Lump Sum vs Financing

Assuming you have the cash available, take the 10% off and pay by CC getting some type of cashback or loyalty points.

It’s not a close decision.

Not sure how good it's, but there is a group buy in BST, might be you can check price for reference

2021-rfd-approved-air-condition-furnace ... a-2451019/

For a relatively small/medium’ish purchase like a furnace. I would just pay with my own means to save 10% off cost.


Whats a furnace these days? $2500?

10% of that is $250.

Yah i’ll dip into the piggy bank for that.
However if you don’t have a piggy bank… so yah the 0% financing really cost $250

https://www.calculator.net/apr-calculat ... generalapr

So if you do a calculation… that $2500 for 24 months “cost” you $250….
Thats 10% per year apr!

Even my unsecured LOC is @ 6%…

UrbanPoet wrote: ↑ For a relatively small/medium’ish purchase like a furnace. I would just pay with my own means to save 10% off cost.


Whats a furnace these days? $2500?

10% of that is $250.

Yah i’ll dip into the piggy bank for that.
However if you don’t have a piggy bank… so yah the 0% financing really cost $250

https://www.calculator.net/apr-calculat ... generalapr

So if you do a calculation… that $2500 for 24 months “cost” you $250….
Thats 10% per year apr!

Even my unsecured LOC is @ 6%…

If it were only that cheap 12k for both. I have diamond hands and having a hard time letting go of it!

smartie wrote: ↑ Not sure how good it's, but there is a group buy in BST, might be you can check price for reference

2021-rfd-approved-air-condition-furnace ... a-2451019/

Thanks. Looks to be GTA only. London is too far out in the boonies.

montyhall wrote: ↑ If it were only that cheap 12k for both. I have diamond hands and having a hard time letting go of it!

Oh. Better to find your own means of financing.
$1200 financing cost when you factor in the 10% discount…

montyhall wrote: ↑ If it were only that cheap 12k for both. I have diamond hands and having a hard time letting go of it!

Is this just a standard AC and Nat gas furnace?

If so $12k seems out of line. Seems like some enercare high rates. I feel as though you should be able to do better on the price point.

Also, as others have said I would probably take the 10% plus cc points. Probably at worst break even if you have cash on hand and you can likely finance it elsewhere for cheaper.

montyhall wrote: ↑ Hi All:

Unfortunately the time has come where I need to replace my Furnace and AC. I've gotten a few quotes that are all over the board and have decided to go with something in the middle.

They are offering 10% off if I pay by cash, cheque or credit card OR 0% interest for 24 months.

The cost difference is just over $1k.

Should I pick door #1 and put all the money down now or door #2 and spread it over a 24 month period?

Thanks,
MH

If I'm understanding your post, if the cost difference between the 2 options is over $1k, I would take option #1 if I had the funds available and pay with my credit card to get a minimum of 1% points with a premium credit card (or maybe 0.5% with a regular credit card card). However, if paying by credit card, you should have the funds available since unless the credit card is offering interest free period for purchases, at a typical ~22% interest rate per year, your 10% savings won't be much of a savings.

The only way I would consider option #2 is if the monthly installments would be charged to my credit card and/or I didn't have the money available immediately.

SubjectivelyObjective wrote: ↑ Is this just a standard AC and Nat gas furnace?

If so $12k seems out of line. Seems like some enercare high rates. I feel as though you should be able to do better on the price point.

Also, as others have said I would probably take the 10% plus cc points. Probably at worst break even if you have cash on hand and you can likely finance it elsewhere for cheaper.

Agreed, this is what I thought, but like everything I'm being told there is a "shortage" of supply - like chip shortages for cars/trucks. The most frustrating part is that 4/5 of the quotes I got they didn't do a heat loss calculation. Cheapest quote I got is $8500, but this is for a guy doing the job on the side.

Who says it has to be replaced? If you can wait, I would wait. Supply is an issue these days. If you are in London look outside of London - Lambeth, Strathroy, St Thomas and see if you can get a quote from them.

What's the opportunity cost of spending the cash now? I'd use cash unless you have some reason to believe that you can generate better than an 11% real return over the next two years or you anticipate needing that money for something else that you won't be able to finance for free. Another option is to save the $1200 and see if you can finance the $10,800 at such a rate that whatever you do with the cash would be outperforming the cost of that debt.