Archive for the ‘interest rates’ Category

Refinancing Your House, Car, or Credit Cards

Interest rates are low. Most of the time it’s wise to ignore anyone who tells you “you really need to….”, but believe me, you should check the interest rates of all your debt before interest rates rise.

…and when are interest rates going to rise? That’s the problem; I don’t know. Therefore, I recommend you do it right now.

Before We Begin Dollars Falling.jpg

Make sure you read my post from two weeks ago: How to Take Advantage of Low Interest Rates. It lays out the simple steps to check your credit. You don’t want any surprises if you end up filling out applications to lower your interest rate.

Today, we’ll focus on three areas: your home, auto and credit cards.

How to Refinance Your Home

1) Compare rates through several lenders. This is done easily through a mortgage broker or an online comparison site. While many lenders appear to have different rates, you’ll find those with lower rates generally have higher fees. On the inverse, those with higher rates often have lower refinance costs. Generally, I prefer lower cost mortgages (which often means a slightly higher rate).

2) Gather information about each type of mortgage. Home lenders offer two basic types of mortgages: fixed or adjustable. While there are many iterations of each type, here are some you’ll see regularly during your search:

a) A basic fixed rate mortgage comes in a 15-year and 30-year variety. Usually, a 15-year mortgage will have a slightly lower interest rate than a 30-year option.

b) Adjustable rate mortgages often keep the rate stable for 1, 3, 5, or 7 years, before changing. Usually the rate will change annually after the short fixed period.

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Posted in Credit Cards, Debt, home ownership, interest rates, Saving Money | 1 Comment »
Posted by Miata | February 23rd, 2012

How to Take Advantage of Low Interest Rates

Part 1 – Check Your Credit42-25396911

It’s time for some good news, isn’t it?

Don’t look now, but interest rates are at record lows. Whether you own a home, car, or have a credit card, it’s a wonderful time to begin exploring ways to lower your interest rate. Here’s the really, really good news: a lower interest rate will probably mean lower payments. This can give you financial breathing room to focus on your craft or pay down debt more quickly.

Today, I’d like to make sure you can participate in the interest rate game. Once we’ve solved that problem, we’ll talk later about how to refinance your debt. Sound good? Great!

Let’s move on these steps to check your credit report:

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Posted in Debt, interest rates | 4 Comments »
Posted by Miata | February 8th, 2012

From the Mailbag

S1416-41I’m thinking of buying my first home! One quick question: how do I decide between a 15 and 30 year loan?

Gary

Congratulations, Gary! That’s a big step, and I’m happy to help you with this huge question. For most people, taking on a mortgage is the largest debt they’ll ever owe. It’s important to do it right.

I’ve noticed some advisors like one type of mortgage better than another. I think each type exists for a specific reason. Unfortunately, this means I won’t be able to answer your question directly, but I can give you some tips to help along the way:

First, you didn’t ask about adjustable rate mortgages–where the initial interest rate is low but can adjust to a higher amount after a specified period of time–but for the vast majority of people, they aren’t a great idea right now. Interest rates are at near all-time lows, so locking into a fixed rate mortgage is best for most home buyers. The exception? If you are absolutely certain you’re going to move again soon, an adjustable rate will save you money.

15 year loans are best for people who want to pay off their mortgage quickly and need the forced discipline of a larger payment. The upside of a 15 year loan is that you’re guaranteed to be mortgage-free in 15 years (assuming you remain in the home). The downside? If you lose your source of income, the monthly payment on a 15 year mortgage will be much harder to meet than a 30 year payment.

30 year loans work best for people who want the flexibility of a lower mandatory house payment. It’s a mistake to think that people with 30 year loans will pay them off over a long period of time. On the contrary, I’ve met quite a few successful savers who chose a 30 year loan and then paid significantly more than the amount due each month. Why? If they ran into financial trouble, their monthly payment was pretty low, and the chances they could meet the payment was better than if they’d bitten off the higher 15 year payment.

Don’t take out the 30 year loan and “hope” to make extra payments. Set up an automatic payment plan for more than the requested amount so that you’re still forced to pay your home off early.

I hope this helps and I wish you happy house hunting! Send us a picture! :)

Posted in home ownership, interest rates, real estate | No Comments »
Posted by Miata | January 20th, 2012

Using Online Bank Accounts

42-26225528So you’ve finally checked your bank statement to discover that you’re getting nearly no interest from your savings account. Should you check out online bank accounts or are those risky?

Internet banking isn’t for everyone. I could never tell my mother to open an online account because she wouldn’t know how to withdraw funds and would worry that she couldn’t run down to the corner to take it out. That said, usually your best interest rates are going to be found with large, reliable banks online.

There are two considerations –

  • Are you internet savvy and comfortable saving online? If so, explore away! Websites such as www.bankrate.com will help you compare interest rates when deciding where to invest. You should also check out bankrate’s list of star rankings when determining which firm to trust with your money. All banks aren’t created equal.

If you aren’t internet savvy, it’s better to stay close to home. Check to see if you’re eligible for a credit union. You may be surprised to find very competitive interest rates, which are often better than those at the bank.

  • How quickly can you remove the funds? Remember that a savings account pays a low interest rate because it offers quick liquidity. If you’re saving online but don’t have an easy method to access funds, you may defeat the purpose.

You may also want to check other account types at your bank. Often, banks offer higher interest money market accounts with higher rates as long as you promise not to touch them often.

Posted in Banking, interest rates, Saving Money, Savings | No Comments »
Posted by Miata | November 10th, 2011