It seems like every time you turn on the television or open a newspaper there's another story about how much debt Americans are in. Too many are so deep in debt that they have no idea how to get out of it. As a result, more people are falling behind on their bills and ending up with a bad credit history. So now that you've made a mistake or two and stuffed up your credit record, will you be able to borrow money?
I'd like to give you a straight and unequivocal answer of yes, but that's not reality. In fact, whether or not you will be able to borrow depends on exactly how bad your credit report actually is. Remember, too, that not all lenders are keen to lend money to risky borrowers, and if they do, they will almost certainly charge you an extremely high interest rate. Some lenders regularly charge over twenty percent for their poor credit loans. Credit cards will often charge default interest rates of around thirty percent if you miss a couple of payments. The problem is that it's a self-fulfilling prophecy - you miss a payment, they charge you more interest, so your next payment is higher, which makes it harder to pay - and down you go. No wonder bad credit histories are rapidly increasing.
Unfortunately, if you have a poor credit history and still want to borrow money, you're going to have to accept that your best chance of success is to pay the high interest rates and get a bad credit loan. Be very sure that you will be able to meet your payments, because if you mess up on a bad credit loan, it will be almost impossible to get another one. But it's worth looking for lenders that offer to reduce your interest rate after you've made your regular payments on time for a set period. Either that, or once you've established a regular payment history for a reasonable period, you may be able to refinance elsewhere at a lower rate.
It's important to do your homework before applying for a bad credit loan. There are a number of companies that service this part of the market, so do your research and make sure you're comfortable with the terms the lender you choose is offering. Avoid the loans known as payday loans, which say they're giving you a loan in anticipation of your next paycheck. The last thing you need to start doing is spending your pay before you even get it, and with rates of up to 400% interest, chances are you're going to end up in even more trouble. Even if it's only a short-term loan, it's just not worth it, and these are the worst bad credit loans you can get.
Make sure you read any loan contract carefully, and this is particularly important for bad credit loans. Read the fine print, and do the math. Unfortunately many companies try to take advantage of people with poor credit, and make good money from your misfortune. Yes, reputable companies will still charge you a high interest rate for a poor credit loan, but that's more about risk management than because they want to rip you off. Research the company you're dealing with, and always check the Better Business Bureau's website to make sure they're a reputable lender.
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