Skip to content
EXCELLENCE
Excellence Money
EXCELLENCE MONEY

Big Money Decisions: Loans, Homes and Cars

0/15STARS
LEVEL 1 · 0/3LEVEL 2 · 0/3LEVEL 3 · 0/3LEVEL 4 · 0/3LEVEL 5 · 0/3START
0/15 stars lit

See the total cost behind every monthly payment (loans, homes, mortgages, cars and insurance) and decide with numbers instead of pressure.

2h 59m5 constellations
AT THE SUMMIT, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO

01Compare loans on the APR and total cost, not the monthly payment

02Decide between renting and buying with unrecoverable costs and break-even years

03Borrow a mortgage you can live with, and compare offers properly

04Price cars and big purchases in total cost, and insure what would ruin you

Every lesson of Big Money Decisions: Loans, Homes and Cars

15 lessons in 5 levels, about 3 hours. Level 1 is free.

Level 1Borrow Without RegretFree · 3 lessons
  1. What a loan really costsCalculate a loan's monthly payment and total cost, and compare offers on the APR.12 min
  2. Longer terms cost moreSee how stretching a loan lowers the payment but raises the total, and negotiate in the right order.11 min
  3. Checkpoint: before you signKnow your rights on a consumer loan and use them at the dealer's desk.11 min
Level 2Rent or BuyMembership · 3 lessons
  1. The money you never get backCompare renting and owning on unrecoverable costs, not rent against a mortgage payment.13 min
  2. How long you'll stayEstimate how many years it takes for owning to recover buying and selling costs.12 min
  3. Checkpoint: rent or buy?Weigh the numbers and the life reasons behind renting or buying.12 min
Level 3Your MortgageMembership · 3 lessons
  1. How much should you borrow?Use the debt-to-income ratio to set a borrowing limit that leaves room to live.12 min
  2. Half a point, thousands of dollarsSee what a small rate difference costs over a long loan, and compare mortgage offers properly.12 min
  3. Checkpoint: overpay or invest?Choose between paying down a mortgage and investing, in the right order.12 min
Level 4Cars and Big BuysMembership · 3 lessons
  1. The true cost of a carCalculate a car's total cost per month, including depreciation.12 min
  2. Lease, loan or cash?Compare leasing and buying a car over the same years.12 min
  3. Checkpoint: any big purchaseRun a five-step routine before any big purchase, and know your return rights.11 min
Level 5Protect What MattersMembership · 3 lessons
  1. Choosing a deductibleDecide when a lower deductible is worth its extra premium.12 min
  2. The insurance you actually needPrioritize insurance for large, possible losses and skip cover you don't need.11 min
  3. Capstone: your big-decision playbookCombine total cost, alternatives, financing, timing and protection into one playbook.14 min
FREE

Level 1 is open.

Membership opens every other level of this path.

See membership
AFTER THE CORE

Keep going where this path leads.

Build Your Personal Money SystemThe budget and safety net underneath · 3h 14m
Investing FundamentalsWhere the money you don't spend goes · 3h 31m