Cash Advance Loans: Why and How They Work

Have you ever been in a situation where you are burdened with large unexpected expenses and did not know where to raise the money to meet these needs? Are you overdrawn and is your credit card maxed out? While you may have the option of borrowing from friends, not everybody is comfortable being indebted to family or friends.

If you are in a situation like this, perhaps the best solution for you would be to get a cash advance loan or a payday loan. It seems that everywhere you look these days you will see a commercial for a company who is offering a cash advance loan and more and more people are using these loans to get immediate cash to take care of their urgent financial obligations.

Before you commit to a payday cash advance loan, you should know exactly what they are, how they work and how borrowing money from one of these lenders can affect you in the long run.

What is a Cash Advance Loan?

An online cash advance loan is quite simply a small loan made by a third party company that uses your current wage earnings and checking account as evidence that you will be able to repay the loan. Most online cash advance companies will require recent check stubs that prove you earn a certain pre-determined minimum amount each month. They will also need evidence that your checking account has been open and in good standing for at least a month. An online cash advance can often be the quickest route to getting the cash you need for an emergency.

Take a look at this example

Sam hasn't had the best month. Two weeks ago she was surprised with a power bill that made her wonder if she was supplying heat to the entire neighborhood. As a single mom of two she is already overextended as it is, and she's still trying to pay off what she spent at Christmas. Before she could take a breath and ask "what's next?", she took the car for an oil change only to find out that she mad much bigger problems than dirty oil. When the estimate comes back, she looks at the numbers with tears in her eyes wondering how she can possibly afford to fix he car when she doesn't get paid for another week and a half. She doesn't have any friends or family to help her out and if she can't drive to work she's going to lose her job.

Examples like this happen every day to hundreds, possibly even thousands of people all over the country. Hard working people are caught by surprise by bills right when they least expect them. They don't need a hand out, just a little boost to get them through a week or two until their next payday. Thankfully with the online cash advance, it can now be easier than ever to get over that little hump. If you can meet the minimum requirements to apply, you can often be approved for a cash advance loan in a matter of just a few minutes and the proceeds from your loan will be available to you within twenty four hours in most cases.

Most often all that is required is that you be at least eighteen years of age with a checking account and a stable verifiable monthly income. There is usually no credit check required with cash advance companies and you can get an advance loan of anywhere between $100 and $1,000, sometimes even more. You should never borrow more money than you really need to meet your obligations.

Advantages of taking Cash Advance Loans

Some of the advantages of taking cash advance loans include:

- They are hassle-free

- The process typically takes less than half an hour

- It is available in an emergency without having to put up any security

- The proceeds of the loan are deposited automatically into your bank account less than 24 hours after approval

- It is discreet; nobody has to know that you went through a financial crisis

Cost of taking Cash Advance Loans

Let's face the facts here - cash advance loans are not free. These companies are in business to make money and make money they do, generally charging a fee starting at about 25% on average. On first glance that doesn't seem like much -- you pay twenty five bucks to borrow a hundred. They usually come due in two weeks at which time you can either pay off the loan or extend it for a longer period. Be mindful that extending your loan will increase your fees, so you need to be careful that you don't get caught in the trap of constantly renewing a payday loan out of convenience. With most cash advance loans carrying an annual percentage rate (APR) of 650% or more, when the fees catch up to you it will be anything but convenient for your budget! It is important to pay your cash advance loan off as soon as you can.