By Andrew Baker
For many people, a lavishly spent Christmas is sure-shot sign of
the New Year being tumultuous; at least until the debts have been
fully repaid. A study undertaken after the Christmas of 2004 showed
that one out of every five people would continue to be in debt,
i.e. not be able to clear debt loan in the same month.
Rather than carry the debt burden over to the next year, it will
be much easier to carry it through Christmas loans. It is misleading
if you thought that Christmas loans simply replace the debt burden
incurred during this period. There are a number of advantages that
result of the use of Christmas loans. Some of them have been explained
below:
A Christmas
loan that is drawn for making the expenses as and when they
come will force the borrower to spend within limits. Borrower has
the necessary cash and he himself decides how much to spend on what
item. Just as he would do with his personal resources, the borrower
would assign priorities to the different expenses to be made through
Christmas loans.
When the borrower has the necessary cash to expend, he
is in a better position to bargain. Thus, Christmas loans also help
in reducing the cost of Christmas festivities.
A Christmas loan drawn after the expenses have been made
offers an alternative repayment method. The expenses have been made
on credit, and through a Christmas loan, the debtor intends to repay
the debts.
It is on the borrower to decide the timing of the Christmas loans.
Many of them will prefer to take Christmas loans after the expenses
have been made. A majority of the people comprising this group are
not sure whether they will need the loan. Nevertheless, when the
expenses increase their expected limits, they have to resort to
this method. This method is good in the sense that the borrower
does not make an injudicious use of the loan. Only the amount in
excess of ones own capability is drawn.
Drawbacks do follow this method also. The expenses have been made
on credit and a certain stipulated time period is promised for repayment.
When the processing of Christmas
loans starts after incurring the expenses, there is a greater
probability of the loans being approved later than the time due
for payment of expenses. The situation can be dangerous because
creditors will demand payment and the Christmas loan is still in
the half processed state.
Thus, the best time to apply for the Christmas loan will be before
you plan to spend. Just when you are about to spend, you have the
necessary cash ready with you to facilitate the purchase.
The time that lenders take to approve Christmas loans differs a
lot with the type of loan taken, customs of the region or place
the lender is in, individual case statistics etc. Therefore, it
will be wiser to apply beforehand, even where borrower intends to
spend first and pay later. The borrower can predict more accurately
the time by which he will be in possession of the Christmas loans,
and promise the time for payment accordingly.
Borrowers in the UK draw more of Christmas loans than what they
intend to spend. A Christmas loan need not be spent wholly on Christmas
festivities. Borrowers can use the proceeds to diverse ends. For
this, the excess of Christmas loan will be very useful. Christmas
loans available at inexpensive rates of interest will lessen the
cost; whatever is the purpose the loan proceeds are used in.
Rate of interest is an important search criterion. The best method
to compare interest rates of various banks and financial institutions
is through Christmas loan calculator. The major banks and financial
institutions have their interest rates listed in the calculator.
Differentiations have also been made on the basis of secured or
unsecured, bad credit etc. This is good to get a basic idea of the
interest rate that the borrower is more likely to receive.
Security or collateral is an important question concerning Christmas
loans. A secured Christmas loan, where the borrower has agreed
to back repayment of loan with a lien on certain asset/ assets will
be cheaper. Interest rate in a secured loan is lower than on unsecured
Christmas loans.
Whatever form of does one take Christmas loan he/she will find
it very useful. Nevertheless, the basic precautions that one takes
in order to safeguard ones financial position needs to be in place
in Christmas loans too, just as in the regular loans.
Summary
Christmas loans relieve you of the excessive expenses that have
been made during the Christmas period. People, who think that debts
incurred during this period are too impregnable to be annulled with
ease, see a ray of hope through Christmas loans. This article shows
how Christmas loans can be used for ones benefit.
Andrew baker has done his masters in finance from
CPIT. He is engaged in providing free, professional, and independent
advice to the residents of the UK.He works for the personal loan
web site http://www.loansfiesta.co.uk for any type of uk secured
loans and unsecured loan please visit http://www.loansfiesta.co.uk
Article source: www.loanarticles.co.uk
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