This is a good question and not one in which people understand very well when thinking about their financial lives. When you think about your finances and you think about buying different products in your life, you have the need for a loan at times and you will need for a line of credit at times.

Let's discuss when it is wise to use a line of credit versus when it is better to get a loan.

To give the technical definition, a loan is money lent to you for a certain period of time with a fixed interest rate and a fixed monthly payment. You know when you will have the loan paid off at the time that you take out the loan and your paperwork will reflect this fact. Your mortgage is a good example of a loan.

When purchasing a car you obtain a loan. You can discuss with the car dealer or your banker the terms that best fit you and what you want the life of the loan to be. Of course the shorter the life of the loan is the less you will pay back in interest.

Of course, all of your monthly payment is not going toward paying down the principle of the loan. Much of that payment is applied to interest.

At the outset, the majority of the monthly payment you will be applied to interest. As time goes by this changes and you begin to pay more towards the principle each month.

A line of credit works differently in that it is an amount of money available to you to use when and as you see fit. You may set up a line of credit without having a specific purpose for the money at the time. Interest rates for lines of credit are figured based on prime, which is established by the Federal Reserve.

Hopefully this article can help you understand the difference between a loan and a line of credit. It is important to understand the difference between these because each of these financial products has its uses and its place within your financial life.