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Before you borrow

How much can I afford to repay?

A simple way to work out a repayment amount that survives a normal month, not a perfect one.

5 min readPractical guideUpdated 2026-06-15

The short answer

Take your reliable income, subtract essential costs and existing commitments, then only commit part of what is left.

The short answer

Take your reliable income, subtract essential costs and existing commitments, then only commit part of what is left.

A simple method

  1. 1Write down the income you can count on in a normal month.
  2. 2Subtract housing, food, transport, bills and any existing repayments.
  3. 3Look at what is left. That is your flexible money.
  4. 4Commit no more than about half of it, so an unexpected cost does not break the plan.

Worked example

If 300 is left after essentials, committing 150 a month is far safer than committing 280. The gap is what absorbs a surprise bill.

KinPay tip

A slightly longer schedule you can keep beats a short one you have to renegotiate.

Key takeaway

Take your reliable income, subtract essential costs and existing commitments, then only commit part of what is left.

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What should I agree before receiving the money?

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