Managing Debt & Reserves

Managing Debt & Reserves

Architect · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 50 posts · 36 votes

To maintain a credit card balance and build cash reserves, or keep my $ cash low while aggressively paying down debt?

My goal for this year is to save $$ and build a healthy cash reserve. For years I've been in the habit of keeping my 'bad' debt as low as possible. Credit cards, car loans, student loans, other large financed items etc. 

After purchasing my third property in December using 100% leverage (used a HELOC for 20% downpayment, mortgage the rest) I may be slightly overleveraged. This recent property purchase had a few big expenses right off the bat. At this point my HELOC is almost maxed out at $50k, and I have a CC balance of $4,000 +/-. Other than that, I have a small balance for student loans and an HVAC system that I financed. (car is paid off)

Is it better to just hold some of this debt and let it accrue the interest, so that I can build cash reserves? Or keep the cash balance in my bank relatively low, and aggressively pay down the debt to minimize the amount of interest I pay. In the second scenario, I suppose my access to debt would be my emergency reserves. 

As a background I have one single family LTR that cashflows, my primary residence that I'm rehabbing, and a STR that is (finally) starting to cashflow. + my W2 employment which I believe is pretty stable. My credit fluctuates between low 800's and high 700's.

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  • Real Estate Agent · Boise, ID · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 888 votes
    4y

    @Matt I. cash reserves are nice, but the most important thing is access to capital that can cover your needs. So if your contractors take credit cards I would pay it off as its going to be the highest rate. Then work on paying down the HELOC. I would keep some funds to take care of minor things but not hold excess. This will help you dial the project in get a few quotes and really make the best choice before drawing down on a LOC.

    Short answer low cash balance while paying debt down. Once debt is paid down build up some cash reserves and try to avoid overleverage situations as different market situations can wreck you.

    Best of luck!

  • The Triangle, NC · Member since 2021 · 193 posts · 117 votes
    4y
    Do a bit of both -- pay down debt while rebuilding some reserves.  While Chris' math is correct and paying off the debt is the logical thing to do, we are not logical animals.  Having just a bit of buffer, even if it's only $1000 in your checking account, will offer some peace of mind and reduced stress over $1 in checking and $1000 less on the credit card statement.   Counter-intuitive, but it's how most humans work.   If you are paying off the credit cards by insuring every new purchase + accrued interest + at least the calculated minimum is made on time every month, you'll preserve your FICO, and build up cash reserves for unexpected crap that would otherwise just go right back on the card statement.

    Once the cards are paid off in full, NEVER run a balance on them again.  Lesson learned.
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