The price of basic school supplies is roughly HUF 83,000. If you add a cheaper laptop, the final bill can easily reach HUF 200,000 — according to Bank360’s back-to-school summary, recapped by Economx. This amount exceeds half of the most recently reported HUF 391,000 net median wage, so it can be a heavy burden even for dual-income households.
Ideally, families set money aside for the new school year, but for many a loan becomes the solution. The advantage of a personal loan is that it’s freely usable — not only for notebooks and pens, but also for clothing, sports gear, or electronics (laptop, tablet).
In banking practice, the minimum amount for personal loans is usually HUF 300,000–500,000. This means that for smaller needs — for example HUF 200,000 — the range of options is narrower, and not every bank will have a suitable product.
How much does the loan cost? – example cases
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HUF 200,000, 19-week term: weekly HUF 10,779 repayment, total repayable HUF 204,801 (APR: 13.2%).
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HUF 400,000, 12-month term: monthly HUF 35,379 repayment, total repayable HUF 424,548.
What to consider before deciding?
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Do you really need a loan? If your target is around HUF 200,000, check whether your bank offers a personal loan with such a low minimum amount.
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APR and total repayable: always compare the total amount to be repaid, not just the instalment.
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Term: a shorter term means a lower overall cost but a higher instalment.
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Flexibility: is early repayment allowed, and at what cost?
Bottom line: back-to-school shopping can easily run into the hundreds of thousands of forints, putting many household budgets to the test. A freely usable personal loan can offer temporary relief, but because of minimum amounts and the total repayable, the decision requires careful consideration.
