You should generally pay off your credit card first because it almost always has a much higher interest rate (APR) than a car loan, costing you more money over time, while paying it down also improves your credit utilization significantly. Focus extra payments on the highest-interest debt (credit card) while making minimums on others, using the debt avalanche method, which saves the most money on interest.
When prioritizing paying off your debt, start with the balance that has the higher interest rate (likely your credit cards) and go from there. No matter what type of debt you'll be dealing with, though, the most important factor is that you pay your bills on time.
Pay the most expensive borrowing first
If you have store cards, credit cards or personal loans, the store cards will probably be the most expensive. So it's important to check the cost of all your borrowing and make sure you pay off the most expensive debts first.
Dave Ramsey's core car rules emphasize paying cash, avoiding new cars (unless you're a millionaire), keeping your total vehicle value under half your annual income, and using a strict budget, often suggesting the 20/4/10 rule (20% down, 4-year loan, 10% total car expenses) as a guideline if financing, but preferring no debt at all to avoid depreciating assets trapping you. He stresses buying reliable, used vehicles to prevent debt and build wealth.
The 50/30/20 rule is a simple budget guideline: 50% of your after-tax income for needs (like housing, groceries, and car payments/expenses), 30% for wants (dining out, entertainment), and 20% for savings and debt repayment. For a car payment, this means your total monthly car expenses (loan, insurance, gas, maintenance) should ideally fit within the 50% "Needs" category, with some experts suggesting car costs shouldn't exceed 10-15% of your income overall, making a modest car a "need" and luxury vehicles a "want".
Depreciation. Cars reportedly lose 20% of their value in the first year of ownership and retain just 40% of their original value after five years. Clearly, that is not a good investment. “Your goal should be to buy the least expensive car. Period,” said Orman. “That should steer you to a used car rather than a new car. ...
With a 700 credit score (considered "Good"), you're well-positioned to get approved for most major loans like mortgages, auto loans, and personal loans with more competitive interest rates and terms than someone with a lower score, plus you'll qualify for better rewards credit cards and may even see lower insurance premiums. You can access a wide range of financial products, but to get the best rates, scores above 740-760 are often needed.
There are several reasons you should pay down credit card debt before doubling down on your car loan, but it largely comes down to interest. Generally speaking, interest rates are much higher on credit cards than on car loans, so they'll cost you more in interest in the long run.
Pay Off the Highest Interest First
For instance, your highest-interest debt may also be your largest – such as a mortgage or a student loan. As Bankrate's Nicole Dieker points out, this can feel discouraging as you might spend years chipping away at a large debt and only be covering the interest.
Dave Ramsey's debt payoff strategy centers on the Debt Snowball method, a behavioral approach focusing on paying off debts from smallest balance to largest for motivational wins, combined with strict budgeting, cutting expenses, increasing income, and eliminating new debt, all part of his broader 7 Baby Steps plan, particularly Baby Step 2. The core idea is that behavior (80%) drives finance (20%), so small wins build momentum to tackle bigger debts, rather than focusing solely on high-interest rates.
You can pay off your car loan early, but whether it's a good idea depends on your loan terms and finances. Paying off a car loan early can save you money on interest and eliminate a monthly payment. However, it may be wiser to prioritize higher-interest debts or keep money stashed away for emergencies.
Bezos: Chase Amazon Prime Visa 5%. Musk: PayPal Cashback Mastercard 3%.
Wealthy people love credit card perks
Different cards offer cash back, rewards, low interest, or no interest. Having a couple of cards is a good way to maximize the perks and avoid high interest costs. Credit cards are typically quite secure, with strong fraud protections in place to safeguard cardholders.
While older models of credit scores used to go as high as 900, you can no longer achieve a 900 credit score. The highest score you can receive today is 850.
The Ramsey 25% rule is a personal finance guideline from Dave Ramsey, stating that your total monthly housing costs (mortgage principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA, PMI) should not exceed 25% of your monthly take-home pay, preventing you from becoming "house poor" and allowing for savings, investing, and financial freedom. It's a guideline for building a strong financial foundation, not a strict rule, though some find it difficult in high-cost areas.
"I personally think you should never, ever ever ever, lease a car, do you hear me?" she tells CNBC Make It. That's because when you lease, you're pouring in money each month with nothing to show for it at the end of the day. "If you rent a car, you're going to rent a car year in and year out," Orman says.