How To Apply For A Personal Loan: A First-Time Borrower’s Guide
Often, we need to go beyond our budget to afford something — be it a fancy gadget, a new car, or a long-awaited trip. But if you can’t borrow cash from friends or relatives, does it mean that you are left out?
Absolutely not!
Fortunately, personal loans are an effective solution for those individuals, who have extra expenses that they can’t cover immediately. You can walk into a bank and ask for the much-needed cash that you will have to hand back within the specified timeframe. Although it is a fantastic solution, yet it can be tough to get an advance.
Fortunately, personal loans are an effective solution for those individuals, who have extra expenses that they can’t cover immediately.
If you don't want to scratch your head over long and complicated instructions provided by the lending institutions, look through this full and straightforward guide. By the end of the article, you will know how to calculate personal loan and how to get it for the first time.
- Motives behind
- Getting a degree
- Launching an initiative
- Celebrations
- Get well sooner!
- Settling down
- Am I ready to apply?
- Learn the difference
- Choose wisely
- Where apply for personal loan?
- So what now: Banks
- Checklist for the bank personal loan
- You are an appropriate candidate for the bank personal loan if you are:
- Bank personal loan: Follow the procedure
- Are you wondering where to apply for a personal loan online?
- List of the most popular venues, which you can turn to:
- How to estimate my future expenses?
- How to boost the chances to get a borrowing?
- Conclusion
Motives behind
Essentially, this is a flexible method to obtain extra cash. What's more, the loans can come in different amounts. So if you are into buying a house or a car, you will likely get this money from a lender. Still, you should remember that with different amounts come different rates and different repayment periods. To get money you should meet the obligations, have a valid reason for it, and be able to clear your liability. Let’s focus on these points one by one for better comprehension. What are the motives that will surely be proper enough?
What are the motives that will surely be proper enough?
Getting a degree
Studying is a valuable investment. The most vital result that comes out of it is a higher quality of life. Those who have a university degree stand a better chance of being employed and getting a decent salary. Moreover, the educated population contributes to the growth of the country.
Therefore, if you ask for a loan to cover tuition, you will likely receive a positive response from the lender and get an approval as a result. It indicates that you will clear your liability because you will have an opportunity to get a job, and make a good salary.
Launching an initiative
Do you have an outstanding idea that can bring benefits to you and your community? Establishing a startup is a real adventure. It is hard, time-consuming, and risky, but the winner takes it all eventually. If you want to implement an exciting business idea but you need more investment, you might want to try turning to banks.
Establishing a young company is a valid reason for borrowing.
Establishing a young company is a valid reason for borrowing. The banking institution is likely to satisfy your request if they see a lot of potential in it and are sure about your accountability. Therefore, if you are eager to try out a new path in life, don’t hesitate to ask for financial help.
Celebrations
According to various stats, the number of marriages in the country increases year by year. The average age at first marriage is between 27 and 29. So it is highly likely that you might already need money for the happy wedding day or will eventually need it.
As you might know, wedding parties are quite pricey. But does it mean that you should postpone the day? Of course, not. Borrowing money for a wedding celebration is one of the most widespread reasons as well.
“Get well sooner!”
All the bad things happen when you least expect them. It’s unlikely that you have savings to clear the bills for medical help. But if some accident or emergency happens and you don’t have extra money to cover healthcare expenses, a loan can be a way out.
All the bad things happen when you least expect them.
Of course, applying for it can take a while, but eventually, you will get the sum you are striving for.
Settling down
Buying property is a crucial step in anyone’s life. For many, it is a dream to have a place where they can settle down finally. So if you are among the lucky ones, who have found the perfect estate, but lack the resources to pay for it, you are in the right place.
Banks understand the importance of home ownership. It is actually the most popular reason for borrowing in the first place. And therefore, if you are still wondering whether you should go for it, you definitely should.
Am I ready to apply?
Many Filipinos don’t trust banks or private lenders, because of ridiculous myths and all the nonsense about borrowings. These drive them away from a beneficial opportunity. So it’s vital to figure out how to get approved for a personal loan.
So it’s vital to figure out how to get approved for a personal loan.
Learn the difference
You can ask for a credit that is either collateralized or non-collateralized.
The first one lets you obtain cash in exchange for some asset of yours. For example, if you own a car or a house, you can ‘stake’ them to get cash. Once you pay off the bills, your assets will remain yours.
The benefit here is that you get lower fees. Plus, your creditworthiness doesn’t influence the bank’s decision much. But, there’s a major disadvantage though. If you don’t manage to cover the debt, your assets will be taken by the establishment that lent the money.
When you opt for unsecured obligations, your assets don’t count. Instead, the main criterion that matters is creditworthiness. If you are seen as an accountable debtor, the bank will be eager to lend you cash. Basically, you have to meet the obligations of a particular banking institution to get this cash.
The main criterion that matters is creditworthiness
The beauty of this option is that you face lower risks because you don’t have to bet your property or other valuable assets. Plus, if you don’t own anything, you still have a chance to ask for borrowing. But the drawback here is that such money is harder to get. Besides, banks often charge higher fees for this form of lending.
So here is a brief summary of the features that these two options have:
Collateral loans:
- Require assets;
- Have lower interest rates;
- Risk of losing assets if you don’t pay off the debt.
Non-collateral loans:
- Your creditworthiness matters;
- Higher rates;
- No risks of losing assets, but a more complicated procedure to get the money.
Choose wisely
As a debtor, you have various opportunities to get the needed funds. You can apply for an immediate loan if you have unexpected charges to cover, or go for one of the two above-mentioned types.
Here, in the Philippines, unsecured types are more popular. Due to the economic and social situation in the country, they are the most suitable solution for many. However, as we have already stated they are way more difficult to get. So where you can apply for one?
Where you can apply for personal loan?
1: Bank personal loan
Of course, these financial institutions are the most reliable source when it comes to borrowing. There are several institutions that you can opt for. You should meet the obligations that the banks specify and prove to be reliable by providing a set of documents.
2: Multi-purpose cooperatives
These organizations offer favorable conditions, but are feasible only to its members. If you are one of them, then you might get a beneficial credit option with pleasant terms.
3: Private lending companies
These are the companies that lend quick cash with customer-friendly requirements. However, you might face higher fees and interest rates. Private companies are alternatives to the banks with faster-operating processes, but a poor range of offers.
So what now: Banks
To apply for borrowing, you can either visit a bank’s land-based office or apply online. In any case, the bank is interested in your credit history and score to predict if you can actually pay off the bills. Therefore, at first, learn what factors increase your chances of getting money.
Learn what factors increase your chances of getting money
A brief checklist for the bank personal loan
Every bank has custom specifications when it comes to giving out credits. But, they still have some features in common. So when applying for extra cash, you need to supply:
- ID;
- Returns for the last 3 months;
- Income tax records;
- Audited financial statements for the past 3 years;
- Proof of employment.
If you are not employed, you won’t be able to show any employment proofs obviously. Thus, it’s better to provide as much information about your financial transactions as possible.
If you are a regular customer of the bank, where you are about to ask for a loan, there should not be many problems. The institution will be able to review your application and give a response quickly. Moreover, it will already be aware of your credit history, which can boost the chances of getting a credit.
Thus, you are an appropriate candidate for the bank personal loan if you are:
- Over twenty-one years old;
- Be a local citizen;
- Have minimum required gross earnings;
- Be creditworthy.
Bank personal loan: Follow the procedure
There are numerous banks on the market that are giving out credits to the customers.
It’s your primary task to explore them and compare them. Generally, they work on similar terms. Nonetheless, for the best result, it is recommended to visit the branches and negotiate about the conditions.
Once you have made up your mind, fill in the application, and attach the needed documents. The bank will look into your files and sign an approval or a denial. If you are a reliable applicant, you will be able to get cash into your account or by check.
Remember to make payments in time and you will eventually clear your liabilities.
The whole process takes no more than four steps:
- Explore the available offers;
- Select one and apply;
- Wait for the approval;
- Get the cash and pay off the debt.
Mind, however, that the unsecured credits are rarely given for the long term. If you are a new client and applying for the first time, you shouldn’t expect that the repayment period will be longer than six months.
Mind, however, that the unsecured credits are rarely given for the long term.
The credit may also come with a limited amount of money. For example, you will be able to get up to ₱20,000, but no more. It is suitable for smaller purchases, such as gadgets.
But once you show your reliability, you can apply for more significant sums. With trust come better options.
Besides, don’t forget that the interest rate will also be higher. Sometimes, they are twice as high when compared to those of the secured ones. This is due to the risks that the establishments retain.
Are you wondering where to apply for a personal loan online?
All the major banking institutions should provide their clients with an opportunity to fill in the request form online. It’s up to you to decide which provider to choose.
If you are a customer of a particular bank and have an account there, it’s better to start your journey from there. Often banks have beneficial terms for their clients.
In any case, here is a list of the most popular venues, which you can turn to.
EastWest
The bank offers all types of credits. The monthly earnings requirement is ₱20,000. Besides, the institution offers relatively low interest rates and processing fees.
Security Bank
Don’t reach out to them unless your salary is ₱30,000. Low interest rates, but higher processing fees make Security Bank stand somewhere in the middle of EastWest and the following option — Bank of Makati.
Bank of Makati
The institution is famous for providing unsecured personal loans with relatively low processing fees. It is accessible to clients who have a salary of ₱20,000 and above.
Sterling Bank Of Asia
Here you might find the best deals. If you are seeking a borrowing of up to ₱100,000, here you will encounter the lowest borrowing rates. Be aware of the processing fee, though. Sterling Bank fits anyone with a monthly income of ₱30,000.
How to estimate my future expenses?
If you are getting a credit, you will have to repay the bigger sum in the end. This is due to the interest rates and fees that banks impose. The lending rates vary depending on the reason why you are asking for money.
Are you buying a car or paying for education? Do you need it for a year or five years? Numbers might differ depending on these facts. The fees are often fixed but can be negotiated when you are applying.
An annual rate is calculated in %, and acts as an incentive for banks to lend you money. To find out the prime rate and the final sum you will have to repay, visit the online calculator pages of the banks you are interested in. Almost every big institution has an online page, where you can add up all the charges.
To find out the prime rate and the final sum you will have to repay, visit the online calculator pages of the banks you are interested in.
How to boost the chances to get a borrowing?
There are several factors that influence the decision of the bank. Thus, evaluate the following factors:
- Revenue;
- Education;
- Job;
- Length of borrowing;
- Sum needed.
If you are a person with a stable job and earnings, have all the documents needed, good credit history and meet all the obligations, you should not encounter any difficulties.
Don’t ask for a credit if you can’t grow your income and make a living along with covering the debt.
Banks seek accountable people, who can undertake the responsibility of paying bills regularly. So before applying for an advance, check out your budget, adjust it accordingly, and confirm that you will have enough finances to clear the debt.
The worst mistake you can make is overestimating your abilities. Don’t ask for a credit if you can’t grow your income and make a living along with covering the debt.
Conclusion
Whether you don’t have enough money to buy a house, pay for the wedding celebration, or cover medical expenses, a borrowing from the bank is a perfect way out.
Personal loans are accessible to the majority of people. But a lot of Filipinos are afraid to take on them. Leave your fear behind and give it a try — it’s simpler than you might think.
You can apply for either a secured or an unsecured credit. Both of them have their pros and cons. In any case, learn who provides the services you need and compare the offers. Once you make a decision, apply for a loan directly in the bank office or online, and wait for a response.
The above types of credits are accessible to the majority of people. But a lot of Filipinos are afraid to take on them. Leave your fear behind and give it a try — it’s simpler than you might think.