There has been a lot of discussion lately about the costs associated with cash advance or post dated check loans. Consumer advocates and community activists are quick to point out that the annual percentage rates (APR) associated with these types of loans reach into triple digit rates and that the loan may do more harm than good. A broad consensus of lenders and consumers recognize that the payday loan fees are a cheaper alternative to costly bounced check fees or overdraft protection charges that consumers would face without access to short-term credit.

Pundits and consumer advocates would have everyone believe that the only people who use payday loans are the poor and uneducated. In reality, this couldn't be further from the truth. Study after study has shown that the typical cash advance customer is just like you and I. According to the industry association, the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA), a prototypical payday advance customer comes from a middle-income and well educated family.

The saying goes "Time is Money", which makes sense to me. The more time you spend at work, the more money you make. The more time you spend away from work the more money you don't make. So things that are time consuming, consume potential earnings. So the question I have is: what do you do with time-consuming endeavors that you engage in to borrow money? When you need some quick cash, the quicker you can get the cash, the better.

It is apparent from reading the newspapers and browsing the internet, that payday lending has a lot of critics, and receives quite a bit of negative publicity. The arguments they make against the industry are that the interest is outrageous, that they prey on the poor, uneducated masses, and that they trap people in a cycle of debt that they cannot get out of, except through bankruptcy.

Cash advance stores, or payday loan centers, seem to be found tucked away in strip centers and along busy highways across North America. They are often a great solution for someone who needs access to several hundred dollars for a short period of time. Many people use cash advance loans to help pay rent, cover spiking utility bills, and to meet other short-term emergency expenses.

I read with some interest an article in my credit union's quarterly newsletter about a new loan product that they heralded as a great alternative to payday loans. The article claimed that members of the credit union could avoid the triple-digit APR of payday loans and enjoy the convenience of having the loan issued and paid back to a credit union they trust.

The landscape of the online payday loan world is becoming increasingly more difficult to navigate. When one searches the term "payday loan" or "cash advance loan" millions of results are returned, often leaves the person looking for a short-term payday loan confused and uncertain of the best option that is available for them. What unassuming consumers don't realize is that the vast majority of these websites are nothing more than gimmick pages that pretend to offer loans, but in actuality do not.

The first quarter of 2008 has been extremely demanding on consumers' pocketbooks. Crude oil and gas prices are reaching all time highs. Basic food staples such as rice, wheat, and corn are also increasing to record high prices as well. Unfortunately for consumers their wages have not increased as fast as the costs of basics goods. Some economists believe that the prices of these basics will decrease over time or that wages will increase so these products become more affordable.

Payday loans are becoming more popular, and more in demand, as the global credit crunch continues. But can the average consumer afford to use one of these short-term loans? That is a question that many people are asking right now. And rightly so, because unless they go about finding the best lender, who is interested in helping consumers, a borrower can end up paying more than they should.

If you have never had a payday loan, you might wonder why anyone would get one. After all, every loan accrues interest, so why get one for the short-term? When someone is living paycheck to paycheck it's difficult to come up with quick cash for any unexpected bills. These could possibly include getting your car fixed, medical treatment or a quick visit to your parents that live out of town.

"What is wrong with lenders who think they need to charge more than 36% APR? If they can't make money at 36% APR then they should be out of business," quips the well-intentioned blogger who reads about cash advance lenders who state time and time again that a 36% annual percentage rate loan would force the lender to close its doors.

This claim and others from community members are well-intentioned, but an honest look at the numbers reveals what it costs to provide such credit.