Most times business owners approach financial institutions and other money lending firms to borrow to implement business ideas or for personal use.
You could take a loan to buy cars, sponsor your kids’ education, buy houses, and expand business
Whatever your reasons are, what are the things to consider before taking a loan? Do you just walk straight into a banking hall to take a loan?
There are a number of questions you need to ask yourself. One of them is: Why am I taking this loan (purpose), how much do I need?
Let’s get right in…
Money is necessary to explore more business opportunities and for personal needs to be realised.
When such needs arise here are the cardinal factors you need to consider before applying and taking a loan whether as an individual or a corporate body:
- The purpose of the loan
- Loan amount
- Ability to repay within time frame
- Ability to pay principal and interest
- Financial institution to approach
- Collateral (guarantee) for the loan
- Terms and Conditions of the loan
Purpose for the loan
The first question you ask yourself is: Why am taking a loan. Do I really to take a loan to get things to do?
Are there alternatives like approaching family members, friends, a cooperative society with little or no interest?
For instance, the purposes for personal loans can include covering an emergency expense and financing a large purchase.
In one of our publications, personal loans are categorised as one of the unsecured loans which come with interest.
If your credit score is good, you shouldn’t have a problem accessing a personal loan.
The good part is: the approval process is generally pretty quick with no worry about collateral.
Bottom line: Knowing the purpose of your loan would help you in using it for the purpose it is meant.
Loan amount
If N30,000 would be enough to take care of the situation, there is no need to take N50,000. There is no point in increasing your debt profile.
Most times, the good your credit score, the higher the amount you can take, but don’t be lured by the money lender’s gimmicks.
In some countries, you can take up to $50, 000 or more loans provided your have a score of 760 or higher.
Ability to repay within the time frame
Would you be able to pay within the time frame? What other sources of funds do you have to settle your loan within the time frame?
In making sure to don’t default, it’s advisable to choose the most feasible time so that your credit score isn’t affected.
For instance, if you’re taking a payday loan, don’t set a two-week repayment time for yourself if your salary would not come in by the end of the month.
Some organisations pay the fourth day of another month, put this into consideration. Don’t put yourself under pressure that is avoidable.
Ability to pay principal and Interest
Your ability to repay the principal and interest over the repayment period is very important as taking the loan.
The ability to pay is called “capacity,” in banking. The lending institutions have a lot of factors they use to determine if a borrower would be able to pay the principal and interest.
The principle is the actual amount you applied for while the interest is simply the “gain” the lender is making from granting the loan.
One of the things the lender uses is your income and cash flow.
Bank To Approach For Loan
If it’s an online loan, which is growing astronomically in Nigeria, FairMoney is one of the best of them all.
If you have a good credit score, you could get a discount on repayment and with a fair interest rate compared with its competitors.
If you’re taking a long from banks, the lending process involves a series of activities that lead to the approval or rejection.
Most times, you have to have an active account with the bank before your could access their loan.
In Nigeria, some banks are friendlier and considerate in granting a loan than the other. Which bank do I approach for a loan? More coming up on this very soon.
Loan Collateral (guarantee) read more