather all the information you need to feel comfortable about your decision, so don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you’d like before applying.
When does a personal loan make sense?
A personal loan can provide borrowers with a lot of advantages. They usually come with lower interest rates than credit cards, which makes borrowing more affordable. However, personal loans do usually carry higher interest rates than secured loans, so always be sure to check the APR. Ultimately, personal loans are personal because the funds can be used at your discretion. You can also use a personal loan as a debt consolidation tool. If you have a lot of student loans that you struggle to manage — or even credit card debt on a high-interest card — check out your personal loan options. It may be worth consolidating your debts if it would save you money by providing a lower interest rate. When you choose to get a personal loan, plan to use that borrowed money responsibly. Don’t borrow more than you can afford so you can avoid paying unnecessary interest. And create a repayment plan ahead of time so you know you can stick to it.
When should you avoid a personal loan?
We have clearly elaborated when personal loans do make sense, let’s eliminate a couple of scenarios.
Unnecessary spending
You should not use personal loans for things like discretionary purchases or splurges. Don’t borrow money to buy things you really want but don’t actually need. Instead, create a saving plans and pay for your discretionary spending in cash. Anytime you can save up money for a purchase, do so instead of taking out a personal loan to fund the expense.
Rebuilding your credit
While balancing different types of lines of credit can help boost your score, there’s no need to take out a new loan if you still have old debt or balances you’re working to repay. It’s not worth the money you’ll spend in interest. If you want to boost your credit score, make your current payments on time and in full consistently over time. Don’t open or close multiple credit card accounts at once either.
Big one-off purchases
Using a personal loan to fund a big spend may not be the right way to go. Avoid borrowing money to pay for things like weddings, vacations, or pricey purchases. While these events and items can be expensive and take you a long time to save up for, it’s well worth it. Paying in cash means you only cover the actual purchase price and you’re not risking any of your financial security when you save up first.
A personal loan can consolidate credit card debt and improve your credit score for several reasons: A personal loan is an installment loan so debt on that loan won’t hurt your credit score as much as debt on a credit card that’s almost to its limit, thereby making available credit more accessible.
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