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In the USA, a typical payday loan will cost around 300% to 500% on your annual percentage rate. Of course, there are a lot of variables. It includes the amount of money you want to borrow, how long you’re going to need it for, and the interest rate that you get from your lender. 

 

Key Points:

  • A great advantage of payday loans is how quick and simple they are to get versus working with a bank.  
  • Your rates can vary depending on your credit score and what state you live in.
  • Payday loan APR’s may seem huge but payday loans are designed for the short-term, i.e. two to four weeks, then the high APR makes more sense.
  • There are different types of loans for different situations. If you’re looking for large sums, like for a mortgage, a payday loan is not the right fit.

 

How is my Interest Rate Determined?

Your lender will decide on the interest rate they give you. It’s usually dependent on your credit score. Use Funding Zest’s in-house team and we’ll find you a good rate because we look at a wide range of lenders to find the best that suits your needs.

Now, depending on where you live, your rates may vary. Whether you’re in Florida or California it can differ. So you want to check our section on each of the states that offer payday loans.

Lenders take into account so many variables that it can feel unusually difficult to figure out the costs for your payday loan. It certainly differs from other ways you could borrow money.

 

The Duration Of Your Payday Loan and its APR

In this article, we will make the assumption that you’ll be paying off the amount you’ve agreed to and when your contract states. 

So traditionally, the way of comparing loans is to compare the APR (annual percentage rate). 

When you compare payday loan APR to other kinds of loans, it seems incredibly high. This is because the function or the purpose of payday loans is for short-term use. Payday loans are not for long term. They are meant to bridge the gap between now and your next paycheck. They are for emergency situations or if something unforeseen has come up and you need to pay a bill quickly. 

APR, in this case, is slightly different. APR is based generally on an annual rate of interest. When you’re comparing mortgages or year-long loans, APRs make perfect sense. That’s because you’re measuring in years. But, it’s not such a perfect measure for a short-term loan. Like payday loans for two to four weeks. It’s generally assumed a payday loan will be used for that short of a period. 

If you take a look at a mortgage’s APR it might be 3% for say 25 years or 30 years. For example, if you’re borrowing $100,000 then each year you pay $3000 in interest. Over the life of the loan, you have a total interest cost of $90,000 to borrow your mortgage money. 

Now, take a payday loan that has an APR of 300%. Say you borrow $500 for 30 days when you pay back your $500 you’re also paying $125 of APR. It’s because when you’re paying 300% on a payday loan. You’re paying back what you would be paying for a full year or 25% per month. Because you’re only borrowing it for a month you’re paying 25% interest so it’s $125

So this points out how different types of loans are suited for certain situations and for certain people. So you need to look at payday loans compared to borrowing money in another way. Are they a cheap or expensive choice in that situation?

 

Payday Loan Advantages 

Payday loans have several great advantages. They are quick and simple to get. If you look at a traditional loan or a mortgage, it can take weeks or months and months and months

But, go for a payday loan with Funding Zest and find out instantly if you’ve been approved. After that, your money could be in your bank that day or the very next day. 

When you use an online platform like Funding Zest, you can apply in a few minutes and from your own home. You do not have to go anywhere or talk to anyone. 

Another advantage of payday loans is even if your credit score is not the best, it’s possible to get a payday loan. So a bad credit rating will not always stop you from getting approval. Also, the application process for a payday loan will not impact your credit score. 

 

Other Types of Loans

Credit Card Loans

If you needed to borrow money and thought about doing it with a credit card, that credit card may have additional charges that you can’t afford to pay at the moment. And credit cards can sometimes have an APR of say 19% but that varies quite a bit. It could mean that you will pay 90% interest on what you borrow every year. On a credit card, if you spent $1,000 then in six months you pay it back. Every month you’re paying 1.6% of what you owe in interest. 

And, let’s say you’re not paying it back each month. In the first month, you pay an extra $16. Those fees and interest charges will keep accruing on your credit card statement. When that interest stays on there, then the next month you’re not only paying interest on what you spent but interest on the interest that is accruing. It’s how credit card debt can add up so quickly. 

Many people find they get to the point where it’s very difficult to pay off. 

And if you have a bad credit score or have had issues, chances are you may not be issued a credit card in the first place. In cases where you have credit and are offered a card, you will not be offered a good rate or an acceptable rate. It could be too high to be worth it. 

Credit Cards Also Have Hidden Fees

Here are some of them:

  • Travel fees 
  • Late payment 
  • Fees for withdrawing cash 
  • Fees for not making minimum payments 
  • Fees for transferring your balance 
  • Some cards even have an annual fee for just having the card

What we don’t think about often enough is how all the extra credit card fees add up. The credit card companies also count on your temptation to spend more when you’ve got their credit card. Keep an eye on their credit rates and how carrying several credit cards with large amounts of credit can hurt your chances of taking out a loan.

 

Mortgage Loans

A mortgage would never be used for a couple $100 for a month or two. These loans are definitely designed to be paid over a long period of time – and for a large amount of money. Many mortgages are designed to take up to 25 to 35 years to pay off. Of course, that makes them not at all like when you take out a payday loan. Remember that payday loans are short term loans and for smaller amounts of money

There are large costs to a mortgage. Over the life of the loan, interest and fees are BIG. If you purchased a house for $227,000, your mortgage interest rate could be 4.33%. Say you’re repaying it over 25 years. On top of your repayments of the initial original $227,000 that you borrowed, you’d also be paying $151,000 in interest.

 

Auto Loans

Auto loans will give a lump sum. Of course, they’re to purchase a car. Then you pay it back with interest over a certain period of time. Auto loans generally come through the auto dealer, not a bank. The problem is that they’re not always an option if you have don’t have a good credit score.

Buying a car with a payday loan may be the better option for a less expensive car. In the US, the national auto loan interest rate (national average) is around 5.20% to 7% for five-year loans. But if you have a less than perfect credit score, your interest rate could go way up in some cases even up to 20%. 

If you wanted to borrow $35,000 and you take out a loan with an interest rate of 15% for five years. In interest alone, you’ll be paying back over $5,000 every year. For five years that’s over $25,000 in interest above and beyond the original $35,000, you paid for the car. 

For example: Take out a payday loan for the same amount but for 3 years with an interest rate as low as 12%. In this example, you’d be paying back less interest. You’ll only be paying $12,000 in interest. 

 

Early Payday Loan Repayment

Consider paying back your payday loan early. That way you will save on interest. Always check your contract to see if there is an early payback penalty. In some cases, even if there is a penalty it may be smaller than the amount of interest you’d pay for the rest of the loan. That helps your credit score.  Check your score now.

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