Loan basicsAPR and interest rate: why both numbers matter
Use APR, the contract rate and actual cash received to compare loan offers without mixing different measures.
Read guide ↗BORROWING STARTS WITH UNDERSTANDINGKnow the cost.
Know the cost.
Make the call.
Understand the terms, work through the numbers and build a repayment plan that fits your life.
Explore the guides ↗LOAN EDUCATION & PRACTICAL CALCULATORSA clearer view of borrowing.166 guides · 6 topicsRead. Calculate. Compare.
FIND YOUR STARTING POINT
One decision at a time.
From the first unfamiliar term to the final payment, find the detail you need.
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Loan basics
Understand the numbers and terms behind a loan.
Before you borrow
Turn a borrowing idea into a workable household plan.
Credit & applications
Prepare documents and understand the application process.
Compare offers
Look beyond a monthly payment when weighing terms.
Repayment planning
Follow your balance, payments and changing circumstances.
Safer borrowing
Recognize misleading offers and protect your information.
OPEN THE NOTEBOOK
Browse every guide ↗Useful before you sign.
Loan basics
Before you borrowBuild a borrowing budget around take-home pay
Build a borrowing budget from money that actually reaches your household and the bills it already needs to cover.
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Credit & applicationsCheck your credit reports before applying
Review credit reports systematically before applying, using account details and supporting records rather than a score alone.
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Compare offersCompare two loan offers on one page
Build a comparison that puts usable cash, payment timing, total cost and contract conditions beside each other.
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Repayment planningSet up your first loan payment
Find the first due date, verify the payment destination and confirm that a scheduled transfer actually reaches the new loan account.
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Safer borrowingRecognize an advance-fee loan scam
Examine a suspicious loan-fee request, distinguish a guaranteed-funding promise from disclosed charges, and preserve useful evidence before responding.
Read guide ↗PUT THE NUMBERS TO WORK
A payment is only part of the picture.
Estimate monthly payments, explore extra repayments and compare two fixed-rate loan scenarios.
Open the calculators ↗01Monthly payment
02Extra repayments
03Side-by-side comparison
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