Various Options for Small Business Loans With Bad Credit

Though the lending for small businesses are reaching the highest point in the curve, still there are challenges that many small business owners with bad credits face. Many banks and financial institutions are still not ready to lend a loan for small business owners with really a bad credit rating. Though many companies have valid reasons for having a poor credit history, those are not still considered by the banks. For example, during recession time, especially in the year 2009-10, many small businesses failed to pay their vendors or faced problems in correcting their cash flow issues. The bad remark on any company may take years to get corrected. In the meanwhile, the company may require some kinds of loans. Luckily, there are many lenders other than banks who are ready to sanction loans even if the small business or the business owner has a bad credit score.

Funding Options for Small Business Loans with Bad Credit

There have been studies conducted which shows that only 25% of bank loans or credit card options have been sanctioned to small business owners. This means there are many other options available for business owners other than these, which is really a comforting fact for many.

Home Equity Loans

To start up a business and build a credit score on it would take months together. In the meanwhile, a small business entrepreneur can apply for a home equity loan if he or she owns a home. But while applying for such a loan, one must think about various risk factors involved in the business, as he or she is pledging the home.

Merchant Cash Advance

This is a very short-term loan which is approved to a business owner in a lump sum against the business’s few future credit-card or debit-card sales. These loans are sanctioned for a short-term, generally for 24 months and the payments can be made in small installments, usually on each business day. These kinds of loans are not like regular bank loans where one needs to pay in lump sum every month and for a longer period of time. Many financial institutions which sanction such loans approve the loan application within 48 hours and the person applying needn’t have excellent credit rates. The only drawback in such loans may be the high rate of interest.

Family and Friends

Seeking loans from family and friends is also a good option. According to statistics, about 50% of families and friends like the idea of small business and entrepreneurship, and come forward to help someone in the business. This is a very good option as no relatives or friends look into credit scores before giving a loan, as they believe in one’s character.

Lending from Suppliers and Vendors

Many businesses thrive on one’s vendors and suppliers. If the supplier is ready to supply products on credit and then report to the credit agency, then it is going to be a good option to improve the credit scoring. But the credit scoring will improve only if payment is done on time.

Business Credit Cards

Business credit cards help a businessman to improve his credit scoring and at the same time get finances to improve his business.

Microloans

Many non-profit organizations and online non-bankers lend microloans to entrepreneurs anywhere between $5000 and $50,000. These loans are specifically designed for women and minority entrepreneurs and also for companies who work for economic empowerment zone. These are really excellent for people with a low credit score, but with a higher rate of interest. But, compared to credit cards and other loans the rate of interest is nominal and affordable.

These are a few loan options for small businesses with bad credits, which may help one to either start a new business or develop an already existing business with confidence.

Getting the Most of Online Education

Today, there is a growing trend of more and more people enrolling in online education. Most have chosen to further their education and their careers by way of online study.

This trend is making this education one of the fastest growing industries in the education sector of business. Earning an online degree is now in vogue and it already had earned its respectability years ago.

For people who are eying of getting one through online education, here are some of the ways to make the most out of this new style in education.

Flexibility

One of the biggest – if not the biggest – reasons of the strong attraction in education through the internet is flexibility. The student can afford to incorporate his classes into his daily schedule without sacrificing work time and family commitments.

These classes are all online and are provided to a forum or a class manager website. These forums (or sites) are where the assignments, messages, and study materials are made available. Student home works are also turned in here.

Working students can work their job schedules around their study times. Students with children to care can choose the time for their class work. Those who travel need not worry because their school work can be accessed anywhere in the world where there is Internet.

Student-centered lessons

In online education, student-centered approach in teaching is more evident than in the traditional style of instructions. Online, the instructor can tailor-fit the lessons according to the student.

For instance, some students are visual learners and some learn by doing. Online, the student gets to decide when and how best to study and digest his lessons. They are left to find what works best for them.

Instructors

In online education, instructors are more accessible than their face-to-face counterparts in on-campus schools. Talking with the instructors is simply done in newsgroup discussions, online chats, or through emails.

Interacting with an instructor does not need an actual appointment during office hours like in normal circumstances.

This convenient setup saves time and encourages warm student-instructor communications and rapport. It can also produce a positive effect in the student’s academic work in general.

Online education also reflects the status of the instructors. They may also be located in other parts of the world since the teaching is done on the Internet.

This is one type of diversity that is advantageous to the student. The main reason is that this allows the student more exposure to the different concepts and perspectives that can happen only if the instructors are from all over the globe.

Education counselors

When the student is committed to an online education program, education counselors are also available to them. These are the people responsible for making your online education experience positive, trauma-free and successful.

They help plan the overall course of study as well as help in choosing the right classes. They are available all the time to answer any question. The student’s urgent questions are answered quickly via emails or instant messaging.

In turn, they can contact you during evenings or weekends, if those are your only available times. They are sensitive to your needs and they are especially easy with first-timers.

By the look of things, online education may just be the wave of the future.

Tips for Financing or Refinancing Your Car Loan

Always get your financing first before shopping for a car

When buying a new car, if you have financing already in place, it’s much easier to negotiate over the price of the car. If you are pre-approved, you know exactly how much you can spend and the monthly payment. Try to get approved for a little more than you think you will spend, just in case.

The 0% financing trick – 0% financing or cash back rebate?

Don’t be fooled by 0% financing, unless your credit is almost perfect, you won’t qualify. If you do, you probably be required to pay the loan off in 2-3 years, not 5 like most loans. Be sure you know the amount of interest you will be paying over the term of the loan with your pre-approved amount in advance, because you might pay less total interest than the dealerships financing and want the cash back rebate.

Have your paperwork and check ready before you go

If you get pre-approved online for say $20,000.00, some companies will mail you a blank check and a letter to show the car dealership. This could take a week or more to receive in the mail. If they don’t offer to send it overnight, it might be worth it for you to pay the $15-20 fee. The finance person at the dealership will call the loan company after you’ve made your purchase and advise the amount of the check. Bonus – you will have to sign less than half of the usual paperwork!

Shop Online for a car loan or auto refinance

Whether it’s for a first finance or refinance, the rates you can get these days by shopping online are great. There seems to be more competition which is very good for you. Make sure you are on a secure page before typing in your social security number.

Consider having an automatic deduction from your checking acct.

I saved ½ a percent interest on my recent auto purchase by letting the loan company set up my auto loan as an automated monthly deduction. They let me pick the exact day I wanted it. On a side note, if you have a few bills paid this way as I do, you might want to pick the same day for all. It’s easier to remember to write it in your checkbook and make sure the funds will be there when the auto debits hit.

Try to spend within your means

I know this seems obvious to some, but you need to plan on the additional expenses. Call your car insurance company before purchasing the vehicle, and ask for a few quotes for your new insurance premium. You may be surprised that the new Honda you were looking at is classified as a sports car. Better to know in advance than after your purchase. Don’t forget, your registration will be more too.

Refinancing your vehicle can help your credit

If you are having trouble paying your bills and have at least 2-3 years left on your car loan, this can be an excellent way to reduce your monthly expenses. You’ll pay more in interest, but it may be worth it to keep your bills paid on time and your credit score up. Be sure to refinance before your payments are too late or you’ll have to pay higher interest. Also, I would refinance before I made payment arrangements with my creditors if that’s also needed, because you don’t want “payment arrangements” showing up on your credit report when your trying to get approved for the refinance.

Bad credit auto financing

These days more and more companies are willing to finance a vehicle even if your credit is bad or you’ve had a bankruptcy. You’ll pay higher interest, but again shop around and online. It will be better to get at least an idea of what you’ll have to pay before going to the dealership. You may get approved for 12-16% online and 16-20% at the dealership. If you have time before purchasing a vehicle and it isn’t an emergency, run your credit report online and have it mailed to you. Verify all the data is correct. You may have time to repair an item and get a better interest rate before you buy. See my article on how to do this.

Reaching Out to Your Market Online – Best Online Advertising to Promote Your Product

Online ads, pay per click, affiliate marketing, advertising in Facebook, banners… there are several old and new methods of advertising online that has emerged in the internet today. There are some who are also advertising their advertising services all throughout the web and promising that they can give good traffic in no time. Internet marketing experts even disagree on what is the best online advertising available now.
 
Online advertising has become attractive to business owners, as most of these advertising methods are cheaper compared to the usual print or billboard advertising. Advertising online also allows you to deal with targeted traffic – or individuals online who are most likely interested in your business, thus it has greater chances of getting reliable results when it comes to advertising.
 
There may be varying opinions about what is the best online advertising available today. Internet marketing experts may have their own reasons for naming one online marketing method to be better than the other. Say if you want an advertising that will work for you long term, you can choose article marketing. If you want fast and quick results, search engine optimization may be on top of the list, or if you want cheaper and quicker results, you can also make use of pay per click advertising and if free advertising falls in your best online advertising category, there are lots to choose from. You can indeed make many choices, considering also your goals and preferences.
 
Below are some suggestions on how to promote your products online. It is important to remember though that these advertising methods, like any other best online advertising methods available, is focused on bringing targeted traffic to your site which is essential in internet marketing. The job of converting this traffic into sales still lies in your strategy to draw potential customers into purchasing your product or service and not just visit your site.
 
1. Search engine optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
2. Pay per click marketing (PPC)
3. Article Marketing
4. Affiliate Marketing
5. Banner Advertising
6. Free advertising on social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace)
7. Forums
8. Link Exchange
9. E-mail advertising
10. Online classified advertising
 
SEO experts would probably argue that advertising on search engines is the best way to advertise online, thus would recommend search engine optimization or search engine marketing. Indeed, advertising in search engines is one good way to make your business visible to the online world, as these are the major tools in the internet. You can also choose to advertise in other websites by using pay per click, banner advertising and some free services like the social networking sites and forums. E-mail marketing and article marketing are also good options in advertising online. To get the most out of the various advertising methods in the internet, you can even do more than one of these methods, which for sure, will bring the best results you are looking for.
 
As previously mentioned, the best online advertising is not just about traffic. You also need to have good landing pages and an attractive website to convert these traffic into sales.