In the world of short-term loans, a cash advance and a payday loan are the same thing; both of these terms refer to a type of loan that is based off your next paycheck. This class of loans allows you to get an advance on your next paycheck without any real form of collateral aside from your job, and has become an increasingly popular form of financing for consumers nationwide.

However, cash advance loans and a credit card cash advances are not the same thing by any means. Just as the name of the second product suggests, the source of the funds comes directly from your credit card - provided you have a credit card that will allow you to take a cash advance out against your existing line of credit. These cash advances often have many stipulations that are buried deep within your cardholder agreement, so it's important to review the agreement to be sure that you understand what you're getting into ahead of time.

Common stipulations include: * Activation of cash advance feature (this can include a wait time for a PIN) * Additional fees assessed to your account when you take out your first cash advance * Additional fees assessed to your account for each billing cycle that your cash advance plus interest are not paid in full * Increased interest rates for both cash advances and purchases

Every bank is different, so before you consider taking out a cash advance using your credit card it would be wise to call your issuing bank and ask them what the consequences would be if you chose to finance your needs using a credit card cash advance. Alternatively, it might be smarter (and safer) to choose a cash advance loan issued by a company apart from your credit card company so as not to suffer any of the negative consequences.

Cash advance loans do not require a credit check, nor do they post any report to the various credit bureaus if you honor your loan agreement. This is the definitive difference between a cash advance loan and a credit card cash advance - with the loan you receive no bureau reporting, with the credit card you do. This is important because any inquiries or updates to you credit report can cause the interest rates on your credit cards, mortgage loans, etc. to skyrocket. Again, this varies from company to company, but in many cases this is written into your contract so it's important to consult your current lenders before you make the decision.

In the end, it's generally safer just to get a cash advance loan from a company that specializes in cash advances. Because there's no bureau reporting or credit check, no one will ever know that you took the loan out unless you tell them. The interest on these loans is also comparable to or even lower than the interest that you would pay on a credit card cash advance, so it's easy to see why this sort of loan is becoming a popular choice for consumers today.

About the author:

Power Cash Advance, cash advance marketplace for the people, has been in business since 2003.