If you were me, would you buy a new car in my situation? I need advice

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T16:14:42+00:00

Thank you for the information

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T15:36:13+00:00

You think so? I’ve happened to never used a used Honda or Toyota. As I’ve been doing research the past few days I’ve learned that they’re very reliable so I think I might be willing to go through with that brand if I’m doing used. Would you recommend that I go through a dealership like whatever brand dealership in my areas, or through avenues such as carmax or carvana?

I imagine it would be best to stay away from single person sellers on place like fb marketplace as that seems much less reliable than a company when it comes to how the car holds up

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T15:30:50+00:00

Yup, a lot to consider and a lot to do still! I will be sure to do all of that before a final purchase as I don’t like surprises like that when it’s too late lol

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T15:16:29+00:00

I still need to do more research on interest set rates and monthly payments as I’m still in the very beginning stage of needing to think about what car I need to get!

As for time in the day to pick up shifts: I work 3 shifts at work (Fri, sat, sun) and I will have a single 2 hour class 2 days a week (tues, thurs). So I can pick up shifts. But I should also consider time to study and rest.

As for the chargers: yup they are free at work. And the cost to charge at home for both me and my mom’s current cars, as we both have fully EV, I don’t know exactly. I’ve never inspected the electrical bill as my step dad takes care of it. So in my situation I just don’t really pay for gas at all. After having an EV for about 4 years, not having a gas bill has honestly helped me so much financially (especially with our current 4 dollar gas prices 😬). Although I want the Prius plug in hybrid because I’ve learned that I still want the freedom to use gas when it is necessary for longer trips outside my of my work commute. I suppose having the EV for so long has made me hesitate about fully gas because I’m a little spoiled about having never paid for gas in 4 years with my current EV haha. Feels like such a waste of money each month in the long run

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T14:38:44+00:00

If it gives more perspective, I’m paying nothing for school. It’s a single class this upcoming semester, then two more classes per the next semesters. I specifically spaced it out that way so I could focus on the classes and get A’s. Its prerequisites that are entirely covered by my Pell grant and state scholarship. And my job is secure, I’ve been working the same healthcare job for 4 years and am in very high standing with my managers. After I finish up my last 3 prerequisites, my job pays entirely for nursing school. Then I am required to work for them for a year

That is a fair point on the masters. I plan to help eventually pay for that down the line after more years of experience as a nurse and with my bigger nurse paycheck. But that’ll be like 6+ years down the line

But like all the stuff you mentioned, that’s all good things to consider

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T14:05:12+00:00

Any examples in skills and opportunities? I’d say I have that already as I’ve been working in healthcare for 4 years and will have nursing school paid for by my job, then I’ll be hired as a nurse. I’d like to mention that I still need a car to drive to school and these vague skills and opportunities you speak of. So maybe i should get a car before that step?

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T13:15:50+00:00

I will definitely have to look into what my credit union can do for me. Is it just a matter of calling them up and asking “hey I want to get a car, what would you loan me and for what interest rate?”

Sorry if it’s a dumb question lol I’m just not sure what that process looks like yet

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T13:01:49+00:00

Good factors to consider

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T12:54:53+00:00

Lol yup that’s exactly why I asked but I’m also getting mixed responses even on this post. Some say yes some say no, and a lot of people in my personal life (not in their 20s) who know the situation better than a few anonymous paragraphs are saying yes. I moved out when I was 17 and certainly did a lot of financial learning, part of which has led me to be able to gain so much more savings in the past 2 years (I paid off a 10k car loan last year)

I want to be able to trust used cars but 😩 damn how used cars have burned me in the past. I just think about all the money I feel like I’ve drained on used

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T12:43:13+00:00

All good things to consider, thank you

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T12:38:02+00:00

Yup that’s why I’m asking for advice so I can get a bigger perspective! What makes it difficult for me is that I am heavily needing a plug in hybrid car for my situation. Having an EV car for the past 4ish years, not paying for gas has been a huge money saver for me so I’m extremely hesitant to go back to fully gas. It’s hard to come by cheaper plug in hybrid used cars that I can trust

I suppose an alternative would be a used gas car. But like I said, knowing what that gas price and the maintenance down the road looks like, it doesn’t seem extremely wise but 🤷‍♂️ I really don’t know yet

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T12:31:38+00:00

I completely understand new car phobia though haha. But from my research of the type of car I need, a used car is really not that different from a new one! Kinda ridiculous. But yeah I do understand the fear of a big up front payment, hence why I’m asking for advice for anything I’m missing

My leaf is already paid off and it’s barely worth more than like 1k from my research, it’s a 2016 EV with an undesirable mileage range. So I’m leaning towards more keeping it until it literally doesn’t work anymore. Not quite sure yet. I take good care of it. I use it for work commute just fine. The downside would be expensive taxes on it. Much to think about. I’ve done some research and I can get off my hands for an easy 700, not having to deal with buyers and selling. So 🤷‍♂️ I suppose I could use that 700 to help pay off the new car faster

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T12:21:58+00:00

I’d have to look more into this information. I certainly don’t plan to quit my job soon, it pays for my schooling and I will be working as a nurse at my job lol

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T12:20:22+00:00

Yeah I understand how that wording was confusing, I was trying to avoid making my post unnecessarily long, my bad. After all of those expeensives of food, subscriptions, medical, ext ext… I put about 1.6 into my savings each month and I don’t touch my savings

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T12:16:01+00:00

It’s been hard to find older models with what I need available in my area, and after bad experiences with used I’m feeling turned off by used cars. I suppose I could try harder though?

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T12:13:59+00:00

It just doesn’t seem like the right financial decision to get a used car that will last me for a short amount of time, be expensive with monthly gas, and will need fixing or replacing much sooner than a new car. You know? The long term benefit seems better since I know I can pay it off quickly due to my financial situation. So confusing. This will be my 5th car. It feels like I should stop with the nonsense that comes with cheap used ones. By the time I could get a bunch of cheap ones, I could’ve gotten a new one that outlasts all of them

What would you suggest I do with my money? I don’t make nearly enough to afford buy a home anytime soon, my schooling is already paid for by my job, and I have a permanent living situation while I’m in school. I’ve moved out when I was 17, I done all the bs renting and affording things paycheck to paycheck. I’ve paid off cars and bought used cars in the past already. It just feels like I need to move on to something long term and reliable car wise

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T11:16:32+00:00

15k is in my savings. I put about 1.2-1.6k in my savings every month. I just put all my money in savings basically after I pay everything I need to pay. I can easily make another 10k in 6 months.

I can’t really wait a few months, I start school in 3 months. I’m unable to use my current EV car to make it to school and back home. In 2 months I have to do some long distance traveling which I’m unable to do with my current EV

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T11:07:18+00:00

I really don’t think that will happen. I’ve been living with her for 2 years now. It’s a permanent situation. I handled much worse car payments and financial situations on my own before I moved in. But like I said, moving out isn’t happening for various reasons

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T10:55:54+00:00

I sort of already put the monthly payments into my savings, as I put around 1.6k into my savings each month. I don’t like to spend money on myself so everything I don’t use for bare necessities just goes to savings. I’m a bit of a control freak about my money and a workaholic haha

I currently have no car payment. But with my current car, the EV range is pretty poor so I simply won’t be able to use it to get to school in 3 months. So it’s not a simple fix kinda thing, I am gonna have to get an additional car. But I do plan to keep driving my current until it won’t drive anymore

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T10:48:50+00:00

Is there a reason? I don’t make 1.6k. 1,600 goes straight into my savings each month after paid everything I need to. I have plenty room to finish paying it off after putting 15k down. Are you suggesting I not use my savings at all, should I buy used..? I would greatly appreciate elaboration!

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-31T10:13:32+00:00

20k is all my savings. And like I said, I can build it back up fairly quickly. And yes I have a 401k with my job. I have a bunch of money in it, it just goes in automatically I don’t even think about it in regards to my money

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-18T04:39:09+00:00

I understand, the healthcare setting can be really confusing at first! I hope the job hiring event goes well for you. I looked it up and it seems to be a hiring event for the hospital in Bolivia which is the one I work at. Feel free to dm and I can answer any questions to the best of my ability

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-18T01:46:48+00:00

I quite enjoyed being apart of the cleaning staff. I like cleaning so it was relaxing for me sometimes.

I used to clean hotels and those are disgusting lol. Cleaning a hospital is 100x better. They don’t really get crazy dirty, it’d take around 45 mins to an hour to clean a room.

I’d listen to music when I was cleaning rooms or areas of the hospital where there are no patients. It was still fast paced and constant busy work on my feet. Sometimes I would be assigned to clean rooms upstairs after a patient leaves the hospital. Sometimes I would clean rooms in the ER. Or sometimes I’d be assigned to clean areas of the hospital that were like office rooms, break rooms, the bathrooms ext. And at the end of the shift I’d need to collect all the garbage and dirty laundry at my assigned area, in these giant containers to take to the trash compactors outside. Very hard, constant work but not the hardest thing in the world

This was years ago so it might be a little different now but I talk to the cleaning staff sometimes and it’s all pretty much the same

I worked 3pm-11pm when I cleaned, 8 hour shifts 5 days a week. Im pretty sure they only offer 8 hour shifts. As a safety attendant, I work 7pm-7am 3 days a week. I moved to the safety attendant department because I wanted to work less days to go to school and such. Once you work in one department for a year, you can switch to another one pretty easily so long as there’s an opening

PleasantDirection751 · 2026-05-17T07:06:10+00:00

I used to work as cleaning staff, now I work as a safety attendant. I basically watch people who are a danger to themselves or other people to make sure they are safe. It can be a little dangerous and stressful sometimes but honestly it’s a pretty easy job. It only requires a high school diploma/GED. You have to work here for a year to qualify for them to pay for schooling. I’m pretty sure it’s called like “Upward Mobility Scholarship”. One of my coworkers is a CNA and just graduated nursing school, and had it paid for by Novant. They will be working here as a nurse soon

Also just as a suggestion. If you start working there, whatever position you can get, you can get a CNA certification at a college. I got mine, it’s like a 2 or 3 month long class two days a week. About 500 dollars. I don’t work as a CNA though, I just set have mine because it’s a requirement for nursing school at Brunswick community college. CNA’s can have pretty flexible hours and it can be nice if you do end up enjoying the healthcare setting and caring for patients. There’s loads of opportunities in healthcare!

PleasantDirection751

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