There was a time when owning a car was considered a luxury that very few could actually afford. Nowadays, a car or at least some vehicle has assumed the role of a basic necessity.
That’s because a car gives us the flexibility to travel without dependence on public transport or other means. In fact, in some areas of the US, it can be extremely difficult to come across public transport systems.
All said and done, cars are now an important element of our lifestyle, regardless of whether the one we own is a spanking new, expensive one or an older yet functional model that serves our needs.
Since we’re now aware of the importance of owning a car, the question remains, how to buy one. Understandably, there are several programs in the US where certain categories of persons including senior citizens, those with special needs, single moms and below-poverty-line families could get a vehicle free or at very nominal prices from charities and similar organizations.
With these facts in mind, I am presenting this article on how to save money for a car in 2024. Using these ways and means, you could get that much needed vehicle for your family and yourself and use it for various purposes such as ferrying kids to school and back, shopping for groceries, commuting to work or even going on a driving vacation once in a while.
Saving Money For A Car In 2024
Generally, the best way to buy a car in the US is to look for vehicle finance. Thousands of automobile dealerships across the country provide vehicle finance on affordable terms to buy preowned or even new cars.
However, there’re several considerations that come into play including your credit score, ability to repay, cost of car, its age and so on.
However, here are some things that you can consider if you need a car.
Good News Garage is an organization based in New England that offers free or cheap refurbished cars to low-income families and individuals as well as single moms. These are cars donated by people and refurbished.
It offers these cars under the ‘Wheels to Work’ program. Contact them about free and subsidized cars. You’ll have to meet various criteria to qualify for a car under their program.
Since their paid cars come cheap, you can save little money or pay in instalments, depending on household income.
Wheels4Hope operates in North Carolina. This non-profit organization accepts older cars from donors, repairs and makes them roadworthy and resells them at a very low price to deserving and registered applicants.
They usually give low-priced and refurbished cars to underprivileged persons such as single moms, elderly couples without many resources, persons below the poverty line and others who merit a cheap car. Contact the organization and register.
You could save a little money from your income or take a side gig to afford the car.
This charity works in Maryland, Virginia and Michigan. They accept old cars from donors and refurbish them.
These cars are provided usually free or for a very small price to deserving families and persons, especially those who need a car for their jobs and other domestic purposes.
They work with other charities to identify persons and families that would require such vehicles.
1-800-Charity Cars is an organization that helps individuals and families transitioning from living off-state assistance to work and self-sufficiency.
To encourage these individuals and families, they provide a free car, which they have received from some donors. Understandably, these cars are roadworthy and hence, you could use them without hassles. They function across the US.
Cars4Heroes is a charity that specifically caters to US Veterans who can’t provide transportation.
They have several options such as providing a car to veterans in need or arranging other forms of transportation for them to go around their daily work to earn an income or other important appointments such as visits to hospitals or medical treatment. This charity works across the US.
Working Cars for Working Families
As the name suggests, this organization which works on a national level, aims at providing used and refurbished cars to households that are working but living under the poverty line.
The initiative is aimed at helping these families to live a better lifestyle and possibly earn some extra money by means of a side gig using a car. To qualify for a free or cheap car, you have to register with the charity online.
Other Ways To Save For A Car
If you don’t qualify for a cheap or free car under any of these initiatives for underprivileged persons in the US, the other option is to save money to buy a car. This isn’t rocket science. Here are a few more ways to save for a car.
Buy Here and Pay Here Dealers
Buy here and pay here systems are used by some car dealers. That means, you select a car and the dealership will provide you with finance. You have to pay the monthly instalments agreed between you and the dealership. You can get the car once you make the final payment on the car.
Car Layaway Plans
Car Layaway Plans are also somewhat similar to the Buy Here Pay Here dealers. However, in this case, there’s no financing involved. You simply book a car of your choice and start paying the money according to your capabilities.
Once you have completed the entire payment, you get full ownership of the vehicle. This is a good option if you wish to save small sums of money regularly and buy a car instead of committing to paying a fixed amount every month or every week.
Lease to Own
Lease-to-own plans are very simple. You lease the car for a fixed period with the understanding that you will buy the car after you’ve paid a lease for the period agreed upon.
This is a superb way to save for your car if you can commit to paying your lease regularly, according to the calendar agreed between you and the seller. These plans generally work well for buying a newer car.
You can get a lot of benefits by leasing the car such as free servicing for a limited period, service warranties and other freebies.
More Ways To Save For A Car
Then we have conventional ways to save for a car that you could effectively use. These are just simple types of savings with the objective of buying a car worth a fixed sum of money. You can try these out too either alone or for any of the plans I spoke about earlier.
Take a Side Gig
You can work extra time after regular work hours and save the money earned for buying a car. There are countless side gigs available both related to your skills and those that you can perform without any specific skills. You can use skills from hobbies to earn and save for a car.
Consider Crowdfunding
By this, I don’t imply that you should go to a crowdfunding platform and start seeking money from the public. Generally, no crowdfunding platform will entertain such a campaign.
However, you can ask for money from relatives and friends and offer to repay them with some interest, once you have the car. This can be a bit risky since repaying isn’t always easy.
Sell Old Stuff
Selling old and useless stuff is yet another way to save for your car. If you simply look around your house, surely you would come across lots of things that are cluttering the premises.
Instead of letting these lie around useless, sell off the stuff to a scrap dealer. The money you make can be saved especially in a separate account to finance your car.
Also Read:
Rent Out to Airbnb
Should you have a spare room that could be let out to guests, join as a host with Airbnb. You’ll have to follow their stringent specs on how a room that you intend to let out should be.
Once Airbnb accepts you as a host, upload superb images of the room you wish to rent out and list the amenities you would provide.
Also, write amazing descriptions of the property and await guests that book your room through Airbnb. This way, you might be able to save faster and buy your dream car with hard cash.
Also Read:
Wrap Up
These ways that I mention to save for a car are all time tested, proven and legit. You can use them singly or jointly with other ways that you read about on this article. Buying a car anywhere in the world is a joyful experience and surely, you would not like to miss on it.
Doesn’t matter if the car you’re buying is new and the latest model or a preowned one that’s been refurbished.
Any car can help solve your transportation problems and also provide a way to earn extra money through side gigs such as carpooling, using the car for advertising, driving for Uber or Lyft or even delivering for Postmates, Amazon or DoorDash, among others.
Olivia Carter is a versatile freelancer with expertise in finance-related writing, content creation, and consulting. With a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a focus on Finance, Olivia brings a fresh perspective. Her adaptable writing style blends professionalism with approachability, engaging diverse audiences. Olivia explores personal finance, fintech trends, and enjoys literature and mindfulness.
