Getting a Used Car Loan

Sometimes you need to purchase something and you don't have the money to just pay upfront. Thankfully you can get a loan for a used car. You don't have to pay for it all at once. If that were the case no one would be able to really buy a car. I used to think that if you bought a used car that you had to pay for it all.  I guess that didn’t really make sense, unless it was a private seller. You can of course pay in full but there is financing to help those who don't have several thousand dollars burning a hole in their pocket. I know I don't. If I did, I wouldn’t use it to buy a car outright. I would still finance it. You may think that it is complicated to get a used car loan but it can really be easy. You also may be able to be financed for more than you would with a new car depending on your credit.  

Check out my post to see what you need to keep in mind when getting a used car loan.

I love saving Money on Big Purchases

I love to save money. I am very good at budgeting and making informed decisions about buying things. I definitely use coupons and shop with sales. I even make myself wait a period of time if I am not sure I want to buy it. It limits impulse buys. If I am shopping online I will compare prices too.  I like to shop around and make pro and con lists. If it's a big purchase such as a used car I do my research and see how I can get the most for my money.  I definitely think of all the angles and possibilities.  It’s funny because I never used to make pro and con lists when I was younger. You can save money and get more for your money when you buy a used car.  Each person is different and you have to decide what’s best for you.  As the adult, I have to make those decisions for my family and see what is best. For me personally a used car is the right decision for us. So I will be buying a used car.

To see what all I considered check out my post about saving money on a used car.

Take Care of Your Used Car

My ex-husband was awful at taking care of his used car. He never got the oil changed, serviced or did anything to take care of it. I remember one year there was a snow storm and we couldn't really see out of the windshield. I guess the wipers needed replaced and he didn't do it. It was so bad that we had to get a car wash just so we could drive. That wasn't a smart idea either.  We tried to opt for the heated dry and of course it didn’t dry the car so there was now instant ice all over the windshield. It was very dangerous and thankfully we made it safely.

His car was so poorly serviced that it died on the highway on Christmas Day. Luckily, it wasn't too terrible and it was pretty mild. It could have been a lot worse. We had to walk through a field to get off the road and I believe my cell phone was dead as it seems to always work out that way. We had to go on a hunt for a payphone.  The only thing that was open was a Walgreens because it was Christmas Day. His mom had to come pick us up and then we had to get rides with other family members to be at our different celebrations.  It was not a good feeling at all.  It's so important to get used car serviced.