Sometimes we all need to get cash in a hurry (or at least think we do) for that must-have purchase, can’t miss investment or incredible weekend out with our friends. If your wallet is empty, your credit cards are at the limit, and your bank account is running dry, there are still plenty of ways to easily access the money you need, but the cost is just never, ever worth it. Easy cash is usually easy for a reason: an unconscionably high price. Here are some of the dumbest ways you can get some quick cash and much smarter alternatives to each:

Payday Loans. In some communities, ads and storefronts offering these loans are seemingly everwhere. They promise you up to $1,500 cash in as little as one hour and with no credit check. The fees on these loans range from $10 to $30 per $100 borrowed, and repayment is usually due within two weeks. Do the math on a $300 loan with a fee of $30 per $100 borrowed: To get a little cash for two weeks, you’ll need to repay $390 which equates to 30% simple interest or a whopping 780% annual percentage rate!

Alternative: With all of these choices, ask yourself if you really need the money right now. If you absolutely must have it, try to borrow from friends or family.

Credit Card Cash Advance. Your credit card may make easy cash just a few minutes away and as close as any ATM machine. Avoid the temptation! Rates on cash advances are usually 10% – 12% higher than they are for regular credit card purchases, and you could incur extra fees as well. Plus, if you are paying down a credit card balance over time, the highest rate charges are considered to be repaid last, which means that this high interest debt could hang around for months or years to come!

Apply for a Person-to-Person Loan: Social lending is a rapidly growing market for personal loans where individuals lend money to each other. You provide a description about what you need the money for and how you will repay it, and individuals chip in as little as $25 each to fund your loan. A host of online lending networks handle all of the administration and help match lenders and borrowers.

Borrow from a Pawn Shop. If you have something of value, like jewelry or electronics, a pawn shop will provide you with a quick loan for as little as $20 to as much as several thousand dollars. If you don’t pay back your loan in a set period (often 90 days) the pawn shop will sell your collateral to fulfill your debt. Sounds simple, but it’s rarely a good deal for the consumer. Interest rates are once again quite high, with an annual percentage rate of up to 240% allowed in many states, and the value offered for your goods is usually just 50% – 70% of what the pawn shop thinks they can sell it for should you not return to claim your item.

Alternative: Try to sell your items for more yourself via a garage sale, eBay or Craig’s List. Video games or musical instruments you no longer want may sell quite quickly, or try to get cash for that gift card you got for Christmas but still haven’t used!

Cash in Your Retirement Accounts. This is along the lines of the old saying ‘Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink!’ You may have good retirement savings but no cash to spend today. Raiding these funds could prove to be quite costly, and not just because you are taking from tomorrow to pay for today. The government provided strong tax incentives to encourage you to save this money and thus makes it tremendously unappealing to borrow from yourself. An early distribution from your IRA is a fully taxable event PLUS you’ll incur a 10% penalty.

Alternative: Take a short term loan from your IRA. Under lesser known rules, you can ‘borrow’ cash from your IRA for up to sixty days, once every twelve months. You are technically doing an IRA rollover, but just rolling the money over to the same account. Be careful though, the IRS shows absolutely no leniency if you miss that sixty day repayment deadline!