Living in a large city without reliable public transportation like Atlanta or Los Angeles makes having a car a necessity. Going to work, dropping your kids off at school, and running simple errands would be incredibly inconvenient if you didn’t have a car to get around. The price of new cars has risen an average of 32% since 2018, making it incredibly important to know how to responsibly purchase a new vehicle without putting your financial livelihood at risk.

When I was young, my parents taught me the basics of finances at an early age. We practiced balancing a checkbook, recording transactions, and even went over the good, and bad, sides of accruing interest. It was extremely important to them that I kept a good grasp on the money I spent to ensure it didn’t surpass the amount of money I had available. I never knew just how expensive life was until I got older, and it continues to amaze me even now.