The other day, I was talking to a good friend about our childhoods. Both of her parents had worked full time, she said, but the family just could not make ends meet. Every month, they borrowed a small amount of money to tide them over until payday. A few months later, some unexpected expense would come up, and her mom and dad would be short on cash again. They did not have much debt and made a good enough living but life happened, and they had to find a way to bridge the gaps.

My friend's mom would borrow from a friend, a neighbor, or a family member. She always paid them back when her next paycheck came. Still, my friend felt her mom had been embarrassed to ask over and over again. Back then, no one had heard about fast and easy payday lending. These days, there are ways to take a small loan without resorting to friends and family. My friend's parents would have welcomed the opportunity - with the security and anonymity that comes from not borrowing money from someone they knew.

My friend is all grown up now, with a family of her own. She manages their finances with an iron grip - and maybe uses a small loans service when she needs to. Just a few clicks online, and she has the money. And no one in her extended family has to know.

Disclosure / Disclaimer: This post was brought to you by our advertisers. Photo credit PaydayLoans. The opinions and experiences are all mine.