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Personal Loans

Pros and Cons of Extended Car Loans

What is an extended car loan?

Most financial specialists indicate that an extended car loan is a loan whose duration exceeds 60 months. If you’re thinking about applying for an extended car loan, you should get acquainted with the pros and cons of this decision. For the most part, extending car loans might facilitate some financial relief – and this can seriously be life-changing to people struggling financially. However, what should you know on this topic?

For many, the most important consideration is, of course, the amount of the monthly payment. As a matter of fact, you should note that there are many lenders out there that advertise unbelievably low monthly repayments, as a strategy to attract more and more borrowers.

However, what one might fail to realise is that a low payment is usually the result of long loan duration or the requirement to provide a significant down payment. While facilitating a down payment for car loans is highly recommended to benefit from more favourable terms, it isn’t always a possibility. And this could leave the buyer with only one possibility at hand: which is extended car loans – this could be the only way in which one can manage to keep the monthly repayment amount under control.

Extended Car Loans – Pros

First and foremost, the main reason why so many Aussies prefer extended car loans is due to the low monthly payments. If you have other monthly repayments, for your mortgage or other personal loans, this could mean that you cannot cope with a high monthly payment for your car loan; this could significantly minimise your financial possibilities.

At the end of the day, you should pick the option that works best for your situation, even though this could mean extended loan terms. Failing to cope with your payments is the worst case scenario, and it can happen if you aren’t realistic regarding your budget and needs.

At the same time, it is critical to pick a vehicle that meets your budget. And this doesn’t refer exclusively to the upfront cost of the car – but to its upkeep costs as well, since these add up over the course of time, as well.

While some experts believe that extended car loans should be avoided at all costs, as long as you are aware of both the pros and cons, you’ll know what to expect.

Extended Loans – Cons

Now we’d like to move on to presenting the main cons to extended car loans. As a rule of thumb, the prolonged lifespan of the loan translates into higher interest rates. This is the main disadvantage. Unfortunately, if you were to assess how much money you have spent, you may be shocked.

Evidently, this applies to all sorts of financing whose loan terms are extended. This is why most people prefer higher repayments and shorter loan terms. That’s because, if you go the other way, you’ll end up paying much more than the car’s worth. And you’ll be paying much more in interest and additional costs.

It goes without saying that no one enjoys the thought of paying more than they should. Therefore, perhaps it would be a good idea to consider getting a more affordable car so that you can deal with the repayments.

Taking It All in

When you’re looking for car loans, it’s important to assess a few critical things. For one thing: do you really need a car? For most of us, a car is a necessary acquisition. Do you need a new car? or can you work with a used car? Ultimately, this might suit your financial situation best.

Additionally, you should do your research and look for the most convenient interest rates and loan terms. The offers provided by the lenders can vary a lot. At the end of the day, make sure you factor in the consequences and implications of applying for an extended car loan. In other words, taking out a new form of financing shouldn’t make coping with your debt unmanageable.

If anything, perhaps it would be a better idea to wait until your financial prospects improve and you’re likely to benefit from more favourable loan terms. Of course, this is a possibility only if you can postpone the purchase of the car.

When in doubt, you can always contact Australian Lending Centre – our team of specialists is eager to help you out and get back on track. We provide car loans, refinancing options, and, most importantly, we are willing to customise our offers to your needs.

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Financial Planning

Tips to Manage Financial Challenges

If you are in a difficult situation facing financial challenges, learning how to properly use loans, for bad credit applicants, can help.

Do you have a steady source of income which covers not only your needs but also your wants as well? If you’re one of the thousands of Australians who want secure finances but are also dealing with financial issues, you may be wondering how you can achieve that reality.

What Are Your Financial Challenges?

Like many individuals in serious debt, you are probably worried about trying to pay for your daily living expenses and outstanding debts, while wishing to buy a home, a car and probably take a vacation. If so, don’t ever think that you’re alone in this aspect. There are also many struggling parents who need to save for your children’s education while paying off debts and adults with elderly parents to support. And, things get worse when you are going through a divorce, dealing with a death in your family or probably looking for a substitute job for the one you recently lost.

The truth is that there are many events in life that test not only our ability to cope financially but to think positively and overcome these trials with a smile.

Use your financing options to manage these financial challenges

Learn how to take control of your finances, boost your borrowing power and secure a better financial life with the following tips:

Write down each of your goals

Are you really determined to pay off all your high-interest loans? Or do you just need to have a better credit rating so you can borrow even more? Sometimes, we don’t actually know what we want. We just keep on looking for solutions to our immediate problems without looking into their root cause.

For example, if you have $5,000 worth of debts, both in consumer credits and loans, do you trace back to the causes of those purchases? Or, do you simply skip the reflection aspect and look for better financing that could lower your interests so you can have more money to spend on your needs and wants?

While there is nothing wrong in looking for better deals, such as low-interest and easy to pay bad credit loans. Finding the root of the problem in your finances can help you make better decisions with regard to budgeting and balancing your sources of revenue.

Swap the present wants for future needs

Are you spending a few hundred dollars on things you can live without—such as a gym membership, magazine subscription and a trip to your favourite coffee shop? If so, think of how you could use the money to build wealth, like starting a retirement plan to secure your finances in later years.

The sooner you start saving for retirement, the more financially secure you can be when you finally stop working. These contributions are typically tax-deductible, so aside from getting a tax credit for starting a retirement plan, you can also grow your money faster because savings grow faster in a retirement plan as a result of tax-free compounding.  In the end, even small contributions can make a significant difference over time.

Diversify your investments

Do you know how to protect yourself against ignorance? Warren Buffet says that it is through ‘diversification’. Since you’re not really sure if an investment will appreciate over time, you should diversify your portfolio to ensure that your exposure to any individual asset is limited.

What are the asset classes that you currently hold?

Are you involved in alternative investments like real estate, or are you simply invested in stocks or bonds?

Instead of chasing performance for a single investment class why don’t you add a good mix of real estate, cash, bonds and stocks in your egg basket? This way, you can protect your financial portfolio from wreaking havoc when the market declines. If you put more than 15% of your money into a company’s stock, you may be heading for disaster. While you may not be thinking of the worst-case scenario, preparing for these things can help you when you lose your job and your other sources of income. Losing your investments as well, all at once is not an easy crash to bounce from.

Grow your wealth

One of the most important benefits of bad credit loans is that you can use it for wealth maximisation. Create a long-term investment strategy that requires adjustment in your personal budgeting and your appetite for risk. This helps to ensure that no major market glitch will pull your finances down. You never know what will happen tomorrow, but one thing is for sure… life goes on and with the right mindset and professional help, you can enjoy a comfortable and financially stable lifestyle.

Contact the Australian Lending Centre today and receive financial advice from our specialist loans team.

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News Financial Planning Personal Loans

Private Lenders: An Alternative Source of Financing

Whenever Aussies need a loan to finance a new car or house they go to the bank. Still, they seem to forget that there are also alternative sources of financing in the form of private lending. But what are private lenders and why should someone consider these alternative sources of financing when there are plenty of banks?

Sometimes, traditional banks don’t always approve your loan application due to many different reasons, so people have to look for alternative sources. With a private lender, maybe you will finally get that new car you have always wanted.

What Are Private Lenders?

They can be either an organisation or a private individual. Unlike traditional funding sources, like banks, private lenders don’t have traditional qualifying systems, meaning that getting access to a loan is much easier.

However, because of its “different” nature of funding, lenders come with higher risks for both the borrower and the lender.

What Are the Benefits?

To begin with, private lenders can easily approve your request for a loan. In other words, if you have bad credit or are self-employed or cannot provide proof of your income, a private lender may be more accessible when it comes to requirements. So, no matter your income and your credit score, a private lender will get you the loan you need.

Another reason for applying for private funding is due to the straightforward process they have. Unlike traditional lenders, the private ones will accept your request very fast. Not only that, but your loan could be available right after your application is approved. This can bring a lot of advantages if you are on a tight schedule.

drawbacks

Drawbacks of Using Private Lenders

It almost sounds too good to be true, but private lenders do come with a set of drawbacks that can make them inaccessible to some Aussies.

The first thing to know is that their rates are typically higher than those of traditional lenders. This is how they compensate for the increased risk and they will have high interest rates for those with bad credit.

Some lenders may feature high fees, from the start until the finish of the loan term. In any case, be sure that you know what you are paying for.

Another drawback is that some loans are offered for shorter terms in comparison to what traditional lenders offer. This happens especially when it comes to mortgages. When conventional mortgages have a twenty-five to thirty year terms, private lenders offer smaller mortgages that just fill the gap until securing more traditional finance.

The private mortgages can also be used to cover needs like the construction of a house. They can also cover for the period between purchasing a house and selling one. The term on these mortgages is one or two years, which means that you will have to move fast to pay the loan back.

Another thing you should know about private lenders and their services is that some of them do not offer the same features as traditional lenders do. In other words, some loans may lack features such as redraw facilities or offset accounts. So, if you were hoping for these types of features, you might have a problem.

How Can Private Lenders Help Me?

Private lenders can offer you a lot of options when it comes to loans. Here are a couple of them:

  • Caveat loans are fast-settling loans secured against a property. These loans are short, last sixty to ninety days and settle very quickly.
  • Bad credit loans are the ones you need if you have a low credit score. Be careful though; these loans come with high interest rates, so use the money wisely and make sure you pay back the loan fast.
  • Bridging loans can be offered by private lenders and can be used by the customer to build or purchase a new home before the sale of their old home. These loans have a term of twelve months, and they are paid back when the old property is sold, making them quite useful in the long run.
  • Second mortgages are also offered by private lenders. These loans are available for those who already have a mortgage on a property who are in need of extra funds for multiple reasons. Depending on the lender and the loan terms, these loans could have high interest rates and extra fees. With all these factors in mind, any client should think twice before applying for this kind of service. So be very careful if you do.

Conclusion

Private lenders are here to stay, whether you like it or not. They have a lot of advantages in comparison to traditional lending systems, but they also have some drawbacks. At Australian Lending Centre, we offer second mortgages at competitive rates and flexible repayment terms that can be catered to your specific needs. Contact us today for a free assessment via our enquiry form now!

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Financial Planning

How Quick Loans Can Help You Take Control Of Your Finances

If debt is a pervasive part of your life, and every now and then you are looking for quick loans, you are not alone. But, don’t you know that you can find your way back to a stable financial ground with good planning and a little bit of work? Learn how quick loans can help you take control of your finances.

People are in debt because…

There are many reasons why people get into debt. Some simply had to use it to deal with bad circumstances such as illness, accidents, divorce, and other financial setbacks; while others simply lack financial management skills and budgeting strategies.

Current stats on Australian debt:

Federal Reserve research shows that Australian households have a total of $2 trillion unconsolidated household debt. But, despite the increasing financial obligations, consumer spending in Australia increased to 23.8 AUD Million from July to September 2016. It is roughly a million higher than the 23.7 AUD Million consumers spending in the second quarter of the same year. These results could mean that household debt and consumer debt are increasing, as more people are willing to apply for loans, credit cards and mortgages.

So, how do you prevent debts from cutting into your paychecks? Well, you can increase your income, practice money-management tips and use quick loans to cover your immediate financial needs while working on it.

Strategies to help you take control of your finances

Make a workable budget that you can stick to:

You can start by jotting down your most urgent expenses and the overall cost of all other things you will use the money for.

  • Prioritize spending. You may be surprised that the thing you think you need most, is not even worth it.
  • Don’t forget to write down even the frivolous purchases
  • Keep track of your daily expenses, such as fare, coffee, food and other necessities
  • Check for alternatives. Can you pack lunch instead of buying take-out meals?
  • Set your financial goals. There’s a huge difference between financial dreams and financial goals. A dream is what you hope for, while a goal is something you planned to achieve. You plan it to make it happen. You don’t dream about it and allow things to flow in its natural course. Financial goals require action. You take an active part in its realization.

Create a list of the following:

  • Things you want to accomplish
  • The resources you will use to achieve them
  • Time frame
  • Cost
  • Action plan. Make sure that your plan will work considering your budget.
  • Repay your quick loans on time. When does the repayment date start? Include the date in your action plan. When you have a deadline to beat, you will have enough motivation to make yourself productive until it happens.

Do you need quick loans now? Where will you spend it on? Whatever is your reason in applying for a loan, the Australian Lending Centre is here to help you. If we helped thousands of Australians deal with their financial troubles, why can’t we do it for you? Call us now!

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News

What is Bitcoin?

Understanding Bitcoin

More and more Australians are becoming aware of something called “Bitcoin”, even though many of them aren’t quite sure what it is. Although a recent phenomenon, Bitcoin has already managed to capture the imaginations of many people from different backgrounds and from all walks of life. Bitcoin is somewhat a form of currency. It’s like currency in the sense that you can use it to buy goods or services at establishments which honor Bitcoin. In the past, there were not many companies which would be willing to accept it as a form of payment. However with each passing month, it seems that more websites are announcing that they are willing to receive it as payment.

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Financial Planning

Making Sense of Australia’s Comprehensive Credit Reporting

Understanding Bad Credit with Australia’s new Comprehensive Credit Reporting

Australia’s new comprehensive credit reporting system came into effect from March 12 this year and has changed the manner in which some lenders look at risks when accepting new clients.

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Financial Planning

Retirees Struggle with Finances

A recent survey has shown that one in four self-funded retirees has been forced to return to the workforce as a result of their shrinking retirement funds. On top of this, retirees are looking to cut spending, accept a lower standard of living, sell assets, cancel travel and recreational activities, or delay retirement altogether.

The survey shows that four in ten have lost more than $100,000 in the market downturn. More than one in ten have lost half of their invested wealth (excluding unlisted property).

As a result, 26% of retirees have been forced to get a job or are planning to do so simply to make ends meet.