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13 articlesCredit cards, BNPL, car loans — how existing debt affects your capacity.
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Is a Personal Loan Right for Me? A Straight Answer
A personal loan is the right tool for a specific, known cost you want to spread over fixed repayments — not for ongoing spending, and not for something you could realistically save for in a few months. Here's how to work out which one you're in.
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Paying Out a Personal Loan Early in Australia: What It Actually Saves You
You're allowed to pay out a personal loan before the end of its term, and in most cases it saves you real money on interest. Whether there's a charge for doing it, and how much you actually save, depends on your specific loan — here's how to work it out.
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Refinancing a Personal Loan in Australia: When It Helps (and When It Doesn't)
Refinancing a personal loan swaps your existing loan for a new one — usually to chase a lower rate or combine debts. It only works if the new numbers actually beat the old ones once you account for the fresh credit check, any exit costs, and a longer term.
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How a Joint Personal Loan Works in Australia
A joint personal loan can strengthen a weaker applicant's odds, but both people end up fully liable for the whole debt — not half each. Here's how it actually works.
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Personal Loan for a Car in Australia: Unsecured Loan vs Secured Car Loan
A personal loan and a secured car loan aren't the same product. Here's how security, rate and flexibility actually differ before you finance a car.
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Personal Loan vs Credit Card in Australia: Which One Actually Fits Your Situation
A personal loan and a credit card solve different problems — one is a fixed amount repaid on a schedule, the other is flexible, revolving credit. Here's how to work out which one actually fits what you need.
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Does an Existing Car Loan Affect Your Personal Loan Application?
A car loan is treated differently to a credit card in a lender's eyes — the actual repayment counts, not a theoretical limit. Here's what that means for your DTI.
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What Is a Comparison Rate? The Real Cost of a Personal Loan, Explained
The advertised interest rate isn't the real cost of a loan — the comparison rate is. Here's what it includes, what it leaves out, and how to read one properly.
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Debt Consolidation Loans in Australia: How Lenders Actually Assess Them
Consolidating your debts into one loan sounds simple, but lenders still run the same DTI and affordability checks. Here's what actually improves your position — and what doesn't.
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What Is Serviceability in Personal Loans? The Full Formula Explained
Serviceability is a lender's test of whether your income, after living costs and existing debts, leaves enough to cover a new loan repayment. Here's the full formula, worked through with real numbers.
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Debt-to-Income Ratio for a Personal Loan in Australia: How It's Calculated
Your debt-to-income ratio — DTI — is the percentage of your gross monthly income that's already committed to debt repayments.
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Does Your Credit Card Limit Affect Your Personal Loan Application?
A $10,000 credit card limit costs you $350 a month in a lender's eyes — even at a $0 balance. Here's how that affects your borrowing capacity, and what to do about it.
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How Much Can I Borrow — Personal Loan Australia
How much you can borrow for a personal loan in Australia is not determined by income alone — it comes from a specific formula that lenders run on every application. Most people underestimate their bor
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This is general information only and not financial advice. Results are indicative and may vary by lender.