Do you have bad credit problems but need a personal loan? If so, here's some good news - you're not excluded from taking out personal loans even if you have CCJs, mortgage arrears, defaulted loans payments and other bad credit issues to your name. All you have to do is follow this 5-step plan and be absolutely sure that you can meet the repayment demands on any new personal loans that you acquire.

Personal loans bad credit step #1 - your personal budget

The first thing people with a bad credit history must do in their quest to obtain personal loans is to draw up a personal budget plan. This is essentially a record of your income versus your household expenditure on a monthly basis and can be used to figure out how much money you will have left over with which to repay a personal loan.

To draw up a personal budget plan you'll need to factor in all of your household outgoings. This includes the mortgage / rent, all direct debits as well as annual costs such as the insurance and MOT on your car. Don't forget to include the gas & electricity bill, along with council tax, all insurance policies you are contributing to and your normal household bills like food & clothes shopping. If you have IVAs in place to pay off an existing bad debt then this should be included also.

When you've added up your expenditure give it a realistic feel by adding on 10% of the total as a contingency fund. Whatever you have left over can then be used as repayment for personal loans.

Personal loans bad credit step #2 - research the personal loans market

With your personal budget plan in place you can now research the personal loans market. Consider first the specialist loans companies who cater specifically for people with bad credit problems. By doing so you increase your chances of being accepted for a personal loan. It is also worth remembering that every loans application that is denied is noted on your credit file, contributing to your bad credit rating. So, it pays to pick and choose the lender instead of taking a scattergun approach.

Personal loans bad credit step #3 - be realistic

When making your loans application, be realistic in the amount you request to borrow from the lender. Interest rates on personal loans for people with bad credit are often higher than on standard loans terms. You may also only be eligible to borrow a certain amount from some specialist lenders. Check the lenders policies before making your loans application and use a personal loans calculator to be sure that the repayments on a loan are manageable.

Personal loans bad credit step #4 - don't lie

Lying on your loans application form will only make things worse for you when the lender finds out...and they will find out!

Personal loans bad credit step #5 - volunteer supporting evidence

Even if it is not requested do volunteer supporting evidence for your personal loans application. One of the best pieces of evidence to volunteer is your personal budget plan as not only will it give lenders an idea of what you can afford on your repayments, but it shows them that you're serious about finding a solution that suits both you and the lender despite your bad credit rating.

About the author:

Matt Bourne has many years experience in the Personal Debt Loans and Unsecured Personal Loans areas of the loans industry.