Free handouts for helping with payments and loan offers
By Xavier Carraté · Creator and editor
For families, educators and community groups supporting people in the United States. Choose one handout and let the person decide what to work on. They do not need to explain their whole situation or hand over documents.
Examples are fictional and in US dollars. A handout helps prepare questions; it does not replace the written offer or a professional review. Print from your browser menu or save as PDF. Check the preview and select only the pages you need, on A4 or Letter paper.
Handout 1: until the next payday · Handout 2: check an offer
1. Do payments come before the money?
Goal: spot the first shortfall against your reserve before committing to an extra debt payment.
- Write down the money available at the start and the reserve you want to protect.
- Put income and payments in date order. Include essentials. Do not treat expected income as already available.
- After each movement: previous balance + income − payment. Mark any balance below your reserve.
Fictional example: a $150 protected reserve
| When | Movement | Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Available at start: $400 | $400 |
| Day 3 | Payment: −$300 | $100 |
| Day 5 | Income: +$600 | $700 |
On day 3, the balance is $50 below the protected reserve, even though the ending balance is $700. This is not an overdraft: the balance is still positive. We would check the remaining movements before adding an extra payment.
Your next step
Which date, amount or expense needs checking? If there is a problem, ask about options and conditions before changing a payment; this handout does not authorize a delay.
One detail I will check:
My next action and when I will review it:
Continue: Budget and payment calendar.
Tool: https://getdebtfree.tools/debt-budget-calculator/
Original GetDebtFree.tools handout · version 2026-09-07
Check the current version: https://getdebtfree.tools/educator-resources/
2. What really changes between two offers?
Goal: compare the same money received and check what you pay, for how long and with what risks.
- Get both offers in writing. Confirm net cash received, interest rate, APR, term, payments, fees and any final payment.
- Note whether the rate is fixed or variable, whether there is collateral, and what happens if you pay early or late. Look beyond the payment.
- If details are missing, prepare a question and leave the decision open.
Fictional example: both provide $5,000 net cash
| Item | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | 24 × $240 | 36 × $180 |
| Fee paid separately | $0 | $0 |
| Payments + fee | $5,760 | $6,480 |
| Cost above $5,000 received | $760 | $1,480 |
Offer B lowers the payment by $60, but lasts 12 more payments and costs $720 more in this example. Neither charges an upfront fee; if a real offer does, include it and check the net cash received. The cost difference does not determine which you can afford. These figures are not real offers or an APR calculation.
Your next step
One missing detail or condition:
The question I will ask before deciding:
Continue: Compare personal loans · Review consolidation.
Tool: https://getdebtfree.tools/personal-loan-calculator/
Original GetDebtFree.tools handout · version 2026-09-07
Check the current version: https://getdebtfree.tools/educator-resources/
Using and sharing these handouts
You may copy, print and distribute these two original handouts free of charge while keeping the source, date and current-version link. If you adapt them, identify your changes and do not present them as our review. This permission does not include third-party material or imply our endorsement of an organization.
Use fictional examples in a group. Each person keeps their own notes; you do not need to collect their amounts or photographs. On a shared device, check downloaded files before finishing.
Resources and method
The examples use the arithmetic shown and the same concepts as our tools: dated cash flow and comparable costs. Read the assumptions and methodology.
For more help with conversations about income, bills and decisions: the CFPB’s official Your Money, Your Goals toolkit. That material belongs to its source; it is not a partnership or endorsement of this website.
Editorial review: . A printed copy can become outdated. Tell Xavier about a correction.