In this rapidly deteriorating economic climate, emergency cash loans and payday loans are becoming increasingly popular. The problem with these is that more and more people that have never required a short term unsecured loan in the past are finding a need to obtain one for that ‘rainy day’ for which they have no longer been able to save up.

Many people are spending their savings, and the term ‘life savings’ is now a bit of a joke. Those that can afford a life savings scheme don’t need it, and those that need it can’t afford it. Of course I don’t mean that literally, because many people are saving and need their savings, but nevertheless the sentiment is pretty accurate. Saving is getting harder, and when that unexpected expense comes along then those that not too many years ago would have had something put by to cover it no longer can.

Hence the upsurge in emergency loans and payday loans, and there is really very little to chose between them. This guide is intended for the newcomer to this type of short-term borrowing, and how you can make it work for you, or how it can cost you more than you can rally afford. It’s all about using the loan for the right reason and paying it back as agreed.

THE AMOUNT

Unless you are dealing with a company with few morals, you will likely be offered no more than up to $1,000 for your first loan. Some companies restrict that to $600 for first time customers. The reason for that is that the loan is not secured, and even though legal action would sequester the cash back from your income, most loan companies would rather not do so for a large amount, and it is easier and less expensive to recover a small amount than a large amount.

Once you have successfully repaid your first loan, then the amount you can subsequently borrow steadily increases.

THE REASON

The reason for taking such a loan has to be compelling. If you can borrow from a family member or good friend then do so because it will ultimately be less expensive for you (unless they charge you a high rate of interest!). It is not economical to use an emergency loan to pay another loan, although if you are in danger of defaulting on accredit card payment you might think the extra expense worth maintaining your good credit record: no price can be put on that.

However if your credit is shot, as it is with many people seeking emergency cash, it would likely make no difference other than the fact that you could likely negotiate lower charges with the credit card provider than you would get with a payday loan.

There are other reasons for needing emergency cash loans apart from being unable to pay regular bills, among them family deaths where the life insurance is insufficient to meet all the expenses. This is becoming more common as process rise while investment rates remain stagnant. The same is true at the other end of the life scale: weddings. These too can be high cost events that few couples or their parents have had the opportunity to plan for financially.