Money Tree | Inside a Leading West Coast Payday Loan Company

Ever Received a Payday Loan from a Caterpillar?

Do you know Bob the Caterpillar? You probably know The Money Tree then as well.

According to their Web site MoneyTreeInc.com, Money Tree is “the premier provider of check cashing, payday loans and retail financial services on the West Coast.” That’s a big claim, but this consumer finance company that began in Renton, Washington in 1983 now has a very recognizable advertising campaign and a significant brick-and-mortar and online presence in Washington State, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada and California. If you’ve seen one of countless television commercials starring Bob the Caterpillar (aka the MoneyTree Caterpillar), you know that payday loans and Money Tree are synonymous terms. (Currently not a Payday Loan Lead Buyer of ours)

The slate of consumer financial services offered by Money Tree is expansive. They offer payday loans (in amounts ranging from $255 to $5,000 depending upon the state), check cashing, business loans (up to $20,000), money orders, fax and copy services, wire transfers, prepaid cards, postage stamps, gift cards, phone cards and bus passes. Coin counting is even available at some locations. Money Tree’s online portal and over 140 branches account for anywhere from $70 to $88.1 million in revenue (depending upon the source referenced), and the company founded by Dennis, Dave and Sarah Brassford employs upwards of 1,200 employees (this number also varies by source).

Mission: Exceed Customer Expectations

Sounds like an admirable goal, doesn’t it? Focusing on customer needs – which, by the way, is of singular importance to Personal Money Market – has earned Money Tree a sterling reputation. They have earned awards from media outlets like NWJobs.com, Seattle Business Magazine and San Diego Business Journal for being a great place to work. For their work in the community at large, Money Tree has also earned awards from the African-American and Hispanic communities.

Money Tree is well-invested in high-profile regulatory organizations in the payday loan industry, such as the Coalition for Financial Choice, the Community Financial Services Association (CFSA) of America and Financial Service Centers of America (FiSCA). They have been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since June of 2000 and bear an excellent A+ rating. Like numerous high-profile payday lenders, Money Tree also adheres to a well-circulated list of “Best Practices” (See www.moneytreeinc.com/documents/CFSA%20Notice_Oct08.pdf) as created by the CFSA.

Why Get a Payday Loan from Money Tree?

Many would tell you that their combination of great rates ($15 per $100 loaned) and über-convenience (Money Tree’s roots run deep on the West Coast) can’t be beat. Loans can be originated in-store or online, and loan payments (if a loan is paid early) can also be made either way. However, the standard post-dated check method is used in storefronts. Online payments via Visa, MasterCard or E-check are possible; all the consumer needs to do is specify if the payment shall apply to a current loan, defaulted loan or payment plan (such as with an installment loan).

Customer eligibility requirements to receive a payday loan from Money Tree vary by state, but generally include the following:

• Income/Employment verification
• Contact verification
• Checking account verification

MoneyTreeInc.com Traffic per Compete.com

If you’re wondering how popular the MoneyTreeInc.com Web Site is, Compete.com provides a clear picture. Data from November 2009 indicates that the site received 52,409 unique visitors, which was up nearly 75 percent from the previous month. Total visitors amounted to 89,245, which eclipsed October 2009 by almost 40 percent.

How do payday loan customers get to MoneyTreeInc.com? Nearly 25 come from Google searches and 11 percent come from Yahoo. The most relevant search term is “money tree” at an 18.33 percent search share, followed by “Moneytree” (13.38 percent), moneytreeinc (10.35 percent) and Moneytree.com (4.28 percent). Interesting, Moneytree.com is not affiliated with Money Tree the payday loan company; they are a retirement planning software company.

Remember, “Google Money Tree” Has Nothing to Do with Money Tree

Potential Money Tree customers should know that Money Tree Inc. has nothing to do with the recent scam Google Money Tree, which was exposed by the FTC. Personal Money Market would like to give credit where credit is due to Money Tree, a payday loan company that is truly a giant in the industry. Part of that due credit is clearing away false rumors. Money Tree is indeed a legitimate payday loan and consumer financial services business.

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