If you don't need loan for any other purpose than building your credit, you could be better off borrowing a smaller amount instead. That way, you still get the benefit of establishing a payment history without having a huge debt burden hanging over your head.
If you decide that you don't want or need a loan once you have received the funds, you have two options: Take the financial hit and repay the loan, along with origination fees and prepayment penalty. Use the money for another purpose, but faithfully make each monthly payment until the loan is paid in full.
Being accepted does not mean that you have to accept the money. Instead, it simply means the lender has accepted your application and is willing to loan you the funds you applied for in the form of a loan. Fortunately, choosing not to accept a loan that you are approved for does not yield any consequences on your end.
It may not be the best time to take out a personal loan if: You don't meet the minimum financial requirements for most lenders. The lenders you do qualify with charge high interest rates. You're denied approval or offered sky-high rates when prequalifying.
If you're not careful, it can be tempting to rack up more debt rather than focusing solely on paying it off. Why this matters: Although taking out a personal loan can help you consolidate high-interest debt, it can cause you to go deeper into debt if you don't address any bad spending habits.
Spending your savings is usually best since it's better to spend against the interest earnings you'd make from your savings than to pay out interest to a financial institution. Using your savings saves you from being indebted to anyone and can decrease the cost of goods and services you pay for.
A personal loan may lower the total age of your accounts and increase the amount owed portion of your credit – both of which can lower your score.
Personal loans can be used to pay for almost anything, but not everything. Common uses for personal loans include debt consolidation, home improvements and large purchases, but they shouldn't be used for college costs, down payments or investing.
A personal loan can affect your credit score in a number of ways—both good and bad. Taking out a personal loan isn't bad for your credit score in and of itself. However, it may affect your overall score for the short term and make it more difficult for you to obtain additional credit before that new loan is paid back.
Within certain timeframes, you can cancel all or a portion of a loan. Before your loan is disbursed, you can cancel all or part of the loan at any time by notifying your school. You have the right to turn down a loan or to request a lower loan amount.
If the loan hasn't been approved yet and the loan agreement hasn't been signed, you may be able to cancel the loan. However, after the loan money has been dispersed, you can't cancel the loan. If you need to change the terms of the loan, you could look into doing a loan modification.
Given the option, you should accept a Direct Subsidized Loan first. Then, if you still need additional financial aid to pay for college or career school, accept the Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
Personal loans can be used for almost any purpose. Debt consolidation, financing home improvement projects, paying for moving costs or emergency bills are some of the most common reasons to get a personal loan. Before applying for a loan, assess your credit and finances to avoid future financial woes.
Secured loans
With a secured loan, you'll have to offer your lender an asset as collateral, like a car, a home or even a savings account. Because secured loans require valuable collateral, they're often easier to obtain than unsecured loans and generally offer better rates, since the lender is at less risk.
They're called “high-risk loans” because they generally go to borrowers who don't have a solid track record of repaying debts, which could make default on the loan more likely. In many cases, these are unsecured loans, meaning they don't require the borrower to put up anything to use as collateral.
The easiest types of loans to get approved for don't require a credit check and include payday loans, car title loans and pawnshop loans — but they're also highly predatory in nature due to outrageously high interest rates and fees.
This depends on your financial situation. For those with a good credit score — around 670 and up — a $30,000 personal loan may be pretty easy to get.
Most personal loan lenders allow borrowers to pay off their loans early, without prepayment penalties. But before you dip into savings or use an influx of cash to pay off a loan, make sure all your financial bases are covered.
A good personal loan interest rate depends on your credit score: 740 and above: Below 8% (look for loans for excellent credit) 670 to 739: Around 14% (look for loans for good credit) 580 to 669: Around 18% (look for loans for fair credit)
The best option for you depends on your specific circumstances. If you lack credit history or have poor credit it may be easier to get a loan from a private lender. If you have a good credit score or an established relationship with a bank, you will likely qualify for better lending terms.