In an ideal world we all would like to have enough money for each of our requirements; wherein there is never a need to visit a lender to meet the cash gaps. It sounds too much of convenience and happy living. Isn’t? However the reality is not that sweet and most of us have little choice in the financial matters. We have a multibillion lending industry thriving on the vast gap between the consumer needs for credit, after all.
With the advent of FinTech industry it has become easier than ever to borrow the required funds, say, in a matter of few hours you can avail loans of your choice. Many lenders even boast off to extend the financial assistance instantly (within a minute) too! The service and processing is as hassle free as it can get today.
Although the channels for borrowing have mushroomed to abridge the walls between lenders and borrowers, the basic rules for applying a loan are broadly the same. You should never borrow more than what you need; and ensure loan affordability at the same time. Here is a quick list to state 5 absolute rules for choosing a right loan so that you are never enslaved by a debt in your lifetime.
1. Borrow according to your repayment capacity
Whether you are a Christian or not, it is not about a belief in faith; it is pragmatic to not borrow beyond your means. Always raise a loan after assessing your repayment capacity. Borrowing more than permissible credit limit or borrowing more than 50 per cent of your income hurts your credit score and credit worth.
In the present time it is not uncommon to borrow despite a low score as a lot of loan offers are always available. Irrespective of loan availability you must strictly borrow if you need one.
2. Try to borrow for short-term; do not borrow for longer term unnecessarily
While it always advisable to ensure the affordability or ease of payment of the loans, you must at the same time ensure that you are not extending the payment duration simply to keep the instalments low. For, larger would be the tenure; greater would be the cost of loan. While raising a loan you must try to save as much on the loan interest as possible. In case you have temporary fund hassles, you can begin the loan with small instalments; and later on, either prepay or refinance the loan to save the additional payment of loan interest amount.
3. Be disciplined in loan repayments
One of the most common reasons to destroy one’s credit score is to delay the credit bill repayments. A lot of people realise the mistake after a loan rejection. It is thus advisable that the sooner you automate the loan repayments and credit bills the better it is for your credit health. Also you may deliberately align the same repayment date for a number of accounts so that there are lesser hassles to manage the repayment date. Always keep in mind: A single day delay is same as a week’s delay. It is thus important to pay before the deadline lapses.
4. Try not to borrow for investment or unaccounted risks
Loans should not be directed to pay for investments or volatile risky payouts. For, it is a liability that must be returned on time with loan interest amount. So loans are not meant to fund your fixed deposits or equity funds. Also, it is important to think critically about the loan purpose as a debt should always be used for significant reasons in life.
5. Keep a tab on your credit report
Once you apply for a loan, it is important to keep a strict vigil on your credit report. You must look for ways to increase your score. In case you are running a rolled over credit bill for a few months, you must first of all clear the balance on this card. It would save enough on the interest component.
Similarly if you have multiple loans running simultaneously consider consolidating your debts and reduce your monthly debt burden. Herein you can also consider using an experienced loan broker’s advice to use cheaper loan alternatives such as a secured loan against property or a homeowner loan to reduce your monthly debt repayment burden.
Keeping all these factors in mind, as you assess your credit health and apply with confidence, your loan application is bound to be accepted, making you a boss of your own financial decisions!