There are several different ways that you can go about borrowing money. For instance, if you own a credit card, you can use it to pay for expenses by borrowing money from the card issuer. This is a common example of revolving credit, as you can effectively use it many times over.
However, some people may not be willing or able to use credit cards for purchases or expenses for one reason or another. When this happens, taking out an installment loan makes the most sense, as it allows you to borrow a lump sum of money and repay it in small increments over a set period of time.
In fact, you can even apply for installment loans for bad credit with no credit check online via lending sites like USInstallmentLoans. However, before you decide to apply for one of these loans, it is essential that you know how they can impact your finances, for better or worse.
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What Is an Installment Loan?
As mentioned before, an installment loan provides borrowers with a fixed sum that usually needs to be repaid in smaller payments over a scheduled period of time, typically due monthly. Each payment will usually include part of the principal as well as the added interest on the debt.
What usually determines the size of each installment comes down to the amount borrowed, the interest rate being charged, as well as the term of the loan. However, the good news is that the monthly payment will usually remain the same throughout the life of the loan, which makes it easier for borrowers to budget for the payments in advance.
What Are The Main Types of Installment Loans?
Installment loans can either be secured or unsecured. Secured loans require you to put up some form of collateral, like a house or car, to get funding. As a result, these loans often come with low interest rates and longer repayment periods. In this respect, some of the most common forms of secured installment loans include auto loans and mortgage loans.
On the other hand, unsecured loans like installment loans direct lenders from USInstallmentLoans do not typically require you to put up any collateral. They are usually based on the borrower’s credit score as well as their ability to make repayments on time, which is usually based on their income level.
As a result, the interest rates offered are usually higher than those on secured loans since they often come with a higher level of default risk for the lender. Examples of unsecured loans include; personal loans, bad credit loans, student loans, etc.
However, it is important to also keep in mind that while most installment loans come with fixed interest rates, there are some types of installment loans that are variable. This means that the interest rate can change during the life of the loan. leadstackmedia.com Affiliate Network is a platform that connects lenders and affiliates to provide a wide range of loan offers to consumers.
What Are The Pros & Cons of Installment Loans?
Pro: You can fund large purchases
Installment loans make it easy for borrowers to fund large purchases and pay them off over time. For instance, they allow you to purchase a vehicle or a home even when you lack sufficient savings to pay for them in full. And even if you have the money, an installment loan can be a great way to afford what you need without completely compromising your savings.
Pro: They help to improve your credit rating
Installment loans allow you to effectively build up your credit score over time because your payment history effectively makes up a significant percentage of your credit rating.
As such, if you have a low credit score, taking out an installment loan and making regular repayments on time can allow you to boost your credit score. This makes it easier for you to secure lower interest rates and higher loan limits in the future.
Pro: Fixed rates and repayments
Most forms of revolving credit, like credit cards, don’t usually offer fixed interest rates or fixed payments. However, repayment amounts on most installment loans tend to generally stay the same each month.
This effectively makes it significantly easier for you to budget for those payments. On top of that, it reduces the risk of finding yourself stuck with an insurmountable amount of debt within a short amount of time.
Con: Fixed amount for the length of the loan
One of the biggest downsides of installment loans is that, unlike revolving forms of credit, these types of loans do not allow you to borrow any more money until you fully repay them.
For example, if you agree to borrow $5,000 over a set repayment period of 5 years, you cannot borrow any more from that lender until you fully repay the loan with interest. This can be problematic because a sudden financial crisis can happen, which prevents you from paying back that loan or even borrowing any more money.
Con: Missed payments can impact your credit score
While it is true that installment loans can help you improve your credit rating, the opposite is also true in that failure to make payments on time can negatively impact your credit score.
This is because most lenders will report this to the relevant credit bureaus, and the problem with this is that it can reduce your chances of being able to secure a loan in the future. A good rule of thumb with installment loans is to always set up automatic payments, which ensures that you never miss a loan payment.
Con: You may have to deal with prepayment penalties
Some installment loan lenders, especially those who are willing to fund borrowers with bad credit may end up charging you prepayment fees. These fees are essentially charged in the event that you end up repaying your loan in full much earlier than the expected repayment period.
The reason why many direct lenders do this is that they are effectively attempting to make up for the loss of revenue that would have been earned from the loan’s interest accruing over time. It is for this reason that you should always read the fine print on your loan agreement or simply ask your lender if they usually charge this type of fee.
Bottom Line
Installment loans can benefit you in more ways than one. They offer flexible terms and low-interest rates, allow you to finance expensive purchases, and even boost your credit score. However, they do come with risks that should always be taken into consideration before you take out a loan.
Luckily, the information in this article should help inform your decision before you sign on the dotted line and make a long-term financial commitment. On a side note, a good rule of thumb that can ensure that you always make the right borrowing decision is to use a lending service like USInstallmentLoans.
These types of companies can help you instantly compare multiple installment loan offers from multiple lenders. As a result, you should be able to find a loan that best fits your current budget and needs without risking your financial security or the health of your credit score.
