It may be much more difficult for a self-employed borrower to successfully apply for a personal loan if they also have bad credit. Many lenders already consider self-employed borrowers to be riskier than those in full time employment, so several self-employed personal loans require borrowers to have excellent credit.

If you’re a self-employed borrower with a bad credit history, there may still be personal loan options available to you, such as securing your personal loan against a vehicle of equity in a property, though your interest rates may be higher than those of other borrowers. Consider contacting a lender before applying to discuss your options.

Before most providers of personal loans or medium amount loans will approve an application, they’ll want to know you can afford the loan’s repayments on your current income without ending up in financial stress. Several lenders don’t count Centrelink benefits when assessing a borrower’s income for this purpose, so these borrowers may find it more difficult to be approved for a loan.

If you’re unemployed, self-employed, or if more than 50% of your income come from Centrelink, consider contacting a potential lender before applying, to find out whether they accept borrowers on Centrelink.

Personal loans and medium amount loans from responsible lenders don’t have guaranteed approval, as the lender will want to check that you can afford the loan repayments on your current income without ending up in financial hardship.

Having a good credit score can increase the likelihood of your personal loan application being approved. Bad credit borrowers who opt for a medium amount loan with no credit checks may need to prove they can afford the repayments on their current income (Centrelink payments may not count – so you should check with the lender prior to making an application).

If you receive a financial windfall (e.g. tax refund, inheritance, bonus), using some of this money to pay extra onto your personal loan or medium amount loan could bring you benefits, such as reducing the total interest you’re charged on your loan, or clearing your debt ahead of schedule.

Check your loan’s terms and conditions before putting extra onto your loan, as some lenders charge fees for making extra repayments, or early exit fees for clearing your debt ahead of the agreed term.

Fixed personal loans keep your interest rate the same for the full loan term, while interest rates on variable personal loans may be raised or lowered during your loan term.

A fixed rate personal loan keeps your repayments consistent, which can help keep your budgeting consistent, without worrying about ending up out of pocket if your rates were to rise. However, on a fixed loan you’ll also potentially miss out on more affordable repayments if variable rates were to fall.

Most lenders will need to you provide the following information in your application for a fast loan:

• Proof of identity
  
• Proof of residence
  
• Proof of income
  
• Details of any assets you own (e.g. car, home etc.)
  
• Details of any liabilities you owe (other personal loans, credit cards, mortgages etc.)
  
• How much you want to borrow
  
• How long you want to pay it back
  
• Purpose of your loan
  

Generally, bad credit personal loans can be used for one or more of the following purposes:

• Debt consolidation
• Paying bills
• Buying vehicles
• Moving expenses
• Holidays
• Weddings
• Education

Some lenders restrict how their bad credit personal loans can be used as part of their commitment to responsible lending – be sure to check before applying.

Selected lenders will consider personal loan application from a borrower with bad credit if the borrower has a family member with good credit willing to guarantee the loan (a guarantor).

If the borrower fails to pay back their personal loan, it will be their guarantor’s responsibility to cover the costs.

The worse your credit history, the harder you will find it to consolidate your debts, because lenders will be less willing to lend you money and will charge you higher interest rates.

However, people with bad credit histories can make debt consolidation work by following this three-step process. First, find a lender willing to give you a bad credit personal loan – this process will be simplified if you go through a mortgage broker or use a comparison website like RateCity. Second, make sure the interest repayments on your new loan are less than the repayments on the loans being replaced. Third, instead of spending those savings, use them to repay the new loan.