11 Money Saving Tips For Your Family Car
These days everything is more expensive to buy so anyway you can save money is helpful. Buying a car is one of the biggest purchases most people make whether it's your first car or upgrading your family car.
Owing a car in general can cost a lot of money, but there are ways you can save money when purchasing a new car for your family to use and after when you're keeping up with the maintenance. Between the fuel prices that keep rising every day and overall costs for products and services going up it's important to cut costs wherever you can.
Keep reading to see how I saved money when buying a "new" car and how I continue to save.
How can I save money when buying a new family car?
Buying a car doesn't have to be scary. There are plenty of ways to make sure you're getting the best car for you and at a reasonable price.
Use A Loan Calculator
When you're buying a car you want to make sure you can afford the payments and that it's not going to cause a strain on your budget. Using a calculator like CarPaymentCalculator.net can help you figure out exactly how much you'll be spending per month on a payment. They also give you up to date information about current auto loan rates. If you're not sure how much your budget will allow you to spend, you can also put in your information to find out how much your maximum vehicle price should be.
Buy A Used Car
The best way to save money is to buy a used car either in a private sale or through a dealership. Used cars will always have a lower price than a brand new car. Make sure you do your homework when buying a used car to ensure it doesn't have any major problems and is priced correctly for the age, model, and condition of the car.
Trade In Your Car
If you already own a car, consider trading it in when you're purchasing a new one. Trading your car in will lower the monthly loan payments and total cost for the car. You can either trade it in at the dealership or sell it on your own privately and apply the cash towards your new purchase. Selling it privately will most likely get you some more money.
Go To Multiple Dealerships
Don't look at only one dealership. There are MANY dealerships depending on your location. Look online at all of your local dealerships to see what they have in inventory. You'll get to see prices and pictures before going in. Compare the prices of similar cars across a few dealerships and find yourself the best deal.
Shop Around For Financing
Similar when you're looking for the right car to buy, you don't want to settle on the first financing you find. Different lenders will have different rates, offers, and terms. Find the one that fits your situation the best.
How can I save once I own the car?
Now that you have found your newest family car and got the best deal, you need to keep your savings going with regular maintenance for your car. Here are some of the ways I use, to save money on a day to day basis with me car.
Sign Up For Fuel Rewards
If there are certain gas stations you use regularly sign up for their rewards program! This is the easiest way to save money. Gas prices are very very high right now, so saving money even if it's only a few cents is helpful. I use The Fuel Rewards program at Shell which allows me to save 5 cents per gallon. It was free to sign up for and there are many other gas stations that have similar programs.
Sign Up For Oil-Change Rewards
Similar to fuel rewards, there are oil change chains that will let you sign up and you'll get coupons for oil changes. Valvoline sends me monthly coupons to use for my oil changes which is a decent savings. Not to mention, they make it extremely convenient to get an oil change because you don't have to get out of your card and are in and out in less than 30 minutes.
Wash Your Car Yourself
It can be tempting to go to a local car wash because your car will look nice and shiny after, but often you're just overpaying for something you can do yourself. While it might be convenient to pay for a car wash, you can get everything you need at the dollar store to wash your car yourself.
Look For Local Free Car Vacuums
I didn't know it existed, but at my local Shell gas station they offer FREE car vacuums! I use them all the time when I'm passing the gas station and my car is in need of a little cleaning. With kids in the car there will always be food crumbs gathered in the car, so I always have a reason to use these high powered vacuums.
Get Tires On Tire Buyer
If you're looking to save money on buying tires, consider using places like TireBuyer.com. You can put in your exact car model and year and it will show you all the tires available. They'll ship them free to a local auto shop (you can choose the one with the cheapest fee) and then bring your car there to get them put on. You can also sign up for their newsletter and receive a coupon!