If you do have to take out a high interest car loan, try to pay at least $200 extra per month towards it for at least the first year.

Early on so much of your monthly payment goes towards interest so you're paying down the principal very slowly at first.

An extra $200 a month is $6k in extra principal paid off after the first year. Now you're accruing that much less interest after the first year, and next year more of your payment will be going towards principal.

Keep this up and you'll pay off your loan early and save thousands in interest. Your credit will be better again and you'll qualify for a much better interest rate on your next auto loan.

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This is good advice. I’ve done this with my student loans. Even though they’re on a 25 year repayment I’ll finish much earlier than that. And the minimum monthly payment now is quite small.

Great advice. I got a really good interest rate on my car but paying it off earlier is still better.

Yep! Also, right now cars are expensive and they're gonna keep going down in price due to increased supply. I'd hold off unless you find a really really good deal.

I just got tired of having to fix shit on my 2005 neon every few weeks.

How do you get 6k from $200 a month? What was the loan, what was the interest? What was the term?

You don't lol

I did the math wrong in my head when I posted that. 500 a month would be 6k.

How about saving money first and then buy a car? There is no interest involved doing it that way.

Sometimes you can't wait. But yes it's better to pay cash. Especially with current interest rates.