A 2-minute money gut-check
Is it Personal Loan Time? Or Cut-the-Spending Time? Or both?
We made this site to help you manage your money better. Sometimes that means a loan. Sometimes it means a thermos. About a dozen quick questions and we’ll help you figure out which.
Lenders we talk about
On Personal Loan Time we cover personal loans, student loans and refinancing from companies like Upstart, Upgrade, SoFi, Yrefy, College Ave, Sallie Mae and many more. Here’s who comes up most:
Personal loans
Upstart · Upgrade · SoFi · LendingClub · Prosper · Best Egg · LightStream · Avant · OneMain Financial · Achieve · PenFed Credit Union · Navy Federal Credit Union
Student loans and refinancing
Yrefy · College Ave · Sallie Mae · SoFi · Earnest · ELFI · Citizens · Ascent
Lending networks (they connect you with lenders)
Company names are trademarks of their owners. Listing a lender here isn’t an endorsement, and we’re not affiliated with these companies unless a link is marked as a paid link. Always compare rates, fees and terms before you apply.
Personal loans can get you out of a jam, or into a deeper one. The difference is usually in the details: the rate, the fees, the term and whether the payment really fits your life. We explain those details in plain English, give you free calculators to run your own numbers, and talk honestly about the stress that often comes with money problems.
Run your numbers
- Personal loan payment calculator: your monthly payment, total interest and cash after fees.
- How much can I borrow? Start with a payment you can afford and work backward.
- Debt consolidation calculator: see whether rolling your cards into one loan actually saves money.
- Student loan refinance calculator: your current loan vs. a new rate.
Start here
- How personal loans work
- How to compare loan offers without hurting your credit
- Debt consolidation, step by step
- Personal loan vs. credit card vs. HELOC
- 7 signs a loan offer is a scam
- Can’t pay a medical bill? 6 steps before you borrow
- Burned out and broke: handling money stress
Student loans
Thinking about refinancing? Run your numbers right here, then read the guides below before you decide.
Student Loan Refinance Calculator
Compare your current student loan with a refinanced one.
Federal loans? Refinancing them into a private loan permanently ends federal benefits like income-driven repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Estimates only; assumes fixed rates and no fees.
Check your refinance ratePaid link. We may earn a commission.
- Student loan refinance calculator
- Should you refinance your student loans? 5 questions first
- Private student loans in default? How Yrefy works
- Paying for school in 2026: the order that saves money
Our promise
We cite our sources, we tell you when a loan is a bad idea, and we label paid links. Read more on our About and Disclosure page.