Save Big Money on Home and Car Loans

June 28, 2010 — -- This week I shot another one of my savings makeovers based on the strategies in my book SAVE BIG. For this makeover, I worked with the McGraw Hill Federal Credit Union to help a New Jersey family save big money on their home loan and their car loan. I was once again reminded what phenomenal resources credit unions are. In fact, if you are in the market for a car, you have GOT to find a way to join a credit union, if you're not already a member. You can find one you are eligible for at www.findacreditunion.com.

Credit union auto financing is generally such a great deal that I'm going to issue a rule here: never shop for a used car at a dealership without first getting outside financing quotes, especially from a credit union. The loan is one more factor the dealership can play around with in the messy math equation of buying a car. The process is torturous enough. Don't add to the angst.

As you can see, by shopping around for an auto loan, I found a low interest rate of 4.25 percent at the credit union, almost a third the size of the highest quote of 11.22 percent. Now let's see how that helps us SAVE BIG on a $25,000 car loan, the national average.

24-month, $25,000 Auto Loan:The rate at the Bank was 11.22%. The amount owed? $28,032. But at the credit union at a rate of 4.25% the amount owed is $26,112. BIG SAVINGS= $1,920

There you have it. Close to $2,000 in savings achieved through half an hour's worth of work comparing interest rates. I love it when such a small effort yields such BIG SAVINGS!