What's the best loan?
Usually it's the loan with the lowest interest rate. this often the single most important thing to get right , so shop around. Event small differences in interest rates can make a big difference the total amount you will pay, especially with log-term loans. Extra features that cost you more in interest rates may just waste money.Which loans should you pay off first?
Pay at least the minimum amount due to every lender on time if you can afford extra payments, start with the loan changing the highest interest. Only put extra into other loans after the most expensive one has been paid of. The lowest-priority loan is one that has tax-deductible interest-for an investment property loan, for instance.Why pay loans and mortgages off faster?
Paying off your loan faster can save you thousands in interest payments.
One single way to get ahead is to pay your loan fortnightly instead of monthly. In effect, you make the equivalent of 13 monthly payments a year instead of 12 . Fortnightly payments will cut for years off a 20 years home loan of $200 000. And if you can pay an extra $ 100 per fortnight, you will cut seven years off your loan.
If you have some money to spare, consider reducing your loan balance. Paying $ 1000 off a credit card changing you 18.5% interest obviously beats putting the same money into a term deposit earning 5.5%.
Also, remember the effect of tax. Paying $1000 off a loan charging interest of 6.5%, saves a full $65. Even if you could invest the money somewhere else that earned $65, you would then have to pay tax.
Be careful about claims that refinancing will pay off your loan faster. You can only pay off loans faster by paying more money . Only refinance if you can sure the saving outweigh the costs.
Source: ASIC








