Even for people with good credit, a bank loan may be hard to secure. A bank's top priority is making a smart investment. As for cash advance businesses, the rules are a little different. Paycheck advances can be a great resource if used correctly. Even if you have bad credit you can still qualify for a cash advance. A lender is mostly concerned with your current ability to pay and not your past credit mistakes. There are generally only a few requirements: be over 18 and a US citizen and have a bank account and regular income. You don't have to worry about a drawn out process. This system of lending holds a lot of risk for the company. For the lender there is much risk; for the customer the reward is high. The paycheck loan system is only as rewarding as you make it. One important tip to remember is to pay back the loan on time. This is true for personal cash loans even more so than many other loans or bills. Penalties for late payments are often very harsh. It can quickly and easily turn into a messy situation for you. It's a good financial practice to pay the full amount promptly. If you're allowed repay the loan ahead of schedule, that's a very smart idea. Borrowing as little as needed is one good way to help ensure you can repay it. The loan cap for many companies is $1,500. Consider carefully how much money you can afford to borrow and pay back. With little hassle it's easy to get a short-term loan for an emergency or unforeseen circumstance. On the other hand, the benefit is erased when you fail to pay back the loan on time. You can further damage your credit and create an unnecessary hardship. From start to finish the payday loan process is quite easy. You should still remember to take the process seriously. Be mindful that the system is full of reward as well as risk. With paycheck loans, don't let a good idea turn into a bad one.