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Reducing Your Loan Interest Payments
By Peter J Kenny
If you have a long-term loan with high interest, then you might find yourself paying almost as much in interest payments as you are towards the money you borrowed. If this is the case, then you should look at ways to reduce those loan interest payments. Reducing your loan interest payments will help you to pay off your loan more quickly, and thereby save yourself money. Here are some tips on how to reduce your loan interest payments.
Change your loan
One way to reduce your interest payments is to swap to a different loan company. Refinancing your loan with another company might seem like a lot of work, but if you can get a lower interest rate you could save a lot of money. Shop around and compare loan prices to see if you can get a better deal than you are now. Even if you reduce your APR by 1 or 2%, you could save yourself a significant amount of money.
Bi weekly payment
Another method for reducing loan costs is to start paying bi-weekly. Instead of paying your monthly amount, pay half of your monthly amount every two weeks. There are 4.3 weeks in every month, so you will find that you pay your 12 months’ payment in just 11 months. This will leave you one whole month of extra payments, thereby reducing your loan amount and interest. This method can save you a lot of money. If your loan company will not accept prepayment every two weeks, then just pay 13/12 of your monthly payment each month, thereby accomplishing the same as bi weekly payments. Although some loan companies charge for overpayment, most lenders will be able to accommodate this payment method.
Early settlement
Another way to reduce your interest payments is to pay off larger parts of your loan at once. This will reduce the total amount you owe, and therefore reduce your interest payments. Some lenders charge for early settlement, although many allow you to pay back up to a certain amount before charges take place. Even the smallest extra payment can help to reduce your loan interest payments and save you money. The more you pay, the quicker your loan will be paid off and the more money you will save.
Using credit cards
To reduce your interest payments on a loan you can take advantage of credit card 0% offers. If you can find a card that has 0% for 6 months,
then use this card to pay off part of your loan. Although you will pay much higher interest once this time is up, if you can pay back the credit card in this time you will save money on interest payments.
Secured loans
Although they are more risky, secured loans generally have lower interest payments. If you refinance to a secured loan, you could save a lot in interest payments. However, you need to make sure that you can afford the payments, as otherwise you risk losing your home. If you follow at least one of these steps, you will reduce your interest payments and save yourself money.
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