Lifeline or trap? Should I take out a loan at 26pc interest to clear rent arrears and pay fees? 

While loans might provide short-term relief, it's crucial to evaluate their long-term implications carefully.

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My name is Elias. I earn a net salary of Sh26,000. I work for a county government. I am about to take a loan from a local bank. The bank has offered the loan at an interest rate of 26.33 percent.

I want to use this loan to pay off my rent arrears of Sh43,000, pay my son’s Sh51,000 school fees (he is joining grade one and I want to pay a full year at a private school), pay my niece’s fees arrears of Sh14,000, and buy three sheep for my mom at Sh8,000 to Sh11,000 each in the village.

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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.