Relying on a credit card cash advance is never a cheap option, though it's likely better than a payday loan. Most issuers charge a fee of 3% to 5% of the amount advanced, with a minimum of $5 to $10.

When Jessica Vega landed her first job out of college as a case manager for a nonprofit organization, money was tight. But she was excited to move out of her mother’s house and into an apartment of ...