Can I afford a $500 car payment? (2024)

Can I afford a $500 car payment?

There's no perfect formula for how much you can afford, but our short answer is that your new-car payment should be no more than 15% of your monthly take-home pay. If you're leasing or buying used, it should be no more than 10%.

Is $500 a month a good car payment?

The average monthly car payment is now a record $733, according to Edmunds. And even if your monthly auto loan payments are around $500 per month, that still may be uncomfortably high. And that's before adding up the cost of maintenance, fuel, and auto insurance.

Is $500 dollars a month a lot for a car?

An affordable car payment would be one that doesn't exceed $600 a month, based on the rule of thumb that your car payment shouldn't be more than 15% of your take-home pay. If you take out a 60-month car loan at 8% APR, you should aim to take out a car loan of less than $30,000.

How much can I actually afford for a car?

How much car can I afford based on salary? According to our research, you shouldn't spend more than 10% to 15% of your net monthly income on car payments. Your total vehicle costs, including loan payments and insurance, should total no more than 20%.

How much can I afford with a $300 car payment?

A $300 car payment on a 6 year loan can buy an $18,000 car. Finance charges are higher on longer loans, so buyers ofter choose the shortest loan that feels comfortable. If the APR is reduced by one point, then buyers can afford $500 more per vehicle on a $300 monthly payment for 6 years.

Can I afford a 500 dollar car payment?

It depends on how much income you have after your bills and expenses. But as a rule of thumb, your car payment should not exceed 15% of your post-tax monthly pay. For example, if after taxes, you make the U.S. median income of $37,773, you could shop for a car that costs up to $472 per month.

What is a realistic monthly car payment?

The average monthly car payment for new cars is $726. The average monthly car payment for used cars is $533. 39.20 percent of vehicles financed in the third quarter of 2023 were new vehicles.

How much is a $30,000 car monthly?

A $30,000 auto loan balance with an average interest rate of 5.0% paid over a 6 year term will have a monthly payment of $483. In total, the loan will cost $34,787 with $4,787 in interest.

Is a $1,000 dollar car payment too much?

For large luxury models, $1,000-plus payments are the norm. Even a handful of buyers with subcompact cars have four-figure payments, likely due to having shorter loan terms, poor credit, and still owing money on previous car loans, according to Edmunds analysts.

What is the 20 3 8 rule?

The 20/3/8 car buying rule says you should put 20% down, pay off your car loan in three years (36 months), and spend no more than 8% of your pretax income on car payments. As we go into depth to determine how realistic this rule is, you may consider whether it can actually help you budget for your next car.

What car can I afford on a $60000 salary?

How much should I spend on a car if I make $60,000? If your gross salary is $60,000, your take-home monthly pay is probably around $3,750, assuming about 25% of your pay goes toward taxes and other expenses. Based on the 10-15% calculation, you should spend no more than $562.50 on a monthly car payment.

How much car can I afford making $70,000 a year?

How much car can I afford with a 70k salary? Based on the 20/4/20 rule, with an average interest rate, you can afford a $19,000-20,000 car on your $70k salary.

What is the 20 4 10 rule?

First and foremost, the 20/4/10 rule is not a law. It's more like general guidelines and a way to plan for vehicle expenses. Basically, the rule goes that you provide a down payment of 20% of the balance, sign a loan for a four-year period, and pay no more than 10% of your monthly income on car expenses.

What is too high of a monthly car payment?

Key takeaways. Your monthly auto loan payments should not exceed 10 to 15 percent of your pre-tax take-home salary. Due to increased vehicle incentives, drivers may find relief when shopping for a vehicle this year. To secure the best deal, work to improve your credit score and consider making a sizeable down payment.

Is $800 car payment too high?

Experts say your total car expenses, including monthly payments, insurance, gas and maintenance, should be about 20 percent of your take-home monthly pay. For non-math wizards, like me – Let's say your monthly paycheck is $4,000. Then a safe estimate for car expenses is $800 per month.

Is an 800 dollar car payment too much?

According to experts, a car payment is too high if the car payment is more than 30% of your total income. Remember, the car payment isn't your only car expense! Make sure to consider fuel and maintenance expenses. Make sure your car payment does not exceed 15%-20% of your total income.

How much should I make to afford 500 car payment?

rule of thumb for how much your car payments should be. You should aim to keep your car payments around. 10% of your gross monthly income or below. So if you make 60 K a year, you should spend no more than $500 on your car payments.

How much car can I buy for 500 month?

What car can I buy for $500 per month? A $25000 car has a monthly payment of $500 for 5 Years at a 7.42% interest rate. Check the payment with tax and tags. A $32682 car is $500 per month at 7.42% APR for 7 Years.

Is 450 a lot for a car payment?

This means that if a person earns $3,000 per month, a car payment that is greater than $300-$450 per month may be considered high. It's important to keep in mind that a car payment is just one of several expenses associated with owning a car, including insurance, maintenance, and fuel costs.

What is a low car payment?

Financial experts recommend spending no more than 10% of your monthly take-home pay on your car payment and no more than 15% to 20% on total car costs such as gas, insurance and maintenance as well as the payment. If that leaves you feeling you can afford only a beat-up jalopy, don't despair.

Do most families have 2 car payments?

Lots of families need two cars. As long as you can afford to pay two auto loans at once, this can be a good way of getting the vehicles you need.

How many people are behind on car payments?

Auto loan delinquency rates are up compared to last year.

4.2% of outstanding auto debt was at least 90 days late in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the New York Fed, up 11.8% from the fourth quarter of 2022.

Is $1,000 a month a lot for a car?

Think a $700 monthly car payment is a lot? According to Edmunds, about 17% of the people who financed a new vehicle during the first quarter of the year pay $1,000 or more a month for that vehicle. This is a record-high.

What are the disadvantages of a large down payment on a car?

What are the disadvantages of a large down payment? Providing more money down doesn't guarantee a lower interest rate, and it can cut into your savings.

Who has the lowest auto loan rates?

The lowest rate for a car loan is offered by Autopay at a starting APR of 4.67%, but your rates may vary. Auto Approve and AutoPay have the best auto refinance loans with low rates starting at 5.24%. Auto Credit Express and iLending offer low APRs for car loans with bad credit with their network of lenders.

You might also like
Popular posts
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Edwin Metz

Last Updated: 21/06/2024

Views: 5882

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edwin Metz

Birthday: 1997-04-16

Address: 51593 Leanne Light, Kuphalmouth, DE 50012-5183

Phone: +639107620957

Job: Corporate Banking Technician

Hobby: Reading, scrapbook, role-playing games, Fishing, Fishing, Scuba diving, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.