Costs
How personal loan interest actually works in South Africa
Interest is only part of what a loan costs. Here is how the rate, the initiation fee and the monthly service fee fit together — and why the instalment is the wrong number to compare.
Approval
What South African lenders actually check before approving a loan
Affordability, credit history, bank statements and stability. What is really being assessed when you apply, and what you can do about each one.
Debt
Debt consolidation: when it helps, and when it just moves the problem
One instalment instead of six is easier to manage. Whether it is cheaper is a completely separate question — and the answer is often no.
Credit score
Your credit score in South Africa: what it is and how to improve it
What the bureaux actually record, how to get your free report, how to fix mistakes on it, and which habits move the number in a useful direction.