Below are safe and fast options, ranked by balance of speed and cost, plus what to watch for and a short decision flow.
Best options (fastest + safest first)
- Bank or credit‑union overdraft / emergency advance — fast for account holders, lower cost than payday lenders.
- Employer payroll advance / paycheck apps (DailyPay, Even, Branch, PayActiv) — very fast if your employer participates.
- Debit‑card instant transfer from peer apps (Cash App, Venmo, PayPal) — minutes with a small instant‑transfer fee.
- Credit‑card cash advance — immediate but expensive (withdrawal fee + high APR).
- Small personal loan from a local credit union — next business day often; much cheaper than payday loans.
- Borrow from friends or family — no interest and fastest if available.
- Pawn or sell an item — immediate cash but risks loss of property/value.
- Payday or title loans in LA (storefront) — last resort only: very fast but extremely high cost and risky.
What to prepare (documents/info)
- Government ID (driver’s license/passport)
- Bank routing & account number or debit card
- Recent pay stub (for payroll advances or credit checks)
- Phone and email for app verification
Fees, timing & tradeoffs (short)
- Bank advance / credit union: lower fees, same day or next day.
- Payroll apps: often instant or same day, small flat or percentage fee.
- Instant app transfers: minutes for a small fee.
- Credit‑card cash advance: immediate, fees + high APR from day one.
- Payday/title: immediate but APRs can exceed 100% — avoid if possible.
Questions to ask before you accept
- “How much will this cost in fees + interest total?”
- “When exactly will funds hit my account?”
- “Is there a soft prequalification available (no hard credit pull)?”
- “Are there any penalties or rollover traps?”
- “Is the lender/app licensed or reputable?” (check reviews and state regulators)
Red flags — avoid these
- Requests for upfront “processing” payments to a third party.
- Promises of guaranteed approval regardless of income.
- No written loan disclosure or evasive answers about APR/fees.
- Lenders who demand access to your bank account passwords or PINs.
