Ahhh car shopping….for some it can be such a thrill and for others it can be a nightmare. It all depends on how you approach the venture. For some, buying or leasing a new vehicle isn’t a big deal. It’s something that occurs every few years. But for others, a vehicle is a very big purchase and becomes a very big part of your life and your family. Not only is there a great sentimental value that can come with a vehicle, but there are so many options to consider as well. Along with picking out the particulars, then comes possibly the most dreaded part…the financing. Where is the best place to get financed? Are you really getting a good deal from the dealer or seller? Will your payments be manageable? What if you can’t put money down? Undoubtedly, every person’s situation and experience will be different.

Personally, we have always financed our vehicles through a credit union. Credit unions are known for having lower fees and interest rates than banks and other finance companies. The advantage is in the ownership structure. The owners of credit unions are members, not shareholders, which means profits are distributed among its members in the form of dividends and in lower forms of interest rates. Everyone is different, but it’s always a good idea to shop around and cost compare so you can be sure you’re getting the best for you and your needs.

 For months now we have been discussing shopping for a new car. The kids are getting bigger, we’re running around to more activities, a full grown mastiff occupies much more space than a puppy mastiff does, and I still need to have room for essentials that I like to have in the vehicle at all times. When we first started talking about this process I couldn’t help but think about my mom and the recent car buying experience she had.

A few months ago my mother’s beloved SUV of 19 years finally gave out. As in- done for, kaput, there is no resurrecting this vehicle another time, done. I had begged, pleaded and teased with her for years about the condition of her poor vehicle, hoping she would give in and get something nicer and more dependable. When the day came that she told me hers had finally given out, I thought I would be ecstatic, but instead found myself becoming a little nostalgic. It didn’t take long and after some homework and car searching she had a small list of vehicles she wanted to look at. She didn’t make it past the first one she saw and it was coming home with her. I drove over to see her new SUV and found her sitting in her old one, cleaning out seat-back pockets, underneath seats, in glove compartments and so on. She handed me a pile of things she had found and as I started thumbing through cards, pieces of paper, maps, notebooks, bags of treasures and other assorted finds….I realized that a great deal of my younger life was spent in this vehicle. It made me start thinking about how my kids will one day remember the vehicles they have grown up with and how they may make an impact on their life the way my mom’s vehicle did on me. I’m Claire, the Afena blog mom. Thanks for reading.