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Payday Loans: Playing Families Like an Instrument Essay

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According to CareerBuilder.com, a whopping 61% of American households lived paycheck to paycheck in 2009. That number is huge, especially since only 49% lived that way in 2008, and only 41% in 2007. Whether it is due to losing one or both household incomes or simply a reduction in the household incomes, the statistic is staggering. With families not able to adequately save for any unexpected expense that may arise, they are finding that more often than not there is more month than money. So what happens when the rent/mortgage payment is due, groceries need to be purchased, and then the car breaks down? For some, a small personal loan at a local bank is all it takes to get back on track. For many though, this isn’t an option, and they …show more content…

If the provided bank account doesn’t have sufficient funds, the borrower would incur a bounced check fee from their financial institution in addition to an increase in the loans interest rate. For families who were strapped before this vicious loan cycle, it would appear that there is no way out.
The Payday Loan Trap: How Borrowers get Caught Up
For a typical $500 loan, if the lender charges $25 per $100 borrowed, when the time comes to repay that $500 loan you will also be shelling out $125 in fees, making your total loan repayment a whopping $625. For people who were already strapped, an extra $125 in fees can put even more strain on their budget. If they can’t meet the repayment obligation they are forced to extend the terms of the loan incurring even more fees and penalties. Until the borrower can save enough to stop the payday cycle, it will continue to the detriment of the borrower.
Because of this nasty lending cycle, payday lending is illegal in 15 states, and is regulated elsewhere. In some states, borrowers are only allowed to take out a specific number of loans per year. In other states borrowers can only take out a specified number of loans at a time, and after a certain length of time the lender must lower the interest and extend the term so the borrower can get out of debt.

Ways to Avoid Payday Lending
For low- and middle-class borrowers who either don’t have much in the way of assets or who have poor credit, when

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