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A car loan, a mortgage, student loans, credit cards. It might feel like a dark debt cloud is looming over you sometimes. If you carry some debt on your personal balance sheet, you’re not alone.

Total household debt in the U.S. rose to $17.69 trillion in the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest statistics from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.That includes everything from mortgages to credit cards to student loans. We’re a heavily indebted nation, and for some, it may take a psychological toll. If that’s you, here’s the comforting news: There are some tried-and-true strategies for paying back outstanding debt.

What Is Considered Outstanding Debt?

Outstanding debt refers to any balance on a debt that has yet to be paid in full. It is money that is owed to a bank or other creditor.

When calculating debt that’s outstanding, you simply add all debt balances together. This could include credit cards, student loans, mortgage loans, payday loans, personal loans, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, and others. You should be able to find outstanding balance information on your statements.

How to Find Outstanding Debt

When paying off outstanding debt, you first might need to track it all down.

As you move throughout the debt payoff journey, you may find it helpful to start a file for your statements and correspondence. Also, you could create a list or input information into a spreadsheet. Organizing your information is necessary for building a debt payoff strategy.

It can be a good idea to build a list of all debts with the most useful information, such as the outstanding balance, the interest rate, the monthly payment, the type of debt, and the creditor. If you have an installment loan, such as a personal loan, the principal amount of the loan is another helpful piece of information.

What if I Can’t Find All My Outstanding Debts?

If you feel as though you’ve lost track of some debts, you may want to start by requesting a credit report from at least one of the three major reporting agencies, Experian®, TransUnion®, or Equifax®. You are legally entitled to one free copy of your credit report from each of the three agencies per week. It’s easy to request a credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com.

A credit report includes information about each account that has been reported to that particular agency, including the name of the creditor and the outstanding debt balance.

It is possible that some outstanding debts may have been sold to a collection agency. The name of the original creditor may be included on the credit report. If that is not the case, you may need to investigate further.

Some outstanding debts may not appear on a credit report. Creditors are not required to report to the agencies, but most major creditors do. That said, a creditor could choose to report to none, one, two, or all three of the agencies. If you’re in information-collecting mode, you may want to consider requesting reports from more than one agency, or all three.

Outstanding Debt Amounts

Aside from how a debt is structured — revolving or installment debt — it can also be thought of as “good” debt or “bad” debt.

Generally, if borrowing money (and thus incurring debt) enhances your net worth, it’s considered good debt. A mortgage is one example of this. Even though you might incur debt to purchase a home, the value of the home will likely increase. As it does, and as you pay down the mortgage balance, your net worth has the potential to increase.

Bad debt, on the other hand, is debt taken on to purchase something that will depreciate, or lose value, over time. Going into debt to purchase consumer goods, such as cars or clothing, will not enhance your net worth.

Each person has a unique financial situation, level of comfort with debt, and ability to repay debt. What one person may be able to justify may be completely unacceptable to another.

How Does an Outstanding Debt Impact Your Credit

One thing lenders may consider during loan processing is the applicant’s debt-to-income ratio (DTI), which compares how much you owe each month to how much you earn. Lenders will often look at this number to determine their potential risk of lending. Different lenders have different stipulations about this ratio, so asking a potential lender about theirs is a good idea.

Calculating DTI is done by dividing monthly debt payments by gross monthly income.

•   Monthly debt payments can include rent or mortgage payment, homeowners association fee, car payment, student loan payment, and other monthly payments. (Typically, monthly expenses such as utilities, food, or auto expenses other than a car loan payment are not included in this calculation.)

•   Gross income is the amount of money you earn before taxes and other deductions are taken out of your paycheck.

Someone with monthly debt payments of $1,000 and a gross monthly income of $4,000 would have a DTI of 25% ($1,000 divided by $4,000 is 25%).

Generally, a DTI of 35% or less is considered a healthy balance of debt to income.

Should I Pay Down Outstanding Debt?

Barring extenuating circumstances, it’s a good idea to make regular, consistent payments on your debt. Whether or not you decide to pay the debt back on an expedited schedule is up to you.

Some may not feel the need to aggressively tackle their outstanding debt. They may be just fine to continue paying off a balance until the loan’s maturity date. This may apply to people with manageable debt payments, those who have debts with lower interest rates, or those focusing on other financial goals.

For example, someone with a low-interest-rate mortgage loan may not feel the need to pay it down faster than the agreed-upon schedule. So they continue to make regular, scheduled payments that make up a manageable percentage of their monthly budget. Therefore, they are able to work on other financial goals in tandem, such as saving for retirement or starting a fund for a child’s college.

Other scenarios may call for a more aggressive strategy to pay down debt. Some reasons to consider an expedited plan:

•   Your debt levels, and therefore monthly payments, feel unmanageable.

•   You’re carrying debts with higher interest rates, like credit cards.

•   You want to avoid missed payments and added fees.

•   You simply want to have zero debt.

You’ll also want to keep in mind that carrying a large debt load could negatively affect your credit. One factor in a credit score calculation is the ratio between outstanding debt balances and available credit on revolving debt, like a credit card — the credit utilization rate.

Using no more than 30% of your available credit is recommended. So, if a person has a $5,000 credit limit on a card, that would mean using no more than $1,500 at any given time throughout the month. Using more could result in a ding on their credit score.

Carrying debt also means paying interest. While some interest may not be avoidable, it’s generally a sound financial strategy to pay as little in interest as possible.

Credit cards tend to have some of the highest interest rates on unsecured debt. The average interest rate on a credit card is 27.65%, as of June 6, 2024. With high rates, it’s worth seriously considering paring back debt balances.

Outstanding Debt Management Strategies

The next step is to pick a debt reduction plan.

Two popular strategies for paying off debt are called the debt snowball and the debt avalanche. Both ask that you isolate one source of debt to focus on first.

Simply put, you’ll make extra payments or payments larger than the minimum monthly payment on that debt until the outstanding balance is eliminated. You’ll continue making the minimum monthly payment on all your other debts.

Debt Snowball

A debt snowball payoff plan involves listing all of your debt in order of size, from smallest to largest, ignoring interest rate. You then put extra funds towards the debt with the smallest balance, while making the minimum required payments on the rest. Once that debt is paid off, you put extra money towards the next-smallest debt, and so on.

The idea here is that there’s a psychological boost when a card is paid off, so it makes sense to go after the smallest first. That way, when a person works up to the card with the next highest balance, they can focus singularly on it, without a bunch of annoying, smaller payments getting in the way of the ultimate goal.

It’s called a snowball because the strategy starts small, gaining momentum as it goes.

Debt Avalanche

Alternatively, the debt avalanche method starts by listing debt in order of interest rate, from highest to lowest. You then put extra money towards the debt with the highest interest rate. Because this source of debt costs the most to maintain, it is a natural place to focus. Once that debt is paid off, you focus your extra payments towards the debt with the next-highest interest rate.

The debt avalanche is the debt payoff strategy of choice for those who prefer to look at things from a purely mathematical standpoint. For example, if a person has one credit card with a 27% annual percentage rate (APR) and another with a 22% APR, they’d focus on that 27% card with any extra payments, no matter the balance.

Of course, it is also possible to modify these strategies to suit personal preferences and needs. For example, if one source of debt has a prepayment penalty, maybe it drops to the bottom of the list. If there’s a particular credit card you tend to overspend with, perhaps that’s a good one to focus on.

Outstanding Debt Payoff Methods

Once you decide on a strategy, whether it’s one discussed above or something that works better for your financial situation, you’ll need to figure out where the money will come from to pay down outstanding debt.

A good first step is to simply list your monthly income and expenses. If you find that you have enough money to begin making extra payments toward your outstanding debt balances, then you might choose to start right away.

Some people choose to keep a 30-day spending diary to get a clear picture of what they spend their money on. This can be a good way to pinpoint areas you might be able to cut back on to have more money to apply to outstanding debt.

If your existing budget is already tight and won’t accommodate extra payments, you might consider looking for some other financial strategies.

Increasing Income

Sometimes the answer is just to make more money. That could mean getting a part-time job or selling things you no longer need or want. You might also think about asking for a pay raise at your regular job.

Using Personal Savings

Tapping into money you’ve saved can be another way to pay down outstanding debt. Savings account interest rates, even high-yield savings accounts, generally pay much less interest than you’re paying on your outstanding debts. Keeping enough money in a savings account as an emergency fund is recommended, but if you have a surplus in your personal savings, putting that money toward your debt balances is a good way to make headway on outstanding debt.

Consolidating With a Credit Card

Using a credit card to pay off debt may seem like an unwise choice, but it can make sense in some situations. If your credit score is healthy enough to qualify for a credit card with a zero- or low-interest promotional rate, you might consider transferring a higher-rate balance to a card like this.

The benefit of this strategy is having a lower interest rate during the promotional period, potentially resulting in savings on the overall debt.

There are some drawbacks to transferring a balance in this way though. One is that promotional periods are limited, and if you don’t pay the balance in full during this period, the remaining debt will revert to the card’s regular rate. Also, it’s typical for a promotional-rate card to charge a balance transfer fee, which can range from 3% to 5%, or more, of the balance transferred. This fee will increase the amount you will have to repay.

Consolidating With a Personal Loan

Using one new loan to pay off multiple outstanding debt balances is another debt payoff method. A personal loan with a lower overall rate of interest and a straightforward repayment plan can be a good way to do this.

In addition to one fixed monthly payment, a personal loan provides another benefit — the balance cannot easily be increased, as with a credit card. It’s easy to swipe a credit card for an additional purchase, potentially undoing the progress you’ve made on your debt repayment plan.

To consolidate your outstanding debt with a personal loan, you might want to look around at different lenders to get a sense of what interest rates they might offer for you. Typically, lenders will provide a few options, including loans of different lengths.

The Takeaway

Outstanding debt can be a heavy burden. Many people owe large amounts of debt, but don’t know how to start making a dent in their balances. A good place to begin is by identifying your current income and expenses to see your overall financial picture. From there, you may decide to focus on paying down certain debts over others. You can then choose the best paydown method for your financial situation.

Ready to kick-start your debt payoff strategy? With low fixed interest rates on loans of $5K to $100K, a SoFi Personal Loan for credit card debt could substantially decrease your monthly bills.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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Paying down debt can be an important financial priority, but should you use your savings in order to do so? While it can be tempting to throw your full efforts into paying off debt, maintaining a healthy savings account for emergencies and saving for retirement are also important financial goals.

Continue reading for more information on why it may not always make sense to use savings to pay off debt and ideas and strategies to help you expedite your debt repayment without sacrificing your savings account.

The Case Against Using Savings to Pay Off Debt

Emptying your savings account to pay off debt could cause you to rely on credit cards to cover necessary expenses, which has the potential to create a cycle of debt. Think of it this way — it can be much harder to get yourself out of debt if you keep using credit cards to cover unexpected costs.

Consider creating a plan to pay off high-interest debt while maintaining or building your emergency fund. This way, you’ll be better prepared to deal with unexpected expenses — like a trip to the emergency room.

How to Start Paying Off Debt Without Dipping Into Your Savings

First off, if you do not have an established emergency fund, consider crafting a budget that will allow you to build one while you simultaneously focus on paying down debt. The exact size of your emergency fund will depend on your personal expenses and income. A general rule of thumb suggests saving between three and six months worth of living expenses in an emergency savings account. Having this available to you can help you avoid taking on additional debt if you encounter unforeseen expenses.

Make a Budget

Now’s a good time to update or make a budget from scratch. Understanding your spending vs. income is essential to help you pay off your debt and avoid going into further debt. You’ll want to review all of your expenses and sources of income and figure out how to allocate your income across debt payments, while still allowing you to save for your future.

Establish a Debt Payoff Strategy

To start, you’ll need to review each of your debts, making note of the amount owed and interest rates. This is important to create a full picture for how much you owe. Next, you’ll need to pick a debt pay-off strategy that will work for you. Here’s a look at some popular debt-reduction plans.

•   The snowball method: With this approach, you list debts from smallest balance to largest — ignoring the interest rates. You then put extra money towards the debt with the smallest balance, while making minimum payments on all the other debts. When that debt is paid off, you move to the next largest debt, and so on until all debts are paid off. With this method, early wins can help keep you motivated to continue tackling your debt.

•   The avalanche method: Here, you’ll list your debts in order of interest rate, from highest to lowest. You then put extra money towards the debt with the highest interest rate, while paying the minimum on the rest. When that debt is paid off, you move on to the debt with the next-highest rate, and so on. This strategy helps minimize the amount of interest you pay, which can help you save money in the long term.

•   The fireball method: With this hybrid strategy, you categorize all debt into either “good” or “bad” debt. “Good” debt is debt that has the potential to increase your net worth, such as student loans, business loans, or mortgages. “Bad” debt is generally high-interest debt incurred for a depreciating asset, like credit card debt and car loans. Next, you’ll list bad debts from smallest to largest based on balance. You then funnel extra money to the smallest of the bad debts, while making minimum payments on the others. When that balance is paid off, you go on to the next-smallest debt on the bad-debt list, and so on. Once all the bad debt is paid off, you can simply keep paying off good debt on the normal schedule. You then put money you were paying on your bad debt towards savings.

Different people may prefer one strategy over another, the key is to select something that works best with your debts, income, and financial personality.

Consider Debt Consolidation

If you have debt with a variety of lenders, one option is to consider consolidating your debt with a personal loan. Instead of making multiple payments across lenders, you’ll instead have just one payment for your personal loan. Consolidating credit card debt is a common use for a personal loan because personal loans typically have lower interest rates than credit cards. Using a personal loan to pay off your credit card balances not only streamlines repayment but can potentially help you save on interest and pay off your debt faster.

Most personal loans are unsecured (no collateral required), which means you’ll qualify for the loan solely based on your creditworthiness. Personal loans for debt consolidation typically have fixed interest rates, so your payments remain the same for the term of the loan. To find the best personal loan for you, it’s a good idea to shop around and review the options available at a few different lenders, including banks, credit unions, and online lenders.

Recommended: How to Use a Personal Loan for Loan Consolidation

How to Reduce Spending to Pay Off Debt Quicker

Reducing your spending can make more room in your budget for debt payments. Making overpayments can help speed up debt payoff, but it can be challenging to amend your spending habits. To lower your spending, you’ll want to take an honest look at your current expenses and spending habits.

You can start by reviewing your credit card and bank statements to see where your money is going. Next, divide your spending into “needs” vs. “wants” and look for places where you can cut back in the “wants” category. For example, you might decide to cook dinner a few more times a week and get less takeout, cancel a streaming service you rarely watch, and/or quit the gym and start working out at home

You may also be able to reduce some of your so-called “fixed” expenses like your cell phone and internet service by shopping around for a more competitive offer or switching to a less expensive plan.

If you’ve already got a tight budget, the alternative is to increase your revenue stream. Consider a side hustle to boost your income and funnel that additional money toward debt payments. You may even be able to find a side gig that allows you to make money from home.

Paying Off Debt the Smart Way

It can be tempting to throw your savings at debt to avoid racking up expensive interest charges. But draining your savings account — or failing to save at all — in favor of debt payoff might not be a smart strategy.

With little or no savings, you’ll be less prepared for any emergency expenses in the future, which could lead to even more debt. Consider building your savings while paying off debt by creating a budget, cutting your expenses or boosting your income, and finding (and sticking to) a debt repayment strategy.

If you have high-interest credit card debt, you might consider using a personal loan to consolidate your debt. If the loan has a lower interest rate than you’re paying on your credit card balances, doing this could potentially help you save money and pay off your debt faster.

With low fixed interest rates on loans of $5K to $100K, a SoFi personal loan for credit card debt can substantially decrease your monthly bills.

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SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Sometimes you need a loan for a venture that a traditional bank might not approve. In these instances, a peer-to-peer (P2P) loan might be what you’re looking for. Peer-to-peer lending, also known as social lending, rose out of the 2008 financial crisis. When banks stopped lending money as freely as they had in the past, potential borrowers had fewer loan options. At the same time, low interest rates meant lower returns from savings accounts or CDs.

Enter P2P lending sites. P2P lenders essentially cut out the middleman (banks and traditional lenders) and created a space for borrowers and investors to do business. Since then, the concept of lending person-to-person has taken off, with the rise of a number of peer-to-peer lending platforms.

Wondering if a P2P loan is right for you? Or if investing in P2P lending is a smart way to diversify your portfolio? Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons.

What Is Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending?

P2P lending links up people who want to borrow money with individual investors who want to lend money. P2P lending sites like Prosper, Upstart, and Kiva — three prominent P2P lenders — provide low-cost platforms where borrowers can request loans and investors can bid on them.

The most common type of loan available through P2P lending is a personal loan, which provides borrowers with a lump sum of money they can use for virtually any purpose. However, other types of loans, including car loans, business loans, and home loans, are offered.

Personal loan amounts offered on P2P platforms range anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 and repayment periods are typically 36 to 60 months. Interest rates can vary widely, from around 7.5% to 35.99%, depending on factors including the individual’s credit history and perceived risk, as well as the purpose of a loan.

The lending platforms make money from serving as the intermediary in this process. In exchange for keeping records and transferring funds between parties, they charge a fee — typically 0.5% to 1.5% of the interest earned — to the investors lending the money. Some platforms also charge origination or closing fees to the borrowers, which typically range from 1% to 8% of the loan amount.

Is Peer-to-Peer Lending Safe?

The bulk of the risk of peer-to-peer lending falls onto investors. It’s possible that borrowers will default on their loans, and that risk increases if the investor opts to lend to those with lower credit ratings. If the loan were to go into default, the investor may not get paid back.

Further, peer-to-peer lending is an investment opportunity, and returns are never guaranteed when investing. There is the risk that investors could lose some or all of the amount they invest. Unlike deposit accounts with a traditional bank or credit union, P2P investments are not FDIC-insured.

How Does Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending Work?

The basic P2P lending process works like this: A borrower first goes through a quick soft credit pull with the P2P lending platform of their choice to determine initial eligibility. If eligible to continue, the lender likely will conduct a hard credit pull and then assign a borrower a “loan grade,” which will help lenders or investors assess how much of a risk lending to them might be.

The borrower can then make a listing for their loan, including the interest rate they’re willing to pay. With some P2P lending platforms, the borrower has an opportunity to make a case for themselves; they can provide an introduction and describe why they need the loan. A compelling, creative listing might have more luck grabbing a lender’s attention and trust.

Next, lenders can bid on the listing with the amount they can lend and the interest rate they’d be willing to offer. After the listing has ended, the qualified bids are combined into a single loan and that amount is deposited into the borrower’s bank account.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending Examples

Here are some examples of popular peer-to-peer lending sites:

•   Prosper: Prosper can provide loans in amounts anywhere from $2,000 up to $50,000. Loan terms are two to five years, and funding can happen in as little as one business day.

•   Upstart: Upstart is an AI lending marketplace that can offer borrowers loans of up to $50,000, with loan terms of either three or five years. It’s possible to check your rate in minutes, and most loans are funded within one business day after signing.

•   Kiva: Kiva connects borrowers in need of money to fund their small businesses with a network of lenders who aren’t seeking to make a profit. Kiva requires borrowers to get some funding from one of the microlending partners. Once a certain threshold amount is met, their loan becomes available for public funding.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending for Bad Credit

It is possible to get a peer-to-peer loan with a bad credit score (meaning a FICO score below 580). However, those with lower credit scores will almost certainly pay higher interest rates.

Additionally, those with bad credit may have more limited options in lenders, though there are peer-to-peer lending platforms for bad credit. Many platforms have minimum credit score requirements, which tend to be in the range of fair (580-669) to good (670-739). For instance, Prosper requires a minimum score of 600.

If you have bad credit and are seeking a P2P loan, you might first work to improve your credit profile before applying. Or, you could consider getting a cosigner, which can increase your odds of getting approved and securing a better rate if you’re finding it hard to get a personal loan.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lenders Fees

Peer-to-peer lending platforms can charge fees to both borrowers and investors. Which fees apply and the amount of these fees can vary from lender to lender.

A common fee that borrowers may encounter is an origination fee, which is typically a percentage of the loan amount. Other fees that borrowers may face include late fees, returned payment fees, and fees for requesting paper copies of records.

Investors, meanwhile, may owe an investor service fee. This is generally a percentage of the amount of loan payments they receive.

Recommended: Fee or No Fee? How to Figure Out Which Loan Option Saves You the Most

Pros of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending

There are upsides to peer-to-peer lending for both borrowers and investors. However, the benefits will differ for both parties involved.

Pros of P2P Loans for Borrowers

•   Easier eligibility: The biggest advantage for a borrower getting a personal loan peer-to-peer is being eligible for a loan they might not have been able to get from a traditional lender.

•   Faster approval and competitive rates: P2P lenders might approve your loan faster and offer a more competitive rate than a traditional lender would.

•   Possible to pay off credit card debt: One way that people are using P2P loans is to crush their credit card debt. People with high credit card balances could be paying up to 24.37% APR or higher in interest charges. If they can wipe it out with a P2P loan at a lower interest rate, it can save them a lot of money.

•   Option to finance upcoming expenses: Those who are facing a lot of upcoming expenses might find it more cost-effective to take out a P2P loan rather than put those expenses on a high-interest credit card.

Pros of P2P Loans for Investors

•   Promising alternative investment opportunity: Some see P2P lending as a promising alternative investment. When you lend money P2P, you can earn income on the returns as the borrower repays you. Those interest rates can be a few percentage points higher than what you might earn by keeping your money in a savings account or a CD. While there is some risk involved, some investors see it as less volatile than investing in the stock market.

•   Option to spread out risk: P2P lenders also offer many options in terms of the types of risk investors want to take on. Additionally, there are ways you can spread the amount you’re lending over multiple loans with different risk levels.

•   Sense of community: For borrowers and investors, the sense of community on these sites is a welcome alternative to other forms of lending and investing. Borrowers can tell their stories and investors can help give their borrowers a happy ending to those stories.

Cons of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending

Though there are upsides to peer-to-peer lending, there are certainly drawbacks as well. These include:

•   Risk for investors: The biggest disadvantage of P2P lending is risk. Since P2P loans are unsecured, there’s no guarantee an investor will get their money back. The borrowers on a P2P site might be there because traditional banks already declined their application. This means investors might need to do extra legwork on their end to evaluate how much risk they can take on.

•   Potentially higher rates for borrowers: While P2P lenders might approve a loan that a traditional bank wouldn’t, they might offer it with a much higher interest rate. In these cases, it could be wiser to search for alternatives rather than accepting a loan with a costly interest rate.

•   Effort and personal exposure for borrowers: There can be a lot of effort and personal exposure involved for the borrower. Borrowers have to make their case, and their financial story and risk grade will be posted for all to see. While we’re used to sharing a lot of our lives online, sharing financial information might feel like too much for some borrowers.

•   Relatively new industry with evolving regulations: Then there’s the risk of P2P lending itself. The concept is still relatively new, and the decision on how best to regulate and report on the industry is still very much a work in progress. Some lending platforms have already hit growing pains as well. As regulations around the industry change and investors are tempted elsewhere, the concept could lose steam, putting lending platforms in danger of closing.

Recommended: 11 Types of Personal Loans & Their Differences

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Loans vs Bank Loans

When it comes to P2P loans compared to bank loans, the biggest difference is who is funding the loan. Whereas bank loans are funded by financial institutions, peer-to-peer loans are funded by individuals or groups of individuals.

Further, bank loans tend to have more stringent qualification requirements in comparison to P2P loans. This is why those with lower credit scores or thinner credit histories may turn to peer-to-peer lending after being denied by traditional lenders. In turn, default rates also tend to be higher with peer-to-peer lending.

The Takeaway

Peer-to-peer lending takes out the middleman, allowing borrowers and investors to do business. For borrowers, P2P loans can offer an opportunity to secure financing they may be struggling to access through traditional lenders. And for investors, P2P loans can offer an investing opportunity and a sense of community, as they’ll see where their money is going. However, there are drawbacks to consider before getting a peer-to-peer loan, namely the risk involved for investors.

Whether you’re getting a P2P loan or a loan from a traditional lender, it’s important to shop around to find the most competitive terms available to you.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. Checking your rate takes just a minute.

FAQ

Is peer-to-peer lending safe?

There are certainly risks involved in peer-to-peer lending, particularly for investors. For one, borrowers could default on their loan, resulting in investors losing their money. Additionally, there’s no guarantee of returns when investing.

What is peer-to-peer lending?

Peer-to-peer lending is a type of lending wherein individual investors loan money directly to individual borrowers, effectively cutting out banks or other traditional financial institutions as the middlemen. This can allow borrowers who may have been denied by more traditional lenders to access funds, and provide investors with a shot at earning returns.

What is an example of peer-to-peer lending?

Some popular P2P lending sites include Prosper, Upstart, and Kiva. Borrowers can use peer-to-peer loans for a variety of purposes, such as home improvement, debt consolidation, small business costs, and major expenses like medical bills or car repairs.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.

Checking Your Rates: To check the rates and terms you may qualify for, SoFi conducts a soft credit pull that will not affect your credit score. However, if you choose a product and continue your application, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

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If you’re strapped for cash and have a hard time qualifying for traditional loans, or you live in an underbanked area, you may be considering a pawnshop loan. They appear to be a convenient option for fast cash, but they can also come with significant disadvantages, including high fees.

Before putting your valuables down in pawn, learn more about what pawnshop loans are and how they work.

What Is a Pawnshop Loan?

A pawnshop loan is a secured, or collateralized, loan. To borrow the money, you must produce an item of value as collateral – such as a piece of jewelry, a musical instrument, electronics, or an antique – that provides backing for the loan. You and the seller agree to a loan amount and a term. If you don’t pay back the loan (plus fees) within the agreed amount of time, the pawnshop can sell the item to recoup their losses.

Pawnshops will typically offer you 25% to 60% of the resale value of an item. The average size of a pawnshop loan is $150 with a term of around 30 days.

Aside from the need for collateral, there are few other requirements to qualify for a pawnshop loan. You typically don’t need to prove your income or submit to a credit check.

Recommended: No Credit Check Loans Guide

How Do Pawnshop Loans Work?

Pawnshops don’t charge interest on the loans they offer. However, the borrower is responsible for paying financing fees that can make the cost of borrowing higher than other loan options.

Regulations around what pawnshops can charge vary by state, but you could end up paying the equivalent of many times the interest charged by conventional loans.

Say you bring in a $600 guitar to a pawnshop, and they offer you 25% of the resale value, or $150. On top of that, let’s say the pawnshop charges a financing fee of 25% of the loan. That means you’ll owe $37.50 in financing fees, or $187.50 in total.

If you agree to the loan, the pawnbroker will typically give you cash immediately. They’ll also give you a pawn ticket, which acts as a receipt for the item you’ve pawned. Keep that ticket in a safe place. If you lose it, you may not be able to retrieve your item.

You’ll usually have 30 to 60 days to repay your loan and claim your item. According to the National Pawnbrokers Association, 85% of people manage to do this successfully. When a borrower pays off a pawnshop loan, they can retrieve the item they put in pawn. For those who don’t, the pawnshop will keep the item and put it up for sale. There is no other penalty for failing to pay off your loan, but you do lose your item permanently.

Recommended: Can You Get a Loan Without a Bank Account?

The Pros and Cons of Pawnshop Loans

In general, it’s best to seek traditional forms of lending, such as a personal loan from a bank, credit union, or online lender, if you can. These loans tend to be cheaper and can help you build credit. However, if you need cash the same day and you don’t qualify for other loans, you might consider a pawnshop loan. Carefully weigh the pros and cons to help you make your decision.

Pros of a Pawnshop Loan

•   Access to cash quickly. When you agree to a pawnshop loan, you can typically walk out with cash in hand immediately.

•   No qualifications. The ability to provide an object of value is often the only qualification for a pawnshop loan.

•   Failure to pay doesn’t hurt credit. While you will certainly lose the item that you put in pawn if you don’t pay back your loan, there are no other ramifications. Your credit score will not take a hit.

•   Loans aren’t sent to collections. If you don’t pay back your loan, no collections agency will hound you until you pay.

Recommended: How Do Collection Agencies Work?

Cons of a Pawnshop Loan

•   High fees. The financing fees associated with pawnshop loans can be much more expensive than traditional methods of obtaining credit, including credit cards and personal loans. Consider that the average annual percentage rate (APR) on a personal loan is currently 12.21%, whereas pawnshop financing fees, when converted into an APR, can be 200% or more.

•   Loans are relatively small. The average size of a pawnshop loan is just $150. If you need money to cover a more costly expense, you may end up scrambling for cash elsewhere.

•   You won’t build credit. Pawnshop loans are not reported to the credit reporting bureaus, so paying them off on time doesn’t benefit your credit.

•   You may lose your item. If you can’t come up with the money by the due date, you’ll lose the item you put in pawn. (Same if you lose your pawn ticket.)

Pros and Cons at a Glance

What Is a Pawnshop Title Loan?

A pawnshop title loan is a loan in which you use the title of your car as collateral for your loan. You can typically continue driving your vehicle over the course of the loan agreement. However, as with other pawnshop loans, if you fail to repay your loan on time, the pawnbroker can seize your car.

Typical Requirements to Get a Loan Through a Pawnshop

There are typically few requirements to get a pawnshop loan, since the loan is collateralized by the item you put in pawn and the pawnbroker holds on to that item over the course of the loan. However, pawnbrokers do want to avoid dealing in stolen goods, so they may require that you show some proof of ownership, such as a receipt.

Alternative Loan Options

There are a number of benefits of personal loans that make them a good alternative to pawnshop loans. Personal loans are usually unsecured, meaning there is usually no collateral required for a personal loan. Lenders will typically run a credit check, and borrowers with good credit scores usually qualify for the best terms and interest rates. That said, some lenders offer personal loans for people with bad credit.

If you qualify for a personal loan, the loan amount will be given to you in a lump sum, which you then typically repay (plus interest) in monthly installments over the term of the loan, often two to seven years. The money can be used for virtually any purpose.

Personal loans payments are reported to the credit reporting bureaus, and on-time payments can help you build a positive credit profile.

The Takeaway

If you only need a small amount of money, you don’t qualify for other credit, or if you’re looking for a loan without a bank account, you may consider a pawnshop loan. Just beware that they are potentially costly alternatives to other forms of credit.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. Checking your rate takes just a minute.

FAQ

How is a loan obtained through a pawnshop?

To borrow money from a pawnshop you must present an item of value that can act as collateral for the loan. The pawnbroker may then provide a loan based on the value of that item.

What happens if you don’t pay back your pawnshop loan?

If you fail to pay back your pawnshop loan on time, you won’t be able to reclaim the item you put up as collateral for the loan. The pawnshop will sell it to recoup their losses.

What’s the most a pawnshop loan will pay?

On average, a pawnshop will loan you about 25% to 60% of an item’s resale value. The average pawnshop loan is $150 and is repaid in about 30 days.

Photo credit: iStock/miriam-doerr
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