By Taivan Acer
Zero percent financing or discounted finance is a marketing tactic that refers to the promotional interest rate for enticing customers. Businesses that sell big-ticket items like home appliances and automobiles, consumer goods, credit cards, and real estate often use them to clear out inventory. Zero percent interest allows paying the same amount of money as a cash buyer, even though they are spreading the payments for the long term. The 0% interest offer ends then after the promotional period.
Is the loan truly interest-free?
It is never free, but the buyers pay the price otherwise.
Higher price tag – Sometimes, the financing cost is included in the car price. When someone gets zero percent financing, it may be challenging to acquire the incentives or negotiate the vehicle price.
Overspending – Zero percent financing makes it an attractive offer to add on packages and get more products than one requires.
Loan terms – The failure of an on-time loan payment can retroactively charge the higher rate on the original loan amount.
If people are pre-approved with a credit union or have cash in hand, they can better deal by taking the cash incentives than the zero percent financing.
How does it work?
Often customers get attractive financial packages for purchasing comparatively expensive items. Since there is a specific promotional period to pay back the loan, the unpaid balance incurs a high interest rate. Many customers are unable to clear the debt on time and stores benefit from the fact. Often they increase the upfront price and it could be misleading for the buyers.
Criteria for getting zero percent
Zero percent is usually available to people with a long credit history or the very best credit scores. The buyers who are more likely to make every payment on time are given the loan.
Need of down payment with zero percent financing
Although some dealers offer 100% financing, it is reasonable to put down a minimum of 20% for offsetting vehicle depreciation. One can get GAP protection on a loan to not become the victim of an upside-down loan-to-car value situation.
How worthy is zero percent financing?
Zero percent financing helps people save money in interest payments. But, people must spend some time doing homework before they implement it. Zero percent financing is unworthy for people who can’t afford the loan. One needs to take time, research on the matter, and think before negotiating the best price. Buyers may require contributing more money to the principal monthly. Zero percent financing alone cannot be the determining factor in a new vehicle purchase.
Getting pre-approved with Members Trust serves as a backup in case one doesn’t qualify for the zero percent offer or wants the cash incentive instead.
Conclusion
Zero percent is an incentive offered by the retailer which makes things affordable to most of the consumers. Offers are provided for a short time. Consumers need to value the offer as the interest rate may increase with the long-term cost of such purchases.
