What is refinancing?
Basically, it is a process of taking out a new loan in order to pay off one or more existing loans. It may seem perverse, but the benefits are enormous. If you are currently paying off one or more loans, plus you have a credit card debt, you are in fact paying interests on several loans at the same time. Credit card interest rates tend also to be very unfavourable.
Additionally, most of the loans come with monthly administration fees and if you have more than one such loan, they can amount to a significant sum. In most cases it is beneficial to consolidate all debts into one loan, the so-called refinanced loan.
Do you have multiple loans? Refinance and save money
Once you have your loans and credit card debts combined into one single loan, you will have to manage only one loan, and therefore you will not have to worry about wasting your money by paying higher monthly instalments than it is necessary. It allows you to deal with only one lender which is both more predictable and practical.
Imagine the pleasant feeling of getting rid of your credit card debt by means of a simple search and thus obtaining much more favourable interest rates. The fact is that the average interest rates on a credit card are higher than personal loan rates. It can cause an unnecessary outflow of money every month you do not pay more than the minimum amount due.
How to get a more affordable loan with refinancing
It is obviously not necessary to have multiple loans and credit card debts to benefit from refinancing. You can refinance only one loan, one credit card debt, or several loans and credit card debts at the same time. It is also possible to choose which debt to refinance, leaving others to be paid off separately. What is more, you can apply for refinancing of your current debts and for an additional loan. This will allow you to pay off the current debt on better terms and provide your account with additional funds.
But how? Is it worth taking a new loan to get rid of an old one? The answer is simple! Yes, you can get much better terms, namely a much lower effective interest rate.
There are several reasons why banks can offer you better terms:
- lower interest rates,
- regular repayments of the existing loan,
- new tax return in Norway (skattemelding),
- if your current income is higher than before, it can have a positive effect on your creditworthiness.
The example below illustrates how refinancing of two loans can result is savings on both monthly payments and the total amount payable. It brings double benefit.
All loans in the example below include additional costs in the amount of 80 NOK per month, as well as a one-time commission in the amount of 1,350 NOK. According to the example below, thanks to refinancing, the instalment was reduced by 2,819 NOK and the loan was spread over the maximum loan tenure.
| Example | Existing loans | New loan (refinanced) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank 1 | Bank 2 | Sum | ||
| Loan amount | 150 000 | 250 000 | 400 000 | 400 000 |
| Nominal interest rate | 19,90% | 15,90% | 11,90% | |
| Effective interest rate | 23,64% | 18,10% | 13,09% | |
| Loan term | 4 years | 8 years | 8 years | |
| Amount payable NOK | 224 514 | 453 353 | 677 867 | 631 793 |
| Monthly payment NOK | 4 678 | 4 722 | 9 400 | 6 581 |
| Savings on monthly payments | 2 819 NOK |
| Savings on the total amount payable | 46 074 NOK |
* The calculation above is not an offer, but only a simulation of a possible situation.
Refinancing can bring you huge savings every month, as well as a significant amount of money saved in the long run, as a result of paying off the old loan on better terms. If you receive an offer with a higher interest rate you obviously should not refinance. After receiving offers from the banks you decide whether you want to refinance your debt or stay with the current terms. Checking the offers entails no obligation.
Lower instalment or a cheaper loan?
Loan refinancing can have two effects.
For example, if you are struggling with high monthly interest rates that are hard on your finances, it is possible to refinance your loan in order to pay lower monthly instalments. As a result the overall cost of the loan will be higher, but your monthly payments will become more affordable. In other words, you can breathe more easily now, but you also have to accept the higher costs of paying off the entire refinanced loan.
The other effect is lowering the overall costs of your loan. You will get a lower effective interest rate compared to the current one. If you can afford to shorten the repayment term, the overall costs of your loan will be lower, although you will be paying higher monthly instalments. We recommend this option to get rid of the debt quickly and cheaply.
Choose low interest rate refinancing
Applying for loan refinancing is not complicated. It is just as easy as a standard cash loan procedure. The application does not require any documentation. There is however a basic condition for being granted a refinanced loan - it has to be used for paying off the existing debts.
In Norway you can find a wide selection of banks that offer such loans. It is therefore smart to seek the service of a financial advisor who will (without extra payments) send loan applications to several banks on clients’ behalf, and help in choosing the best solution. The banks currently offer the loans with an option to refinance debts up to 500.000 NOK. The repayment date for the refinanced loan depends on the amount of time left to pay off the old debt. For instance if you have 2 loans, one for 4 years and the second one for 7 years, the maximum loan tenure can amount to 7 years. However it cannot exceed 15 years.
Where to begin?
In order to make the best choice, it is worth using the service of a trusted loan advisor. They will help you fill out the loan questionnaire and answer all questions about your situation, free of charge. This way you can check which bank offers the best refinancing option, without any obligation. In the current situation, the banks are competing to provide the best refinancing offer.