Consumer Loans (Préstamos Personales), Quick Loans (Préstamos Rápidos), Mini Loan (Minicréditos),and Unsecured Personal Loans (Préstamos sin Nómina) are the four different loans that follow the classic loan structure in Spain. You apply for a loan of a certain amount, as well as decide on runtime for paying it back with the added interest and fees. The different terms are mainly used to distinguish between small and big loans.

These loans can be used for a lot of different things. The smaller loans can be used for an unexpected expense that has come through, an emergency that must be taken care of, or invested in an item you've wanted for years. The bigger consumer loans are more suited towards initiating start-ups, loans for property or vehicles, as well as energy optimization or renovations in your home. The possibilities are endless, which is why the consumer loan is the most common loan.

Special loans

Consolidation Loans (Reunificación de Deudas) is a term for combining several smaller loans into one big loan, to avoid paying huge interest for several loans at a time. These are especially useful when consumers have taken several small loans and are now burdened with several payment dates and different interest rates.

Lastly, we have Overdraft by Line of Credit (Línea de Crédito), which allows you to exceed the amount of money on your account by a set amount each month, without paying the normal fees. This is especially useful when conducting a big project, for example, a house renovation, where unexpected expenses can come out of nowhere. The loan is only active if your account experiences an overdraft and the loan will cover the rest of your expenses. Once next month’s paycheck comes in, the loan is automatically paid off with a small interest rate.

Pros

• Loans that suit your situation
• Allows you to realize your projects
• Transparency throughout the entire process
• No loan justification
• Convenient and flexible

Cons

• Lifestyle inflation, where you spend more money because you have more money
• Debt, if you are not careful with your budget
• Reckless spending
• Extra fees if you do not comply with payment dates

If you are not realistic and thorough in your planning of budgets in connection with your loans, you can end up having trouble paying them back over time. Furthermore, if you apply for a loan to spend on devaluating assets such as technology, fashion, and trends, you are not looking at investments, but rather at reckless spending, something to avoid using loans for. Being mindful and intentional about your loans is the most important aspect. But if you keep these risks in mind when applying for a loan, they can be a great source to realize projects.