The most important criteria for how much you should borrow - is how much can you ‘easily' repay each month (most loan providers will want you to make monthly repayments, even if you are paid on a weekly basis). You need to calculate how much income you normally receive each month and what your normal monthly expenses are. We have a budget calculator (click on the graphic on the right hand side) tha can help you to do this. Make sure that you budget for large expenses such as holidays, that don't come around every month.