If you can learn how to save money on the big ticket items you have to purchase in your life, such as a car and your home you are going to be in a far better financial situation. Learning ways to save, and how to get the best deals can really make a difference in your overall month to month budget. The following are some great tips and advice for saving money when buying a car:

The first part of saving money when you are buying a car is learning where you are losing money if you are not careful. The fact is that while you can negotiate price with a dealership, and you usually end up somewhere between the dealer invoice price and the sticker price, this is not necessarily where to save money. The best place to save money is in the financing. Unless you are going to pay cash for your vehicle you want to be extremely careful with the numbers. A lot of dealerships flat out lie about numbers when they are putting together your loan. So, make sure that you bring your own finance calculator and do the math to ensure that you are not getting charged more than what they verbally tell you. If they give you a certain interest rate, take note of it. If they give you a term, take note of it. Make sure your amortization schedule, payment amount, and payoff time align with what they tell you. You also want to make sure they only finance the part of the loan you need financed. For example, let's say you agree to the price of $15000 for the car. Then let's say they offer you a trade in value of $5000 for your existing vehicle. That leaves $10000. Let's say that in addition to your trade in, you have $1500 to put down. That means you should only be financing $8500. One mistake a lot of people make is that they do not pay attention to how much the finance manager says is being financed, and they finance more than they should, pay some down, etc. and end up paying more for their car then they should. Watch the numbers, do not agree to anything until you look at it carefully.

The next tip for saving money when buying a car is to buy your car near the end of the month. However, this is not as simple as it sounds. You will need to start out going to the dealership near the middle of the month. Take time to test drive cars, and get information to take home, including a written price quote from the salesman. Then spend those two weeks doing some research. You will want to talk to a private financer to see what kind of rates you can get, payment terms etc. This is where you arm yourself with information and a buying plan. Talk to the bank you have your checking and savings accounts with, they are usually the best place to start out for a car loan. It is always better to get your loan through a bank rather than the dealership. Then, a couple days before the end of the month go back to the dealership and be prepared to buy, but ask for the best deal. In order to hit sales numbers, meet quotas, and get a bigger paycheck, you will likely get a better deal. If you find that this dealership is not motivated enough for your business, try somewhere else. Give yourself a few days ensure you get the best deal.

If you want to save money on a car, you have to make sure the final number you pay is what you agree on and think you are paying throughout the process. The best thing you can do is to have a notebook dedicated to buying your car and write down every single thing you learn. Write down what you learn on the internet. Write down what features your salesman says the car includes (that way you do not end up paying extra for window tinting later), you want to take note of everything, and make sure they know it, that way your salesman can't change numbers and terms on you later on. You are going to want to do this whether you are buying through a dealership or a private owner. The more you know, the better track you keep of what is being said and what the terms are, the better.

The next tip for saving money when buying a car is buying a car that is not going to cost you a ton of money. When you make a big purchase, you need to consider the importance of the purchase. A car is a big purchase. You would never purchase a home without having an inspection take place first, the same should hold true for your car. Find a mechanic you trust, and take your time in the car buying process. Research your options, know what cars have a history of needing repairs, how expensive the model you are looking to repair typically is, and make sure the car is sound before you buy it. Take your time to test drive it, try all of the features and functions, make sure all the blinkers and lights work. Make sure the heat and air conditioning work. Make sure the radio works. Make sure that the car does not shake when you drive at fast speeds, etc. If you get a good price, and save money on the purchase price, and then have to spend a fortune each month in repairs you are not really going to be saving any money when buying your car, so think of the quality of your car and how much work it will take to keep it in good repair.

The next tip for how to save money when buying a car is to buy used. New cars come with a big sticker price, and often times you can find a car with low miles, better features, and that are just as good, often even under warranty still for a significant price decrease. The fact is that the second you drive your car off the lot the value drops. So, take advantage of that and buy a newer car that is used. Just make sure you check the vehicle history to ensure that it has not been in a car accident, or had any significant problems. Some people like getting a new car each year, and will sell for less. Other times life changes make new cars necessary, such as having a baby that requires they buy a bigger car. You can take advantage of this and get their old car, that is still in great shape for a great deal. So, look online, look at Auto Trader, and look in your local classifieds. If you do buy used you need to be extra careful about ensuring the car has no mechanical problems, and you will want to make sure that you have it checked out by a certified mechanic, but this is one of the best ways to save money when buying a car. If you are worried about buying a used car, then buy it through a dealership. You will pay more than you would through a private owner, but you can usually get some sort of warranty for it.

When trying to save money on a car your biggest asset is time. If you are in too big of a hurry you won't be able to take advantage of good deals when they present themselves. Also, if you are desperately in need of a car right away, a salesperson is going to know it and take advantage of that fact. So give yourself a minimum of two weeks for car shopping, and make sure to be thorough on your research. Spend time looking online, looking at the maker's website. Make sure you look at Blue Book to find out the value. Make sure you know what kind of gas mileage to expect so that you know if the dealership is being honest. Make sure you know the expected life of a car if kept in good repair. If you do your research and take your time in buying a car, you will be able to save money and get a better deal.

Remember, a car is probably the second biggest purchase, besides a home, that you will ever make, so spending time and effort to save money on the purchase, and make a purchase that will last is worth it. Take time to find a qualified mechanic, and to decide the best car make, model, and year for your needs.