 TITLE: How to Get a Loan During a Recession CONTENT: Loan Alternatives for When You Need Money in a Recession\n--------------------------------------------------------\nIf conventional loans aren't a good option for you, you might consider alternative sources of money. Lenders that cater to borrowers with poor credit—such as payday lenders and auto title lenders—charge high interest that makes it difficult to pay off your loans. Try to avoid these types of loans if at all possible.\nHere are three alternatives to a traditional installment loan:\n*   **Get an introductory 0% APR credit card.** If you have good to excellent credit, you may qualify for a credit card that offers an introductory rate of 0% for a limited time.\n*   **Borrow from friends or family.** Asking for money or a loan from friends or family is serious and should never be done lightly. Still, if you have friends or family with ready resources and you're confident that you can repay them, take the time to iron out an interest rate and repayment terms (and put it on paper) in advance to avoid any conflict or misunderstanding.\n*   **Look for nonprofit programs that might help.** Borrowers in need may want to look into lending circles such as Mission Asset Fund, a nonprofit organization that helps people establish peer-to-peer lending groups. Lending circles don't rely on traditional lending criteria and do report to credit agencies. END