It’s officially fall, and that means the holidays are right around the corner. From checking off the mile-long gift lists to traveling, entertaining, and more, holiday spending adds up fast. If you haven’t already saved for these types of expenses, don’t panic. Relax! You can do it without having to dip into your savings or rack up a high-interest credit card bill that you’ll be paying off well into 2024. Instead, consider a fixed-rate personal loan to ease some of the financial stress and give you some peace of mind this holiday season.

Five Benefits of Using a Personal Loan for Holiday Shopping

1. Save Money. A personal loan usually has a lower interest rate than credit cards, which means you’ll save money in interest overall. Plus, the monthly payments for a personal loan could even be lower, depending on the rate and term (time you’ve agreed to pay the loan back).
2. Only Spend What You Borrow. With a personal loan, you’ll receive the full loan amount in one lump sum. This means you know the total amount of money you have available for holiday shopping ahead of time—unlike credit cards where your finances can quickly spin out of control.
3. Set Fixed Payments. When you use a personal loan to help with holiday expenses, you’ll have a set repayment period. In other words, you’ll have a fixed monthly payment with an end date of when your loan will be paid in full. You can even use our loan calculator to see what your monthly payment could be.
4. Improved Credit Score. Another advantage to using a personal loan to cover the holidays is that it can help increase your credit score. With on-time payments made consistently, your credit score can improve.
5. Fast Cash. Once approved, you can have your funds in hours¹—well, that is if you get a personal loan with Arkansas Federal Credit Union. Since all loan decisions are made right here in Arkansas, we’ll get your funds to you fast, so that you can hit those black Friday sales early and rest easy knowing your holiday funds are in place.

Final Thoughts

If you want to avoid draining your savings or getting bogged down with high-interest credit card debt, then be practical and apply for a personal loan today. You’ll be glad you did—especially if it helps you avoid long-term debt, pay less interest, and stick to your holiday budget.

1. Final approval and credit decision timing may vary if additional documents are requested as part of the verification process. The APR is determined based on credit score and history, as well as term. Funds are generally deposited the same business day via direct deposit to your Arkansas Federal account if verification is completed and final approval occurs before 3:00 PM on the days the credit union offices are open.