Australia Wide Fixed Rate Personal Loans

Fixed Rate Personal Loans

When it comes to getting personal loans, Australians have a choice when it comes to the type of interest rates they want to pay. The interest rates are generally what lenders charge for the length of the loan, so the longer the time set for a personal loan, the more payments on the interest rate will have to be made.

In most cases, borrowers will have to pay what is known as a fixed interest rate on the personal loans that they receive from lenders. To understand what a fixed rate is and the benefits or potential pitfalls that may apply is important when making the most informed choice about which type of personal loan to receive.

What are Fixed Personal Loans?

There are two types of interest rates that can be applied to a personal loan, variable and fixed. A variable interest means that the interest rate will change according to current market conditions. A fixed rate however will stay with the loan for its entire lifetime no matter what happens in the marketplace.

For example, if you take out a fixed personal loan with an interest rate that is set at 10% for example, then it will not matter how the market changes in terms of the new interest rates that may become the norm. Whether they rise or fall, you will continue to pay the same interest rate for your loan regardless of the current lending rate.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Fixed Rate Home Loans

Of course, there are times in which you will want to have a fixed personal loan as it will be advantageous to your particular needs.

Arguably the best reason to take out such a loan is its predictability. Since the interest rate will never change, you can better budget a fixed personal loan than you can one with a variable interest rate. This works very well for individuals or families on a tight budget who cannot afford to have the interest levels rise by any appreciable amount.

A fixed personal loan also counters the effects of an uncertain market where interest rates may rise or fall with little in the way of warning. During uncertain economic times, a fixed personal loan is one that offers a considerable benefit that you can trust. A volatile market means that interest rates can rise or fall quickly and having a fixed personal loan may be the best answer.

The biggest disadvantage of a fixed personal loan is that if interest rates should drop you will wind up paying more than a variable personal loan. In fact, studies have shown that more people who take out variable personal loans will wind up paying less than those who received a fixed personal loan.

Of course, there is a big difference between being more likely to pay less money and actually having it work out that way. For Australians who live on a tight budget, a fixed personal loan may be the best option thanks to its predictable nature and hedge against uncertain times.