Giving Personal Loans?

[Aaron Akins]

Does anyone have experience providing personal loans to individuals with the intent of both helping out an acquaintance and making a return due to charging interest?

In 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad', Kiyosaki mentions giving short term personal loans to folks as one of the many ways he makes money. This is essentially what I'm trying to do. But don't have any experience in doing so. 

With all conversation pertaining to the potential consequences of lending money to a friend/family left off the table (lets just assume that I've considered all the risks/implications), I'd like to know information about how a contract might look.

Anyone willing to help/make suggestions? 

[Steve Vaughan]

@Aaron Akins when I've done it, it was to fill a need that didn't check traditional lending boxes.  

For instance,  a friend of a friend had tow truck experience, his employer was retiring and he wanted to hang his shingle.  He tried other lenders with no luck and put his truck title as collateral.    

A BIL owned land and wanted to build a house on it.  Banks weren't interested until it was at least to roofed shell stage.  We got got a note and mortgage (we didn't record) and funded it. 

The common denominators for me are a promissory note, collateral and filling a lending void.