Why Payday Loans and Cash Advances Are So Bad
Anthony Battle is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. He earned the Chartered Financial Consultant® designation for advanced financial planning, the Chartered Life Underwriter® designation for advanced insurance specialization, the Accredited Financial Counselor® for Financial Counseling and both the Retirement Income Certified Professional®, and Certified Retirement Counselor designations for advance retirement planning.
Advertisements for payday loans make them seem like a fast, easy, no-nonsense way to get money when you’re in a financial bind. They tell you getting $100 is as easy as showing a recent pay stub, a copy of your driver’s license, and a blank check. They don’t tell you that for many people, paying off that $100 can end up taking months, even years, and costing thousands of dollars.
How Payday Loans Work
Let’s say you need to borrow $100 until your next payday. You write the lender a postdated check for the amount of the loan plus the fee. Lenders calculate payday loan fees in one of two ways: as a percentage of the amount you borrow, like 10%, or as a set amount per $1 borrowed, like $15 for every $100 borrowed.
After you write the check, the lender gives you the cash or automatically deposits the loan into your checking account. Then, on your payday, the lender cashes your check unless you extend the loan. Extending the loan, also known as “rolling over” the loan, costs another fee and allows you to keep the loan for another period. You’re charged a fee each time you roll over the loan.
What Payday Loans Cost
The Truth in Lending Act requires all lenders, including online payday loan lenders, to disclose the cost of the loan in writing before you sign any agreement to take the loan. They must give you this information in terms of the finance charge and APR (annual percentage rate). Even after reading this information, you might not understand just how expensive payday loans truly are. Continue reading “Why Payday Loans and Cash Advances Are So Bad”