There are many different ways to borrow money. Outlined below is a useful guide to some of most common ways of borrowing money.

Loans

There are many loan companies offering to lend you money. They will check your credit worthiness and may offer you a secured loan or an unsecured loan.

A secured loan means that you undertake to give the lender property you own if you do not keep up the repayments. In return, you usually get a lower APR and longer repayment period. An unsecured loan costs more in repayments but does not carry all the risks of a secured loan.

Overdrafts

Your bank might allow you to overdraw - that is, borrow from the bank by taking out more money than you currently have in your account.

You will be charged interest on your overdraft and possibly a fee as well. If you go over the overdraft limit set by the bank, you will have to pay a lot more.

Check what the bank charges for overdrafts and try hard not to go over your limit. If you do need to borrow and cannot repay the amount very quickly, you might be better off with a bank loan.

Always check the bank's interest rate and other charges.

Credit cards

Using a credit card to buy things means that you do not have to pay right away. Each time you use a credit card, you sign a slip of paper (or type in your PIN) to say that you agree to the cost of your purchase being added to your credit card account.

You will get a bill from the credit card company at the end of every month listing all the things you have bought. With most cards, if you clear the balance in full before the date given, you will not have to pay any interest.

Be very careful when using a credit card. Small purchases mount up very quickly - keep a record of what you spend. If you spend more than you really mean to and can't pay it all back in time, you will be charged interest.

Take great care of your card. If it is lost or stolen, report it immediately.

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About the Author
John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.