Please DON’T Use a Loan to Finance Christmas!

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Please DON’T Use a Loan to Finance Christmas!

By JLP | December 12, 2007

Jeremy’s post, Santa Isn’t Coming This Christmas Because There Isn’t Any Home Equity To Tap, reminded me of something.

The other night I was watching TV and was absolutely floored when I saw a payday loan (it might have been a title loan, I can’t remember for sure) commercial that showed a woman who was sad because she couldn’t afford to buy her kids Christmas presents. There she sat, looking at a tree with no presents. So sad.

But then this woman visited her friendly neighborhood payday loan store (or title loan). All the sudden she had lots of presents under the tree! Joyful, joyful!

What exactly was the message of that commercial?

I think the message was: forget about tomorrow, live for today!

I just wonder how that mom is going to pay for next Christmas. Seriously, if she doesn’t have the money now, how can she afford to pay back a loan? Are things magically going to change for her and all the sudden she’ll be swimming in money? What really irritates me about these kinds of commercial is the disclaimer that says something like: “Remember to always use payday loans responsibly.” As if there’s a responsible way to use a payday loan.

The lady in the commercial would be wiser if she requested assistance from the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation or some other charity. I feel sorry for people in need, but that’s not an excuse to make matters worse.

Topics: Budgeting |

Comments to “Please DON’T Use a Loan to Finance Christmas!”

moneymonk Says:
December 12th, 2007 at 11:56 am

Payday loan places could care less how she is paying back the loan. They will have her enslaved for life.

I would not go to one of those places even if my electricity was going to be disconnected. The price in the end is too much.

If you don’t have the money for Christmas, just skip it. It’s just another 24 hour day. Celebrate it when you have some money !

FinanceAndFat Says:
December 12th, 2007 at 2:17 pm

Wow, that is disgusting. These pay day loan places really are evil. Trying to make someone feel like a bad parent because they can’t buy gifts for their kids in order to make a buck is awful. How do the people who own these businesses sleep at night?

Toby Says:
December 12th, 2007 at 2:20 pm

Always remember, there is a correlation between net worth and time-horizon for financial thought.

People with no or negative net worth are more likely to think in terms of their checking account balance (i.e. if I have $20 and the thing costs $20, I can buy it).

People with a little net worth (some home equity perhaps, some 401k savings) usually think from paycheck-to-paycheck or perhaps month-to-month.

As net worth grows, many people start to think in quarters, years, decades.

It’s only natural. If I have enough net worth to support my family for the next year, my financial planning can focus on a year from now, or even five years from now.

The ad is just playing on the no/negative net worth mentality.

On a related note:
Have you ever noticed how frustrating it is trying to explain to a no/negative net-worth person how budgeting and planning ahead works. They just don’t “get” it. If they have $100 in their checking account and the toy they want is $20, they don’t understand why they can’t buy it now. Even more frustrating is listening to this type of person complain on Wednesday that they don’t have money for gas and then later hearing about how they went out Friday night (payday) and dropped $40. Uhh, $40 is a tank of gas! But the connection is never made. They get to go out because they have money in the bank. Period.

Disclaimers: Yeah, I know, some people are poor and struggling through no fault of their own. I would argue that many are poor and struggling by choice (conscious or not). Also, notice that I said “correlation” up there. There is no causation implied, the two things just seem to go hand-in-hand.

Mrs. Micah Says:
December 12th, 2007 at 3:05 pm

:O Seriously? They seriously showed someone taking out a payday loan to pay for Christmas?

Christmas is all well and good, but wait until her happy kids start asking why there’s no food or heat. I think payday loans should simply be banned—there’s times when they’re actually handy for people with good salaries who’d rather pay the price than get the money from their investments. But….they overwhelmingly prey on people. It’s like legalized cocaine, they entrap you.

Toby Says:
December 12th, 2007 at 6:06 pm

Mrs. Michah: ‘I think payday loans should simply be banned’

So where are poor, desperate people supposed to go to get money for food or to pay for heat? Like it or not, payday loans provide a service and take on an incredible amount of risk to do it. Most payday loan customers don’t have 720+ credit scores *cough* deadbeats *cough* and could not get money any other way. Are their fees usurious? Yes and it’s easy to vilify payday loan places, but if you take them away you have to solve the problems their customers face when they can’t make ends meet.

If you can solve their customers problems (i.e. they need cash now) without charging them outrageous fees to do it and make a profit, go for it. The free market will reward you. But if you’ve ever played around on prosper.com for instance, you find out real fast why the guy with the “D” credit score has a “D” credit score….because he’s a deadbeat and no matter whether you charge him 18% interest or 200% interest will you get your money back.

Thanks For Kicking My Butt and Inspiring Me Says:
December 12th, 2007 at 7:01 pm

[...] All Financial Matters -I won’t be using a loan for Christmas. Two gold stars for that. [...]

buy christmas presents Says:
December 12th, 2007 at 10:18 pm

[...] Please DON’T Use a Loan to Finance Christmas! [...]

Jeremy Says:
December 13th, 2007 at 8:56 pm

I’m late to the party, but wanted to expand on what Toby said about payday loans filling a need. That is true, they were created to fill a need, and they do that. That is what any business or product does. Unfortunately, this so-called need can be fixed a number of ways, and payday loans don’t address the real problem and only make the problems worse.

The thing is, being strapped for cash isn’t a new phenomenon, but relatively speaking, payday loans are. Payday loans have really only been around on a large scale for 10-15 years. While they did exist to a very small extent in the early 80s, it is nothing like it is now.

All you have to do is ask your parents or your grandparents what they did when they were short on cash. They didn’t take out a payday loan, so what did they do? As hard to believe as it may be for some, they sucked it up and changed their spending habits to be able to afford things.

I know, that is a strange concept for many people today, to actually suffer a hardship and have to sacrifice something like a cell phone, cable TV, a nice car or multiple cars, but you really can get by in life by making some adjustments if life deals you a bad hand.

Yes, payday loans can help someone in a tight situation, but chances are, that person can’t afford to be paying 300% or more just to stay current on a few bills. This means they end up being late on the payday loan payment, or need to keep relying on the payday loans in order to keep up. There is no incentive to try and improve your situation when you can go down to the corner loan shark and pretend to make things better by getting an advance on money. It just reinforces the behavior that got an individual into the position instead of forcing an unpleasant situation that requires someone to rectify the problem so that it doesn’t happen again.

So, I don’t disagree with Toby, and these businesses saw an opportunity and are profiting from it. The only problem is that the only people getting help are those who run the loan store, and those who borrow the money are destined to failure while they are being taken advantage of.

20 years ago people found a way to get by without these loans, and I bet people today could get by without them too.

Christmas And Credit - Plus, A Stroll Through My Blogroll Says:
December 15th, 2007 at 5:29 pm

[...] Please Don’t Use A Loan To Purchase Christmas Gifts - a post by All Financial Matters. [...]

Mrs. Micah Says:
December 17th, 2007 at 6:35 am

Thanks Jeremy for expanding on some of my points.

Biggest point: If someone can’t afford to pay their heat, they’re not being “helped” by a company which charges that much in interest. They’re just getting deeper in the hole.

The only people who might truly be “helped” by payday loan companies are middle class people who take out loans to cover unexpected needs because they don’t want to touch their retirement accounts or whatever but who can actually afford to have the money taken out of their next paycheck.

Jamie Says:
December 20th, 2007 at 9:57 am

I agree with what most are saying. But what about those who do use them wisely. What about the mom who gets paid on the 26th and not before christmas who wants to get gifts. It woyuld be very easy for someone to take out a loan, buy gifts, then pay it back with a paycheck they intended on spending on gifts anyway. I fully agree with Toby on the net worth time coraolation , however those that are living paycheck to paycheck is sorda what the loans were created for. If My car breaks on monday and I need to get to work Tuesday, nevermind that I’m going to have to get it fixed anyway, Can I realy afford to wait till payday to get it fixed.And risk missing a week of work. I agree the fees are high, and the whole concept of it kinda sucks for those that aren’t able to pay it back and leave it alone. But in the right situation they are a big help to some.

Mrs blessing Says:
December 13th, 2008 at 9:04 pm

Hello Greetings to you all in the name of the lord,

Mrs Blessing is offering loan to every individuals, firms and companies all around the world in a very low interest of 4% and in a very fast and easy way.
Mrs Blessing is offering you all to the best of her knowledge,the loan in this company is well assure and guarantee any individuals, firms and companies interested in getting loan in his lender company should contact the e-mail below: blessing03_loans@hotmail.com
I look forward to here morn from you soon nest

Thanks,
Mrs Blessing…

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Please DON’T Use a Loan to Finance Christmas!