Compare legal limits, fees and the true cost of small loans in your state before you talk to any lender. Compare legal limits, fees and the true cost of small loans in your state.
Credit Unions vs Payday Loans in Monroe, LA
2 credit unions are headquartered in Monroe, with 2,003 members in total. Credit unions are member-owned and often offer small personal loans and payday alternative loans (PALs) at far lower rates than payday lenders.
- Credit unions
- 2
- Members
- 2,003
- Federal
- 1
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Monroe
Monroe has 5 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 2 credit unions headquartered here — about 2.5 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 2,003 members — roughly 2 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
2
2.3 per 100k residents
2,003 members
Payday & loan stores
5
5.7 per 100k residents
4 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Monroe: ACE Cash Express (2), 1st Franklin Financial (1), Advance America (1), Security Finance (1).
What a $350 loan costs over 3 months
| Option | Payment | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan, re-borrowed 6 times (~780% APR) | $68.62 every 2 weeks | $411.72 |
| Credit union PAL, 3 monthly payments (28% APR + $20 fee) | $122.15 a month | $36.46 |
- You keep with a credit union PAL over 3 months
- $375.26 payday costs 11× more
Payday: the LA maximum — $68.62 on a $350 loan for 2 weeks, paid again each time the loan is renewed or taken out again (6 times in 3 months). PAL: payday alternative loan from a federal credit union, capped at 28% APR with an application fee of up to $20.
What it means for a household in Monroe
- Median household income
- $42,291
- Payday fee of $68.62, share of two weeks' income
- 4.2%
- Hours of work to pay the $68.62 fee
- 5.3 hours
- PAL payment of $122.15, share of monthly income
- 3.5%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 3.5 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 34.1%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 31.5%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Monroe are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Louisiana
| Payday loan in LA | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Loan amount | $350 | $200 – $2,000 |
| Fee limit | 16.75% of face value + $10 doc fee ($68.62) | Application fee up to $20 |
| Typical APR | ~780% | Up to 28% |
| Term | Usually 2–4 weeks, due in one payment | 1 to 12 months, in installments |
| Credit check | Usually none; a bank account and income are required | Membership required; payments can be reported to credit bureaus |
Payday rules: Louisiana law as summarized on our Louisiana payday page. PAL rules: National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) rules for federal credit unions (PAL I and PAL II); state-chartered credit unions may offer similar small loans.
Credit unions headquartered in Monroe
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Employees Credit UnionState-chartered | P.O. Box 5006 Monroe, LA 71211 | 1,305 | — |
| Louisiana Machinery Employees Federal Credit UnionFederal | 2414 Ferrand St Ste 4, Louisiana Ma Monroe, LA 71201 | 698 | — |
Payday and installment loan stores in Monroe
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Monroe with addresses, phone numbers and hours. Check a credit union first — a PAL or small personal loan usually costs far less.
| Address | Phone | Hours | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1417 Winnsboro Road Monroe, LA 71202 | (318) 324-8003 | — | 4.9 |
| 3227 Louisville Ave Monroe, LA 71201 | (318) 651-0999 | — | 5.0 |
| 1860 Forsythe Ave Monroe, LA 71201 | (318) 388-2327 | — | 5.0 |
| 2820 Louisville Avenue, Suite 120 Monroe, LA 71201 | (318) 322-3320 | Mon–Thu 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Fri 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sat 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Sun closed |
— |
| 3201 Louisville Ave #8 Monroe, LA 71201 | (318) 388-5865 | — | 4.8 |
More about Monroe
Only credit union headquarters are listed, with the address on file with the NCUA; phone numbers and branch locations are on each credit union’s website. Many credit unions also have branches in Monroe and nearby — check membership requirements, as some are open to anyone who lives or works in the area. Loan stores: storefront locations of major payday, installment and title lenders; call ahead to confirm hours.