Can I afford this?
Before a loan, a credit card, buy now pay later or a big purchase, see what it really costs, what one missed payment does, and what your pay can carry.
is what you pay back on a loan of 1,000 at 30% a year over three years. Try your own numbers.
Nothing you type here leaves this phone or computer. There is no sign-up, and nothing is saved. Turn the wifi off and this page still works. The sums are estimates to help you decide. They are not financial advice, and every lender works out interest in its own way, so check the lender’s own figures before you sign.
What this loan really costs.
Type in what the lender offers. The rate is the yearly figure, often called the APR.
Can your pay carry it?
Asked to pay a fee before you get the loan? A lender that wants money first, for “insurance”, “admin” or “processing”, before paying out the loan is a common scam sign. Check the offer with Before You Invest.
Buy now, pay later.
Splitting a price into instalments can feel free. See every payment, the dates they fall, and what happens if one is missed.
If a payment is missed
- Most pay-later plans charge no interest, but most do charge late fees. Read the plan’s own terms for the amount.
- If the payment is taken automatically and your account is short, your bank may also charge you for going overdrawn or for a refused payment.
- Missed payments can be reported to credit agencies and lower your credit score, the account can be passed to a debt collector, and the company can stop you using it until you catch up.
- Several plans at once add up. Their payments fall on different dates, which makes the total easy to lose track of, so add them all to “Plan my pay”.
Sources: US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “Do Buy Now, Pay Later loans have fees?”. In the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority has regulated these plans since 15 July 2026: lenders must check you can afford the repayments, tell you the late fees before you agree, and contact you if you miss a payment, and you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Paying off a credit card.
A small monthly payment can keep a card balance going for years. See how long yours takes, and what a little more each month changes.
This assumes you stop spending on the card. The lowest payment on your statement usually falls as the balance falls, which makes the card take even longer to clear, so keep paying the same amount or more.
Plan my pay.
Put in your pay and your bills, each with how often it comes. Every amount is turned into the same thing: what it takes from each pay.
Bills, debts and savings
Bills that come once a year, such as insurance, a licence or school fees, are easier when a little is put aside from every pay. Choose “Every year” and the planner shows how much that is.
Pay off my debts faster.
Put in each debt. The planner compares two ways of using any extra money: clearing the smallest debt first, or clearing the debt with the highest rate first.
Keep a roof over your head first. Rent or mortgage, energy, council or local taxes and court fines can bring the most serious results if they are missed, so free debt advisers put those first, before cards and loans.
Free help if money is tight.
These services give free, independent advice on debt and money. Choose where you live.
Be careful of paid “debt clearing” offers. A company that charges a fee up front to wipe out your debts, or offers a loan to pay off your loans in return for a fee first, may cost you more than the debt. The free services above can explain your choices at no cost.