Instant Loans

Things to check before you take out a loan

If you are looking to take a loan out and for whatever purpose - whether it is for debt consolidation or to purchase a new car or even to pay your child�s university fees � there are things that you need to check before you sign on the dotted line.

The most important factor is affordability. While on paper a monthly repayment may look manageable, you need to look at all your financial commitments realistically. Draw up a monthly budget � include everything from your mortgage to savings to home and car insurance, other debts or commitments you have, plus food and �going out� costs � and be realistic! For example, if you normally spend �200 a month on food and going out, do not write down �100 thinking that you�ll be able to manage on less money � you won�t!

If you have some money left after all this, then this should be the upper limit of what you can afford to pay out for your monthly loan repayment.

Once you have seen that you can afford the cost of the loan, you need to look the small print.

For example, most loan providers have a clause in the contract between you and them that entitles them to charge you a financial penalty if you pay off the loan early. This is called �early redemption�. The amount you will be charged will vary from lender to lender, but you can typically expect to pay two months� worth of interest on top of the settlement figure.

Also, check out what happens if you make a late monthly loan payment � most providers will charge a fee, so it is important that you know exactly how much that will be charged.

Shopping around will put you in good stead for finding the best loan product for you. There are hundreds of different loan products out there � some even have loan repayment holidays where you can skip a monthly repayment - so don�t just grab the first deal that comes along.