Personal Loans With Bad Credit: How to Maximize the Chances of Approval

The advice offered by a lot of traditional lenders is not to seek a personal loan with bad credit, but this is a tad confusing. Why would lenders refuse an applicant solely on bad credit when it has little bearing on the approval process? The truth is that the terms offered by traditional banks are usually bad compared to online lenders anyway.Bad credit is not something that can kill off the chances of securing the proverbial thumbs up. And while there is no such thing as guaranteed loan approval, taking time to put together a good application can vastly improve the chances of getting approval.Whether a person loan is needed to clear existing debts or to pay for some extra expenses that cannot be avoided, it is possible to get the cash injection necessary. There are only a few steps that need to be taken to accomplish this.1. Turn to a CosignerThere are only three ways that a lender will feel confident of getting their money back on a loan: sufficient income for the borrower to pay with; collateral to use as compensation in the event the borrower defaults; and a cosigner. With it comes to seeking personal loans with bad credit, it is the cosigner that is always preferred.A cosigner promises to make loan repayments in the event that the borrower is no longer able to, and lenders prefer this to collateral because it keeping the payments coming in. This effectively removes the fear of missed repayments, which means two things: firstly, a lower interest rate is charged; and secondly, the applicant gets as close to a guaranteed loan approval as is possible.There are conditions, however. A cosigner should have a good credit score, a reliable income and a healthy debt-to-income ratio, before being acceptable for the role in any personal loan application.2. Your Credit ScoreTaking the time to improve your credit score can also be beneficial when applying for a personal loan with bad credit. The reason is that the affordability of a loan is a key factor that decides whether an application is approved or not. A low credit score means a high interest rate, which makes the loan less affordable.By improving the credit score the interest rate charged will be lower, and while it does not mean a guarantee loan approval, it does make approval more likely. Essentially, raising the credit score means clearing at least some of the existing debts, which also lowers the required monthly obligations - another move that helps make the new loan affordable.This can be done through a series of small personal loans, each of which can be used to clear a specific debt. Payday loans are the best option, but be careful as these loans come at very high interest rates and repayments are usually expected within 30 days - so budget properly.3. Find the Right LenderJust as with any loan, getting a personal loan with bad credit depends greatly on applying to the right lender. After all, it is the lender that sets the terms and policies, and who eventually grants approval.Only with small loans that are easily repaid can the hope for guaranteed loan approval have any chance of being satisfied, especially when a no credit check policy applies. This usually means searching the Internet and the numerous comparison websites that exist there.Online lenders are usually the best option anyway, charging much lower interest rates than traditional banks. Still, the basic criteria must be met and always be sure of the reputation of the lending firm before committing to a personal loan deal.