What should you do if you need money quickly?

If you are short of cash and need money quickly, there are a number of options that may be available to you. Here are some of them.

If you are able, you could borrow money from a partner or family member. This is often a very quick way to get the financial help you need. It is not always suitable though and many people feel uncomfortable asking family for money.

An overdraught at the bank can be arranged extremely quickly. If you have a well-kept account and a good relationship with your bank, you should be able to arrange an overdraught facility which will help you to get by and cover any shortage. Be careful however, it is easy to get into the habit of always using your overdraught and when this happens, you end up in exactly the same situation as before – short of cash! Overdraughts should not be used in the long term. Instead, they are something that should be used then repaid and left as an emergency option only.

Credit cards could be used for certain items if you need to make purchases but are short of cash. But again, this should only be considered if you know you can repay the amount owed. Running up credit card debt can be extremely expensive if you are not able to repay what you spend. Defaulting on a credit card will have serious effects on your credit score too.

A short term loan or payday loan is another option which will let you access money very quickly. Again, this should be considered carefully. You should remember that they are loans that are taken out for very short periods of time and then repaid in full. Make sure you only borrow what you can afford to repay when your wage arrives in the bank.