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Emergency Funds a Better Option than Payday Loan

By Lucy Medora on Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 12:51 pm

It is quite common for Americans to run out of cash even before their next payday comes. This makes payday advance loan shops popular, pushing their number up to 22,000 all over the United States. While payday loans could provide some financial solution, experts say they are not good for one’s financial health. Consumers are instead advised to keep some of their money on a savings account so they will have something to shelter them when the rainy days come.

Emergency Funds a Better Option than Payday LoanAccording to the Community Financial Services Association, thousands of Americans go to payday loan shops each week, racking up a total of $40 billion in short term credit. These loans could be helpful at times, but they are quite costly. Experts calculate that their annual interest rate percentage could go as high as 400 percent. If consumers compute the interest using their principal and their previously paid interest, they could be paying thousands of interest rate percentage each year.

In more solid terms, a consumer who borrows $300 on a payday loan could be paying $250 in interest rates and other fees in just three moths. On the other hand, if a consumer incurs a $300 debt in a credit card that carries an interest rate of 19.9 percent, he will be paying $15 in interest over the same period. However, financial planners make it clear to consumers that they do not suggest racking up credit card debts that can be quite difficult to pay. Instead, they advise consumers to plan their spending carefully and to find ways to save.

Specialists emphasize the importance of having a budget plan that will account for all the income and expenses during a specific period. They advise consumers to plan expenses in every category and to make sure they do not spend more. They also advise consumers to put a portion of their weekly budget into a savings account.

Consumers who do not have a savings account yet are advised to make one with their local bank. Savings accounts do not have high returns unlike stock market investments, but are ideal for keeping extra income safe.

Experts explained that if consumers keep a lot of cash in their house, it is quite likely that they would not be able to keep themselves from spending every cent of it. Aside from making sure that they put something into their savings account, experts likewise tell consumers to avoid payday loan rollovers. This happens when a person borrows the same loan over again instead of repaying it. Three rollovers on a $100 loan could cost $60, the Federal Trade Commission estimates.