Are you looking at loans right now but you’re really unsure whether or not you want to take the plunge? Don’t worry, I fully understand. I’m really into personal finance, but I can’t say that I’m always into credit. If I had my own way about it, I just wouldn’t own anything or do anything. But that’s taking things to extremes. It’s better to make absolutely sure that I have things together so that when the time is right, I can buy the house I really, really, really want. So credit is definitely important. Still, there might be a time in your life where you’re trying to avoid all of the heavy interest and the fees. That’s not a problem.

An alternative to loans that you might not have considered before would have to be borrowing from your employer. In good times, employers really didn’t do advances. However, many employers are realizing that when top talent can’t concentrate because they’re dwelling on their bills, certain measures have to be taken. Look for these to be listed in an Employee Assistance Program guide. This is usually where you’ll find benefits that you don’t normally think about.

It’s hard to ask your employer for something that feels so personal, but you really must ask them. You really must make sure that you have this type of thing set up already. If you don’t, then you’re going to have a rough time. There’s just no other way to say it. When you’re running out of options, you really have to take the options that are right there in front of you.

Of course, if your employer doesn’t allow this, then you will need to pursue other options. Perhaps you can go with social lending if you have to take a loan. This would still be financing, but people tend to be a little more lenient than big profit oriented businesses. You have to think about what you’re going to do at this point to get everything on track. Make sure that you get started as soon as you can — you’ll truly be glad that you did. This is even more the case when time is of the essence — don’t procrastinate!