Posts Tagged ‘Cash Flow’

Versatile Arrangement of Funds Through Short Term Business Loan

Posted in Loans on January 14th 2011
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Most of the times, it has been seen that the business whether small or big has to face certain periods in their business, which affects the inflow and outflow of cash. This inadequate inflow and outflow hampers the working of business. A single wrong step in the business can lead to huge losses. A practical example of adequate inflow and outflow can be of seasonal products. The seasonal products are available in a particular season and the sale of which is realized in these months. Then what about the rest of months? There will be no or negligible sale in the remaining months. This will harshly affect the working of the business.

By keeping in mind all these factors, the financial market has introduced the short term business loans. They are especially designed for meeting the needs of the business. In order words, it is a good way to raise working capital for a business.

Short term business loan is provided for a period from 90 days to 3 years, depending upon the purpose of the loan. As these loans are for the short period, the lender expects that when the borrower is in good financial condition he should repay the amount as soon as possible. The reason behind this is that the lender avoids taking high risk on the amount lent for the short period.

Short term business loans fit both the needs of new business and an existing business. Before lending the amount, the bank or the financing company will review the history of your cash flow of your business.

It is generally seen that the short term business loans are unsecured. In other words, there is no need of collateral in availing the short term loan amount. Only your business history and its profitability are taken into account.

Rate of interest varies from individual to individual, depending upon the financial status of the borrower. The person can choose fixed or variable interest rates for repaying the loan amount. In the fixed rate, the person is required to pay the interest as the rate fixed between him and the lender. While in the variable interest rate, the rate varies as the movement in the money market. One of the advantages of choosing the variable interest rate is that there is no penalty on early repayments. While in the fixed rate of interest the person has to pay the charges and penalties for the early repayments.

UK Employees See Return On Long Working Hours

Posted in Loans on December 17th 2010
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The UK workforce has hit the headlines a number of times in recent years for working behaviour – short lunches and regular overtime being two major issues – but it seems that the rewards for such behaviour is starting to trickle down to the UK employees from the employers.

Government statistics recently released (http:www.statistics.gov.ukccinugget.asp?id=10 ) show that average earnings, excluding bonuses, have risen by 3.8 percent in the year to January 2006. Growth has been achieved for earnings including bonuses too, though at the slightly lower rate of 3.5 percent. Of particular interest is the fact that over the same period to January 2006 consumer prices increased by 1.9 percent which is significantly below the rate of earnings growth.

This means that in real terms the UK employee is richer in 2006 than they were in 2005. Spending on consumer goods, particularly in non-food stores, and, within that group, particularly on clothing, has increased to healthy levels in 2006 as well. We are making more and we are spending more, but what we buy is cheaper, now, in real terms. It’s a good time for the UK consumer.

Following this trend are financial providers such as high-street bank Barclays (http:www.barclays.co.uk ) and others who now offer flexible financial solutions for the UK consumer to utilise their newly-increased-in-value cash flow. Other banks are following suit and third party lenders also seem to be benefiting: for example My payday loan, (http:www.mypaydayloan.co.uk ) offers sort term loans to cover shortfall at end of month – it remains true, after all, that however much we make, there is always an opportunity to spend it!

But aside from personal loans, so credit cards are being held in just as large a quantity as they have been for some time and they are seeing usage increase as the UK employee finds themselves with more disposable income and more flexible methods of freeing up debt and credit. There is an increasing awareness of the options available to the UK consumer, particularly as a result of sites like Moneynet (http:www.moneynet.co.uk ) which provide easy comparisons of financial solutions from various providers, so empowering the consumer through a freedom of information that, until very recently, was the preserve of close followers of the financial institutions and banking policies and offers in the UK.

So the payoff for our extreme working habits seems to be arriving, and it also seems to be the case that we are more financially aware than we have been. Cash flow for the consumer has become as common a concern as it has been for the UK businesses that are more traditionally associated with the term. Let the pay day payoff continue!

Disclaimer

All information contained in this article is for general information purpose only and should not be construed as advice under the financial Services act 1986. You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

Rest of small business funding know-how

Posted in Loans on November 5th 2010
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Whether you’re planning to launch a startup or want to expand your business, you are going to need money. Debt and equity financing are two different financial strategies you can opt for. Incurring debt entails borrowing money for your business, whereas gaining equity means injecting your own or other stakeholders cash into your company.

Debt Financing

Quite a few business owners are reluctant about borrowing from a financial institution, as it means cut in cash profits. But it could be a good option so long as you have sufficient cash flow to pay back the loans, plus interest.

Equity Financing

Small business owners often opt for equity financing because they are not sure about qualifying for a loan, or they dont want to part with cash profits to service the repayment. Investors and partners can provide equity financing.

Advantages of debt financing:

You do not have to part with any ownership or future profits of your business. Your lender has no control in how you run your business.
You can keep your business profits in the company, and enhance the long term value, or use those profits to pay a return to the owners of the company.
You can avail tax deduction on interest paid.

Disadvantages of debt financing:

You have to maintain sufficient cash flow to repay the loans.
You will be using your cash profits to pay back the loans. You may earn profit but there wont be cash to show for it.
The riskier the loan is, the higher the interest rate will be.
You might have to furnish some sort of guarantee as owner of the business.
Lender has rights to seize your collateral, in case of non repayment.
Too much debt might affect your credit rating and your ability to raise money in the future.

Advantages of equity financing:

Equity contributions do not have to be paid back even if your company goes bankrupt.
Your business assets do not have to be pledged as collateral to obtain equity investments.
Businesses with sufficient equity will look better to lenders, investors and the IRS.
Your business will have more cash available because it will not have to make debt payments.

Disadvantages of equity financing:

You will have to part with some of the ownership stake, and your businesss profits will be shared by other equity investors.
You might have to contend with different ideas on how to run the business.
No tax deduction on dividend payments.

Most businesses have a mix of debt and equity financing. Too little equity could prevent you from securing or repaying loans, while carrying little or no debt could indicate that you are too risk-averse, and that your business might not grow as a result.

Business Cash Advance, a Good Alternative:

But is there any alternative to loans so far as the small businesses are concerned? Yes, there are many other companies that are offering business cash advance to small business owners.

Business cash advance is not a loan and the organization offering this cash advance gets their money from the credit card sales that the business does in a specific period, there by reducing the burden of paying back the loan and the terms and conditions to qualify for such cash advance are also relatively simple.

There are quite a few organizations which provide such cash advances. Organizations like MerchantCashDirect usually provides cash advance for working capital needs. They more often than not, target specific industries. To expand the example of above mentioned organization: They seek to provide funds to people into restaurant, retail or service industry processing at least 4000 in credit card receipts per month.

I hope that I helped clear some doubts and given some useful information through my articles. If information is power, you are now empowered to succeed in your endeavor to secure loan, there by realize your dreams.

Knowing The Facts About A Quick Cash Advance

Posted in Loans on July 16th 2010
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If some unexpected expense has come up, and it is still days away from payday, it is possible to take out a type of short-term loan known as a cash advance. A cash advance, or a payday loan, can help you if you are in a bind by using your upcoming paycheck as a guarantee for repayment. A cash advance is a quick way to get the money you need. However, it is important to know exactly what this type of loan is, what the terms are, and what the risks are before you decided to take this financial route.

A cash advance is a short-term, unsecured loan, usually granted for a smaller sum of money (less than 500). Taking out a cash advance is quick for a smaller amount of cash because there isnt the paperwork and approval process involved with which you would have to deal with longer-term bank loans. This can usually be done at a small check-cashing outlet or a pawnshop. And recently, more and more online lenders are getting involved with quick cash advances. The borrower promises to repay the loan from his or her next paycheck. The loan is made when the borrower either gives the lender a check or a debit authorization for the amount borrowed plus the finance charge. The lender consents to hold the check or authorization until the borrowers next payday. When payday comes, the lender may either cash the check, or the borrower may get his or her check back by paying the full loan amount and finance charge. It sounds easy, and with little consequence, but there are some things to be aware of.

If you are thinking about taking out a quick cash advance loan, you probably have very little cash flow to begin with, and few other alternatives. Know what you are getting into. The most important thing to be aware of is the finance charge that is applied to the loan upon borrowing. This fee can be as high as 50. So, if whatever you are taking out the cash advance for has a consequence less than the applicable fee, you might want to reconsider. And if you are not able to repay the loan right away, be aware that the interest you are charged continues to accrue, thus increasing the payoff amount (there is no refund of applied interest if the loan is repaid early). If this is not an issue, and you are able to pay the loan back immediately upon receipt of your paycheck, then perhaps a quick cash advance might be the solution for you.

There are times when a quick cash advance loan is not a smart option. Dont borrow money against your upcoming paycheck for impulse purchases, or just to have some cash in your pocket. This type of loan can get very expensive very quickly, especially if it is not paid back promptly. You will find yourself in more dire financial straits than before. Therefore, only utilize this type of service for serious or emergency financial situations. Unfortunately, some customers who take out quick cash advances often do so repeatedly, and often use it as a method of getting credit extension. This is possible by paying only the finance charge to the lender, and providing a new check or debit authorization repeatedly. Instead of a temporary financial crisis, many borrowers are experiencing continuing financial problems with which they apply a band-aid in the form of a quick cash advance loan. This is not wise.

A quick cash advance loan is only a quick solution to a short-term financial problem. If you have a bill that is due and do not want to risk hurting your credit rating, if you have an emergency medical bill that must be paid, or if you are in danger of bouncing a check, a cash advance may work for you. If you are aware of the finance charges you will have to repay in addition to the loan amount, and you are able to repay the loan immediately, this type of loan can be a useful, one-time solution to a tight financial state.

Improve Your FICO Score with Student Loan Consolidation

Posted in Loans on June 11th 2010
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Consolidating student loans is one of the most effective ways to improve your FICO score dramatically. A FICO score is perhaps the most important factor in shaping your financial future. Just a few additional points on a FICO score can literally save tens of thousands of pounds over a lifetime by locking in low interest rates on houses, cars, and other items purchased with credit.

How FICO scores are determined

A FICO score is derived from a complex algorithm that weighs different aspects of your past and present financial situation in order to predict how good of a credit risk you are likely to be in the future. Each factor is weighted differently depending on importance with 35% of the score based on payment history, 30% based on the amount of debt owed, length of history contributing 10%, new credit 10%, and types of credit 10%.

How student loan consolidation directly improves your FICO score

Because the second heaviest weighted factor (30%) is based on the amount of debt owed, reducing this amount can make a drastic impact on your credit score. Lenders also look at debt to income ratio when determining the amount of credit they will make available. Particularly for those who are just starting their careers, the lower monthly payments that result from consolidating a student loan can make a highly favorable impact on debt to income ratio.

Borrowers who refinance their student loan often save well over 50% on monthly payments. For example, the payment on a 30,000 student loan before refinancing is approximately 350. After consolidating, the average payment is around 166, a savings of more than 2,200 per year.

Indirectly improving your FICO score with student loan refinancing

Young adults who are just leaving school and starting their lives, families, and careers already have the chips stacked against them when it comes to finances. The majority of people rely on credit cards to help leverage cash flow in the years following college. But credit cards, especially for those who can’t pay off the balance immediately, can become a source of angst and take a toll on your FICO score.

By choosing to redirect the money saved from student loan consolidation, borrowers can pay down high interest credit debts. Using the above example, redirecting 2,200 per year toward paying off high interest credit card debt can add up significantly. The total over 5 years can result in 11,000 worth of high interest debt repayment.

How student loan refinancing works

Student loan refinancing works by first locking in a low fixed interest rate as opposed to the variable interest rate customary of most government loans. Once a specific repayment amount is determined, the loan is then spread out over a longer period of time, resulting in a lower monthly payment. There are no penalties for early repayment of a consolidated student loan, so borrowers can leverage the lower monthly payments to improve their FICO score and pay off high interest debts early on.

Benefits of improving your FICO score

The effects of a student loan consolidation on a FICO score should not be overlooked. Consolidating student loans is one of the simplest ways to make a huge improvement to your score. The ability to secure credit at low interest rates will most definitely have an impact on your financial future and the lifestyle you are able to lead. With a better FICO score you can have access to higher limits of credit, get loans faster, and reduce the amount of your hard-earned income being spent on interest payments.