21Jun

(Small business coaching) Easy Repayment Are The Best Option For Borrowers

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By Keri Carrillo

  Secured loans - one of the most popular types of loan uses the home or any other property owned by the borrower as collateral. The borrower pledges his property to the lender for the repayment duration. Although there are numerous other types of loan, but lenders are most comfortable while giving a secured loan. The obvious reason for this comfort is the element of security or collateral. This collateral ensures a peace of mind for the lender because he has something to bank upon in case the borrower defaults. This security prompts the lenders to offer loans at low interest rates. Secured loans are panacea for people who otherwise would have faced a rejection due to their poor credit ratings or any other cause. Thus by offering proper collateral almost anyone can get the desired loan. Secured loans can be taken for a wide spectrum of uses such as debt consolidation, renovation of homes, funding a holiday or buying a new car.

The amount a person can get as a secured loan is dependent to a large extent on the value of the collateral. With proper collateral, secured loans of 5000 to 50,000 are easily available. However, if the lenders feel that the collateral is of sufficient value and the borrower has a good credit history, they do not hesitate in lending large amounts. Secured loans come with very easy repayment options and lenders keep borrower’s requirements into consideration while deciding on repayment plans. Secured loans have repayment periods stretching from five to twenty five years.

APR (Annual Percentage Rate) should be given serious consideration by every borrower who wants to take a secured loan. The APR is the interest rate charged on the loan. Secured loans have very low APR’s ranging between 5% to 8% depending on the loan term, collateral value and credit worthiness of the borrower. While taking a secured loan a borrower has to pay some fees to the lender. The lender has to ensure that the collateral is of sufficiently high value. For this purpose he takes the help of a professional valuator. This professional engagement has to be paid by the borrower. The solicitor’s fees are also charged for preparing legal documents. The conveyance and office charges also add up the cost of taking a secured loan. The borrower should be aware of all such fees and ask the lender about it in advance.

The process of applying for a secured loan has become very easy and hassle- free thanks to the modern advances in information technology. All the leading financial institutions and top of the line lenders have online presence these days. It takes just a few minutes to submit an online application via the lender’s website. A borrower can also apply through a phone and by visiting the lender’s office in person.

Since a valuation process is involved in taking secured loans, the approval of such loans take a longer time as compared to unsecured loans. Lending agencies, in spite of having collateral will like to ensure the borrower’s creditworthiness. For this the lenders take the help of existing credit rating agencies. Most of the lenders take explicit permission from the borrower before performing any credit check. The entire process from submitting the application form for the secured loan to loan approval will be completed within 30 days in most cases. A credit agreement will enforce the terms and condition of loan on both parties- the lender and the borrower. It would be a wise decision if a borrower goes through the fine print of this agreement to avoid falling into any trap, which might be detrimental to his financial and other interests. Shopping around for the right lender with the most economical offer and the lowest APR will save a fortune for the borrower.

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Take Your Focus Off the Risks For The Moment: The Upsides of Having a Credit Card

By Quintin Whitfield

  There are very few things that are as ubiquitous as the credit card. This little rectangle of plastic can give us so much convenience, but to the unwary can also bring so much misery. Credit cards may be the easiest way to get a standby line of revolving credit, always available when you need it, but it can also be the fastest way to get mired in credit card debt. People may complain about credit card debt but everyone agrees that despite the risks, there are too many drawbacks to not having a credit card.

Credit cards as we know them today are relatively new and are continuously evolving. The major laws protecting consumers’ rights involving credit were passed in the mid-seventies. It may be timely that Congress is currently considering added measures to enhance consumer protection. Yet, for a long time, people were using credit cards as a convenience product rather than as loans. Many people paid their entire balance each month. Credit cards were not as essential then as they are now.

Banks do not make money if people did not carry balances since a grace period for purchases, where no interest is charged for one month, is usually standard. As far as banks are concerned, the best credit card customer is one who carries a balance each month after remitting the minimum payment on time. Credit card issuers got really creative and have managed to make credit cards a necessary part of daily living. They worked to have credit cards accepted in more and more establishments, and to have credit card holders understand the many benefits and conveniences that they stood to gain from using their credit cards.

In our times, credit cards no longer a luxury. If you travel, you need your credit card to book flight reservations and reserve hotel rooms. You also need credit cards to rent cars, to purchase gas, and buy products by telephone or online. Being without credit cards today would make your life as difficult as traveling by horse and buggy. Without our even being aware of it, credit cards have become a business standard.

A credit card is one of the quickest ways to build a credit history. When you apply for a credit card and you still have no history, there are credit card issuers that you can approach. These issuers specialize in providing credit card products to customers who, because they are still attempting to establish or expand their credit history, are generally evaluated as higher credit risks. Many college students, for example, fall into this category, along with those who have limited employment income, or otherwise have poor credit history.

Today, having credit is a necessity. An inexpensive, reliable new car costs thousands of dollars, and although most people may want to pay in cash, the reality is they will need a loan. The rates and terms of that loan will be determined by your credit history, which is easily obtainable from the credit bureaus throughout the country. If you have used credit wisely in the past and repaid previous loans on time, you will be in a favorable position. If not, the result will be a more costly loan with higher interest rates.

The use of the credit card as a source of loans is illustrated by the fact that overall credit card debt now runs several hundred billions of dollars. Credit card debt has risen quickly to unimaginable proportions, and still banks continue to compete heavily for your business. Every year, billions of credit card flyers with invitations to transfer to another card issuer are sent out. The average American credit card holder is now in possession of almost a dozen credit cards, with average debt of $13,000. The credit card has indeed become a cornerstone of everyday living. Other than its necessity in making flight and hotel reservations, credit cards help the credit card holder with:

“Cashless” transactions that avoid the risk of carrying around too much cash

An interest-free loan from the time of purchase until the payment is due

Cash advances from an ATM, in emergency cases

The ability to shop by telephone or online

The ability to purchase items when cash is not sufficient

The ability to withhold payment when dissatisfied with a purchase or to dispute erroneous billings

An instant source of credit that is available without filling out forms or undergoing further credit checks.

Cash, when it gets lost, is irretrievable; unlike cash, if you lose your credit card you can get a replacement no matter where you are. You also get protection against fraud or unauthorized use, which means you have minimal or even zero liability. Credit cards can be a resource in case of emergencies, such as a large car repair bill or an unforeseen expense.

Credit card companies normally provide the card holders with copies of their monthly statements. These statements list down in detail all charges that have been made against your credit card account. The monthly statements can thus serve as a complete financial record which, to the prudent credit card user, can become a guide for budgeting and controlling expenses. If the card user is a student, the monthly statements can become a tool for learning financial responsibility. Indeed, for personal finances and small businesses, credit cards have become a necessary financial tool.

There is also the prospect of being able to save money on future transactions because the usual credit card offers a number of rewards privileges that include frequent flyer miles, cash rebates, discounts or free telephone calls, points that go towards reduction of the cost of airplane tickets and hotel stays, points that can be redeemed as consumer products or gift certificates. All of the major credit cards - Visa, MasterCard, American Express - offer a multitude of card products with endless permutations on rewards, benefits and privileges that you can enjoy to maximize the value you get from your credit cards.

Ownership of a credit card entails certain responsibilities on your part. If these responsibilities are not exercised dutifully, you could unwittingly put yourself in a difficult situation where you lose your credit card privileges and suffer the drawbacks of not having credit cards. Your primary responsibilities as a credit card holder include the obligation to pay your bills on time, to stay within your pre-set spending limit, and to maintain the worthiness of your credit.

The convenience of having credit cards may tempt you to live beyond your means. You need to remember that excessive credit card debt and late payments will impair your credit rating and make it more difficult and costly to obtain credit in the future. Remember it is very easy to lower your credit ratings, but painfully slow to raise it.

It is now more important than ever to be effective at managing credit card debt. This is particularly true for people living from paycheck-to-paycheck and who must dip into their credit sources to make ends meet. If you are able to plan your credit spending and payments to your account, you will be rewarded with higher lines of credit and better rates. Otherwise, if you’re not efficient and disciplined with your credit card, you’ll have very few options available.

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Categories: business

Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 7:25 am and is filed under business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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