Barclays bank is the 25th largest company in the world. So how come you haven’t heard of it? Probably because it’s based in the United Kingdom, and mostly just does credit cards in the United States. So why do you care? Well, Barclays is known as being a great place to get a loan, due to their quick turnaround and reasonable interest rates. So what do you need to do to get a Barclays loan?
Barclays isn’t handing out loans out of the goodness of their hearts, of course; you need to show the ability to repay the loan. They ask that you have an account with them to which you’ve deposited a certain amount of money each month for at least the past twelve months. (In other words, if you think you might want to borrow money from them in the future, now’s the time to set up that direct deposit!) This isn’t to say that customers with less cozy relationships will be turned away, only that they won’t enjoy the benefits of the BarclayLoan Plus, such as the bank’s lowest interest rate for personal loans.
Of course, if you’re paying a ridiculous interest rate on your credit cards, such as the every-popular 29.99% rate banks love to slap you with if you miss a few payments, even a higher rate like 15-20% from Barclays may seem like quite a bargain! Don’t discount any options before you check the numbers; you might surprise yourself.
Of course, personal loans aren’t your only option; the bank also offers homeowner loans, business loans, etc. Also, in the United States, you might already have a Barclays product without even realizing it, as they bought out Lehman Brothers after that bank failed in 2008. Still, if you’re looking for a low-cost option, their personal loans are probably your best bet.