Options for Getting a Personal Loan with Bad Credit in Texas

When your credit is less-than-perfect, you know it can be really tough to get money when you need it. Banks won't lend you money if you don't have excellent credit, and you may find it impossible to even qualify for an unsecured credit card. Just because your credit is bad, though, doesn't mean life won't throw emergencies your way. What do you do when you need to fix your car, pay medical bills or cover the rent or mortgage?

These are just some ways to obtain a personal loan in Texas if your credit could use some work, including payday loans and Texas car title loans.

Pawn Loans

There are dozens of pawn loans in San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. Pawn shops will give you a loan based on the value of collateral you bring into the shop, and one advantage is you can pawn just about anything and get a loan in under an hour. The downside? The pawn shop will hold your item until you pay back your loan in full, on time and with interest, which is usually very high. If you can't pay back your loan on time, the pawn shop will sell your belonging to someone else to cover what you owe.

Texas Car Title Loans

Dallas car title loans are also available to you and do not require a credit check. You can qualify for car title loans in Texas as long as you own your own car, truck or motorcycle free and clear, or have just a few payments left on a car loan. The amount of money you receive is based on your car's year, make, model, mileage and condition and this is one of the best options if you need a lot of money in a hurry. Depending on your vehicle's value, you can receive up to $15,000.

Unlike pawn loans and payday loans, Dallas car title loans are secured. This means your car serves as collateral and, if you default, your vehicle will be repossessed and sold. One big advantage is you continue driving your car while you make payments and get your title returned when the loan is paid off, so you never have to give up your vehicle if you keep up with the loan payments.

Texas Payday Loans

Payday loans can seem a lot like car title loans in Texas on the surface, as both are available with no credit check and give you money in under an hour. Payday loans, though, are usually for a much smaller amount of money (often around $500) and they're due in two weeks. That's because payday loans are not secured so lenders must limit their risk. Payday loans may be a good option if you don't need a lot of money or you don't own a car.

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Finally, peer-to-peer lending may be an option to you. This allows you to get a personal loan from an individual, not a bank, but your credit will still matter and determine how much you can receive and what sort of interest you will pay. Expect to get a high interest rate, and remember it may take awhile to find someone willing to lend the money and even to receive it, as these are not same-day loans.