 TITLE: How to Get a Business Loan CONTENT: When You Might Want to Wait Before Taking Out a Business Loan\n-------------------------------------------------------------\nTaking out a business loan isn't always a good idea. You should avoid taking out a business loan in the following situations:\n*   **When you've maxed out your current lines of credit.** Using all or most of your available credit raises your credit utilization ratio, potentially negatively affecting your credit score. Lower credit scores make it harder to get approved for a business loan, so take steps to pay down your existing debt before taking on more debt.\n*   **When the loan terms don't suit your needs.** If you can't find a loan with the terms you want, you're probably better off hitting the pause button. Spend some time improving your business and personal credit scores, then apply again to see if you can get terms that are more favorable.\n*   **When you're trying to salvage poor financial management.** It's normal for cash flow to rise and fall in business, but if your business has continual cash flow problems, a business loan is not the solution. Without adequate cash flow, you're unlikely to be approved for a business loan. Even if you are approved, you'll probably pay high interest rates and may have trouble repaying the loan, causing an even bigger cash crunch. END