Aside from buying a home, buying a car is one of the most expensive one-time purchases that we make. This is a part of the reason why we spend a decent amount of time talking about cars! Over 16% of American household budgets are spent on transportation, so get this one decision right and it’ll be a massive boost to your personal finances. And that’s why we’re excited to have Mike Quincy joining us today. Mike is a car specialist and has been with Consumer Reports for nearly 30 years! He participates in the hands-on car testing, appears regularly on Consumer Reports Talking Cars podcast, and knows virtually all someone could know about new and used cars. We discuss why Consumer Reports buys all their own cars, where the prices of used cars is going, finding the balance between a car that you love vs a practical vehicle that gets you around, some of the best used cars if you’re on a tight budget, and then the challenging future of electric vehicles.

Additional links:

• CR – And of course, be sure to head check out Consumer Reports if you’re in the market for a new or used car. And check out the podcast that Mike contributes to- Talking Cars by Consumer Reports.
• Buying new – We’re pretty much always going to point you in the direction of buying a used car, but there are some instances where buying a new car might be worth it.
• No car! – And of course, the easiest way to not have a car payment (other than paying in cash), is by not getting that car in the first place! Hear our thoughts on cutting a car from your life.

• Credit Card Tool – Looking for the right credit card for you? Then check out our new credit card tool that’ll help you to easily filter through all the cards based on your preferred airline, whether or not they have an annual fee, or simply by the cashback offer! Just toggle the sliders and you’ll know which card to consider.

• Newsletter – Don’t forget to sign up for the best personal finance newsletter in all the land! It’s completely free and something we create to help you along your journey to financial freedom. It drops every Tuesday morning and you can always unsubscribe if you don’t dig it!

During this episode we enjoyed a Witches Brew Ale by Talisman Brewing Company- thanks for donating this one to the show Andy! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!