Is a Fourth Stimulus Check Coming and What Are Some Fast Cash Alternatives?

NEW YORK, October 20, 2022 (Newswire.com) - iQuanti: The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked financial havoc on many Americans, and several households continue to struggle today. Even though it's been over a year since the third round of federal stimulus checks went out back in March 2021, several people are still wondering: Will there ever be a fourth stimulus check coming? Read on to find out.

Is a fourth stimulus check coming?

The short answer is that no, a fourth stimulus check is not coming. Looking back at the last three stimulus payments, there were several major bills passed at the time:

• CARES Act
• Coronavirus Relief Act
• American Rescue Plan

Those bills are what approved the funding necessary for those stimulus checks, and unfortunately, there are no proposals for such bills at this time.

What are some other fast cash alternatives?

With the federal government not sending you any financial relief, where can someone find money relatively quickly? Here are five potential options:

1. Personal loans

Personal loans are when a lender gives you a specific amount of money, and you agree to pay them back in monthly installments, usually with a fixed rate of interest. They can be secured (meaning you'll put up collateral such as your home or car) or unsecured (meaning no collateral is offered). 

Generally speaking, unsecured loans will have a faster approval process than secured loans. But the amount that can be borrowed may be smaller and a higher interest rate may apply.

2. HELOCs

A HELOC, or home equity line of credit, is when you turn the equity in your home into a line of credit. What's great about these loans is that you don't have to pay the principal back for 5 to 10 years and only have to cover the interest. Once approved, you can also use the credit line as much or as little as you want without any additional restrictions.

3. Title loans

Similar to a home equity loan, a title loan is a specific type of arrangement where a vehicle owner can get fast cash for putting up their vehicle as collateral. Title loans are sometimes desirable for people with lower credit ratings because the lenders will often have less stringent requirements. The amount you can borrow may range from 25 to 50% of your car's appraised value. 

4. Credit card cash advances

In addition to making purchases, nearly every major credit card will allow its holders to withdraw money from it (like an ATM). In reality, when this is done, you're entering into a short-term loan with the credit card issuer. 

Since you already have the card, cash can be withdrawn immediately and there are no credit checks. However, be aware that the interest rate that you'll owe will be high and charges can build up quickly.

5. Cash advances

Cash advances are short-term, small dollar loans that can tide you over until your next payday. With these loans, you'll typically repay the amount you owe in two to four weeks, when you receive your paycheck. Cash advances can be a great option if you just need a few hundred dollars to cover essential or emergency expenses.

The bottom line

If you're in need of financial relief, the federal government is unfortunately not going to come to the rescue with a fourth stimulus check. Instead, consider other alternatives for getting fast cash like personal loans, HELOCs, and title loans.

Source: iQuanti