Payday loans condemned as ‘senseless’

People should never seek to use payday loans at all, the founder of a financial advice website has said.

Money Magpie's Jasmine Birtles said many people have "got a lot more sensible" with their cash in the current economic situation, but stated are unwisely using credit cards to pay for the basics, while some are making their situation even worse by using a payday loan.

She added: "Nobody with any sense, who is in any way managing their money properly, would bother with a payday loan," describing such deals as "ridiculously expensive".

And anyone who is using such finance to fund their everyday spending has a "big problem", Ms Birtles argued.

Those piling up debt through the high cost of payday loans or other expensive lending may feel a sense of shame and be unwilling to seek help.

But Annie Shaw, director of CashQuestions.com, recently remarked that people should not feel this way and the "sensible" response is to seek whatever help and advice is available.

By Joe White