Companies want to make it easy to buy their big ticket items, especially at times of economic uncertainty. A popular technique is to offer 0% financing when you buy furniture, electronics and other household items. You can also take matters into your own hands with a credit card that offers 0% APR on purchases, balances transferred to the card, or both.

While paying for goods and services with 0% interest may sound appealing, there are risks you’ll face that you should be aware of before you take this step.

What’s hiding behind 0% financing

Here are some of the potential problems hiding behind these 0% financing offers:

• Special financing offers make it easier to overspend. Psychology Today reported that credit card use can easily result in overspending, and the same is true for loans. The key is to understand the monthly payments you are committing to, and ensuring you can handle them. At the same time, try to assess your purchase decision. Would you buy this item if the 0% offer was not available?
• Some 0% APR offers come with deferred interest. Hidden in the fine print of some 0% interest offers may lurk deferred interest charges. This means that while you’re enjoying monthly payments with no interest, the interest charge accrues over time. If you miss a payment, have a late payment or haven’t paid off the loan by the end of the 0% offer period, the accrued interest gets added to your unpaid balance. The key is to precisely understand what happens if you miss a payment or don’t follow the 0% offer exactly as written…before you take the 0% offer.
• The 0% offer may be impacting the price. Remember, money has value and someone is paying the interest cost of the 0% financing. Usually the merchant is hiding the cost inside the price you are paying for the item.

What you can do

Before considering a 0% interest financing offer on your next purchase, do this:

• Save up for large ticket purchases. Instead of financing items and ensuring you have even more bills to pay each month, start saving for pricier purchases on a regular basis. Even better, leverage the value of your savings within higher interest savings account options that are now in excess of 4 percent.
• Turn on your negotiating switch. Whenever you see a 0% offer, there should be a discount available to you for paying upfront. Someone is paying the interest and it is probably going to be you if the financing cost is built into the price you are paying.
• Pay on time! Finally, if you do think the 0% option is a deal for you… set up auto payments. Most of these deals are unforgiving and punitive if you miss a payment, so automate them to avoid this possibility.

Rabalais Business Consulting is Acadiana’s Small Business Survival Specialists firm based in Lafayette, LA, offering specialized business and accounting services to small businesses in the traditional sector.

Our team of highly trained professionals possesses the expertise and experience to provide clients with a comprehensive range of services, including accounting, tax planning and preparation, financial planning, business consulting, and more.

At Rabalais Business Consulting, our primary objective is to help businesses achieve their financial goals by optimizing their financial performance, minimizing their tax liabilities, and protecting their hard-earned wealth. We achieve this by working collaboratively with our clients to develop customized solutions that align with their unique business objectives.

Our approach to business consulting is tailored to the specific needs of each client. We believe that every business is unique, and therefore requires a customized strategy to achieve its goals. We take the time to get to know our clients and their businesses, so that we can identify opportunities for growth, mitigate risks, and develop strategies to optimize their financial performance.

Our team of professionals possess a wealth of knowledge and experience in a variety of industries. We are committed to staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and regulations, so that we can provide our clients with the most relevant and effective advice and solutions.

At Rabalais Business Consulting, we are passionate about helping our clients achieve their financial objectives. Whether you are a small business owner looking to minimize your tax liabilities or a company seeking to optimize your financial performance, we are here to help.

Thank you for considering Rabalais Business Consulting for your business needs. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you and help your business achieve its full potential.

Rabalais Business Consulting is conveniently located at 209 Rue Louis XIV, Lafayette, LA 70508.  Please call us to make an appointment at (337) 981-2579.