“How to get money fast” is probably the number one thing most Americans would ask if they had a chance to speak with a magic spirit who could answer all their questions. Unfortunately, though, there’s no such thing—so people have to rely on good advice and common sense. Here’s a bit of both: the next time you need some money for a time sensitive expenditure, don’t bother with pawn shops. Look for more stable, reliable and safe ways to get money quickly, like taking out car title loans. If you have a vehicle, they provide a much healthier alternative. Here’s why:

Pawn shops aren’t always above board. Some of them stay in business by taking advantage of people in tough times, which means that you could be in real trouble when it comes to getting back your things. If you are going to use a pawn shop, make sure you get written agreements for absolutely everything you pawn, and always read the fine print. If you don’t, you could find yourself without your valuables or the money you need.

Car title loans can be risky too, but in a different way. If you choose an established company like Embassy Loans, you don’t have to worry about getting ripped off. You just need to make sure you can pay them back if you don’t want to lose your vehicle. When you take out a car title loan, your vehicle will be appraised, and the loan company will agree on a certain amount. Then you give them the title to your vehicle, and you get the money. This process generally takes less than a week, which is great. You just have to be able to pay it back in time, or the company takes your car and sells it to cover themselves.

Does it sound potentially worrisome? It shouldn’t be unless you don’t have a plan in place to pay the money back in time. If you do, though, it’s a far safer way to get money fast than entrusting your heirlooms or keepsakes to some pawn shop without the track record or legal precedent of a loan company. Car title loans aren’t without their risks, but they allow you to make secure and enforceable deals. Whether you fulfill the conditions of those details, of course, is entirely up to you.