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Car loan or credit card?

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LittleCat
Contributor

Car loan or credit card?

I have 22 payments left on my car loan $9600 balance @6.9% and $2900 balance on a 0% visa(till July 2013).

 

My question is I would like to pay one of them off asap then the other asap. Just not sure which one to go for.

 

The money: I can do my regular car payment plus $250 each month and $100 to the visa, OR regular car payment and $350 to the CC.

 

I would really like to have my car free and clear but just not sure if thats the best move or clearing the CC off the table is.

 

Any thoughts?

Message 1 of 8
7 REPLIES 7
AZHeather
Frequent Contributor

Re: Car loan or credit card?

If you are looking to improve your credit score, then you should pay the cc first.

Message 2 of 8
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Car loan or credit card?


@LittleCat wrote:

I have 22 payments left on my car loan $9600 balance @6.9% and $2900 balance on a 0% visa(till July 2013).

 

My question is I would like to pay one of them off asap then the other asap. Just not sure which one to go for.

 

The money: I can do my regular car payment plus $250 each month and $100 to the visa, OR regular car payment and $350 to the CC.

 

I would really like to have my car free and clear but just not sure if thats the best move or clearing the CC off the table is.

 

Any thoughts?


IMHO, I would do a 0%BT  for 12-15 months to pay off the remaining $9600 interest free.  Chase is offering 15 months BT with no transfer fee.  But if you're more concerned about your credit scores taking a temporary hit than saving money,  a BT isn't a good idea. 

Message 3 of 8
pizzadude
Credit Mentor

Re: Car loan or credit card?


@LittleCat wrote:

I have 22 payments left on my car loan $9600 balance @6.9% and $2900 balance on a 0% visa(till July 2013).

 

My question is I would like to pay one of them off asap then the other asap. Just not sure which one to go for.

 

The money: I can do my regular car payment plus $250 each month and $100 to the visa, OR regular car payment and $350 to the CC.

 

I would really like to have my car free and clear but just not sure if thats the best move or clearing the CC off the table is.

 

Any thoughts?


From a debt perspective, FICO weighs revolving utilization much heavier than installment utilization, so your FICO score would probably benefit more from paying down the credit card.

 

If you aren't too worried about trying to help your FICO score right now then it would make sense to pay the car loan since your CC is at 0%.

March2010 FICO® ~ 695 TU, 653 EQ, 697 EX
Message 4 of 8
LittleCat
Contributor

Re: Car loan or credit card?

Thanks!

 

Not concerned about score since I'm in the 800 club,  just want to make the smartest move to finish 'cleaning house' of my debt.

 

 

Message 5 of 8
pizzadude
Credit Mentor

Re: Car loan or credit card?


@LittleCat wrote:

Thanks!

 

Not concerned about score since I'm in the 800 club,  just want to make the smartest move to finish 'cleaning house' of my debt.

 

 


In that case then definately pay down the auto loan, don't worry about the CC.

March2010 FICO® ~ 695 TU, 653 EQ, 697 EX
Message 6 of 8
ADARPegasus
Established Contributor

Re: Car loan or credit card?

You should pay your auto loan first because what i was told by the bank and some cc companies is that Auto Loans and Loans in general effect your credit the most because there fixed rate/ fixed payment items and they make you seem more risky to creditors because you have to pay that amount every month no matter what because i have a auto loan on me that i just paid off helps a awful lot so i would say pay the Auto Loan especially if your trying to apply for something else very soon.

Transunion - 788 05/16
Experian - 745 05/16
Equifax - 740 05/16
Message 7 of 8
Wolf3
Senior Contributor

Re: Car loan or credit card?


@LittleCat wrote:

I have 22 payments left on my car loan $9600 balance @6.9% and $2900 balance on a 0% visa(till July 2013).

 

My question is I would like to pay one of them off asap then the other asap. Just not sure which one to go for.

 

The money: I can do my regular car payment plus $250 each month and $100 to the visa, OR regular car payment and $350 to the CC.

 

I would really like to have my car free and clear but just not sure if thats the best move or clearing the CC off the table is.

 

Any thoughts?


Pay the minimum payment on Visa and rest on the car payment for several months.    Then about  December 2012 or so, switch all to VISA so that you have your Visa paid off by July 2013.   You don't want to start paying high interest rates on the Visa.

Message 8 of 8
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