Tips to Pay Off Your Ride Faster

Before you hit the road with your car loan, double-check if your lender allows early repayments without penalties. Some loans may have additional fees for paying off all or part of your loan early. So, provided there’s no penalties for extra/ early repayments, read on for tips on paying off your loan faster. If there are penalties, you will need to work out if the interest savings, and being debt free, is more beneficial than the early repayment costs.

1. Make Extra Payments: Let’s start with a simple but powerful strategy: making extra payments. Whenever you can, put some extra cash towards your car loan. Even if it’s just a few bucks here and there, it adds up over time. By paying more than the minimum amount due, you’ll chip away at the principal balance and save on interest in the long run.

2. Go Bi-Weekly: Why stick to those boring monthly payments when you can switch things up? Consider going bi-weekly! Instead of making one monthly payment, split it in half and pay it every two weeks. By paying half of your required monthly payment every fortnight, you can potentially accelerate the repayment of your loan. This is because you will end up making an extra full repayment each year, given that there are 26 fortnights, which is more than the 12 monthly payments. It’s like turbocharging your loan repayment! However, bear in mind that if you ask the lender for a variation of your loan terms to fortnightly, you are likely to lose this benefit, as the new fortnightly payment won’t be calculated on half your monthly loan payment. 

3. Round Up and Round Off: Let’s play the rounding game! Take a look at your monthly payment and round it up. If it’s $285, why not make it an even $300 or maybe even $350? It may not seem like much, but those extra dollars go straight towards paying off your loan faster. You’ll hardly notice the difference, but your loan balance certainly will.

4. Windfalls to the Rescue: Picture this: you receive a tax refund, a bonus at work, or maybe even win a little something. Instead of splurging on treats, put that unexpected cash towards your car loan. It’s like giving your repayment a nitro boost! You’ll see your loan balance decrease faster than you can say “acceleration.”
   
   

Congrats! You now have a toolkit of tips to help pay off your car loan faster. Remember, subject to any early repayment penalties,  make extra payments if you can, consider going bi-weekly, round up those payments, use windfalls wisely, and understand your prepayment options. By implementing these strategies, you’ll be in a position to accelerate your car loan repayment and be cruising towards financial freedom in no time. Keep your eyes on the road, stay focused, and enjoy the ride to a debt-free life!

Disclaimer: Please note that the content provided in this article is intended as an overview and as general information only. While care is taken to ensure accuracy and reliability, the information provided is subject to continuous change and may not reflect current developments or address your situation. Before making any decisions based on the information provided in this article, please use your discretion, and seek independent guidance.