Guides
Plain-English explainers behind every HitCalc calculator — what the numbers mean and how to use them to make a better decision.
Mortgage guides
FHA requirements, affordability, loan comparisons, and payoff strategies.
How Much House Can I Afford? 2026 Calculator & Guide
Use the 28/36 rule to find your real homebuying budget, with salary-to-home-price tables and the costs most buyers miss.
Updated July 19, 2026
How Much House Can I Afford With an FHA Loan? 2026 Guide
Your FHA homebuying budget: the 3.5% down payment, MIP costs, and DTI limits that set your price range.
Updated July 19, 2026
FHA Loan Requirements 2026 — Credit Score, Down Payment & MIP
Everything you need to qualify for an FHA loan in 2026: minimum credit score 580, 3.5% down, DTI limits, and MIP costs.
Updated July 19, 2026
FHA vs Conventional Loan Rates 2026 — Side-by-Side Cost Comparison
Which loan saves you more? Down payment, credit score, PMI vs MIP, and total 30-year cost compared with real numbers.
Updated July 12, 2026
Mortgage Calculator With Extra Payments — Pay Off Your Loan Early (2026)
How much interest $100, $200, or $500 extra per month actually saves, plus the biweekly strategy and prepay-vs-invest math.
Updated July 12, 2026
Auto guides
What cars really cost to finance or lease.
Auto Loan Calculator: What Your Car Really Costs in 2026
Find your real monthly payment including state sales tax, and see how loan term and credit score change the total cost.
Updated July 19, 2026
Lease vs Buy a Car: Which Is Cheaper in 2026?
Real monthly costs and 10-year totals for leasing vs buying, and when leasing actually makes sense.
Updated July 19, 2026
Savings guides
How compound interest actually grows your money.
Compound vs Simple Interest — The Difference in Real Dollars (2026)
The same $10,000 at the same 5% rate ends up thousands of dollars apart. Here's exactly how compound and simple interest diverge over time.
Updated July 19, 2026
Daily vs Monthly vs Annual Compounding — Does It Actually Matter?
How much difference compounding frequency really makes, with exact numbers — and why APY already answers the question for you.
Updated July 19, 2026
The Rule of 72 — How Long Until Your Money Doubles?
Divide 72 by your interest rate to estimate doubling time. Here's why it works, when it's accurate, and the exact numbers behind it.
Updated July 19, 2026