Americans spend too much money on their cars. This is because they finance the purchase.
When you borrow money to buy something that loses value, this is a bad idea. And nearly all cars do lose value over time.
Cars depreciate. We purchase cars to get us from point A to point B, and we pay a hefty premium to have them. But when we pay interest on an item that is depreciating, this is poor money management. Next time you buy a car, follow these tips instead to make a smarter financial move:
Don’t finance. You are probably going to want more car than you can afford. At car dealerships, there is a loan officer there ready to help us get this car anyhow.
It doesn’t make a lot of sense but it doesn’t have to. Buying a car is often an emotional thing. People get very attached to their cars, they get proud of their cars, and they want cars that are nice and shiny and new. Because of these emotional reactions, we can be talked into taking out loans with horrible terms and extreme interest rates. We pay much more for our cars as a result.
Never lease a car. Leasing a car is like renting an apartment. You are paying to use something but not toward owning it. Plus, dealerships figure you won’t take care of a car you aren’t going to own so they add more cost to the lease to cover damage.
It’s a bad bet. You pay top dollar, for a car and for damage you may not even do to it, and in the end you have nothing to show for your money.
Don’t get a new car. A car that is new sells for a hefty premium just by virtue of not being preowned. This value - the ‘newness’ - disappears the moment that you buy the car. It can never again be sold as new. This is why the car depreciates the very moment you drive it off the lot. You’re losing value before you even get your new purchase home.
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