What are 15 minute loans?
A 15 minute loan is not unlike a pay day loan or a same day loan. The general idea is they are designed to be used in a crisis. In a situation when nothing else will do. Not all of us have money lying around. Our credit cards or overdraft could be maxed out, we’re two weeks away from pay day and we need money and we need it now.
The concept of 15 min lending allows someone in need to quickly and assuredly apply for a short term burst of cash, without going through all the usual processes associated with credit. Let’s be honest, when we’re in crisis the last thing we have time for is filling out forms or face twenty questions from a lender. Forget arguing with our bank over our credit limit.
While the applicant’s credit rating is indeed taken into account, these kind of loans are much easier to get approved for, which is beneficial for those who need them, especially if they have a poor credit rating.
What are they used for?
Such quick loans are designed to be used in a situation when money is needed immediately and can’t be found from any other source. The applicant may be a few weeks away from pay day and may not have any other lines of credit open to them. Waiting may also not be an option. This is a situation more and more people in the US find themselves in, especially during this era of austerity.
Quick loans are designed to be used in emergency situations such as when the household boiler breaks, or the car needs a new part. Perhaps one of our windows has broken or something else that many of us would consider a pressing need. These are all situations when waiting for pay day isn’t realistic and neither is making an appointment with a personal banker or applying for a loan that may take several days to be approved. We can’t be expected to wait this long with a cold house or simply not drive to work.
What are the benefits?
There are various benefits to applying for a loan in 15 minutes that can’t be found elsewhere:
Convenience
As the name suggests, these loans can be requested, approved and delivered within 15 minutes. This is incredibly convenient and can be a real lifeline to those in need of immediate cash.
Lack of bureaucracy
It’s important to point out that a this type of lending still does count as a loan, but unlike most forms of credit there isn’t an extreme amount of forms to fill in. The process is generally done electronically and without speaking to anyone for approval. You’re either denied or approved within 15 minutes and even those with a poor credit rating are approved unless their circumstances are extreme.
They can be beneficial to our credit rating
This is a major selling point and one lots of people don’t know about. Our credit ratings are approved by being granted and paying back credit. Those who know this use this method of lending and other forms of pay day loans simply to borrow small amounts and pay them back just to get the positive points for their credit rating. When you apply online you’re much more likely to be approved, this in itself is a good thing for your credit file. Should you then pay the loan back when agreed that’s double points!
When applying for traditional credit those with a poor or low rating may get denied, this can impact their credit file further leading them to now have an even worse rating due to their rejection. It puts them in a lose/lose situation. They need to rebuild their credit score but can’t get credit to do so. It’s a catch-22 and very frustrating for the applicant.
A 15 minute loan is likely to be approved which avoids this issue. Also as they are usually small amounts of money, they are also much easier to pay back. Payment plans are rarely an issue and the applicant benefits from the positive credit points. This is why people borrow this way even when they may not need them. They are taking advantage of the scenario. If we’re being honest, we don’t blame them.
Payday Loans Scale
Are 15 minute loans safe to use?
The short answer to this is yes, they are absolutely safe to use but there are some things to consider before you do:
- First, make sure the company you’re approaching for such a quick loan is regulated and approved by the Financial Conduct Authority in the US. This is usually abbreviated to FCA.
- Companies that are approved by the FCA are approved by the government and are operating within the arm of the law. This makes them much more likely to be trustworthy.
- In face, never agree to a loan with any lender that isn’t regulated and approved by the FCA. They need to be to be operating legally within the US.
- Shop around for the best interest rate, never just agree to the first loan you find. Look at various companies and see which ones have the best rates. Interest is something you’ll always pay, but you might as well make it as low as possible.
- If need be use an independent broker or online calculator to compare different lenders. This is the same principle that’s attached to these compare car insurance’ sites.
- Make sure the company you’re using has positive reviews on independent review sites such as TrustPilot. This way you can make sure they have a good reputation and are trustworthy.
To summarise, a 15 min loan isn’t designed for everyone. But anyone can take advantage of what they offer should they ever be in need. Temporary money problems affect us all at some point in our lives, so never be ashamed to ask for help. That’s exactly what they are designed to do.