Resources
Free, trustworthy places to keep researching.
We don't take referral fees from any organization listed here. These are starting points for further digging, not endorsements.
Government & Regulatory
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Federal complaint database, lending rules, and plain-language guides on short-term credit.
Federal Trade Commission — Consumer Advice
Guidance on payday loan rights, scam reporting, and how to file a complaint.
Your state Attorney General's office
Confirms whether payday or title lending is capped, restricted, or banned where you live.
State Department of Financial Institutions
Licenses lenders and publishes the specific fee caps and disclosure rules that apply in your state.
Nonprofit & Community
National Credit Union Administration locator
Find a federal credit union near you that may offer a low-cost Payday Alternative Loan.
United Way 211
Connects callers to local emergency assistance for rent, utilities, food, and more — dial 211 or search online.
National Foundation for Credit Counseling
Nonprofit credit counseling and debt management plans, often free or low-cost for an initial session.
Local United Way & faith-based aid funds
Many communities run emergency-need funds specifically to help residents avoid high-cost borrowing.
Not Sure Where To Look First?
Start with the loan-basics guide, then narrow down.
If you're not sure whether you're dealing with a payday loan, a title loan, or something else, the homepage breakdown walks through how to tell them apart and what each one actually costs.
Compare Loan TypesA note on links: organizations and programs change over time. If something here looks outdated or a link no longer works, let us know and we'll update it.