Loans and Finance Explained

Secured LoansWhat is a Secured Loan and what are the risks?A Secured Loan is a loan secured on the homeowners property very much in the same way as a Mortgage is. A Mortgage on a property is known as the “1st Charge” – a Secured Loan therefore becomes the “2nd Charge.” If a Secured Loan is never paid then obviously the Homeowners home is at risk. With the Mortgage company having the 1st charge they therefore reclaim their money first. A Secured Loan Lender would then follow as they are the 2nd charge. It is worth remembering that a Mortgage and Secured Loan Company would only ever repossess a property as a last resort.A Secured Loan is ideal for Homeowners who are looking to raise finance by using their home as security. Traditionally a Secured Loan can provide Homeowners with a lower APR than that of an Unsecured Loan. Obviously a Loan Lenders APR varies depending on the personal circumstances of the applicant. A Secured Loan can be used for a variety of purposes. The most common Secured Loan purposes are for Home Improvements and for Debt Consolidation.Home Improvement Secured LoanA loan that is secured on the applicants home address for the purpose of Home Improvements. The loan can be used for a new conservatory, renovations, extension or simply for double glazing. Almost any form of home improvements can be funded by a secured loan. You may find that some secured loan lenders will require proof of what you will be using the funds for. This can be provided by simply gaining a written quote from someone who you are looking to have the work done by. Chances are a Home Improvement Secured Loan will actually increase the value of your property so it will be money well invested.Debt Consolidation LoanA loan that is secured on the applicants home address for the purpose of Debt Consolidation. The loan is generally used to consolidate (pay off) all existing credit by putting it into one secured loan and this generally reduces the monthly payments and therefore frees up more of your monthly income to use for more exciting purposes than clearing credit cards, store cards, loans or hire purchases! Sometimes the only way in which the monthly payments can be reduced is by taking the Secured Loan over a longer period than what the existing credit is currently on. This can increase the amount in total that you will pay back but customers who take a Debt Consolidation Loan generally are more interested in the reduced monthly outgoing on credit.A Secured Loan can be used for other purposes besides Debt Consolidation and Home Improvements. They can also be used for a Car, Holiday or Wedding. Generally Secured Loan lenders do not raise finance for Business. For a Business Loan it may be a better route to contact your local Bank or Building Society.
Why would I want a Secured Loan instead of an Unsecured Loan?There are many reasons why.Repayment PeriodA Secured Loan can normally be taken over a longer period than that of an unsecured personal loan. Unsecured Loans can normally only be taken over a maximum of 7 or 10 years. Some Secured Loan Lenders will allow the applicant to take the finance over a 30 year period and most will allow the finance to be spread over 25 years worth of payments. Obviously by taking the loan over a longer period reduces the monthly payment to the applicant – although you must remember the longer you take the loan over the more interest you will pay.Loan AmountA Secured Loan amount can often be a lot higher than that of an unsecured personal loan. Secured Loans can be taken up to £100,000 – with some lenders even allowing applicants to borrow more. An unsecured loan lender will normally only lend up to £25,000 which sometimes just isn’t enough. We may surprise you with the amount you can actually borrow. Let Loan Machine do the hard work to find out.Poor CreditIf you have poor or adverse credit then the chances you have of getting an unsecured personal loan are very slim. Poor or adverse credit can include many things, CCJ’s (County Court Judgements), Defaults, Mortgage Arrears, IVA’s, VAR’s, Discharged Bankrupts and Missed Credit Payments. If you have any of these then your best route for gaining finance could well be via a Secured Loan. These don’t necessarily prevent you getting a Secured Loan – there are many lenders that will lend even if you have a combination of CCJs, Mortgage Arrears and Defaults. We may surprise you by finding a loan that you didn’t think you would be able to get. Let Loan Machine do the hard work.EquityEquity in your property will help you obtain a Secured Loan but that doesn’t mean you have to have equity to get a Secured Loan. Loan Machine has access to lenders that will lend finance above and beyond what your property is currently worth – although to do this you generally have to have a good credit rating. But what have you got to lose? We may surprise you by finding a loan that you didn’t think you would be able to get. Let Loan Machine do the hard work.Self EmployedSelf Employed people can often find it very difficult to raise finance. Secured Loan Lenders open the door to the Self Employed. They offer the ability to Self Certify your income. So even if you haven’t been self employed for long or you cannot prove your income via accounts then that does not mean you cannot get a loan. If you are Self Employed with bad credit or adverse credit you may think you cannot get a loan – this isn’t necessarily true. We may surprise you by finding a loan that you didn’t think you would be able to get. Let Loan Machine do the hard work.Low IncomeAlthough all lenders will only lend responsibly to people who can afford it, Secured Loan Lenders generally are more flexible in their criteria. Some Secured Loan lenders will let you use Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Working Family Tax Credit as well as many other incomes to fund a loan application. We may surprise you by finding a loan that you didn’t think you would be able to get.We set up http://www.Loan-Machine.co.uk do the hard work for you.

Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Payday Loans But Were Afraid to Ask

A payday loan is a small short term loan you can use to cover expenditure until your next payday. You can apply online and the decision to loan you the money is made almost straight away. In most cases the whole application can be completed online and the money loaned can be credited into your bank account on the same day as you make your application.A payday loan is an unsecured loan, so it is not dependent on collateral, such as you owning a house or car etc.Generally when you make your first application you can borrow any amount up to £300, depending on your take home pay. You are more likely to be approved the less you want to borrow, so it is advisable to borrow only what you need. Once you have successfully repaid loans with one particular company they may then offer to lend you anything up to about £750 in subsequent loans.Payday loans can provide a useful solution for short term cash flow problems.Who can apply for a Payday loan?In order to be eligible for a payday loan you must be over 18 years old and in employment with a take home wage of at least £750 per month. You must also have a bank account with a valid debit card.Even if you have bad credit history you should still be able to obtain a payday loan as long as you fulfil the above criteria.How do you get a Payday loan?The majority of payday loans are available online, so there is no delay with faxing or posting of documents. The application process is quick and easy to complete. You will be asked for your name, address, details about your monthly income and employment, when your next payday is, along with the amount you wish to borrow and your bank account details.Once you have submitted your application you should hear back from the payday loan provider within minutes. They will email you with their decision to the email address you have registered with your application.Payday loan providers partly make their decision as whether to lend you money dependent on the amount you want to borrow compared to the amount you earn. Only borrow what you need, the less you borrow the more likely that your application will be accepted and the smaller the amount of interest you will accrue.If your application is successful you will be sent, by email, your loan agreement showing the amount that will be lent to you, the repayment date and the amount of interest you will pay on the repayment date. Along with the loan agreement you should also be sent loan conditions. These loan conditions should outline your rights under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 along with details about repaying the loan, cancelling the loan and the use the personal information you supply when applying for the payday loan.If you are happy to proceed you sign online by providing details of your name and answering a security question such as your mothers’ maiden name. Then, email this back to the loan provider and the money will be deposited into the bank account you registered at the application process. The money can be deposited in your bank account on the same day you make the application, so this is a very fast and efficient way of borrowing money short term.How do I repay the loan?You will need to repay the loan amount and the interest accrued on the repayment date as specified in the loan agreement. The repayment date is usually your payday, hence the name payday loan.The repayment will be collected by the loan provider by debiting the bank account you registered at the application process, which is the bank account into which you get your wages paid.Repayment over a longer periodPayday loans may be extended if you find yourself in a position to be unable to satisfy all or part of the amount due on the repayment date. If this happens it is recommended that you contact your payday loan provider as soon as possible and explain your circumstances to them. They will then be able to explain your options and how to go about extending your loan.Even if you are not able to fully settle the repayment amount, it is advisable to pay off as much as possible on the repayment date. This will help to keep the amount of interest you owe to a minimum. Some companies may charge you additional fees for extending your loan, you should check if this is the case before you sign your loan agreement.Regulation of Payday Loan CompaniesProperly regulated payday loan companies must adhere to strict laws governing the finance industry.As with any financial product you apply for it is always advisable to check that the company offering the loan is properly regulated. The payday loan company you are applying to should show its Consumer Credit Licence number within its loan conditions and it should also be authorised by the Office of Fair Trading. If you are in any doubt as to whether the payday loan company you are considering applying to is fully regulated then you are within your rights to contact either of these bodies for further information.As long as the payday loan company you are applying to is properly regulated, there will be a recognised body to make any complaints you may have to and you can be assured that you will not be subject to any unfair practices.What are the benefits of a Payday loan?FastOne of the main benefits of a payday loan is the speed at which the cash can be credited to you. The money you need can be available to you in your bank account on the same day that you make the application. This can provide valuable assistance if you have a short term cash flow problem and need money in an emergency.SimpleThe application process is very simple, it takes just minutes to apply for a payday loan and you do not have waste time posting or faxing documents to the payday loan provider, as you would with other more traditional high street loans.Poor Credit HistoryPayday loans are available to people with a poor credit history. This is because payday loan companies do not solely make their decision to lend based on a persons credit history. As long as you fulfil the application criteria you have a good chance of obtaining a payday loan. For many people a payday loan may be the only way they are able to obtain credit, especially in the current financial climate where the majority of lenders are unwilling to provide loans altogether, never mind to a person with a poor credit history.Use of the Loan MoneyYou do not have to tell the payday loan provider what you need the payday loan for. You can use the money for whatever you want. You may need money in an emergency which can not wait until payday for instance; emergency medical or dental treatment, to settle a bill quickly, extra spending money on holiday or even for a romantic weekend away. The choice is yours as long as you make the repayment due on the repayment date.No Upfront CostsThere are no upfront costs associated with a payday loan. You do not pay anything back until the repayment date you have agreed to in the loan agreement.Why does the APR appear high on payday loans?The APR applied to payday loans appears at first glance to be high. This is very misleading, but there is a simple reason why this figure looks so high. APR is an Annual Percentage Rate, and as such is calculated over a whole year (365 days). However, a payday loan is taken usually only over a number of days or weeks.The APR calculation was not designed to apply to very short term loans such as payday loans. It was designed to apply to long term loans in existence for a year or more. It is really a theoretical figure than enables people to compare similar longer term loan products, like mortgages or ongoing credit balances.Rather than relying on the APR rate it is more advisable to look directly at the loan agreement to see exactly how much interest you will be charged for the period of your payday loan. Some companies have a standard interest charge for the amount you wish to borrow regardless of the duration of the loan. It is then up to you to decide whether you will be able to repay both the cash advance you receive initially and the interest amount on the repayment date.To ConcludeMany people do not have savings or access to credit cards or more traditional loans and so the convenience of a regulated payday loan provides piece of mind should the occasion arise that they need some money quickly.If you need money in a hurry, can not wait until payday and are confident that you can make the necessary repayments on the repayment date, this could be the ideal solution for you.Overall, payday loans are convenient, easy to access and offer a viable option for people who require money quickly for whatever reason.

Small Business Struggling? Take a Pill, Dude!

Is your small business struggling in this recession economy? No problem. Very soon you will be able to pop a pill and rewire your brain so you think like the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. Imagine popping a pill and suddenly having Robert Kiyosaki or Guy Kawasaki in your brain. You’ll think like a business guru-no joke! Cambridge University scientists have announced that there may someday be an “entrepreneur pill” that will help people replicate the brain chemistry of the most successful small business owners. Would that be better business through chemistry?In the Meantime …Unfortunately the entrepreneur pill isn’t available quite yet. The bad news is that small business owners need it more than ever. Shrinking profits and dwindling customer traffic have many small business owners pulling their hair out. Luckily, they can take steps to gain a fresh perspective on their business, even if they can’t yet directly access the brain chemistry of small business guru.If your small business is struggling, here are five ways you get a fresh perspective on your small business.1. Give Your Business a MakeoverTo give your small business a makeover you need new ideas and help from some experts. While you may not be able to afford the pricey consultants who do makeovers on major corporations, you can benefit from their advice without paying a dime. Check out Small Business Makeover section on the CNNMoney website. There you’ll find makeover case studies on all kinds of small businesses from carpet-sellers to bath-and-body stores. If you’re offering your products or services online, you’ll be delighted with their Website Makeover section.2. Get Your Burning Questions AnsweredIf you want to get a direct answer to the burning questions you have about your small business, you can always submit it to the CNNMoney directly through their “Find Business Answers” form. There is no guarantee that your question will be selected to be answered, but there’s definitely no harm in trying. As a bonus, it still doesn’t cost you’re a dime. CNNMoney usually puts this form at the bottom of its articles. To locate one of these articles just Google for CNNMoney + “find business answers.”3. Access Online Training from the SBAThe Small Business Administration has recently begun offering a number of online courses on “Surviving in a Down Economy.” The new courses include:- Strategic Marketing: How to Win Customers in a Slowing Economy
- Down-Shifting in a Slowing Economy: Business Planning Guide
- Raise new capital / Refinance exisiting debt – How to Prepare a Loan Package
- Diversify with federal contracts – Business Opportunities: A Guide to Winning Federal Contracts4. Look for a Geographic CureIf you run a bricks-and-mortar business maybe you’re not located in the right place. To locate your business at the right place at the right time, check out the top 100 places to live and launch a small business by Fortune Small Business. These include the 7 tax-free havens for business (Wyoming, Nevada, Florida, Texas, Washington, New Hampshire and Tennessee) plus the six best towns where technology thrives (Bellevue, Portland, Boise, Blacksburg, Bethlehem, and Folsom). The list is nearly endless and may help you decide if it’s time to move your small business because the grass is greener on the other side of the state line.5. SCORE BigSCORE is a non-profit group of 11,200 retired executives who mentor small business owners across the country for free. According to their website, “SCORE offers free and confidential advice to small businesses: face-to-face counseling, online counseling, online workshops and more.” You can post your questions to their website and get an answer, usually within 48 hours. Best of all, SCORE is an unlimited resource. You can ask as many questions as you want plus access their huge library of small business resources.So what’s the bottom line for small business owners? While you may occasionally feel hopeless you are definitely not helpless. This list is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the inexpensive resources at your disposable to keep your small business afloat. So until that entrepreneur pill hits the market, get going and get help.Have you been using any other small business resources that have proven very successful for you? I’d love to hear about them!