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There’s always at least one time in someone’s life when, with payday more than a week away, they find themselves a little short of cash. Not knowing what to do when it becomes hard to pay your next electricity bill or even for emergencies such as fixing a broken fridge, it can be hard to know who to turn to for help. To some people, it might seem like little more than a last resort, but taking out a fast little loan could make up any shortfall in income.

If you find yourself unable to get a loan or overdraft from your bank, and are worried about waiting for any money to come through, taking a payday loan out might represent your best chance of plugging that momentary gap in your finances. However, if you’ve never taken one out before and want to know what to do if you decide to go with it, what are the do’s and don’ts of payday loans?

One thing you should do is know how much you need. With payday loans, all you need to do is borrow the exact amount needed for whatever expense you have to meet. By doing this, you’re not taking too much and you won’t have to pay as much in interest when the time comes to paying it back in full. Once you’re sure of how much you need, try to borrow that amount: no more, no less.

Next, you should do a little research into how payday loans work. There are many providers such as Wonga.com where you can find out how you can take them out, how long the waiting period is before the money enters your bank account and how to repay them. It’s also worth looking into the level of interest you have to pay on such loans, as finding that out will help you budget for interest payments on top of the money you need to pay back to the lender.

Finally, it pays to shop around when looking for a payday loan. When searching for a payday loans alternative, you’ll want the best deal when it comes to waiting periods, interest rates, repayment windows and, most importantly of all, the amount you can actually borrow. If you find the right deal, then feel free to try and take a loan out with them, and pay it back at a time that suits you.

Interest rates continue to fall and have entered all-time low territory. So why is there is no jubilation and lines of people at the banks trying to buy homes or refinance existing loans?

Low Interest Rates Fail To Stimulate Housing

Despite the cheap money, it is still challenging for many homeowners who are underwater on their existing loans and who may have other credit blemishes due to job loss, job change or inconsistent income. Certainly, there are some people who are able to take advantage of the cheap money but not the massive numbers that we saw in boom years long past. Government stimulated initiatives continue to roll out which incentivize banks to refinance struggling homeowners into lower rate loans.

Retirees Suffer From Prolonged Low Interest Rates

There is a scary flip side to the interest rate environment. Pension funds which rely heavily on bonds and other interest rate based securities to generate sufficient invest returns to pay retirees are suddenly not making enough to cover their obligations. Compound that with retirees trying to living off their life savings which barely generates 1% return and you can begin to see the potential epidemic.

Perfect Storm Endangers Pension Funding

The longer we endure this type of interest rate environment, the wider the funding gap of pension plans. This will put pressure on stocks if companies are forced to close pension gaps with current earnings. When you also consider that 1) our massive Baby Boomer generation is retiring right now and 2) the longer life expectancies of Americans due to better health care, you can see how there are several layers creating a perfect storm of massive pension underfundings.

Good News, Bad News Economy

Most subjects dealing with the economy and finances have a pro and con. Just like when you buy and sell stocks, there is a winner and a loser. With economics, there are two sides to every coin. For example, low interest rates help homebuyers but hurt people living on fixed incomes. When interest rates rise, many investors will benefit, but people with adjustable rates on credit cards and other debt will have to pay more interest. Even if you do not understand all the details, as a consumer, it is wise to stay aware that good news in one sector means the potential for bad news elsewhere.