When Sharia Jenkins' car needed repairs to pass inspection, the mother of two young boys found herself in the debt trap of a payday lender -- again.
"You go to the payday lender, but when you find when it's time to pay back, you have to borrow again," said the 25-year-old Oberlin resident. "You find yourself almost trapped with continuing to make payments. In the end, it's not beneficial. It's hurting more than helping."
It wasn't the first time Jenkins used a payday lender -- this time, paying $100 interest that accumulated on a $300 loan -- but she vowed it wouldn't happen again. Last year, her mother told her about Better Choice, a program created by the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association and the state Treasury Department to move working Pennsylvanians from the payday lending trap into legitimate financial services.
