When you need money quickly, you can feel as though your whole life has become unbearable. The threat of debt seems to turn even the most regular activities into constant sources of worry, and every dollar you spend can look like a mistake. There’s no reason to panic, though, even if you’re in rough financial shape. If you own a vehicle, there’s a good chance that you may qualify for a car title loan, which can get you the money you need fast.

Car title loans let you put up your vehicle as collateral in exchange for a loan, the amount of which depends on the vehicle in question. Companies like Embassy Loans will agree with you a given amount, then get the money to you within a mere few days of your application. All you need to do is provide a couple of supporting documents that prove you own the vehicle. After that, getting the money is easy.

When you get a title loan, though, you’ll want to make sure that you’re able to pay it back. If you can’t, then the lender is legally able to take possession of your vehicle. Since title loans are a temporary measure to get out of other financial trouble, and losing your car can make it even harder to do your job or look for a new one, you should avoid making the problem worse. If you know that you’ll be able to pay your title loan back in time, though, it’s a great way to get money when you need it quickly—like when you need to settle another debt that could be more urgent.

Car title loans are a great way to help you deal with tough and immediate financial crises, as long as you have a reliable way to pay them back in time. If you can’t, then you might want to avoid them, since you probably use your vehicle for several important tasks and want to keep it in your possession. In cases where you just need a bit of money for a short period, though, like when you need to get by during a dry spell or pay off another debt so as to improve your credit, title loans can be a very good idea. It all depends on you, and how well you can pay it back afterwards.