Bad Credit Loans in Ontario
How to Get the Money You Need
When you have bad credit, loans are difficult to get whether you live in Ontario or anywhere else in Canada. So what should you do if you really need money? Maybe your credit cards are maxed out, your rent or mortgage payment is past due, and you need to pay your household bills. You may be trying to get any kind of online loan you can find, and you may be even contemplating payday loans. But in the back of your mind, you’re honestly wondering how much these are really going to help you.
The truth probably is that you’re just down on your luck and you really don’t know of any better way to handle things right now than to try and get a loan for bad credit. So below we explain some things you can do to try and get a loan in Ontario when you’ve got a bad credit rating. However, if you’d rather find another way to deal with your debts (one that’s typically far more effective), jump down to the last part of this article.
Why Do Bad Credit Personal Loans Have High Fees and Interests Rates?
The first thing you need to be aware of with bad credit personal loans is that they are very expensive. The reason for this is due to the fact that people with poor credit default on their loan payments far more often than those with good credit. So lenders view anyone with poor credit as a big risk. Because of this, they charge high interest rates and upfront fees to compensate for their higher losses and to ensure they get the most out of someone before they default on their payments. This may not be fair, but that’s often the way it’s done.
Can a Personal Loan Repair My Poor Credit Rating?
You should also recognize that getting a bad credit personal loan – whether it’s secured or unsecured – won’t fix your payment history. It took time for your credit rating to fall, and it will take a lot longer for it to go up again. One loan won’t magically fix it; however, time and managing your money better will help your poor credit rating recover. That’s the great thing about the credit rating system in Canada – it recognizes that bad things can happen to good people. So you can fix your credit and avoid personal loans with high fees and bad credit interest rates by managing your money and situation better.
Related: How to Repair Your Credit Score and Improve Bad Credit.
How to Get a Loan with Bad Credit in Ontario
Income Verification, List of Assets, Monthly Expenses, Debts & Credit Report Questions
When you apply to a lender for a bad credit loan in Ontario, be prepared with your financial information. They will want to know your monthly income from all sources, whether or not you own any assets you could give (pledge) as collateral (security) for the loan, and what your expenses are each month. You should also be ready to answer any questions they may have about your poor credit, debts, and payment history.
To show your income: gather together things like pay stubs, child support or alimony records, government assistance or child benefit payment details, bank statements and/or tax returns with assessment notices.
If you have assets: create a list or make a mental note of the items you own and the value of each one. It’s really the big things that matter here, like cars, trucks, RVs, boats, motorcycles, ATVs, trailers, and other vehicles or items that can be easily appraised. Coin or stamp collections, jewellery, antiques and other heirlooms can only be used as collateral for a loan if they have been authenticated and valued with a verifiable appraisal certificate. Musical instruments, tools, electronics and other high priced household goods can be consigned at pawn shops or sold but usually cannot be used to get a loan. However, there are some high interest lenders who will ask you to pledge all your household goods or appliances as token security for a loan.
Work out your monthly expenses and debts: this is often the most difficult part for a lot of people. When you begin jotting them all down, you realize how much you spend and how much you actually owe. Start by writing down your housing expenses and utility bills. Then jot down what you spend on groceries, food, medication and other essential things. Make sure to include transportation costs and work-related expenses as well. If you find it a bit challenging to organize your expenses and remember all the different things you spend money on, this free budgeting calculator spreadsheet might really help. You can also learn a lot more about how to create a budget or spending plan in the budgeting section of our website.
To answer questions about your repayment history: take a look at your own credit report. You can get it for free from both Equifax and TransUnion Canada if you request it by phone. Here we tell you how to get them, help you understand what’s on your report, and explain the difference between the report and your credit score.
important question
Why are you searching for a bad credit personal loan? Depending on what your answer is, there could actually be other options available to you that can resolve your debt problems, re-establish your credit, and set your finances back on the right track.
However, it’s really important that you first ask yourself a question. Why do I need this loan? Click on your answer below to take a look and see if there may be better options for you:
- This is for an emergency. Your vehicle needs to be repaired, you have an unexpected dentist bill, your pet needs to see the vet, you have to travel to see a sick relative, or something else along these lines.
- You are looking to rebuild your credit or increase your credit score.
- You’re wanting just one loan with one monthly payment. You’re hoping to find a more manageable payment by paying off your debt over a longer period of time, or your current interest rates are just too high.
Better Ways to Resolve Debt and Money Problems Instead of Getting Bad Credit Loans in Ontario
Trying to get the money you need by shopping around for bad credit loans in Ontario takes a lot of time and patience. At the end of the day, there’s no guarantee that when you find someone who will lend you the money, that they will offer you a loan with terms and conditions you can afford. It’s likely that you already kind of know this. So if you really want something that’s going to solve your debt and money problems, here is the single best thing you can do: call a local non-profit credit counselling service and book an appointment to discuss your situation with one of their Credit Counsellors. Appointments with non-profit Credit Counsellors are usually free of charge, completely confidential, and can happen either in person or over the phone. These guys are typically experts in everything that relates to bad credit loans, consolidating, and dealing with debt. They help people explore all their options – including debt relief and consolidation options that most are unaware of. Having a conversation like this could quite possibly be the best thing you’ve done in years and can make a world of difference in helping you get your finances back on the right track as soon as possible.
Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
Toronto | Scarborough | North York | Etobicoke
Region of Peel
Mississauga | Brampton | Caledon
York Region
Vaughan | Thornhill | Richmond Hill | Markham | Aurora | Newmarket | King | Whitchurch-Stouffville | East Gwillimbury | Georgina
Durham Region
Pickering | Ajax | Whitby | Oshawa | Uxbridge | Scugog | Brock | Clarington
Halton Region
Oakville | Milton | Burlington | Halton Hills
Ottawa | Hamilton | London | Windsor | Barrie | Kitchener | Waterloo | Guelph | Sudbury | Cambridge | Kingston | Thunder Bay | Kanata | Niagara Region | St. Catharines | Niagara Falls | Peterborough | Brantford | Sarnia | Belleville | Cornwall | Bowmanville | North Bay | Chatham | Chatham-Kent | St. Thomas | Midland | Leamington | Stratford | Orangeville | Timmins | Orillia | Woodstock | Bradford West Gwillimbury | Sault Ste Marie | Bolton | Keswick | Stouffville | Brockville | Bradford | Owen Sound | Valley East | Lindsay | Fergus | Cobourg | Collingwood | Pembroke | Fort Erie | Alliston | Tillsonburg | Simcoe | Strathroy | Amherstburg | Petawawa | Port Hope | Ingersoll | Hawkesbury | New Hamburg | Paris | Uxbridge | Kenora | Elliot Lake | Rockland | Wasaga Beach | Beamsville | Wallaceburg | Arnprior | Carleton Place | Caledonia | Haileybury | Elmira | Acton | Smiths Falls | Bracebridge | Angus-Borden | Renfrew | Fort Frances | Kapuskasing | Port Elgin | Goderich | Hanover | Crystal Beach | Kirkland Lake | Aylmer | Napanee | Huntsville | Grimsby
learn all about credit
online workshop
In this free online workshop you’ll learn everything you want to know about credit reports, ratings, and scores.
how to get
debt help
Are you looking for confidential, non-judgmental help to relieve your stress get your finances back on track?
insights and ideas
on our blog
On our blog we endeavour to explore insightful ways of saving money and using it more wisely.