At some point in your life, you will be tempted to borrow money from someone to cover sudden, emergency needs. Apparently, not everyone is willing to extend a lending hand to you because let’s face it, these people have their own needs as well.
Who do you turn to? Usually, your next best option is to go to banks and apply for a specific loan facility.
Here’s the thing: banks require that potential borrowers should have a bank account. In case you don’t have one (although we assume that you do have an account under your name), then applying for a loan could be challenging.
Why do you need to have a bank account when applying for a loan?
The answer is simple: it proves that you are financially-responsible. At the same time, crediting the approved amount of money you borrowed is easier because lenders can simply transfer money to your bank account in a more convenient and secured way.
Having a bank account shows that:
- You are earning money regularly.
- You are responsible enough to set aside money for savings.
- You are less of a credit risk because you have money to pay off the money you borrowed.
In other words, having a bank account shows lenders that you have the capacity to repay the loan.
What if you don’t have a bank account? Can you still borrow money from lenders?
Believe it or not, the answer is yes. There are still lenders who allow people to borrow money even without a bank account. Still, there’s a catch. Borrowing money may not be as convenient as it seems.
For starters, you may be limited to short-term loans and smaller amounts. If you need a bigger amount, then lenders may be hesitant to extend credit because they don’t have much information as to how you handle money.
Another issue would be lenders will require you to submit supporting documents such as proof of income or Certificate of Employment. Others may require you to propose a collateral just to ensure payment in case of default. There are also lenders who will impose higher interest rate, which could be heavy on the pocket.
What can you do?
The best that you could do is to open a bank account. Banks adjusted the minimum amount of deposit, thereby allowing borrowers to open an account for as little as P100.
If you can’t open a bank account and you really need to borrow money, then below are your options:
Private Lenders
The good news is there are private lenders like Balikbayad who offer loans to those who don’t have bank account. These lenders may provide personal loans up to a maximum amount, online cash loans, salary loans, and payday loans among others.
The good thing about borrowing from private lenders is that loan application is easier and more convenient. In fact, some even allow online application, which means you don’t have to go out of your home and apply for a loan. Collateral is also not required, which means you don’t have to worry about losing your property or any asset.
Still, there are few issues when you apply from a private lender. Since you don’t have a bank account, you must get the cash directly at either private lender’s office or from a remittance company. Also, be prepared to pay for high interest rate since this is an unsecured loan.
Pawnshops
If you need quick cash and you have valuable item to spare, then you can try pawnshops.
Pawnshops don’t ask for any bank-related accounts when you apply for pawn loans. You won’t be asked about your income, existence of previous loans, credit history, or your loan purpose. As long as you have any valuable item to pawn, then you are good to go. Plus, pawnshops won’t run after you in case you are unable to pay the loan.
There’s a risk on getting pawn loans: there is a possibility that you can’t get your pawned item back.
Loan Shark
This is risky and not recommended. Loan sharks or 5-6 loans allow you to borrow money anytime with little collateral documents as possible.
Here’s the catch: if private lenders charge higher interest, loan sharks are way more expensive. You might be asked to pay the loan in the shortest time possible, so make sure you have cash on hand.
What is your best option? Private lenders like Balikbayad.