The true cost of payday loans is one of the ticklish issues and critics of this type of short term loan cite the \u201cexorbitant\u201d APR off the bat to justify their position. The implication of arguments anchored on this annualised metrics is that payday lending companies are enjoying a windfall from such loans with high interest rates at the expense of those who are in dire need of cash.<\/p>\n
When determining the actual cost of payday loans, it is worth noting that it is quite misleading to use APR within the range of actual cost comparison of payday loans with traditional and other forms of short term loans. We have to remember that payday loans are unique as such bridge financing are made for a shorter period of time compared to the other types of loans. And while APRs of payday loans are well within the 3-digit range, these \u2018sky-high\u2019 rates have limited bearing on the actual cost of the payday loans.<\/p>\n
The principle behind this process can be compared to a hypothetical example where a taxi quotes a price of \u00a315,000 for every 1,000 miles travelled or a hefty sum of \u00a350,000 for a ton of tuna. Of course, we are well aware that no sane person will actually choose to travel a distance of 1,000 miles in a taxi or buy that many tuna. Taxis are specifically intended for short distance travelling and you will only buy a few pounds of tuna. In the same breath, you only use payday loans to address short term cash flow problems and this would normally last for a month.<\/p>\n
It is also important to point out the fact that banks and other lending entities compete for a bigger share of the market and offer premium rates to get ahead of competition. In addition to this, we must remember that payday loans are relatively more expensive than traditional loans but can actually be the cheaper alternative in absolute terms.<\/p>\n