Lists of alternative financial services

Consume(er)ium list of alternative financial services lists

What are alternative financial services?

This is the Consume(er)ium list of w:alternative financial services lists.

Often the spectrum ranges from brute loan sharking in operations known as w:payday loans all the way to almost respectable interest taking of non-collateralized loans.

What is APR, why does it matter?

• APR stands for the annual percentage rate.

“In many countries and jurisdictions, lenders (such as banks) are required to disclose the "cost" of borrowing in some standardized way as a form of consumer protection. APR is intended to make it easier to compare lenders and loan options.”

~ Wikipedia on annual percentage rate

• In EU all loaning operations must show the APR for their example loans in their marketing.

• APR can range from hundreds of percent to few tens of percent. Credit card debt is usually in the 10-15% zone.

Peer-to-peer lending

“Peer-to-peer lending, abbreviated P2PL, is the practice of lending money to unrelated individuals, or "peers", without going through a traditional financial intermediary such as a bank or other traditional financial institution. P2PL is not to be confused with peer to peer investing (P2PI). This lending takes place online on peer-to-peer lending companies' websites using various different lending platforms and credit checking tools. Many also use the abbreviation "P2P" when discussing the peer-to-peer lending or investing industries more generally. Peer-to-peer lending is also known as crowdlending.”

~ Wikipedia on peer-to-peer lending

Microfinance and microcredit

“Microfinance is a source of financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses lacking access to banking and related services.”

~ Wikipedia on microfinance

“Microcredit is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to impoverished borrowers who typically lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history.”

~ Wikipedia on microcredit

More reading Impact of microcredit

Europe

Lists of P2P financial services in Europe

• Top 15 European peer-to-peer lending services list by crowdfundbeat.co.uk

Finland

List of Finnish alternative financial services lists

• http://www.kuluttajaluotot.com/
• http://www.lainaa-netista.com/
• http://vippi.biz/vippivertailu/

List of P2P financial services in Finland

• http://www.fellowfinance.fi/
• https://fixura.fi/
• https://www.lainaaja.fi/
• https://www.trustbuddy.fi/ by TrustBuddy AB (NO)

Lists of P2P financial services in Finland

• http://www.tuntitili.fi/vertaislaina

UK

• http://p2pfa.info/ - Peer-to-peer Finance Association of UK

Lists of P2P financial services in UK

• http://www.p2pmoney.co.uk/companies.htm
• Guardian profiled major peer-to-peer lenders in 2014 story