Buying a car when you don’t have very much money to spend can be a pretty daunting prospect. No one wants to get it wrong and be left with a bucket of rust that’s no good for anything. But you don’t want to splash out more than you can really afford to either. Getting that balancing act right can be very tricky indeed. Luckily for you, we’ve got some tips and tricks that will help you to get it right and find a good deal for a car that works for you.

Don’t Search Until You Have a Budget in Mind

You should always set your budget before you start looking for cars. That way, you will know exactly how much you can afford to spend and keep the search results within the affordable parameters. There’s no sense in falling in love with a particular car only to realise it’s way outside of your budget later.

Consider Every Financing Option

[ad]

There are lots of ways to reduce the financial burden if you don’t have the cash to pay for the car you need right now. Sites like auto.loan will offer you financing, and there are many others on the web too. You should research the options and decide whether any of the financing options would be suitable for you. It might make this whole process a lot easier.

Don’t be Afraid of Slightly Higher Mileages if the Deal is Good

Mileage on a used car is important, but it’s not everything. It’s often seen as the only thing that matters but plenty of cars are capable of performing well even when they’ve already done a lot of miles as long as they’re properly looked after. So if you find a really good deal but the mileage is a little higher than you would like, don’t let that put you off.

Be Prepared to Walk Away if the Seller or Dealer Isn’t Budging

If you’re buying from a dealership, you always need to be willing to walk away from the deal. There are simply too many fish in the sea for you to stick with one if the price isn’t right. When you’re willing to walk away, the salesman will be more likely to reduce the price to something you’re a little more happy with too, so don’t forget that.

Don’t Go Too Low Because You’ll End Up With a Worthless Car

Finally, you should avoid the temptation to buy one of those extremely cheap used cars that have clearly seen far better days. If it’s covered in rust and looks like it shouldn’t really be roadworthy, then no deal should be enough to tempt you. The car will be worthless to you if it can’t do the basics.

Buying a car isn’t exactly rocket science, but it is very easy to get it wrong and pay more money than you really need to. That’s why you need to keep the points made here in mind when you start searching for your next car. There is no need to pay more than is necessary, and it can be done on a small budget.