Payday loans can be useful, but there are some great alternatives to consider as well. If you find you rely on them often, you need to re-evaluate your family budget. Write down all of your fixed monthly expenses and your fixed income. Then take a look at where the rest of your money is going. Do you spend too much eating out? Do you spend all of your paycheck frivolously and then depend on a payday loan to get through the rest of the month?

If that is what you are doing right now then you need to make changes. Allocate a set amount of money for fun and for eating out. Once that money is gone, you are done for the rest of the month. This will teach you to budget for necessities and you won't be running out of money before the next payday.

If you find you have more expenses than income you need to make serious changes. If you can't cut out enough expenses it is time to make more income. You may need to get another job on the weekends or your days off to pay some of your debt. You can also do work for other people such as provide childcare, clean up their home, or even cleaning out their garage.

You can also consider consolidating your debt. This will mean lower monthly payments even though in the long run you will end up paying more in interest. You generally will need good credit in order to take advantage of this option though.

Borrowing money from friends or family members can be a great way to avoid payday loans. It can be embarrassing though to ask them. It can also put a strain on the relationship if the terms of the loan aren't clear. It is a good idea to write them a post dated check at the time of the loan too. This way they can be sure you will be repaying it as discussed.

Selling items you don't need is a good option as well. You can easily post items on the various online auction sites. You can also have a yard sale to get rid of items you no longer use. If you need the money right away, visiting your local pawn shop may be a good alternative as well.

A payday loan doesn't have to be the first resource you turn to when you need money. By evaluating what your financial needs are and looking at some of these other areas you just might find you can do without them.