Payday loans can be very useful when you find yourself with an unexpected lack of funds. Sometimes, they can be the only way of getting to your next pay cheque without ruining your credit. But what should you look for when you're considering getting one?

Price

All financial services come at a cost. Compared to the fees that will be tacked on if you go through your overdraft limit, payday loans are cheap, but you still need to look for the best value you can get. Find a deal that won't cost you more than you need to pay back, and that will leave you happy when your pay cheque does come through.

Speed

The essence of payday loans is that you get them quickly to cover pressing costs. As such, you need a provider who can get the money into your account immediately, not a day or two from now. If you could wait that long, you'd just wait for your pay. Generally, most providers will be able to get the money through quickly, so the area you want to look at is the speed with which they can actually process your request.

Customer service

If you're short of money, then you are probably in quite a pressured situation. The last thing you need is unhelpful staff or hard selling. Look for a provider who makes things clear to you, who explains all of their terms in detail, and who understands that the situations where you need this kind of help are often difficult ones.

These three things are probably the most important when it comes to this sort of advance. Look for all three when searching for a provider. You might feel that you don't have the time to look, given the pressure of the circumstances, but doing so will vastly improve your experience with payday loans.