What forces people to use payday loans? Sometimes it’s human weakness. A payday loan is convenient, appealing on a short-term basis. They’re called fuss-free, and the fuss may not begin until you have to repay the loan. If you choose the right establishment from which to secure the loan and you understand the details from the start, you may not have any reason to worry.

But the cause for worry does begin when a person needs a payday loan to pay back a payday loan! If you do business with the wrong business, you could end up with a financial nightmare in your hands. Some businesses are supposed to hold the check you write to cover the loan until your next full payday, yet they “cheat” and deposit the check prematurely, then use it as an excuse to charge you with unforeseen fees. That adds to your burden instead of being the relief you set out for.

Americans have become addicted to convenience and to quick fixes. The promise of no credit check can make them irresistible to people who are already struggling with bad credit. They pile on more unnecessary debt by adding even more debt. Their desperate reasons overwhelm their good sense and their willpower, so they cave and rush into that payday loan store before they can change their minds.

Emergencies sometimes push a person into quick decisions. Having to react within a stressed time limit can create a need for a payday loan. If you have unexpected dental expenses and no extra money in your paycheck or insurance coverage, you may be forced to go to the nearest source—which in this case means the payday loan store. If your car breaks down and you don’t have time to wait for the money to cover repairs, you may have to take the quick cash option of a payday loan store. If your emergency money doesn’t cover a situation, you may need a payday loan.

However, payday loans should be a last resort unless you are using them to build your credit and have the money set aside to cover the expense of repaying the loan and the fees. Don’t fall for the ads that promote the loans. Check into the small details that make the most impact. Finally, make sure you understand the difference between wanting and needing.

When a person just wants something and doesn’t have the patience to wait for the right opportunity, they can make themselves believe they just can’t do without it and will fall subject to the snares of the payday loan industry. A want is something the person could manage without. A need, on the other hand, is something you can’t do without, like food or fuel for your vehicle. A need can sometimes be filled in other ways as well, besides a payday loan. It can be humbling to find the other means to fill the need, but it may be better financially in the long run. A little pride is no match for the unforeseen crippling a mismanaged payday loan can create.