How You Can Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster Without Stress

written by

Jim Mucci

posted on

October 7, 2024

stress free mortgage payoff strategies

Want to pay off your home faster? It's easier than you think! Make two payments each month instead of one – this gives you an extra payment each year. Round up what you pay and set it to happen on its own. Did you get some extra money from taxes or work? Put it right into your home payment. If bank rates are good, you might want to switch to a shorter loan. Once you own 20% of your home, you can stop paying extra fees. Put money for your home in its own bank account. You can also make more money on the side to pay off your home faster. Try these simple steps, and you'll own your home much sooner!

Make Bi-weekly Mortgage Payments

bi weekly mortgage payment plan

You can save money on your home loan by paying every two weeks instead of once a month.

When you pay every two weeks, you end up making one extra payment each year. This extra money helps pay off your loan faster.

Think of it like putting a little more money in your piggy bank more often. The bank uses this extra money to cut down what you owe on your house.

Many people like this plan because it helps them save more money over time.

Round Up Your Monthly Payment

Think of your house payment like a piggy bank. When you pay a bit more each month, you help yourself save money over time.

Let's say your bill is $1,843. You can round it up to $1,900 or $2,000. This small change can make a big impact.

Here's a real example: If you add $157 to your $300,000 home loan each month, you'll save $27,000 in the long run. You'll also finish paying three years sooner.

The best part? Once you get used to paying the higher amount, you won't even notice the extra money.

You can set up your bank to pay this bigger amount each month. This way, you never have to think about it, and your loan gets smaller and smaller.

Refinance to a Shorter Term

shorten loan repayment period

When you switch your home loan to a shorter time, like going from 30 years to 15 years, you get a better deal.

You'll pay less in fees each month, which helps you own more of your home faster.

Your monthly bill will go up because you need to pay off your home in less time.

But many people like this choice. They save a lot of money in the long run and can own their home much sooner.

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Lower Interest Rate Benefits

Getting a shorter home loan means paying less money over time. When you change from a 30-year loan to a 15-year loan, you can get a better deal. Banks will give you a lower rate that can save you money.

Let's say you have a $300,000 loan. If you switch from a 30-year loan with 4% interest to a 15-year loan with 3% interest, you save $90,000.

Your monthly bill will go up, but more of your money goes to owning your home instead of paying interest. You'll own your home much faster and join other people who don't have house payments anymore.

Compare Monthly Payment Changes

When you switch to a shorter home loan, you'll pay more each month. It's smart to look at what you pay now and what you'd pay with the new loan. You can use a simple calculator online or ask your bank to help you compare.

Let's say you change from a 30-year loan to a 15-year loan. Your monthly payment will go up by about 20% to 40%. This means if you pay $1,000 now, you might pay $1,200 to $1,400 with the shorter loan.

Yes, you'll pay more each month, but you'll own your home faster and save money over time.

Look at your money carefully. Make sure you can pay the bigger amount each month. Keep some money saved for surprises.

Don't forget about your other bills too.

Save on Total Interest

Want to pay less money on your home loan? Think about getting a shorter loan. When you switch from a 30-year loan to a 15-year loan, you can save a lot of money. Let me show you how.

If you have a $300,000 loan, and you change from a 30-year loan with 6% interest to a 15-year loan with 4.5% interest, you could save $150,000! That's a lot of money staying in your pocket.

Your monthly payments will go up with a shorter loan. But you'll own your home faster.

Before you make this change, make sure you can pay the bigger monthly bills. Also, check how much it costs to make the switch. Add up the costs and see how long it will take to make back your money.

Use Windfalls Wisely

Getting extra money feels great! Maybe you got money back from taxes, a bonus from work, or a gift you didn't expect.

It's fun to think about buying new things. But using this money to pay more on your home loan is smart. It helps you own your home faster.

When you put extra money toward your home loan, you pay less money over time. Even $5,000 can help you finish paying months earlier.

Before you pay extra, talk to your bank. Some banks charge fees for early payments.

Make sure to tell them you want the extra money to go toward what you owe, not future bills.

Set Up an Extra Payment

arrange additional payment option

Want to pay off your home faster? You can split your monthly house payment into two smaller ones. Pay half every two weeks instead of the full amount once a month. This means you make 26 half-payments in a year instead of 12 full ones.

You can also try paying half on the first day of the month and half in the middle. This helps you save money on interest over time.

Just make sure to ask your bank if they allow this type of payment plan first.

Bi-Weekly Payment Schedule

Want to save money on your home loan? Try paying half of your monthly payment every two weeks. This means you'll pay 26 times a year instead of 12 big payments.

When you pay every two weeks, you end up paying more toward your loan each year. This helps you pay off your loan faster. You also pay less in interest over time because you're paying more often.

Let's say you have a 30-year loan. If you switch to paying every two weeks, you could finish paying 4-6 years early. That means you save lots of money!

Just ask your bank to help you set up these smaller, more frequent payments.

Split Monthly Payment Strategy

Want to pay less on your home loan? Try splitting your monthly payment into two smaller ones. Pay half on the first day of the month and half on the 15th. This helps you save money because you pay more often. When you pay more often, less interest builds up each day.

You must ask your bank first if you can make split payments. Some banks don't allow this. But if your bank says yes, you can save a lot of money over time. The best part is you still pay the same amount each month – just at different times.

Think of it like feeding a pet. If you feed them twice a day instead of once, they stay fuller all day long. Your loan works the same way. Two smaller payments work better than one big one!

Consider Mortgage Recasting

Think about recasting your home loan to save money each month. This means giving your bank a big chunk of money now to lower your future payments. You keep your same loan, but pay less each month.

You need $5,000 to $10,000 to start. Your bank will take this money and make your monthly bill smaller.

The bank won't need to check your credit score. You won't have to pay big fees like you'd if you got a new loan.

You will pay less money over time because you owe less on your loan. Your old loan stays the same – just with lower payments.

This is a simple way to cut your monthly costs if you have extra money saved up. You get to keep your loan terms but pay less each month.

Make One Additional Payment Yearly

annual extra payment required

Making one extra payment each year on your home loan helps you save money. Think of it like putting a little more money in a piggy bank each month. You can split up this extra payment in different ways.

You could:

  • Add a small bit more to what you pay each month
  • Make one big extra payment once a year
  • Split your payment into two parts every two weeks
  • Use your tax refund
  • Use any bonus money you get

Here's what you can save:

  • Adding a bit each month saves you 4-6 years and $45,000
  • One big yearly payment saves you 4-5 years and $42,000
  • Paying every two weeks saves you 4-5 years and $43,000
  • Using tax money saves you 3-5 years and $38,000
  • Using bonus money saves different amounts

Eliminate Private Mortgage Insurance

Getting rid of PMI saves you money each month.

PMI is extra money you pay when you own less than 20% of your home. Once you own more than 20%, you can stop paying PMI and use that money to pay off your home faster.

What you can do:

  1. Ask someone to check what your home is worth now. If it's worth more, you might own 20% sooner.
  2. Look at your home loan papers to see how much of your home you own.
  3. Write to your bank when you own close to 20% of your home to stop PMI.
  4. Pay extra on your home loan to reach 20% faster if your PMI costs a lot.

Start a Side Income

launch your extra earnings

Want to pay off your home faster? Making extra money on the side can help.

Pick jobs that pay well for your time. Keep this extra money away from your normal paycheck.

Put it in its own bank account. Set up the bank to send these extra funds right to your mortgage.

This way, you can watch your house get paid off faster.

Pick High-Profit Opportunities

Want to pay off your home faster? Start a side job that brings in extra money. Pick work that you're good at and that people want.

Here's what to look for:

  1. Pick work that lets you keep most of the money you make. Teaching others or selling things online works better than selling stuff you have to buy first.
  2. Find work that can grow bigger without taking more of your time.
  3. Look for work in areas where lots of people already spend money.
  4. Use what you know. If you're good at something, others will pay you to teach them.

This is one of the best ways to make extra cash to pay off your home loan faster.

Create Designated Mortgage Payments

Put your extra work money in a special bank account just for your house payment. Keep it away from your other money. This helps you stay strong and not spend it on other things.

Make your bank move the money right into this special account. When you have enough saved up, use it to pay extra on your house. This simple plan helps you stay on track.

You can watch your house payments get smaller and smaller. Think of these extra payments like a promise to yourself. Keep doing it, and you'll own your house much sooner.

Keep Income Streams Separate

Need some help with your house payments? You can get a second job just to pay down your home loan faster. Think of it like having two money jars – one for your bills and one just for your house.

When you get money from your second job, put it in a special bank account. Don't mix it with your other money. This makes it easier to use this extra cash only for your house.

Here's what to do:

  1. Pick a second job you're good at and fits your time.
  2. Open a new bank account just for this job.
  3. Make sure your second job pays into this account.
  4. Set up bank payments to send extra money to your home loan.

When you keep your money split like this, it's much easier to stay on track. Your main job pays for food and bills, while your second job helps you own your home faster.

Cut Unnecessary Expenses

You can save money to pay off your home faster by finding things you don't need to buy. Look at what you spend each month. You might see you're paying for stuff you forgot about.

Start with the big costs. You can:

  • Get a cheaper TV plan
  • Ask for lower insurance costs
  • Stop paying for a gym you don't use
  • Switch to a less costly phone plan
  • Make food at home instead of eating out

When you save money, use it to pay extra on your house. If you pay $200 more each month, you can own your home years sooner.

Plus, you'll save lots of money on the loan costs. The small things you give up now will help you be free from debt faster.

Use Your Tax Refund

maximize your tax refund

Getting money back from taxes is a great way to pay down your home loan faster. Instead of buying things you want right now, use that money to lower what you owe on your house. This smart choice can help you save lots of money and pay off your house sooner.

Here's what to do:

  1. Call your bank and tell them you want the extra money to go toward what you owe, not future bills.
  2. Look at your work tax forms to get less money back but pay more on your house each month.
  3. Open a bank account just for extra house payments.
  4. Use a loan calculator to see how much faster you'll pay off your house – it will make you happy to see the progress.