Before taking on that financial burden, what exactly do you should probably know?

What are the pros and cons of unsecured loans?

How does an unsecured loan affect your credit score?

Three people walk alongside a credit card.

And how do you qualify?

Lets break down the basics of unsecured loans.

What Is an Unsecured Loan?

Article image

An unsecured loan is simply any key in of loan that doesnt require collateral.

With a mortgage, the house itself is the collateral.

Thats a secured loan.

Article image

If the homeowner defaults, the bank can choose to take the house as collateral.

Enough small talk.Here are some waysto earn extra cash, without all of the social stuff.

Unsecured vs.

There are severaldifferences between secured and unsecured loans.

And as long as youre making your payments on time, your score should begin to trend upward again.

Taking on any loan is a great responsibility.

When it comes to unsecured loans, here are some frequently asked questions.

An unsecured loan may be as small as $500 up to $100,000.

A longer loan term means lower monthly payments but more interest paid over time.

Ideally, youll take on the shortest loan term that makes the monthly payment manageable.

You may also pay an origination fee, which is important to include your calculations.

Interest rates for unsecured loans can vary greatly from around 4% up to 36%.

Finding the right unsecured loan for you depends first on how you plan to spend the money.

If youre financing an education, start with more favorable government student loans, then consider private student loans.

Similarly, a debt consolidation loan is best for debt, not tuition.

Robert Bruce is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder.

No Interest Til Almost 2027?

Balance Transfer = Credit Card Cheat Code