Is Financing Just Too Easy?

Financing anything today is easier than ever before. Whether you need a car, a house or a vacation, there are a variety of ways you can finance any expense. Is this a good thing? Many will stand on both sides of the argument, but before we discuss that, take a look at just how easy it is to finance anything you like.

Here are a few ways to get the money you need to finance whatever it is you need in your life.

Bank Loans

The first option is the most traditional, a bank loan. Banks are willing to lend money on virtually any expense and you can use the loan to purchase items such as a car, a house or a vacation. Banks generally offer competitive interest rates and you can use the money for any purpose you like. Additionally, banks report to credit reporting bureaus which makes the case that financing can improve your credit rating.

Personal Loans

Another option is to take out a personal loan. These loans are usually unsecured meaning you don’t have to provide collateral. The interest rate is usually higher but if you have decent credit, you can usually get a fairly reasonable rate. These days people use personal loans for everything from funding a home improvement to financing a lawnmower.

Credit Cards

You can also finance any expense through credit cards. Credit cards give you the flexibility to pay for an item over time with a low interest rate, as long as you have good credit. You can use a credit card to buy anything as simple as a television to as big as a car, just as long as you have the credit limit.

Home Equity Loan

A fourth way you can finance almost anything is through a home equity loan. With a home equity loan you use the equity in your home as collateral and get a loan based on your equity. The interest rate on home equity loans is usually lower than other types of financing which makes it one of the least expensive ways to finance.

Peer Lending

Finally, you can finance any expense you may have through a peer to peer lending network. Peer to peer loans offer competitive interest rates and you can use the money for virtually any purpose.

Too Many Ways To Finance

As you can see, the ways to finance virtually anything are seemingly endless. If you can not find a way to finance a product or service, that product or service likely does not exist. But is this a good or bad thing?

On the surface, lending opportunities seem like a great thing, but they come with a problem. The average consumer just has too much debt and easy financing only exacerbates this problem. So, before you rush off to finance that purchase, consider the following.

Can you afford it?

Do You need it?

Is there a cheaper way to pay for it?

It is as simple as that.