How to Save for a New Car for 2014

You want a new car so bad that you spend your time daydreaming of how good you will look cruising in it. Well, it’s time to stop imagining and start making your automobile desires a reality. There is no better time than the New Year to decide to start saving so that you can soon be the owner of your very own new (or new to you) car. Here are a few tips to help you on your way:

Keep Making Payments

Maybe you are still making payments on your current car, and maybe you are not. If you are not, you should still be setting this money aside. You have become accustom to living without this money each month, so it will not be any extra sacrifice on your part. By the end of the year you will have a solid down payment that you can put towards your dream car.

Open a New Account

When you are setting money aside for your new car aspirations, it is a good idea to do so in a completely separate account so that you are not tempted to spend the cash on something frivolous. Plus, you can set up automatic transfers between your accounts, or have a portion of your paycheck directly deposited, to make the process effortless.

Take Care of Your Current Car

Once you decide that you are going to be getting rid of your current ride soon, it can be easy to just let the maintenance go. However, this can come back and bite you when it comes to your trade-in value. Instead, you should always drive defensively and get all of your scheduled maintenance, like oil changes and tire rotations, completed on schedule.

Forget About It

If you just aren’t that great at saving, it is okay to just stick with your current vehicle until it doesn’t run anymore. There is something great about life without a car payment, even if it does mean your car isn’t exactly as shiny or sporty as you would like it to be. Just think of all of the things you will be able to buy each month instead.