In many cases, payday lenders "advance" someone a certain amount of cash, and charge a fee for doing so. In the event that the borrower cannot pay the amount and the fee when it becomes due, the lender will add another fee in order to "renew" the advance and give the borrower more time to pay. Because these advances are very short term and usually must be paid back within a week or two of borrowing, taking more time to pay can often result in the borrower being trapped in a cycle where he or she is unable to pay an increasingly large amount. For example, someone may borrow $100 from a payday lender. Typically, the lender will charge a fee, such as $25, and require the borrower to pay the $100 loan and the $25 fee back within two weeks of borrowing. If the borrower cannot come up with the $125 within two weeks, he will have the option to "renew" the loan for two more weeks for a fee of $25. This raises the total amount of fees to $50, while the loan balance remains $100. If the borrower cannot repay the loan and continues to renew for one year, he will owe the lender $600 in fees and the loan balance will remain at $100. Because many people borrow from payday lenders to cover unexpected expenses, the cycle of being unable to pay is common. If you do not repay your payday loan, your credit score will be damaged, and you may have to deal with collection efforts by the payday lender, such as incessant phone calls and reports to collection agencies. " If your loan has not become due yet, you may be able to get more time to repay it without being charged extra fees. However, in order to qualify for an EPP, you must meet the following requirements: The lender that you borrowed from must be a member of the "Consumer Financial Services Association of America" (CFSA). You must apply for the EPP program at the place where you received your loan no later than the day before the loan is due. You must sign an "amendment" to your loan that reflects the EPP. Additionally, you can only enroll in an EPP once a year. To find out whether your payday lender is a member of the CFSA, visit this website. Depending on how much you owe the payday lender, you may be able to pay off the loan by making some financial adjustments. If your financial situation allows, make paying the balance on your payday loan your top priority. You may be able to borrow the money to payoff the loan from a friend or family member. If your credit score is over a 600, you may be able to take out another type of loan from your bank, such as a personal loan, to payoff your payday loan. While you will still have to pay back the balance of the personal loan (with interest), a loan from a bank or credit union will have much better terms than a payday loan. If there is no way that you can make payments on your payday loan, you should visit a non-profit credit counseling agency to determine your options. A credit counselor can help you negotiate with your payday lender and other creditors, and can make suggestions based on your individual financial situation. For example, in some situations, the credit counselor may be able to secure you a longer payment plan, or may suggest that you file bankruptcy. To find a reputable credit counseling agency, click here or call (800) 388-2227. In some situations, your payday lender may be willing to negotiate with you. However, keep in mind that payday lenders are notorious for trying to scam borrowers. If you have any doubts or are unsure about the terms of any new deal the lender offers you, speak to a professional at a credit counseling agency. Make sure any new terms you and the lender agree to are in writing. Keep track of all of your communications with the lender, including notes about interactions in person or over the phone. You should also keep any emails or letters that you receive from the lender. If you are having a problem with your payday lender, or believe that your lender is acting illegally, you can file a complaint by clicking here or calling (855) 411-2372. You can submit a complaint for the following reasons: If your lender has charged you fees or interest that you were not aware of. If your lender has taken money from your bank account without permission, or has taken more money than you authorized them to take. If you paid off part or all of your loan, and your lender is saying you still owe money. If you are unable to contact the lender. If your lender is contacting you at your place of employment after you asked them not to contact you at work. If your lender is contacting your friends, family members or coworkers to pay off the loan. In many states, you can file complaints against payday lenders. To find out if your state has a mechanism for filing complaints, click here and click on your state.

Summary: Understand how payday loans work. Qualify for an "EPP" or "extended payment plan. Payoff your loan as soon as possible. Speak with a credit counselor. Negotiate directly with the payday lender. File a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. File a complaint against your payday lender through a state agency.

You will need an old webcam, an electronics tool kit, a hot glue gun, and some type of inconspicuous housing. The housing should be something that you can safely take apart and won't look out of place with a wire attached to it. Some possibilities include a power supply, a coffee maker, or an old alarm clock. You will be hooking this up to a computer, so a private desktop or laptop is also necessary. You can even use a tablet if you have one that is compatible with USB. With cheap nanny cams regularly available, making your own hidden camera is not the most practical method. However, if you happen to have these materials on hand, it has the advantage of being free. Very carefully, use your electronics tool kit to remove your webcam's original housing. Remove all components besides the camera's lens, the circuit board, and its USB cable. Be very careful not to disconnect the lens or the USB cable from the circuit board. Keep all of these components attached. Unless you're using an object that is already hollow, you will need to make room for your camera to fit inside. Take the housing apart using any necessary tools and remove some or all of what's inside. If you're using something like an electric pencil sharpener, objects like this already have two perfect apertures built in. If not, your best option is likely to drill the holes yourself using an appropriate cutting bit. Make sure that the hole for the cable is at a seam where the housing opens. When drilling a new hole, you need to consider a spot where the camera will look inconspicuous. Pick a part of your object that is relatively dark so that the lens will better blend in. Using your hot glue gun, attach your camera and circuit board to the inside of the housing. Glue the circuit board to the bottom or side of the housing, placing the glue between it and the circuit board's solder side. Mount the camera so that the lens is up against one hole. Be very careful not to get any glue on the camera lens. Place the USB cable on its opening before closing the housing back up. Use more hot glue if you need to. Be very careful to make the item look exactly as it did before and obscure any signs that it has been tampered with. Consider covering the cable with a well-positioned book or piece of paper. Connect your new hidden camera to a computer using its USB cable and the computer's USB port. If the cable is too short, attach it to a USB extender. Install the webcam spy software of your choice and check to see if your camera is working. Test your camera by waving your hand in front of it. Can you see your hand on the computer screen? Did the software record that action? If so, try leaving the room for a while and then coming back in. Did your camera record your entrance? If so, then you have successfully made your own hidden camera.
Summary: Gather your materials. Take apart the webcam. Hollow out your housing. Make sure the housing has a hole for both the lens and the USB cable. Attach your webcam to the inside of its housing. Put the housing back together. Connect your camera to your computer.