What does the term “no-credit-check loan” mean? This is the type of loan where an investigation is not conducted into the applicant’s financial background, their work history, and current debt prior to processing.
In addition, you will not have to worry about the lender checking with the three major credit bureaus for your history if it is negative or you don’t have any credit history.
Who would need such a loan? How hard is it to apply for a no-credit-check loan and be approved? Where does one go for such a loan? Are there other alternatives?
Our goal today is to answer all the above questions and explore what alternatives are available.
Who would be in need of this type of loan?
Life is hard, and sometimes, a person with bad credit may face a financial crisis they can’t readily rectify due to cash flow or lack thereof. Another scenario may be that a person is either retired or on a severely limited income and has a lot of debt. A person may have either a bad or no credit history and will opt for this kind of loan.
In such situations, a no-credit-check loan may be the only option.
Where should one go for a no-credit-check loan, and what is the process for obtaining one?
Traditional banks shouldn’t be your first choice because they will charge you a high-interest rate. You’ll need to find a lender that will consider your application without taking into account traditional factors. Such lenders will consider your employment status, income, or bank account history. Also, a secured loan may be based on collateral if, say, for example, you have something to put up in place of any unpaid balances.
The most important thing to remember when applying for such a loan is that interest rates will be high, and there may be a fee.
Below are a few less conventional loan types, starting with the least attractive option.
Pawn Shops: Luxury Items Collateral Loans
The plus with this type of loan is that you’ll have cash immediately. However, this is probably the last option in an extreme emergency. The problem with this is that you will lose your item if you renege on payments.
Payday Loans and Cash Advance Apps
This type of loan is usually up to $1,000 or less. It is short-term, has a high fee or interest rate, and is due on your next payday. One can obtain a Payday loan through storefront lenders, via the cash advance app, or on certain websites, which may be prohibited in your state.
Beware! Some online websites offering these loans may be scammers who will take your information for nefarious reasons.
Car Title Loans
If you own your car outright, you can use your car deed as collateral for a secured loan for your car’s actual cash value (ACV). However, the lender can repossess your car if you miss a payment.
The above-listed options may not be your cup of tea. Below are a few more conventional personal loan options, including minimum debt requirements and loans to consolidate debt.
Upstart (www.upstart.com)
Upon approval of your application, this lender offers next-business-day funding and lower rates compared to a conventional loan, where your credit score is taken into account. They apply no penalties if you pay off your loan before the end of your loan’s terms.
NetCredit (www.netcredit.com)
NetCredit offers a line of credit you don’t have to deplete completely. Instead, you apply for a set amount and repay only what you borrowed from that credit line. There is potential to earn rewards such as “Skip-a-Payment” and “Fee Saver,” which make your line of credit much more flexible and affordable.
Eloan (www.eloan.com)
Let’s say you don’t have the patience to research on your own or know where to begin or which lender to trust. This company will conduct the research for you based on your needs and then connect you with the best lender where you will begin your application process. Upon approval, the funds will be transferred to your bank account.
What if you don’t need such a loan and want to build your credit history? Below are a few tips you can employ that work!
- Pay all your bills on time. Yes, if you have high balances on your credit cards and only pay the minimum amount each month, it can take years to pay it all. But even making the minimum required payment each month helps improve your credit score.
- Obtain a secured credit card. This is the kind of card where a security deposit equal to your credit limit is required. You, the applicant, will make a one-time, refundable deposit to that card that will act as collateral for every purchase you make.
- Catch up on overdue bills.
- Become an authorized user on a trusted friend or family member’s card and keep current on your payments.
- Closely manage the credit you do use.
Tip: Capital One offers a tool called CreditWise to do this. This is an app that will help you understand your credit score, help you keep track of any changes or inquiries, and it will monitor your personal information.
CreditWise is safe and accessible to every adult in the United States with a social security number. You won’t need an account with them to use it.
- Review your credit reports from all credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) for inconsistencies regularly. If you find any, get them fixed as soon as possible.
- Only use up some of your credit. Limit your usage to under 30%.
Building credit may seem overwhelming, and sometimes it may become so difficult you may have to give up on some purchases you might have made in the past for fun. But you will see how beneficial your sacrifices are when you see your credit score climbing!!
