"Credit" - more recently this word has become firmly entrenchedin our life. It constantly sounds from the TV screens, we see it on advertising extensions, we read on the leaflets from the mailbox. Almost every day we get a variety and, at first glance, very tempting offers via e-mail and SMS messages. "Take today, and pay tomorrow" is the main idea of ​​lending. And, you see, it sounds very tempting. Do not deny yourself everything and painfully save for the thing you like. All dreams can be fulfilled today, right now. So is it worth borrowing? Can there be a loan - this is the easy and easy way to happiness?

What is a loan?

Once crediting was called another, alreadya little forgotten, in a word - usury. This occupation was considered unworthy and in every way condemned by the church and society. Today everything has changed. The word "credit" has no negative coloring. It has become habitual and ordinary. Many states live "in debt" - what can we say about people! However, the essence of the loan has not changed since then. A loan is when you, on the first demand, but on certain conditions, give out other people's money. In return for this service, you return more than you took. And even if you take not the money itself, but the goods, the meaning of this does not change. What are the credits and how do they differ from each other? A variety of loans - a lot of targeted and non-target loans, short-term and long-term, secured and unsecured - it is quite difficult to understand all this. Probably, it makes sense to dwell on several of the most common.

• Consumer credit

Perhaps this is the most popular type of loan. Its main difference from the others is that the bank will not control your expenses. You can spend money as you please - buy some thing or spend it for treatment, go on vacation or start a repair. The amounts of such loans, as well as their maturity, are rather small. To obtain them, you need a minimum set of documents.

• Automobile loan

Another common type is autocredit. Here you get on your hands no longer money, but an "iron horse". The car acts as collateral. Only after fully paying with the bank you will receive a technical passport and become a full-fledged owner of your car.

• Mortgage

Mortgage is a loan for the purchase of real estate. As an estate can act apartment, house or land. Perhaps, this is one of the most long-term types of lending. The guarantee of your payments on the loan is the very property you are buying. If, for some reason, you can not repay the loan, the bank will simply take it from you and sell it, returning its money.

• Credit cards

The credit card account is replenished by your bank. So you can pay for the purchase without having enough money. However, interest payments on credit cards are quite high. And if you do not replenish the account on time, then serious fines will follow.

• Loan for education

This, very popular abroad, viewlending has only just begun to appear on the Russian market. Usually, the money goes directly to your school account every semester. The main feature of the loan for education is that you can receive a deferral for repayment of principal. That is, while you are studying you will pay only interest on the loan.

Main advantages of a loan

Of course, the main advantage of a loan isthe opportunity to get the right thing immediately. In addition, the loan makes it possible to break a large, "unaffordable" sum into smaller ones, which will not be so burdensome. Another advantage of the loan is a fixed amount of payment. In what situations can these "advantages" be decisive?

When the loan is justified

Perhaps there is no man in the world,who would manage to live life, never having taken money in debt. Well, or at least there are very few such people. After all, the situations are very different and sometimes the credit is really justified. This is the situation where the life, health or future of you and your loved ones depend on urgent payment. Let's say you lost your job, and at that time someone needed an urgent operation. Or it's just time to treat your teeth. Will not you go with pulpitis to pay? To this category are tuition fees. Agree, it is not very reasonable to leave the institute in the fourth year.

Good deal

What is a good deal? This is an opportunity to purchase what you want at a price much lower than the market value. Let's say you are going to buy an apartment. You have found the average cost and have already collected a significant portion of the amount. And then you will find out that one of your friends is selling an apartment much cheaper, because the money was needed urgently. Such an investment will be fully justified. Another example. You have long planned a major purchase. Suddenly it turns out that in two months the prices for this product will rise by a third. In this case, you can not wait, but buy what you want right away.

Investments

Credit can be considered justified when there isthe opportunity to make money borrowed, work for themselves. For example, a young family plans to buy an apartment. But housing prices are constantly growing and the desired goal is not approaching. Here, a mortgage loan can come to the rescue. The family buys an apartment and immediately leases it. The money received from the deposit goes to pay the loan. Thus, in a few years it will turn out that the apartment went to them for free. A similar situation can arise with a loan for education. Suppose you have been working for a long time in some company. You appreciate and respect the authorities, but you can not get the long-awaited promotion - there is no corresponding diploma. In this case, the loan will help you to make a career and reach a new professional level.

Disadvantages of loans

Of course, the biggest disadvantage of loans isthat for a coveted product or service you pay much more than their actual value. But there are other things besides this. Credit gives a person a false sense of financial independence and prosperity. After all, you instantly and without effort get a thing that, strictly speaking, you can not afford. In this case, as a rule, you also have an additional expense item. Especially it concerns consumer loans. Having bought a mink fur coat, you will be forced to purchase new boots and a bag for it. To the ring with a diamond you will need a new dress. Is it worth taking a loan for a car, if you suspect that even spending on gasoline can break a significant gap in your budget? Then any scratch or small breakdown will definitely cause a deep depression.

When to take a loan is not worth it

Specialists of one company dealing withresearch of the banking services market, conducted an interesting survey. People who use credits took part in it. Some of them were very satisfied with the opportunities that this system provided them. Others - they felt unhappy and "cornered". Based on the answers, the company's specialists singled out several key points indicating that the risk of getting into "debt slavery" is too great. Life is unpredictable. At any time, any surprises can occur. And not always pleasant - a person can get into an accident, lose a job, just get sick. Therefore, taking on certain debt obligations on the loan, it is absolutely necessary to have some "safety cushion". It is believed that the "thickness" of this pillow should be about 3 to 5 monthly salaries. Most people have one source of income - this is either wages or income from their own business. However, today the situation not only in the country, but all over the world is very unstable - currency rates are jumping, prices are growing, demand for some goods is declining. If, due to some circumstances, a person is deprived of a single income, he will automatically fall into the "debt hole". After all, in case of delay, he will need to do not only payments on the loan, but also pay fines.

Presence of other promissory notes

More and more people have appeared recently,who do not cope with the payments on the current loan, try to solve this problem by taking a new one. In this way, a person pushes himself into a financial trap. And she, eventually, inevitably leads to serious psychological problems, depression, and sometimes suicide. Not so long ago, practicing psychologists added to another form of psychological addiction one more - lending. Despite the fact that this term is not yet considered scientific, the problem already exists. Experts even drew an approximate portrait of a potential lender. It is an incorrigible optimist, easily yielding to someone else's influence. Quite often these people are also financially illiterate.

To take or not take a loan?

Before making a final decision, the financiers and psychologists recommend to calculate everything well and answer the following questions:

Is it worth borrowing this or that thing? Is it necessary? Maybe there are other ways to solve the problem that has arisen before you?

Are you convinced that your income will allow you to make painless and regular payments on the loan?

Do you remember that in the end you will pay much more?

Although, of course, the final choice is always yours. After all, you are an adult, intelligent and responsible person. We advise you to read:

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