The recession and housing crisis is as evident in the upper Midwest as anywhere in the U.S., and that has hit working people almost as hard as the unemployed. But there has emerged a means for at least some people to get cash, to patch them through difficult time periods, such as when the bills exceed available funds. Sound familiar?

It happens to almost everyone at one time or another. The way out is payday loans, a method of borrowing from your own next paycheck a week or two or three in advance of your payday. An emergency expense can destroy all attempts at budgeting and frugality, so this form of a cash advance loan can help right the ship, so to speak. Here is why they work for so many people today:

•Apply online – While it used to take hours to apply for such a loan (because you had to go to a store in a shopping plaza somewhere), you can probably apply for an online loan in less than 20 minutes. There are no documents to scan or fax with newer technologies, and the privacy and security features are light years ahead of where they were just a few years ago.

•Money can be deposited anywhere overnight – The money from payday loans is sent electronically into your checking account. So it does not matter where that account is or where you are – the money goes in, and you can access it by the next business morning.

•Imperfect credit history is OK – This is the online loan that honors the working person. Your credit score is irrelevant. If you have a job, you can get an online payday loan.

The loan needs to be repaid, of course, and there are upfront fees plus interest. But for the person with a short-term need, a short-term payday loan might be the smartest solution.