How to Find the Right Personal Loan for You?

May 14, 2021 Maria Garcia

Personal Loans are one of the most commonly applied for financial products within Australia, and nearly all lenders offer some form of Personal Loan. One of the reasons Personal Loans are so popular is because the funds can be used for a variety of needs and goals, rather than a singular purpose, such as buying a car.

When it comes to Personal Loans, Australia has many lenders with something to offer, so it’s vital that you take the time to do some research on the best option for your needs. This article will highlight some tips on how to find the right Personal Loan for you.

Table of Contents

How Fast Do You Need the Money?

The reason this question needs to be considered is that some lenders will process Personal Loan applications much faster than others. For example, a traditional bank could take several weeks to process and approve a Personal Loan application, whereas a private lender may give you approval in several days at the most.

If you need access to the cash fast, then you’ll want to look at borrowing from the private sector for an instant Personal Loan rather than the traditional banking sector. If time is not of the essence, then you’ll have choices to consider from all lenders.

A Secured Or Unsecured Personal Loan?

There are two advantages to seeking a secured Personal Loan. One is that the interest rate is generally lower as compared to unsecured loans, and the second advantage is that there’s more chance of your loan application being approved.

On the flip side, opting for a secured Personal Loan has its risks. For example, if you secure the loan against your property, you put that property in jeopardy if you have problems repaying your Personal Loan. Most people therefore opt for an unsecured type of Personal Loan, as its less risk to you, the lender.

It’s something to think about and weigh up the pros and cons. Many lenders give borrowers the option of both secured or unsecured Personal Loans.

Are There Any Hidden Fees To Be Aware Of?

Once you find a loan or two that appeals to you, it’s important that you then spend some time reading the fine print on the lender’s website, or even giving them a call if you’re unsure about anything.

Some loans come with hidden fees attached. While this can often be standard, you want to be aware of what the loan is actually costing you on every level. Hidden fees, o r fees buried deep in the fine print, could be monthly account keeping fees for the duration of the loan term. These fees might be very minimal or they may not be. Just be sure you know every cost attached to a loan before committing to it.

What you don’t want to have happen is to sign up for a loan, then discover the repayments are a little more than you expected or can afford.

Does the Lender Allow You To Apply for Personal Loans Online?

Most lenders these days will give you the convenient option of being able to fill out an application online for a Personal Loan. This also includes the ability to upload any supporting documentation required as well, such as recent payslips or proof of identity.

The advantage of being able to apply online, apart from being convenient, is that it also helps to speed up the process. Once your application has been lodged in digital form, it’s already in the queue for processing and potential approval.

Lodging online also means you can do it at any time of the day or night, whatever suits you.

Deal With a Lender That Has a Good Reputation

This can be a little subjective, as even the big banks will have a mix of positive and negative reviews, depending on an individual’s experience with them. However, you simply want to measure up the positive versus the not so positive and see which way the scale tilts. If the reviews are mostly positive, then that should be good enough to take a chance with that lender. Also take note of what the comments say, as this will give you an idea of what the lender will be like to deal with.