This Is The Dumbest Reason You’re Losing Money

Interest rates might be low, but they’re not going to stay that way forever. And when they do rise, the chance to save a bundle will vanish. In spite of that, most Americans won’t take advantage of this window of opportunity.

A new survey from HSH.com, a site for comparing and calculating mortgage rates, finds that only 9% of Americans plan to refinance a mortgage this year, while only 30% say they’re going to pay off credit card debt.

This means we’re leaving money on the table in a big way. “Given that most credit cards are variable-rate, a rising interest rate environment would tend to be more costly over time, so there is even a greater benefit to retiring balances as quickly as possible,” says HSH.com vice president Keith Gumbinger. When the prime rate goes up, so will your monthly rate, even if you haven’t added to your overall balance.

“As far as mortgage refinancing goes, it’s a matter of opportunism,” Gumbinger says. “At the moment, fixed mortgage rates are at about 20-month lows, and very close to as much as 60-year lows.” While there are more variables to consider when refinancing, such as if your credit is good enough to qualify for the lowest rate, how much equity you have in your home and whether or not you plan to stay in that home for a while longer, Gumbinger says the opportunity for greater savings — and month-to-month cash flow — can make refinancing worth it under the right circumstances.

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Even though Americans might be aware of their collective inertia when it comes to taking these steps, Gumbinger says the actual number of people who make a proactive improvement to their finances is likely to be low. “Even the best intentions are rarely realized, and over the course of the year there are likely to be many distractions,” he points out. For comparison, last year only 24% of us paid off credit card debt, although 15% did take advantage of low rates to refinance a mortgage.

Unfortunately, it’s not even like we’re socking away the money we do have for the future. The survey finds that only a third of Americans say they’re going to save for retirement this year. That’s an improvement from the 27% who say they did last year, but it’s still low.

“The calendar continues to work against you in the battle to amass assets,” Gumbinger warns. “Incomes are growing again, so if IRA [or] 401k contributions have been on the minimal side over the last few years, here’s a bit of a chance to play catch-up.”