Payday lending has been the subject of much debate, leading to a great deal of understandable confusion amongst the general public. Needless to say, confusion and important financial transactions are not a good mix. To a potential borrower, there is nothing more important than a clear mind in terms of knowing exactly what his/her borrowing options are and finding the kind of loan that best fits the borrower’s needs and financial circumstances. So how do payday loans fit within this scenario?
The first thing to remember is that payday lending is simply a tool. Like any tool, it can be used constructively or destructively. If used correctly and appropriately, it can be a borrower’s best option. If used in the wrong circumstance or by an uneducated borrower, then problems can arise. The purpose of this article is to educate the reader so that he/she can make the right borrowing decisions.
Payday lending exists because it provides the kind of tool that can’t be found elsewhere. In these days of foreclosures, bad economic times and shrinking credit (even to “good credit” customers), there is sometimes a need for a very quick emergency borrowing option that doesn’t entail the high fees charged by banks and credit cards. An article published in the April 14, 2009 Wall Street Journal described how consumers who took out payday loans “avoided expensive checking account overdraft fees”. The article went on to state that “nearly 90% said they were either very or somewhat satisfied with the (payday loan) transaction” and concluded that “compared to (bank) overdraft practices, payday loans are transparent”.