By John Campbell

If you ever find yourself in need of a cash advance, taking some time to shop around for the best deals may save you some money when the time comes to pay back your advance.

If you need money right now you’ll probably want to look for an advance from a local lender. Check cashing businesses, pawn shops and actual brick-and-mortar payday loan stores are all places you should be shopping around for an advance. In recent years the explosive popularity of advances has given rise to cash advance lenders popping up all over the country. You may already know of several businesses offering advances in your area.

If you don’t have the time to drive around comparing cash advance lenders all you’ve got to do is get out your phone book and start making some calls. Look in the yellow pages under payday loans, cash advance, pawn shops or check cashing. Every cash advance lender you contact should be able to provide you with the following information:

• Items you’ll need to bring with you (paychecks, bank statements, etc.) to get an advance.
• How much money you may qualify for.
• Annual percentage rate (APR) on the loan.
• The charge per every $100 borrowed.
• Length of the loan term (typically 2 - 4 weeks).
• The cost of rollover fees.
• If any of the principal is paid with a rollover.
• How many rollovers you’re allowed.
• How the loan will be repaid (postdated check, direct debit, etc.)

To get a better deal you should plan to visit or call at least three local cash advance lenders before deciding which one you want to go with. The more places you check with, the more options you’ll have. If you need an advance on the quick, you’ll obviously be limited in how many businesses you can shop around with.

If you can wait until the next business day to have money wired into your bank account you can shop around at literally thousands cash advance lenders on the Web. Many of the best cash advance sites online feature FAQ sections that should be able to answer any questions you may have quickly and easily. In addition to information on standard loan rates, terms and rollovers, you’ll want to know what information you’ll need to provide to online lenders to get approved for an advance. You may need to fax in or e-mail copies of pay stubs and bank account information to get approved for an advance online.

With thousands upon thousands of cash advance lenders competing for your business today you have more options than ever before. Taking just a little time out of your schedule to shop around will net you a better deal and help ensure the high fees associated with an advance don’t drain your finances any more than necessary.

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John Campbell is the writer and editor of CashBuzz, A financial portal for the rest of us. Check out cashbuzz.com for the latest articles on money management and tips and tricks that can help improve your finances. This article may be reprinted on your Web site if the copyright, author information and active link are included.