When refinancing costs less than rolling over
Your current lender's rollover fee usually runs 15-25% of the principal. A refi at another lender with a „first loan 0%” promo for 30 days can cut that in half. The catch: clean BIK at the new lender, because an active chwilówka at one is visible to all. Practically a one-time-a-year move — twice and BIK shows it as tactic, not incident.
Real refi cost inside the statutory cap
The 2022 anti-usury law caps non-interest cost on a chwilówka at 25% of principal plus 30% annual rate. A 30-day refi of 3 000 PLN at max cost runs 750 PLN commission + 74 PLN interest. RRSO around 295%. Each next refi of the same amount adds a similar cost. After three refis a 3 000 PLN loan really costs 5 200 PLN — regardless of the „0%” advertised on the first.
Spiral: how to tell when to stop
Honestly: if you're counting days to next payday to make a chwilówka instalment, you're in the spiral. If the next loan covers only the instalment, not the debt itself — spiral. Short version, when your repayment ability depends on the next loan, refi won't help. Stopping at that point and contacting the current creditor isn't shame, it's math.
Bank consolidation instead of refi
Alior Bank, mBank and Santander Consumer consolidate chwilówki into a single instalment loan. Minimum 5 000 PLN, term up to 84-120 months, RRSO 22-32%. Monthly payment can drop by 70%, and total cost ends up below two or three chwilówka refis. Required: at least 3 months of employment and a BIK score above 450. The bank wants to see consolidation closing the chapter, not opening a new one.
My take: when refi, when stop
One refi, deliberate, with a 0% promo at a new lender, can rescue a budget in a single hard month. Two refis in a row mean alarm. A third is the sign to walk into a bank tomorrow and ask about consolidation, even if it feels awkward. The awkwardness passes. A spiral without intervention doesn't.