Mortgage holders were given a boost today when the Reserve Bank decided to keep interest rates on hold.
While the move is hardly a surprise, it will still be welcome news for people paying off a mortgage.
Each 0.25 per cent interest rate rise adds another $60 to the monthly cost of an average Australian mortgage.
The official interest rate is now 4.75 per cent. Mortgage holders on variable interest rates are being charged a standard variable rate of about 7.83 per cent by their lenders.
Mortgage holders wanting to pay down their debt faster should take the opportunity to pay a little more off their loan now. On a new 25-year $370,000 mortgage, if you paid an extra $60 per month, or about the equivalent of a 0.25 per cent rate rise, you could clear your mortgage 17 months sooner and save $30,085 in interest.
