When attempting to get a personal loan, keep in mind that the prospective lender will want to know exactly how you intend to repay the loan. The lender will consider the cash flow from the personal, the timing of the repayment, and the probability of successful repayment of the loan. Payment history on existing credit relationships - personal and commercial - is considered an indicator of future payment performance. Prospective lenders also will want to know about your contingent sources of repayment.