5 Tips to Find a Family Car

Preparing your life for a new baby goes beyond picking out nursery furniture and baby proofing your home. For many it involves buying a new car for your family. A new car was definitely a must for us. I drove a small sedan meant to fit 5, but realistically would only fit 4 once we put  a car seat in it. Although my trunk was spacious, the thought of having to bend down to put things in and out of it annoyed me ha! Together and after some research, Pappa Bear and I found the car that would fit our family’s needs. Let me share with you some tips that helped us find our new family car.

This post is sponsored by Cars.com . However, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. 

1.Find Your Budget

This is probably the most important step. Sit down and figure out your family finances. Make sure you set a reasonable budget to allow for breathing room in case of emergencies. We also took into consideration a monthly payment that would not be too strenuous while I was not working. It is also important to consider your credit score and wether you need a co-signer or not.

2.Pick The Size of Car

Wether it is your first child or fourth, consider the amount of space you need. We knew we did not need an 8 seater car but we did want something with more trunk space and a more spacious back seat. A crossover SUV was the perfect size for us. Not only would it seat and carry our belongings comfortably, it was also a fuel efficient option. And good gas mileage is an absolute must!

 

3Decide on New vs. Used

Just because you need a bigger car it doesn’t mean it has to be new. You need to decide whether you want a brand new one or you want to find something pre-loved. There are many great options for both. If you decide to look for something pre-loved think about how many miles you are willing to have and what year. We decided we wanted to go for something new with the plans to keep it for many years to come.

4.Create Your Must Have List

Create a list of the must have features and those you could live without. There are so many extra features out there for you to choose from. For example when shopping around for my car I knew I wanted to have Bluetooth capability and that I did not want a light interior. With kids that was a huge NO! I could imagine the stains and tiny hands full of everything all over our new car.

5.Research & Shop Around

Once you have a good idea of what it is you are looking for it is time to start shopping. Cars.com  is the all in one car research website. You can search with its broad options or pick the Advanced Search to enter more specific details (remember that list you made before?). Cars.com has you covered with both new and used. One of my favorite features is you can browse by zip codes. You can search for your favorites as close or far as you want!