Finally paid off my car loan 18 months early yesterday

Three years ago I took a $28,000 loan on a 2020 Honda Civic in Phoenix, and by throwing every side gig tip and tax refund at it I just made the last payment a year and a half ahead of schedule, has anyone else found that focusing on small extra payments really adds up faster than you'd think?

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paige8704mo ago

18 months early on a $28k loan in Phoenix is Absolutely no joke, that takes real grit. It's funny how small wins like that can totally shift your mindset about other things too. I've noticed with my own bills, once you start knocking out one debt early, you get this momentum where every extra dollar feels like it's working harder for you. It's like a ripple effect - you stop seeing money as just money and start seeing it as time you're buying back from banks or loan companies. Before you know it, you're looking at your everyday spending differently, like suddenly that daily coffee stop feels like a tiny loan payment you don't want to make. That's the REAL trick, building that mental habit where you're always asking "can I pay a little more here or wait a bit there" until it becomes automatic.

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schmidt.grant4mo ago

Arizona has a 6.6% sales tax, so $28,000 likely included around $1,700 in taxes and fees on that Civic. @paige870 is right about the momentum, but that daily coffee comparison might be a bit off. A $5 coffee isn't the same as a $300 car payment - you'd need to skip 60 coffees to equal one payment. Small wins are great, but the real magic is throwing bigger chunks like tax refunds and tips at the principal, just like you did.

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