Monday, August 11, 2008

Learning about a Payday Loan APR

By Ethan Hunter


Most people know what 'APR' stands for, as they've seen it with home loans, and other sort of big pieces of money - but often times, a payday loan APR can be a very daunting thing, and for good reason.

Interesting, the maximum APR allowed to be attached to a payday loan is regulated in many states. For the borrower, this is good but even then, often a short-term loan comes with an APR that is high.

What's APR?

Some people don't know what APR is, or what payday loan APR is - or if it's different at all.

APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate, which is the annual interest rate that you will be paying on the loan itself. When you have a large loan, like a home or car loan, the APR is normally very low because it takes longer to pay back the loan.

On the other hand, a payday loan APR is somewhat different.

Payday Loan APR 101

Payday loan APR is a much, much bigger number than a home loan APR is - it has the highest interest rates on any sort of loan, but that's because it is a very short term loan. Usually between 7 and 14 days, these loans don't span much at all - so you usually end up only paying between $10-$40 in interest.

To show just how astronomical these rates are consider that APR rates for payday loans are most often between 250% and 390%! This in itself is a ridiculous number but then when you consider the loan itself is small, if it can be paid back quickly, the rate is not so painful.

Of course, there are some states that keep tight tabs on APR rates charged by these companies. Therefore, the APR allowed to charge with other factors, such as the length of the loan and whether extensions are allowed, would also be regulated. Just remember that laws are different for every state - some strict and some not so rigid.

When You Are Looking For A Payday Loan

When searching for a payday loan APR should be something that you keep at the top of your head. The lower the APR, less that you have to pay when you're going to pay back your loan.

However, sometimes people overlook the fees. What happens is that they see the APR and believe it is reasonable but once fees are added, they realize they are paying outrageous fees for a loan. Therefore, it is always best to look for loan companies that offer not only a low APR, but also low fees.

Things To Remember

Remember to borrow wisely, and don't go with a company that has too high of a payday loan APR - you'll feel the crunch later!

About the Author:

No comments: