With credit easier to get hold of than it has ever been, personal finance companies should be having a boom time. For some, it’s certainly the case; but for others the promise of unlimited custom has never materialised. It’s down to a host of factors, most fundamentally the rates they charge, but also the way they advertise their services and by extension the markets they target. As with any industry, the less successful companies will disappear or be absorbed by the larger ones, and we will be left with a small number of large bodies who have cornered the market.Where does this leave the consumer? If you’re looking to borrow money, the best advice is to shop around, as the range of prices is larger than you might think. Although this task can be done with the Yellow Pages or a walk into town, it is much simpler, and the results will be much more wide-ranging, if you simply have a look around a few comparison websites. They will have the latest deals of dozens of personal finance companies on their databases, so you’re assured of a better deal. The time it would take to get a similar range of results using traditional methods would be enormous, but using the internet these loan comparisons can be completed in just a few minutes.Some comparison sites look, at first glance, like the websites of personal finance companies, but on closer inspection reveal themselves. Others, conversely, look like independent comparison sites but turn out to have a very small number of providers represented, and could indeed be parts of larger organs or have commission deals with a single lender. If you use your initiative and make a wide-ranging search for numerous sites, you’re more likely to find a good loan than if you don’t. When you find a good lender, put their web address in your Favourites folder, but next time you need a loan, remember to follow the same procedure and have a sniff around before you commit yourself.