Sometime ago, I had to get my wife a more current automobile, I was wanting to replace her van with another van or suv.  The current car was a Dodge Grand Caravan, my daughter is about 5.8 and she could sit with leg room in the Grand Caravan. I went to several dealerships and tested several different vans.  While test cars I also tested loans. Most loans had a high interest rate, more than I wanted to pay.

“A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower.

The borrower initially receives an amount of money from the lender, which they pay back, usually but not always in regular installments, to the lender. This service is generally provided at a cost, referred to as interest on the debt. A borrower may be subject to certain restrictions known as loan covenants under the terms of the loan.

Legally, a loan is a contractual promise of a debtor to repay a sum of money in exchange for the promise of a creditor to give another sum of money”.

After driving and sitting in the back of all the vans, I decided to  buy another Dodge Grand Caravan, it was the only van that my oldest daughter could sit in with comfort.  Once I picked out the car or van I wanted, next stop the finance manager, he was very nice but wanted every information about me except my blood type. It was a Monday, I sat around for about 5 hours while the Finance guy did his thing with checking auto loans rates at banks and lending companies, he came up with an interest I was willing to pay from a financial services business in Texas.  It was a real hassle waiting all that time, but my wait paid off, he refused to take my down payment money and I signed my life away for the next 5 years and drove off with Grand Caravan. By working an extra job I was able to pay off the 2005 GC in March 2007, the value dropped well below what I paid for it.  So much for income producing investment. Next time to save from having a loan, I will buy a cheaper used car. Since I paid off the Van, I used the extra money to pay off other debts and at one time debt free. Then I was able to quit my extra job.
If needing more information on Debt Management plans, I like to plan everything but my fiances, info on re-mortgaages or loans, the folks from Abacus Debt Management can help keep you in control of your finances.

Next time I will also take a free credit report with me, help save sometime in finding a good interest rate on a auto loan.