If you are thinking about taking out a personal loan, then there are a number of things you should be aware of before signing anything. Although personal loans can be extremely useful for paying off debts or improving your cash flow, if you make mistakes then you can end up in financial trouble. If you know about these common personal loan mistakes and how to avoid them then you will find the right loan for your needs.

Getting too many quotes

Although shopping around for your loan is important, you should also remember not to get too many detailed quotes from lenders. Every time you apply for a loan or get a detailed quote, the lender in question has to pull up your credit report. If you credit report is continuously being looked at or loan applications turned down, then your credit rating will suffer. This will affect your chances of getting the loan that you want. Shop around as much as you want to compare prices and interest rates, but do not make applications until you are sure the lender is the right one for you.

Hiding financial problems

It may be tempting when applying for a loan to hide your past financial problems, or to stretch the truth when it comes to your earnings. If you do this it is likely to end up with you being refused for a loan, or even being in trouble for giving false information. If you have had credit problems in the past and have recovered from them, this is often seen as a positive sign because lenders can see that you honour your commitments and are able to get yourself out of problems. If you are honest then you will get more competitive terms and will not get yourself into legal trouble.

Borrowing more than you can repay

One of the most common mistakes people make is to borrow more than they can repay. This is especially true if you get a secured loan, because the lender is less concerned if you pay or not as they have some collateral in place. You need to be honest with yourself and work out a strict budget. Only agree to a loan that you know you can pay back not only now but when times are hard. If you do this then your loan will help you improve your financial status rather than to make your problems worse.

Believing in promotional advertising

When taking out loans, too many people focus on the promotional interest rates that companies offer. Although these interest rates seem like an amazing deal, you rarely end up being eligible for such a low rate. Even if you can get a very low rate, there are often hidden charges to consider that are not mentioned. Instead of looking at APR, look at how much you have to repay in total, as this is the more important figure. If you go to a responsible lender then their fees and charges should be transparent and clear, and you will get a deal that will suit your needs and not leave you paying more than you should be.

About the Author

Peter Kenny is a writer for creditcards-gb.co.uk. For additional articles and an extensive resource for everything about credit cards, please visit us at Credit Cards 0% and Personal Loans.