What Can You Afford?

The monthly payments on your automobile are very important. On the one hand, you do not want to pay too little and draw the loan out forever. On the other hand, you also do not want to pay too much and strain your budget. Here are some factors to keep in mind when calculating the ideal monthly payment.

Some Things to Keep In Mind

Here is the rule that you need to remember: you should never spend more than 20% of your monthly income on your auto payment. This is precaution for your finances. You will still need to keep up on your other expenses, so you do not want to commit too much money to your auto payment. Also consider the following factors when evaluating your car payment: proposed price of the car, your down payment, the terms of the loan, and your interest rate. These factors will all influence how much car you can get for your money.

Do I Need a Down Payment?

In recent years, a down payment has gone from something non-negotiable to something almost expendable. The way a down payment works is you give the dealer a large sum of money up front, and then they will subtract that amount from the balance of the loan. The remainder is what you will pay divided into monthly payments. The larger the down payment, the lower the monthly payments will be.

Is That All I Should Consider?

You should consider all the factors that will affect your car loan, even things that will happen in the future. For example, how much will you spend on gas? Will this car need to be repaired a lot? If so, how much will that cost? Is the insurance higher on these types of cars? Since these are all financial matters, you should consider them before you get the car, not after. By then, it will be too late. You may have overlooked the fact that insurance may be more expensive for some cars, but some vehicles may have as much as 50% higher premiums than average cars.

Do Not Beat Yourself Up

You need to make sure you are aware of every angle and every cost with regard to your new vehicle. If you let something slip by you, then it is unlikely you will get the best deal possible. You do not want all of your hard work to go to waste. Why settle for a car that is mediocre when you can get the car of your dreams on your terms?!