Thread creep:
Yep, Bobert. It adds a bit, although not as much as I expected. (Closing costs aren't high and the loan only adds 4 years.) If I can pay the same amount as I currently pay or more, when I can afford it, with the extra going straight to pay off principle, I can pay it off a lot earlier and save a bunch of money on interest. If I pay just what they expect, I'll croak before I pay it off and won't really care what I still owe them. I personally think that paying off interest that hasn't accrued yet is a complete ripoff, but it's a well-established and tolerated ripoff.