This post is sponsored by monkeymoney.com.au.

So, you have bad credit and you want to apply for a loan. Although it is not as easy to get approved for personal loans, mortgages or car loans when you have less than perfect credit, it is not impossible. In fact, by being diligent and exploring alternative lending options, you may find that it is easier than you think to get approved for cash loans with bad credit.

Unfortunately, when you have bad credit, it is even easier to fall into very costly traps that do nothing but waste your time and money. The good news is that with some preparation, you can avoid these type of problems.

The one thing you must remember is that even with bad credit, you must be a smart borrower. This means that while seeking loan approval, you are committed to saving money and also rebuilding your credit. By doing these two things, it will be a lot easier the next time you want to apply for a loan.

Understanding Bad Credit

Do you really have bad credit? The truth is, your credit may not be as damaged as you may have been led to believe. If a lender has told you that your credit score is too low to get approved for a loan, make sure that is really true.

In fact, many times when consumers are told they have bad credit, it is nothing more than a few errors that are appearing on their credit report. After these errors have been corrected or removed, your credit report may look much better to the lender.

‘Bad credit’ is s term that means various things to various lenders. For example, one lender may deny you for a loan, while another lender will look at the same credit report and extend credit to you. Simply put, this means do not take ‘no’ for an answer, and do not be afraid to shop around for loan approval before deciding that your credit score is really the deal breaker.

The key to making the approval process flow smoothly is to begin your journey to financing by comparison shopping the right way. When submitting your applications, you make sure all applications are submitted around the same time. Every application you want to submit should be turned into the lender within a two week frame.

By submitting applications within the same time frame, your credit will not take too many hits. This will show you are a smart consumer, not one who is looking to get a loan every month.

You should only apply to reputable lenders. Even though predatory loan companies may approve you faster, you will only regret it in the end.

Try Credit Unions

Believe it or not, you may have an excellent chance of getting approved for a loan through a credit union. These financial institutions are more willing to work with those who have bad credit, and they typically take your entire financial information into consideration. This means that they do not solely look at your credit score.

When you sit in front of an actual human being, and not only looking at a loan application, you get the opportunity to see the whole person. This is what credit unions do, and you can use this to your advantage.

Other Lending Options

Some other options for getting approved for the financing you need are:

P2P (Peer to Peer) lending
Online lending sites (avoid payday loans)
Collateral loans
Family and friends

It is important to remain aware when you are looking to get a loan with bad credit. Unscrupulous lenders are known to take advantage of consumers when they know they are down on their luck. Once you are approved for a loan from a reputable lender, paying the loan back can be the first step in rebuilding your credit.