Whether you have car trouble, a late bill that needs paying, or need to buy groceries a week before payday, there are always times when you need money ASAP. There are some things that just can’t or shouldn’t wait. Maybe your employer couldn’t make payroll or a check you were expecting got lost in the mail. When you’re faced with the tough decision to pay the mortgage late or buy groceries, there are always options.

You could:

• Borrow money from family
• Try to sell your belongings
• Go to a payday loan store
• Take your valuables to a pawn shop
• Ask a friend for some cash

None of those options are ideal. In all reality being out of cash is embarrassing, and society tends to place a stigma on anybody who needs money right away no matter how honest and hard-working the person is.

New technology now allows for a better way to borrow:

Instant Online Loans

With just a short online form you can get cash directly deposited into your checking account in as little as two hours. You don’t even need to go to a fax machine to fax back and forth loan paperwork. All you need is a computer, internet connection and regular income. Most people who receive instant online loans are employed and just need extra cash fast, but many borrowers are self employed or on a fixed income.

The best part about instant online loans is that they are 100 percent confidential. You won’t have to worry about your friends and family seeing you at the pawn shop or payday loan store. You don’t even have to leave your home! It’s free to apply and only takes a few minutes to get started on an instant online loan application, so definitely consider trying it. When you need the money and you want privacy, instant online loans are the solution.

Start Your Instant Online Loans Application Here!

Hubert Keller won the most recent challenge on "Top Chef Masters." Will he be deemed the master?

A “Top Chef” premiere and finale in the same night?! It sounds too good to be true to fans of Bravo’s biggest moneymaker, “Top Chef,” but I triple checked the facts, and it’s true! Tonight at 9 p.m. the new season of “Top Chef” begins.
Then, the other moment we’ve all been waiting for: the “Top Chef Masters” finale! I almost can’t stand the excitement.

“Top Chef” Season 6

I don’t think there is a faxless payday loan big enough to pay for a party that would do this event justice. This sixth season of “Top Chef” will be set in Las Vegas. Just to make this whole situation even better, the first episode of “Top Chef: Las Vegas” is extra long, clocking in at an hour and 15 minutes.

The show tonight features 17 chefs, and you can read bios on all of them at BravoTV.com. There are chefs from all over the U.S. plus one chef from France, one from Haiti and one from Puerto Rico.

“Top Chef Masters”

After the super-sized episode of “Top Chef: Las Vegas,” the season finale of “Top Chef Masters” begins at 10:15. The masters are down to just three: Hubert Keller, Rick Bayless and Michael Chiarello. The winner among these seasoned chefs will get $100,000 donated to his chosen charity in his name.

“Top Chef Masters” played with the format of “Top Chef” while still placing the focus of the show on food and cooking. The first six episodes of “Top Chef Masters” each featured four chefs. On each episode, one winner was chosen to compete with the other winners. The “Top Chef Masters” were generous all along the way. Each contestants chose charities in the beginning that would receive money if they won, but every charity ended up getting a donation, and during each episode the winner’s charity got $10,000.

Brilliant business

“Top Chef” is Bravo’s most popular, lucrative show, and I think the format tonight is a great move on Bravo’s part that will have millions upon millions of viewers tuning in. If the “Top Chef” season six premiere wasn’t enough to get viewers to plan their evening around it or the “Top Chef Masters” finale wasn’t incentive enough to convince people to tune in, both paired together will sure make people think twice about what they will be doing tonight.
Furthermore, if “Top Chef Masters” fans somehow forgot about the “Top Chef” premiere or don’t know about the extra 15 minutes, they’ll tune in at the usual time, 10 p.m., and voila, they’ll likely get hooked on “Top Chef: Las Vegas.” After all, the final 15 minutes are the most exciting. How can people resist? I don’t think there’s any other programming on cable tonight that will even begin to compete with this premiere/finale “Top Chef” event tonight.

The “Real Housewives of New Jersey” finale was all about the money. Of course, the whole “Real Housewives” franchise is all about the money. After all, the only qualification for being a “real housewife” is to be filthy, stinking rich.

Furthermore, just like any TV show, the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” is also about making money. The way for a TV show to make money is to pull in big ratings. After last night’s “Real Housewives of New Jersey” finale, and thanks to the fact that Bravo re-airs episodes several times, this money-centered, money-making scheme is about to hit paydirt.

‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ finale Cliff’s Notes

So, what’s all the fuss about? The “Real Housewives” are known for their antics, their drama and their ridiculously expensive clothes, so what could these New Jersey housewives possibly have done to attract a disproportionate amount of attention? Did one of them take out a faxless payday loan?

Many Bravo watchers have seen the clip where Teresa brought “new meaning to the idea of throwing a dinner party,” writes Jessica Poff at the “It Happened Last Night” blog. During a discussion about the infamous book, “Cop Without a Badge,” Teresa lifted the dinner table up and slammed it down, reaching a new physical level of tantrum not usually seen on “Real Housewives.”

What was the fuss about?

The rumor mill nearly blew up when “Cop Without a Badge,” a small-time seller that’s no longer in print, surfaced. Inside were photos of a stripper who had been arrested for prostitution — photos that looked strikingly like real housewife Danielle.

Danielle brought out the book at dinner to “clear the air,” telling the other housewives that she had indeed been arrested and had changed her name, but that those were the only truths in the book. After a lot of back-and-forth verbal cat fighting, Teresa started throwing tables around because she said Daniel was, ahem, messing with her. She didn’t think Danielle was telling the truth.

Why Teresa thought loudly repositioning everyone’s dinnerware would solve this, I will never know. But it’s this type of charming scene that just might keep the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” alive.

Is it over?

The “Real Housewives of New Jersey” has not been signed for a second season on Bravo. That, paired with the ending of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” finale, has cause many to speculate or assume that there will not be another season.

The ending of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” finale had text talking about family developments, housewives going separate ways and other events that gave the show an overtone of finality.

It ain’t over until the check is signed

However, after this attention-getting “Real Housewives of New Jersey” finale, perhaps Bravo will reconsider and re-sign these housewives for another season. Could it be that the whole conflict was exaggerated to draw ratings?

No! “Real Housewives of New Jersey” is a reality show! They would never do that! Oh, by the way, although the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” finale was rumored to be the last we’d see of these particular housewives, Fox News reports:

Bravo has scheduled a “supplemental edition” of the series, titled “Last Supper: Second Helping,” to air this Thursday at 9 p.m. It will feature unseen footage of the dinner-party disaster. If the channel thinks we have such an appetite for this kind of TV, a second season seems inevitable.

(photo by flickr)

I am a carnivore. I am an animal who loves to savor the taste of perfectly-cooked flesh on his tongue. I am a shark sniffing for blood in the water when it comes to meat. Feed me, Seymour…

Yet I also recognize the value of fruits, nuts and vegetables in a balanced diet, although you wouldn’t know it if you took a peek inside my freezer. As my meat mind ponders breaking news about a beef recall, I wonder – whatever shall I do? Sure, I’m taking hard money loans and a faxless payday loan or two to feed my fleshy fanaticism, but it’s a small price to pay. If I don’t consume those animals, they will unionize and find a way to slay me in my sleep.

Ground beef recall nationwide

United Press International reports that the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced a nationwide beef recall of 95,898 pounds of possibly tainted ground chuck.

Valley Meats LLC, a Coal Valley, Illinois company has recalled the beef after learning it might be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. According to officials, there are several brands involved, including 3S, Grillmaster, J & B, Klub, Thick ‘N Savory and Ultimate. As a way of further identifying the meat in question, look for the following establishment number: “EST. 5712.” This number would appear inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s mark of inspection, report experts.

E. coli symptoms and where to call

The bacterial contamination which has prompted this beef recall was discovered during an epidemiological investigation by the Ohio Department of Health. FSIS officials claim E. coli-related illnesses have already been reported in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois. E. coli bacteria is potentially deadly. Symptoms of infection can include bloody diarrhea, dehydration and kidney failure (and that only in extreme circumstances). It sounds horrible.

If you have further questions about the beef recall and whether your products are safe, consumers are being advised to call (309) 799-7341 for further information.

If this beef recall can happen, why do people still eat meat?

Well, for one thing, it’s delicious. I understand that some people can’t palate the taste; I’m speaking from my own experience. But there are indeed some health benefits, according to sources like Webb Family Farms. They are not necessarily exclusive to meat eating (like the high protein content), but they’re benefits nevertheless.  First of all, try to eat all-natural, high-fiber, grass-fed beef. Not grain-fed, as that is not the natural diet of cattle. It makes their digestive tracts more acidic, which makes it more of a breeding ground for E. coli.

Green grass that is high in Omega-3 fats and Vitamin E is great for cattle. A high grain diet robs them of their Omega-3 storage ability and their main source of Vitamin E. Omega-3 is a good “fatty acid” that is essential for normal growth and development. Webb Family Farms notes that it is also important in preventing heart disease, cancer and arthritis. And since our bodies can’t make Omega-3 fats, we must obtain it from our diet. “Give me meat!” I growl.

But that’s not all. Webb Family Farms also points out that meat from grass-fed cattle is one of nature’s best sources of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA).  CLA is believed to be a great defense against cancer, due to its anti-carcinogenic properties. And it so happens that grass-fed cattle tend to have five times as much CLA as those that are grain-fed. If all cattle were grass-fed, the concept of a beef recall would be much less familiar.

However, don’t discount vegetarianism

Image by flickr

I give my cousin a nod here, as she’s been a vegetarian since childhood. Beef recall announcements don’t impact her life. Vegetarianism can be a very healthy lifestyle choice, so long as you remain vigilant is seeking out the necessary vitamins and nutrients you need. There are many sources online that detail the benefits of becoming vegetarian; here’s one of them.

1. Personal health – A vegetarian diet can easily be lower in fat and less prone to causing cancer (particularly if you ate fattier meats). Just make sure you’re finding the nutrition you need elsewhere.
2. Saving money - Let’s face it, meat is generally more expensive than beans, fresh fruits and veggies, etc. With a vegetarian diet, the most expensive thing you’ll buy would typically be soy products. However, they’re still relatively inexpensive and easy to cook. However, men must pay attention to the risk of infertility problems when it comes to soy.
3. Feeling better - Carnivores, admit it. After a nice, juicy burger or steak dinner, do you ever feel tired? It’s because there are problems with toxins in non-organic meats. The cheap stuff is generally more prone to pesticide, hormone and pollutant exposure, as the cows are treated in more of a mechanized fashion. If you can afford organics, go for it. It’s worth avoiding the toxins.
4. Weight loss – Vegetarian diets are lower in fat almost by default, even if you only consumed lean meats. Moreover, if you consume the higher-fiber foods generally associated with a vegetarian diet, and you do so on a regular basis, you will feel full longer. That’s a natural appetite suppressant.
5. Eco-friendly - There are those who believe that a few days of a vegetarian diet can benefit the environment. I believe that we have a responsibility to take care of our world (at least until we colonize the cosmos, which will be essential to survival of the human race). Producing meat for market does contribute to water pollution and greater use of electricity. It also means more grains and grass for cattle, foods that could go to famine-wracked countries.

But then again, I believe the problem of global starvation has much more to do with governmental bureaucracy and over-commercialization of the environment (hear that, land developers?) Hard money loans and a faxless payday loan for global enterprise is one thing, but we should care about where such microloans are going. I can weather a beef recall, but not the mass corruption and lack of foresight we see in the business world.

Related Video:

The quality of a movie is, of course, an entirely subjective thing. Nevertheless, I wanted to check out the numbers on the worst movies ever.

RottenTomatoes.com collects movie reviews from a vast base of critics that includes professionals, amateurs and anyone who knows how to pick a username and password. Thanks to this collective approach of rating the quality of a movie, I decided to go with their ruling on worst movies ever.

Without further ado, here are the 10 worst movies ever, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

10. “Half Past Dead”

Directed by Don Michael Paul, “Half Past Dead” came out in 2002. This film got a score of 2 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which means only 2 percent of the people who weighed in on “Half Past Dead” gave it a positive review.

Despite the 98 percent consensus that this Steven Seagal movie was “rotten,” the film still managed to make some money. The movie cost $13 million to make, and it pulled in $15.4 million worldwide at the box office.

Unfortunately, a $2 million profit is still going to leave the filmmakers running for a faxless payday loan before they can make another movie.

9. “The Master of Disguise”

Dana Carvey’s previous success on “Wayne’s World” and “Saturday Night Live” wasn’t enough to save “The Master of Disguise.” The film also appears to be a career-ender for Carvey, who hasn’t made a movie since “The Master” was released in 2002.

“The Master of Disguise” makes No. 9 on the worst movies ever list with a 2 percent score. Nonetheless, the film actually pulled in a pretty big chunk of change. The movie cost $16 million to make and pulled in more than $40 million at the box office. Not bad for being one of the worst movies ever.

8. “Twisted”

Who would have thought a movie starring Samuel L. Jackson would end up a No. 8 on the worst movies ever list? “Twisted” also scored 2 percent.

The 2004 release bombed big time at the box office. Crime drama “Twisted” cost $50 million to make and only made $25 million. Ouch. In addition to the audience, the producers of this film probably consider it one of the worst movies ever.

7. “National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers”

You had to know you’d see one of the National Lampoon’s series movies on here. Rotten Tomatoes says “National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers” was “tame, toothless and dull.” I guess the shock factor was easier to achieve when National Lampoon’s movies started coming out in ‘89.

“National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers” was released under the name “Lady Killers” outside the U.S. IMDB doesn’t list the movie’s budget — maybe to avoid embarrassment. The film’s box office earnings barely broke the half-million-dollar mark. Oh, and 0 percent of Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it a good review.

6. “Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2″

Needless to say, the rest of the movies on this list got 0 percent scores at Rotten Tomatoes. “Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2″ proved that “bad jokes still aren’t funny when coming out of a toddler’s mouth,” according to Rotten Tomatoes.

The film managed to attract a few people to the box office, and it pulled in about $9 million. However, I couldn’t find the budget for this film either, so I am willing to bet they lost a truckload. The box office earnings probably barely covered Jon Voight’s salary. Scott Baio probably had to go without a paycheck.

5. “King’s Ransom”

“King’s Ransom” seems to be one of those movies that was so bad it actually piqued people’s curiosity. You know what I’m talking about; you’ve rented a movie just to see if it really qualified as one of the worst movies ever.

“King’s Ransom” made almost four times as much from video rentals as it did at the box office. It fell just shy of making $4 million in movie ticket sales, but curious film watchers spent $15 million on renting it. Luckily, that $15 million covered the cost of making the movie, so that $4 million at the box office was all profit.

4. “Pinocchio”

Wait, wait! Before you write a strongly worded letter demanding how people could dig on a classic Disney film, you should know: We’re talking about the 2002, live-action film.

Don’t remember that? Consider yourself lucky. Rotten Tomatoes says: “Torturous. Avoid it like the plague.”

Well, people did avoid 2002’s “Pinocchio.” It barely broke $1 million on its opening weekend, and only sold $3.7 million at the box office overall. Um, the really bad news? Live-action “Pinocchio” cost $54.4 million.

Maybe the filmmakers could borrow some money from the makers of the cartoon version of “Pinocchio.” In 1940, “Pinocchio” cost $2.6 million to make and pulled in $39 million at the box office. Re-releases made $26 million in 1984 and $19 million in 1992. It has made more than $40 million in rentals.

3.”Crossover”

“Crossover,” directed by Preston A. Whitmore II and starring a bunch of people I’ve never heard of, came out in 2006. Wayne Brady did have a part in the movie, and that might account for the $7 million it made at the box office.

Luckily, the film only cost $5.6 million, which shows that you get what you pay for, I suppose.

2. “Alone in the Dark”

Despite the star power of Christian Slater and Tara Reid, critics gave “Alone in the Dark” a resounding thumbs-down. Moviegoers agreed it was one of the worst movies ever.

The 2005 flick cost $20 million to make and made a bit more than $5 million at the box office. Can I get a “whoops”?

1. “Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever”

What? Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. Here’s what critics on Rotten Tomatoes thought of “Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever”: “Wall-to-wall action without a hint of wit or plot.”

Still, a few people managed to utter the title well enough to get a ticket. The film made about $14 million at the box office. Unfortunately, it had a budget of $70 million, making it a costly nail in the coffin on the list of worst movies ever.

Recently, a package of payday loan legislative proposals was heard by the House Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee. According to blogger House Democrats, these Department of Financial Institutions-regulated short-term loans have spawned a host of potential new bills. House Democrats is nice enough to provide links to early reports on the hearings here and here. Here’s what’s on the docket:

• HB 1310, regulates collections contact
• HB 1425, which simply prohibits cash advance (why bother with the rest, then?)
• HB 1684, limits all outstanding loan balances to less than 30 percent of a borrower’s gross income
• HB 1685, would add a 60-day repayment option
• HB 1709, minimum term 60 days, reduces fees may not exceed 10 percent of principal, and sets up an installment plan
• HB 1805, limits borrowers when a payday lender has loaned them $700 in the previous 30 days
• HB 1806, sets an aggregate loan limit of $700
• HB 1807, prohibits faxless payday loan rollovers within 24 hours of repayment
• HB 1851, requires that borrowers be made aware of payday loan alternatives

Church has invaded state

One of the main complaints some have against payday loans is that the rates exceed state usury laws. First of all, that’s using the oft-discredited and completely inapplicable method pretending that payday loans> are annual loans. They aren’t, no matter how much lipstick you put on that pig of an idea. Furthermore, the whole idea of usury laws is a holdover from a time when religion unabashedly held power over world governments.

The world has become a bit wiser, but the influence is still hard to shake. Finally, opponents claim that when the loans were first made legal, nobody knew that people would use them more than occasionally. Really? Then set up a database and place reasonable limits on how much consumers can borrow. Do not play big brother for them, or you will face eventual revolt and anarchy.

Payday loan supporters favor choice

It would be a gigantic mistake to ban the payday loan. When people have options, according to these folks, they can make better decisions. Considering that these are basically two-week loans, consumers must show discipline in order to repay on time. And guess what? Studies show that most do (as much as 90 percent)!

Related articles

• Cap payday loan costs, board urges (thestar.com)
• Media Advisory: Canadian Payday Loan Association Available for Comment on the Government of Ontario’s Advisory Board Report on Payday Loan Rates (newswire.ca)
• Payday Loan to Meet your Expenses (personalmoneystore.com)

Whether you operate a payday loan store or any other kind of business, Jeffrey Fox has some wisdom for you.

Consultant, author and business owner Fox writes in his essay “An Iron-Clad, Titanium-Clad Rule for Getting Business in a Recession: Improve Your Salespeople” that a recession is no time to down on employee training, particularly in sales. Yet that’s exactly what many businesses do, which is counter-intuitive. If you’re cutting sales, you’re cutting the connection between the company and the customer.

During the 2001 recession, Fortune Magazine put it this way: “focus on the quality of your people. We hope it’s no longer necessary to argue that this is increasingly your company’s only source of competitive advantage.” Yet too many companies fail to grasp this; Fox is stupefied by the practice. Blind cost-cutting is, as he puts it, “just dumb.”

Successful companies continue to look for the best people

Think of a sales force as front line troops. If they are not well-trained, they will not only fail, but create a lasting negative impression that can damage your business for years to come. Nobody needs that during a great recession. Fox compares cutting sales training with cutting surgeon’s training, acting rehearsals or pilot simulation lessons. Without preparation, you brew a recipe for disaster.

Dollarize your contribution

When times are tough, your front line troops need the tools to succeed. In business, Fox feels, employees must be able to dollarize the contributions they make, dollarize (give a specific dollar value) the values of their products and services. For a payday loan store, this could mean marketing the product in very real-world terms, such as “By using a no fax payday loan between paydays to pay an overdue utility bill, John Q. saved $60 in reconnect fees.” Another example might involve numbers, but not dollars. Let’s say that “in months when Jane Q. used a cash advance to cover emergency expenses, she was 30 percent more efficient with her budget than in months were she looked to other sources for emergency cash.

Plan well

The key is planning, and it doesn’t just apply to payday loan stores, but to customers. You plan your budget in order to tackle your expected expenses (rent, utilities, credit card bills, etc.), but there will always be those unexpected expenses that life throws your way. Sometimes, your “emergency fund” may cover it, but sometimes it may not. When it doesn’t, you have quick choices to make.

If you do the math and find that your budget will stretch that extra 15 percent with a payday loan, you weigh the cost and decide if it’s right for you. Since a faxless payday loan is quick, convenient and discreet, that 15 percent might just be what  you need to make the “sale” – pushing your budget forward and reaping the reward during a cash crisis. Sell yourself to the benefits, give your budget the infusion to sell your way through to the next payday. Planning that sale is right way to bring yourself the goods that are peace of mind. Not even considering it is “just dumb.”

Related articles

• Why “mountain stage” is a better marketing-planning metaphor than “hunker down” (RexBlog.com)
• Cars crashing (economist.com)

More independent evidence supporting the presence of payday loans in society has become available.

Nick Sparagis of the PDL Industry Blog brings our attention to a recent independent report by Signe-Mary McKernan and Caroline Ratcliffe of the Urban Institute entitled “Enabling Families to Weather Emergencies and Develop: The Role of Assets.” This unbiased report based upon well-researched and clearly presented statistical data regarding the use of short-term loans by consumers argues that competition in the payday loan market is best to regulate prices.

Payday loans: a better alternative

The alternative on the minds of some legislators is to ban or otherwise regulate faxless payday loan companies out of existence. Yet as McKernan and Ratcliffe find (and they certainly aren’t the first), the alternatives consumers have after payday loans are not an improvement. Checking overdraft protection is a commonly used but ultimately unsatisfactory (expensive) alternative.

Financial support for McKernan and Ratcliffe’s study came from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. According to their Web site, the foundation is “committed to supporting projects that promote a just, equitable and sustainable society, since 1926.” Payday loan business support was not a factor.

Sparagis is realistic about a payday loan

Being a level-headed person, Sparagis knows that a payday loan is not “THE solution, but it can be A solution for some people.” Personal choice and responsibility are what is important. Government making payday loans go away is not a viable solution; responsibility over the use of loans lies within the individual. Allowing the public to choose empowers them.

Related videos

• Are payday loans responsible for the cycle of debt (personalmoneystore.com)

South Carolina’s The State newspaper reports that recently introduced payday loan legislation has made it to the state House for debate. Changes were not recommended beforehand, which is a positive sign for payday loan supporters.

To recap, the bill would limit consumers to no more than one cash advance at a time, up to $600 dollars. Plus, lenders would have to cross-reference customers against a state database to see if they have loans outstanding. Finally, a set portion of loan fees would go toward maintenance of the loan database.

A decision soon?

The bill, which enjoys the support of more than 70 House members, should reach a vote soon. Debates are scheduled to begin the week of February 9.

Critics continue to complain that the bill doesn’t require a cooling off period or limit the number of consecutive payday loans a customer in South Carolina may take. However, faxless payday loan employees are encouraged to work with customers and inform them about responsible use of the loan product.

Shouldn’t people be allowed to choose for themselves whether a payday loan is right for them? A “nanny state” mentality on the part of government is neither desirable nor productive for the population.

Faxless payday loans can be supportive when you have financial difficulties. If you have payments due and don’t have enough to cover them or your car has let you down and requires repairs or you have an unexpected medical bill to pay, then you should be looking for supportive measures to help you.

You might be battling with your conscience for not saving enough to face such situations but that is not going to help your cause. You need an instant solution as quickly as possible. Where can you find help?

A Faxless Payday Loan without difficulty

You have friends but you may be embarrassed to ask them for money or you might have already asked and they might not have been in a position to help. Have you tried every possible solution, but in vain? In this situation, there is actually a very simple solution. You may have either completely overlooked this solution or you simply did not know that it existed. This is the possibility of getting a cash advance from your payday income. If you have thought of it already but simply did not consider it, because you thought it was complex or felt it would require complications like security, documents etc., then you should think again.

The cash advance I want you to consider would not require any of these, not even a credit check. If you have not already heard about a faxless payday loan, that is exactly what I am getting at. Yes, it is true. In most cases, you really do not have to do any faxing to get this loan. This is the loan sought after by many people when they require money immediately. It is almost an instantaneous loan. If you qualify, typically you get it almost as soon as you apply for it.

The nuts and bolts of a faxless payday loan

It is not a big deal. You only have to make an application online; you may also do it over the phone – the choice is yours. The “apply” button on this page is a great place to start. Once approved, usually you get the cash transferred to your bank account the same day. You do not have to worry about taking  this type of loan because they are given only for small amounts, the maximum you may apply for is only $1,500 for a short period. The short period is one of the reasons why you get these loans very easily.

Choose your lender wisely

Of course, you have to be careful choosing the lender. Most good lenders will not charge you for the application, they would not need any credit checks or faxing, they will lay down the terms and conditions before you at the time of signing up the application; they would not bind you to any hidden charges. Typically you should expect the lender to give you the loan as simply, actually simpler, than any bank loan.

Whatever be the situation you are in, if the need for money is urgent, go for your faxless payday loan. Your immediate problems will be solved quickly. You will be amazed at the instantaneous result.

Gareth Marples writes in his blog “The History of…” that payday loans have been controversial since their very inception in the early 1990s. Yet you’ve probably heard the old saying that you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs, right? Undertaking a faxless payday loan during a financial emergency will cost anywhere from $15 to $30 per $100 loaned (shop around), but the result is most often delicious peace of mind. Not having to worry about a vexing financial matter would be a welcome relief to anyone.

Yet the pro and con sides of the payday loan argument rage on with the heat of a commercial oven. In Cash Advance Mojo’s opinion, he would like to see logic to prevail in the face of evidence, but the Center For Responsible Lending doesn’t show you all the sides of the debate.

Too many cooks in the kitchen

Somebody around here must understand the true recipe for getting consumers out of short-term financial distress when emergencies rise like an uncooked loaf of bread. It’s full of promise uncooked, but most edible and nourishing in its ultimate form. The anti- and pro-payday loan cooks should have it out in the kitchen right now.

1. Angry cook: “Payday lending across the nation is rife with abuse. These high-cost loans often lead consumers down the path to bankruptcy!”
2. Sensible cook: Payday loans are designed for short-term emergency use. They are fast, convenient for those with less than perfect credit and discreet. Rates are set as they are to cover the risk factor involved.
3. Angry: Payday lenders charge interest upwards of 391 percent or more annually!
4. Sensible: These are not annual loans and creme brulee isn’t served tartare. See for yourself. If your lender charges $15 per $100, you’re paying a 15 percent fee. Anything else would be a fabrication, like snipe souffle.
5. Angry: Payday loan stores target seniors and the working poor!



6. Sensible: It’s check-cashing outlets that are typically located only in lower-income areas. Their customers don’t need a regular income source or bank account, which they do if they’re going to do business with a payday lender. Moreover, studies have shown that 90 percent of customers repay their loans on time and they are typically an educated lot. They know what they’re signing up for and repay their debts.,
7. Angry: Argh! But payday loan companies make millions off the poor!
8. Sensible: Settle down, Flossie. Bruce Tunell, who is the Deputy Superintendent of the Arizona State Banking Department, says that “It’s unlikely that payday lenders are targeting low-income people, because the usage of the payday loan cuts across the economic spectrum.”
9. Angry: Borrowers roll their loans over many times, digging themselves a deep hole!
10. Sensible: I’ve already told you that 90 percent of borrowers pay their loans off on time. That isn’t rollover. Sorry, let’s be civil. Nicholas Boehler of Advance America in Tucson, Arizona says that “We’ve had thousands of customers use our service since we opened in 2000. Of those, only about 400 or so are active customers. Most people pay their loans and we never see them again.”
11. Angry: Well, um, California wants to give consumers longer periods to repay loans and more disclosure information. Cash advance must be crooked!
12. Sensible: Then why did California authorize them in July of 1996, saying that they were “secure, small emergency loans without the red tape?”

And the egg beat goes on

Who knows if our combative cooks will ever make an omelette together? Clearly, the payday loan issue is prone to heated debate. Marples goes into even more of the debate; you should check it out for yourself and decide whether payday loans are for you. Just remember, when you need emergency cash, it’s always nice to have an omelette in the pan. Because, you know, they’re tasty…

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Faxless payday loan companies serve consumers who the banking system abandoned. For various reasons, offering small loans for credit-challenged people is not what banks wanted to do in the early 1990s when payday loans first began their rise. It is no coincidence that banks left the inner cities; lending risk was greater. However, no fax payday loans are the bridge the middle class needs, particularly when financial times are as difficult as they are today.

36 percent APR payday loans increase unemployment

According to barackobama.com,  President Obama and Vice President Biden will cap payday loans at 36 percent annually. Do the math and you’ll see that this is ridiculous. That means that a two-week cash advance of $300 brings a profit of only $4.14 to the lender. That’s a quick route to going out of business and creating even mass unemployment. Obama also promises to make payday lenders accountable and force them to disclose all terms, but anyone who knows anything about payday loans knows it isn’t hard to throw a rock and hit a lender who already has these concepts well in hand and is serving the public well.

Obama’s “crackdown” could also mean outsourcing

This is exactly what the president doesn’t want, but he could force businesses who have no interest in outsourcing to consider that route. According to Lacheen, First Cash Financial Services has already moved into Mexico. This actually makes sense on another level, too, as the Mexican population is also largely under-banked. Lobbying lawmakers in America helps, but it isn’t always successful. And don’t think for one minute that lobbying is back-room shadiness. It’s a necessary part of America’s political system.

Lacheen calls the threat of anti-payday loan legislation from President Obama’s swift left-handed pen the “Obama Risk.” I call it a bad idea for America.

United States Senate

Your source for a no-hassle faxless payday loan fills you in on the Senate’s version of the economic stimulus plan.

Ranting Republicans have said the House of Representatives’ version of the economic stimulus plan was “embarrassingly” expensive. Still, the Senate has released its version of the plan, and it comes with an even high price tag: $885 billion.

To read up on the House’s $819 billion version of the plan, check out this article from your faxless payday loan source.

Cutting taxes, not cutting back

Ironically, the higher price of the Senate package is mostly due to the very thing the Republicans were clamoring for: more tax cuts. The Senate’s plan puts the Alternative Minimum Tax on hold so it won’t start to hit taxpayers for a year.

As expected, Republicans are asking for less spending. They are also saying that more attention should be focused on stimulating the housing market. Democrats have said they’d be willing to create more incentives for home buyers.

Counterargument

Generally, Republicans say that for the stimulus bill to work the funds need to be released immediately. However, some Democrats are saying that spreading the spending out will be more helpful for the economy.

“While most of the funding will be spent before 2011, many economists believe that the economy still will be weak at that point. Those investments that will continue to spend out after 2010 can be helpful in smoothing the course of the recovery, while providing longer-term benefits to the economy,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said.

Compare and contrast

One of the big differences between the House bill and the Senate’s version is how quickly the money will be spent. The Senate’s package will spend 78 percent of the funds by the end of 2010. The House’s plan spends about 64 percent of the money during that time period.

About 29 percent of the Senate’s plan will go to tax cuts. In the House package, about 22 percent is dedicated to tax cuts. Both plans include proposals dedicated to tax relief and extensions in unemployment benefits. Both also invest a large sum in infrastructure.

The plan is to have a version of the bill ready for president Barack Obama in the next two weeks. Keep up on the progress of the economic stimulus package through your faxless payday loan source.

Claire McCaskill

Get faxless payday loans and financial news right here at Personal Money Store.

Congress is putting its foot down. Yesterday President Obama spoke out against Wall Street executives and their “shameful” behavior. It seems those executives $18 billion in bonuses in 2008. Yes, as the stock market crashed and homeowners lost their houses, Wall Street execs were still raking in extra cash on top of their already generous salaries.

Sen. Claire McCaskill agrees that this action is shameful. And she is trying to put a stop to it. McCaskill, a Democrat from Missouri, introduced legislation today that will limit salaries and bonuses for all employees who work for firms that receive federal bailout money.

Check out your faxless payday loan store’s article on how Obama plans to handle bailout money.

Harsh words for Wall Street

McCaskill’s bill states that no one who gets bailout money can make more than the U.S. president, who makes $400,000 per year.  So if the bill passes, total compensation for executives, including bonuses and stock options, cannot exceed that amount.

McCaskill is very passionate about her quest.

“We have a bunch of idiots on Wall Street that are kicking sand in the face of the American taxpayer. They don’t get it. These people are idiots. You can’t use taxpayer money to pay out $18 billion in bonuses,” McCaskill said.

Obama said it was the “height of irresponsibility” for companies to give bonuses at the same time they were asking the government for help.

Devil’s advocate

Rudy Giuliani

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani thinks the Wall Street executives should be able to have their bonuses. He says that if they don’t get bonuses on top of their six (or seven) figure salaries, “It means less spending in restaurants, less spending in department stores.”

Well excuse me for pointing out the obvious, but Giuliani seems to be forgetting that taxes come from taxpayers. You know, regular people who shop at thrift stores and clip coupons for groceries. If what he wants is to cultivate spending, wouldn’t it make more sense to take money from people who have a ton of it and give it to low- and middle-income families who are struggling to buy food and clothes?

I’ve almost had to get faxless payday loans to pay my heating bill since winter started, and the idea that some big bank executive may have padded his salary with some of my tax dollars really makes my blood boil.

Apparently, Leslie Kyman Cooper of the Arizona Consumers Council believes that payday loan companies do not provide a service that aids consumers. In an editorial in the Tucson Citizen where she responds to a previous column about the value of consumer financial education, Cooper lambastes the Center for Economic and Education Literacy (CEEL). Why? Because they have programs that aid the faxless payday loan industry in addition to consumers.

The horror…

Cooper’s primary claim is that the CEEL is attempting to aid payday lenders through the distribution of misinformation. Plus, she feels that the industry’s campaign in support of Proposition 200 was also filled with falsehoods. Fine – but what evidence does she present to back up her claims?

She offers up two collegiate studies that would seem to support that payday loans lead to financial distress. However, even more collegiate studies that contradict Cooper’s rather unstudied position. Fast payday loans don’t cause bankruptcy; the rates are right; capping rates harm consumers; they have measurable intrinsic value; they provide credit-impaired consumers with a means to meet emergency cash needs and repair credit; and they can be a key element of financial survival. If that isn’t enough, here’s more research and statistical data that supports the value of the payday loan industry.

The preponderance of evidence doesn’t appear to be on your side, Ms. Cooper.

Prop 200 ghosts haunt Arizona

One reasonable thing Ms. Cooper says is that “all kinds of lenders should be required to make clear, conspicuous, transparent and easy-to-understand disclosures about their loan products so consumers can make informed decisions when taking on credit.” Wonderful! That’s exactly what payday lenders do for the public. We’re on the same page.

Ms. Cooper, do the math on what you feel was an informed public decision to vote Prop 200 down. Capping payday loans at 36 percent drives companies out of business and kicks workers to the curb. Since we already know (thanks to the studies I mention above) that the loans themselves are not harming consumers, why punish payday loan industry employees and your state’s economy? It makes no sense, and trying to present it in a logical way is deceptive.

United States Postal Service Truck

Your payday loan source has spotted an ABC News story that brings crocodile tears to his eyes. The current recession may just force the United States Postal Service to stop delivering mail on Saturdays! This comes straight from the Postmaster General John Potter. Then again, it might be Tuesday that goes. It hasn’t been determined yet, but it is known that Tuesdays are traditionally light days for mail.

$2.8 billion in the red in 2008

“If current trends continue, we could experience a net loss of $6 billion or more this fiscal year,” Potter said to a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee. This comes in the wake of nine billion fewer items being mailed in 2008 than had been in 2007. That is officially the largest drop in Postal Service history. Your faxless payday loan source is happy that his industry doesn’t have to face such a 2.8 billion-pound gorilla…

“The ability to suspend delivery on the lightest delivery days, for example, could save dollars in both our delivery and our processing and distribution networks. I do not make this request lightly, but I am forced to consider every option given the severity of our challenge,” Potter concluded.

You can rest easy when it comes to obtaining a payday loan, however. Upon approval, your funds can be automatically deposited in your bank account in as little as two hours’ time. Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays your payday loan source from the swift completion of appointed rounds of financial education and short-term cash relief…

Three days after receiving $25 billion in federal bailout funds, Bank of America Corp. hosted a conference call with conservative activists and business officials to organize opposition to the U.S. labor community’s top legislative priority.

Participants on the October 17 call — including at least one representative from another bailout recipient, AIG — were urged to persuade their clients to send “large contributions” to groups working against the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), as well as to vulnerable Senate Republicans, who could help block passage of the bill.

…Donations of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars to Republican senatorial campaigns were needed, they argued… “If a retailer has not gotten involved in this, if he has not spent money on this election, if he has not sent money, they should be shot. They should be thrown out their (expletive deleted) jobs,” (Home Depot founder Bernie) Marcus declared.

So Bank of America and AIG have it in for the Employee Free Choice Act, eh? Seems to me that executives at these and similar organizations are taking a stance against American families (other than their own). It seems that these misbegotten, self-serving executives are looking to build their own power base – SO THAT THEY CAN REMAIN BEHIND THE WHEEL AND CONTINUE TO RUN AMERICA’S ECONOMY INTO THE GROUND WHILE THEY FROLIC IN THE SALONS OF EUROPE AND BUILD LUXURY HOMES ON MARS! Do they have faxless payday loan service there?

In the meantime, the same banks and elite organizations are dead set on taking away the public’s right to a payday loan. Priorities are so far out of whack here that one would hope that President Obama can bring some sense to the matter. Do you have that kind of faith in our new President?

The North Dakota legislature isn’t afraid to tell the truth about payday loans, particularly when it comes to interest charges. If proposed legislation passes, there will be a number of regulations to the faxless payday loan industry, including a provision worded as follows (parenthesis added by me):

A licensee (payday loan company) may charge a fee for the deferred presentment service (fast payday loan)… This fee may not be deemed interest for any purpose of law.

A recent KXMB CBS 12 Bismark story draws our attention to the aforementioned House Bill 1421, which will reform a few key areas of the industry in North Dakota. President Obama and critics of the industry should take some notes, particularly on the point of interest. Nearly all critics of the payday loan industry claim that payday lenders charge “exorbitant interest rates” in the neighborhood of 391 percent annually. We’ve showed you before that payday loans aren’t annual loans. Charging $15 per $100 loaned is a 15 percent charge. That’s it – no more, no less. An annual percentage rate is meaningless, regardless of whether the Truth in Lending Act requires that rate to be given in stores and loan materials. Get over it; it’s an antiquated law.

Your HB 1421 scorecard

• Limits fees to 15 percent, which would reasonably enable businesses to charge $15 per $100 loaned
• Cuts maximum loans to $250 – This is troubling… many other states allow up to $1,500 – this may not be enough to help some consumers, depending upon the severity of their short-term emergency situation
• Puts a $300 limit on the amount of money someone may have from a single payday lender at one time – Again, this may be too limiting. The previous limit was $600. Perhaps a compromise would be better?
• After paying off loan monies, there will also be a three-day waiting period before another can be taken
• A loan cannot be renewed more than once, and the renewal fee may not exceed the standard 15 percent of the total loan amount. Plus, a renewal must be paid in less than 60 days but more than 15
• Payday loan businesses can only operate additional businesses on their premises that are of the pawnbroking nature unless the commissioner provides written authorization otherwise – This could slow down diversification efforts, which are essential during a slow economy

Final grade?

For the interest clause alone, I’d pass HB 1421 with flying colors. The caps on dollar amount are a bit too low, however. North Dakota should keep their current limits on payday loans. No interest is more than interesting; it could set a national precedent that Mr. Obama can’t ignore.

Related video

• Are Payday Loans Responsible for the Cycle of Debt! (personalmoneystore.com)

Rich Duprey reports for The Motley Fool that non-traditional financial companies that provide short-term consumer credit are a great investment during the current recession. When banks and credit unions stop offering credit, pawnshops and payday loans are the saviors of choice.

Storefronts that cash checks (which most faxless payday loan stores do) are quite desirable. In fact, they are the preferred one-stop financial-service station for “the unbanked and underbanked,” according to Duprey.

The numbers don’t lie; people like these businesses

Recent earnings statements show that companies like EZCORP (EZPW) and First Cash Financial (FCFS) have benefitted from the current financial climate. The former’s pawn-service profits went up 15 percent in the quarter, while merchandise sales rose 10 percent. Both of these were responsible for an overall 18 percent bump above last year’s profits at this time of year. First Cash Financial had similar results: 27 percent up in merchandise sales.

Payday advance loans are also a significant part of  the operations of multifaceted consumer credit stores. Despite Obama’s speculated interest in capping the loans, Duprey believes this will not have a tremendous effect upon operations, as the companies will continue to diversify. Companies like Cash America and Advance America are seeking to do just that as states make the unfortunate leap out the window to ban payday loans.

Payday loan businesses endure