Paying off your car loan early when you have the financial flexibility is a sagacious move that could earn you good credit points and allow you to recover a few hundreds of dollars. Most auto loan agencies may frown upon such practices since they earn their keep through interest. Many lenders, however, applaud the move since they believe that loaners that can pay off loans ahead of time are likely to be repeat clients.
In any case, customers that shell out more to pay off the principal can save a lot on interest charges. If you’re planning to do so, see your loan agents and ask for how to go about it. Below, though, are some ways you can do in reducing the number of your monthly payments.
First off, review your loan documents to see whether your automobile plan is a pre-computed interest or a simple interest loan. If it is the former, then you may not be able to recover or set aside any money since the interest has already been included to your loan at the get go. If it is the other way around, then paying it off early will do you a lot good and you may be able to fatten up your savings account a bit.
If it is a basic plan with simple interest, you can switch to a bi-weekly payment plan. This scheme allows your payment to coincide with your paycheck schedules. Check with your agent first as some schemes may come with a hefty price tag. Ask for information especially those regarding additional charges.
Another way to repay your loan faster is to apply an additional amount to the principal balance. Compute your extra payment against the condition and size of your loan. This way you can shave off two to three years off your term. When doing this method, make sure you include a note with the payment denoting that the extra amount should go towards the principal balance, otherwise the spare amount of money will simply be applied in the same manner as your monthly payments. In simple words, write "Principal Only" on the check so that they don’t apply the payment to your next month’s bill.
To help you with your computation, you can go online and try to utilize the many car loan calculators. The tool will help you estimate how much you can pay and how many months you can trim down from your term. Review your monthly expenses and savings and try to gauge how much of your liquid assets can be allocated for an early repayment scheme.
Don’t fret much when you think you’re ensnared in a long-term car loan. An auto loan shouldn’t make you feel like you’re serving a life in the slammer. If you’ve done enough to make your finances a little bit adaptable, then there is always hope to repay all your credits. Stop worrying. Consult a financial adviser or a loan agent now and ask them to show you just how easy it is to get your hands on that car title.
