Debt-to-income as a quick affordability mirror
Debt-to-income (DTI) asks a blunt question: how much of your gross monthly income is already spoken for by contractual debt payments? Mortgage underwriters, auto lenders, and some card issuers still glance at this ratio even when they also run deeper affordability models. A DTI calculator helps you rehearse the number before an application, using your own income and payment list.
Front-end vs back-end thinking
Housing costs alone are sometimes called a front-end view; housing plus other debts is a back-end view. Enter what your lender is likely to count—not wishful minimums. If the ratio looks tight, options include paying down revolving balances, waiting for a quieter income month to pass, or shopping a smaller loan.
Limits
This page does not pull credit files or apply Fannie/Freddie or UK stress-test rules. It is plain arithmetic for planning conversations, private in your browser, and not a credit decision.