It’s been a tough month … your child got sick, spent the weekend in hospital, and was released Monday morning on a “special diet”. Since you had to miss work on Monday, your employer didn’t accept your excuse and will be docking your pay this week. I’m not going to mention the child support money is late… again!
As much as you wish you didn’t have to, you will look for a quick finance company, and leave your mother out of this one. You’ve been warned about them, but life happens! Snap Finance is one you’ve heard about a lot – maybe give them a try.
What Is Snap Finance?
Snap Finance Company is a finance broker that offers service to businesses and individuals. They serve businesses by offering a finance facility for the business’ customers that require payment terms to complete an in-house purchase. They also serve individuals by offering loans to those unable to get traditional credit. It describes itself as a “digital-finance company that specializes in providing consumer financing and rent-to-own purchase options”.
Here are some general features of finance companies. They are not full-service banking; they are strictly consumer loans. The loans they carry may not be available everywhere; low credit scores are easily entertained. They are not the cheapest loans, but often are better priced than payday loans.
Here’s where this type of facility gets tricky. They concentrate heavily on collections. Whereas a bank may give you leniency for the three months you are late, finance companies are keen to follow up on a single payment missed. Taking possession of the collateral good can happen quickly!
On the other hand, CSRs at finance companies tend to be more personable than bank officers. So yes, when you have a temporary setback, you can make that call, and your voice will be heard, as long as you do what you say you will. They often have special concessions to get you back to meeting your commitments honestly.
Snap Finance Company is actually the middle-man for your loan – they don’t lend their funds, but find finance companies that are willing to do so. From your point of view that fact matters little, since once you get the loan, where and how you pay will be decided. The website of Snap makes all the details simple – at least not your worry.
Why You’ll Love Them
Simply put, if you’re in a financial jam of sorts, these high-risk loans are a good option, if you know how to manage it well. With Snap Finance, the first 100 days are interest-free; I’d say, do your best to meet this timeline. But if you’re going to be just a little late, an extension may be considered. Just call.
The customer service at Snap Finance is often described as “helpful” and “informative”. So many customers report that when their financial situation became more difficult, Snap Finance CSRs made it a little easier.
The website facilitates the easy application process of Snap Finance. Honestly, you already know from the home page that the interest is at least 11.8%. So if you have other cheaper options, explore those first.
Direct debit to pay the loan is a convenience offered by the lender. As long as you agree to a date that you can commit to, you will re-build your credit along with this convenience.
Why You’ll Not
Most people who simply can’t adjust their lifestyle to improve their finances will always blame another entity. Late payments, not reading the contract thoroughly, and non-communication are common factors in clients’ frustration. After the contract is signed, your best bet is to abide by the terms, and only worry about what you can control.
That said, consumer financing can be addictive. Borrow only what you need to get by. If a purchase can wait, try to save before expending just to look good and pay more than is necessary.
Sometimes, in the haste to get funding, consumers don’t focus on all the charges that could happen during the life of the loan. Paying as agreed, these extra charges will be little to nil. You can expect to pay a charge for being late with your monthly payments, but there are a lot of complaints from former customers that these are exorbitant.
Remember, finance charges could be as high as 32%. And with additional charges that may not be apparent at the outset, this could drive the total cost of borrowing up to 100%. You should always make all calculations to know the full cost of the funds before signing any loan.
What I first described as a positive feature, could also be your detriment, if you don’t manage effectively. Should you have the funds in your account on time, direct debit is a wonderful convenience; otherwise, it’s a strike against your credit, among other things.
Finally, collection calls you choose not to answer may end up at your friend’s, your parents’, or your employer’s. All this can be avoided, as already alluded to in this article.
Conclusion
All in all, as with everything in life, there are pros and cons to whatever you choose. A short-term loan may be a good choice if you’re willing to be a model borrower.
Of all the finance companies and pawn shops and payday loan facilities you may be able to access, Snap Finance is a good one among many. They may actually help you in your weak moments.