Sometimes referred to as a paycheck advance, payday loans are short-term loans that are designed to provide the borrower with immediate cash in exchange for a promise to repay the loan on your next payday. Typically, these types of loans do not require a credit check and are, therefore, ideal for many who have little or poor credit. What is more important, however, is a steady job with a guaranteed paycheck. As such, payday loans are not usually approved for individuals who are self-employed or who have unpredictable/sporadic work schedules.

If you are approved for a payday loan, you will most likely be given cash in exchange for your postdated check that reflects the amount of the original loan plus interest. Typically, the lender will cash the check on the day of the applicant's next payday unless other arrangements are made. An example would be if the payday lender were to offer the borrower an opportunity to refinance the loan instead of having their check cashed. For an additional fee and interest, many payday lenders will grant this option for their customers.

While some national corporations offer payday loans, the majority of lenders are locally-owned companies. In addition to simply running short on cash, there are many reasons why an individual may need to request payday loans. Among them, unexpected car or home repairs and doctor visits. Quite often, it is difficult to survive from one paycheck to the next and, when life happens, many find that payday loans are their only answer for quick cash. After being granted a payday loan, the money can be used to help pay for groceries, gasoline, electricity or other utilities, insurance or other necessities.

As mentioned previously, the process of requesting payday loans is quite simple. All that is needed is copies of past paychecks or stubs, proof of current employment, wages and the applicant's length of employment. All of this information is important in determining the probability of an individual being able to repay the loan as agreed. Because a credit check is not commonly performed, verification of employment is the best verifiable resource for payday lenders. In addition to the aforementioned documents, most payday lenders require some form of photo identification and a checking account with one check made payable to the payday lender.

If at all possible, individuals who accept payday loans are urged to repay them in full as soon as possible. Otherwise, fees and additional interest will continue to accrue until the balance due has increased significantly beyond the original loan amount.