Getting a personal loan is one of the best ways to satisfy your financial needs and requirements. However, when it comes to actually applying for one, many individuals tend to make mistakes, which can ultimately end up affecting their ability to get personal loans online. That said, here are a few tips that you can follow to ensure that you make smart decisions as a prospective borrower.

1.      Ensure that you possess a good credit score

This is one of the most important tips that you should follow if you ever hope to be a smart borrower. The credit score is one of the many factors that can determine whether you’re eligible to avail personal loans online. And so, it is crucial for you to maintain a high enough credit score (of 750 and above). This will not only allow you to avail personal loans more easily, but can also increase the chances of landing attractive interest rates.

2.     Keep all relevant documents handy

Whether you’re applying for personal loans online or offline, you’re required to submit certain documents with the financial institution along with the application form. These documents include your identity proof, address proof, and proof of income, among others. Having all of these documents on your person at the time of applying for a personal loan can help speed up the process immensely and ensure that you don’t miss out on submitting any document.

3.      Ensure that you don’t make any mistakes while submitting the application

Although this is obvious, many individuals tend to take filling up a personal loan application for granted. This can lead to unnecessary mistakes and missed out fields, which can end up hampering your ability to avail a personal loan. Here’s a tip that you can follow. When filling up a personal loan application, make sure you understand the significance of each field. Also, fill up all the fields in the application even if it is not mandatory. And when you’re finally done, read through the application thoroughly before submitting the same to ensure that you’ve filled it up correctly.

4.     Know what your personal loan EMI obligations are beforehand

Knowing what your personal loan EMI is likely to be can help you plan your finances in a much better manner. However, here’s where many individuals slip. One of the best ways to determine your EMI obligation is to use a personal loan EMI calculator. They’re nifty online tools that can immediately give you an estimate of your monthly loan obligations. All that you would have to do is specify a few parameters such as the loan amount, the tenure, and the interest rate. The calculator will give you the result almost instantly.

5.     Refrain from making personal loan applications in quick succession

Being a smart borrower entails knowing the nitty gritties of personal loan applications. Now, when you make a personal loan application with a financial institution, they look into your credit score by making what experts call a ‘hard inquiry’. Having too many of such hard inquiries can affect your credit score negatively. Therefore, it is a good idea to not apply for more than 2 loans in quick succession.   

Conclusion

Although a personal loan has its fair share of advantages, being a prospective borrower, you would also need to be smart and exercise caution while applying for one. Following these 5 tips outlined above can ensure that you don’t fall prey to any pitfalls. Here’s a word of advice, before you go ahead and apply for personal loans online, always remember to use a personal loan EMI calculator to know what your loan obligations are likely to be. This way, you can make a more informed decision.

Image Source: BigStockPhoto.com (Licensed)