If you credit is poor, there are only bad ways to get a personal loan. If your credit is good, everyone is glad to pour money on you. The result is that the best way to get a personal loan fast depends on your current financial picture.
For the person with good credit, a personal loan can usually be obtained within 24 hours from any bank that you do business with if the loan isn’t too large. Anything under $2,000 should be a snap unless the bank has a minimum loan amount. A few do have a minimum.
A second quick way to get a personal loan is to just use plastic. If you have a credit card, you can either use it to pay for what you want to buy or take a cash advance. There may be fees for a cash advance, but you will probably pay a little for the other kinds of loans too.
With weak or insufficient credit, personal loans may have to come at a price. You may have to go to a pawn shop with your CD collection or your X-Box. They will keep your item and give you money. If you want the item back, they tell you what it will cost to redeem it. You can go to a payday loan place. The rates are like loan sharks, and the terms will turn you hair white. If you have a job, they will almost always give you the money on the spot.
In reality, if you haven’t alienated your family, they are almost always the best source of a personal loan for small amounts. They rarely charge much if any interest. They don’t have late penalties, but they really do know where you live.