In times of financial difficulty, loans are the credit instruments that are always available to you. All loans must be returned, and they must do so with compounded interest, whether they are personal loans that may be used for a variety of purposes or housing loans that let you buy a home. Obtaining a loan has gotten much simpler in recent years thanks to the availability of the internet; all you need to do is fill out an online application, supply the necessary paperwork, and meet the lender's eligibility requirements. The repayment process, which includes making EMI payments, begins once you have completed these steps. If you took out a loan after careful consideration and planning, you can feel a little more at ease; however, if you didn't plan it carefully, you could later find yourself in a lot of trouble. Despite all your planning, life may still come with a lot of surprises that can mess with your finances. 

Here are some clever methods to lessen your loan obligations without straining your finances:

Keep to your budget at all times: 

A budget is always the foundation of any discussion on money management. The budget teaches you to live within your means as well as giving you an indication of how much you are spending. 

Make a list of every dollar you spend in the past month before we get started. Let's begin a new chapter right away. A budget for the following month is made by looking at your past spending. Reduce all unnecessary spending and make an effort to prioritise your requirements over your wants. You will undoubtedly realise at the end of the month that your savings have exceeded your out-of-budget expenses.

Get the tax advantages:

Although not all loans offer tax advantages, housing and education loans do. Therefore, you must conduct a cost-benefit analysis after taxes if you have chosen to prepay any of them that offers tax benefits. Calculate first, then make any decisions. You can concentrate on the loans that do not provide tax benefits and have higher interest rates instead of paying these off initially. Occasionally, keeping a few debts that give tax advantages could be beneficial.  

Constantly choose an economical EMI:

Getting a loan might be enjoyable for some people because they have quick access to money, but paying it back can be challenging because you have to pay much more than the principal. Therefore, choose a loan amount that you can manage to return without straining your monthly budget to ensure that the entire term is tranquil for you. You can use the online EMI calculator to help simplify the computation and find out your EMIs in advance. Knowing your affordability and payback capabilities thanks to this. While a shorter loan term will result in a lower total amount of interest paid, the cost of your monthly payments will rise.So, whenever you choose the amount of your loan EMI, always keep affordability in mind.

Increasing payments when income rises:

Increasing the EMI's rising income is one of the simplest ways to lessen your loan burden. This will not only speed up your debt repayment, but you will also forfeit your piece of mind. 

Let's look at how to do this: You receive an increase in income of 8% if you have an ongoing loan. You may quickly pay off your debt by using your additional income to put it to good use. You may easily afford to pay more in EMIs with an 8% rise in income. 

By doing this, your loan will be paid off earlier than its term allows, allowing you to concentrate on other financial objectives. If you have multiple loans, strive to pay off the highest rate loan first. Likewise, if you have previous credit card debt, pay it off first.

Try to refinance if you can:  

The majority of loans have the excellent option of refinancing. Not only can a loan refinance or balance transfer lower your interest, but it also lessens your debt load. 

Refinancing essentially involves replacing a current debt with a new one, from the same lender or another. This is beneficial if another lender is offering the same loan at a lower rate when you are already receiving one at a very high interest rate or with unfavourable terms. 

You must apply for a balance transfer with a new lender in order to take advantage of this option. The new lender will pay your old lender immediately in order to shut your loan account and open your new loan account alongside them.

Every time you can, try to prepay or pay in part: 

Your debt load might be decreased without putting too much strain on your finances if you prepay or make partial payments. When you have enough money on hand, you can do this by giving your lender a one-time payment. Depending on your incentives, factors, or bonus, you may be able to do this through saving money. However, it's crucial to make sure your lender offers this option when applying for a loan.  

Debt repayment options include using your current investments: 

Using your current investments, you can escape a debt trap if you find yourself in one. In such a situation, your options include borrowing money against your life insurance policy or taking out a loan from your PPF account, neither of which will have an impact on your finances or budget. 

The PPF enables the investor to borrow money against the remaining balance from their investment from the third financial year, with the loan being repayable over the next three years. Up to 25% of the account balance may be borrowed at one time from a PPF account. A 2% premium over the current PPF interest rate is charged on the loan. Due to its convenience, it is the best choice for accelerating debt repayment. 

Conclusion 

The fact is that loans and other forms of credit must be returned, and they must be done so with interest, notwithstanding how convenient they may be.  The procedure of loan repayment and EMIs begins when you have completed the loan application process. Despite all your preparation, life can still surprise you with a lot of expenses that can put a dent in your finances. But there are always practical approaches to lessen the debt load without straining your finances.