Credit Tips for College Students

Fall is finally upon us and that means students are getting ready to head back to school for the year. For a college student, having the means to travel has always been important. It’s also a lesson in the importance of a credit score so that you can get a good car loan. Getting yourself a credit history can be very difficult according to The Christian Science Monitor. Lenders tend to be very cautious with new applicants. For those applying the first time, they have some tips to stay ahead of the curve.

The first tip is to start slowly. That means to not go crazy on applying for credit. An influx of too many applications can seem like to a lender that you’re too desperate for credit. It can really have a negative impact on your credit score.

Next is having a co-signer. A parent or a close relative can really give you a leg up on getting yourself a great rate. Be careful with this privilege however, because any that can happen on your end, such as missing payments, can come back and hurt the person who helped. Make sure you know what you’re getting into so that you don’t damage your own and your parent’s credit score.

The next two tips go hand in hand. You’ll want three lines of credit. In order for your file to be considered something other than too thin, you need at least three lines of credit. That being said, variety is also important. The algorithms that create your credit score like to see a difference in the kinds of accounts that you have. What that means is that credit cards are not the one-stop-shop of upping your credit score. Other things, such as a car loan, can also help.

Getting a head start on establishing a credit history goes a long way in life. It doesn’t take long for anyone once they really get started on their own to see how important that number is. Using these tips, you can be prepared and when the time comes to purchase your vehicle, you get the best deal you can get.

Stop by Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge to finance a vehicle with us. We’re looking to help people with bad credit get themselves into the car they need. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more credit tips.

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0 Percent Loans up in August

August was a fantastic month for auto-makers. The upward sales trend continued and shows signs that September will be an even better month with the full introduction of new vehicles. If you’re someone who is looking to put themselves into a car, then August also had some great news for those seeking a car loan.

The Detroit Free Press has put out a report showing that one out of every ten new cars that were purchased in August were financed with a 0 percent loan. That makes it the highest percentage of interest-free car loans this year. Another report with Edmunds.com shows that 8.5 percent of car sales were bought with 0 percent financing during the first eight months of 2012.

Truecar.com’s vice president Jesse Toprak said of the figures, “This is the best of both worlds. Automakers can offer low interest-rate programs at little cost to themselves and consumers can take advantage of these offers and get a lot of car for their month.”

It gets clearer every month that the time to get that car you keep talking about is now. Come on into Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge and drive away with the vehicle you’ve been wanting. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest in industry news.

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Tips to Help Determine Which Loan Works Best for You

Purchasing a new car can be very daunting. It’s seen as a milestone in the purchasing life of any individual right next to the mortgage for a new house/apartment. It’s a commitment, that’s for sure. When you decide to go out and buy a car, you know it’s going to be a while before it’s fully paid off. In an effort to help out car buyers, Cars.com is looking to educate on car loans and how long should they be?

There’s a good piece of advice for buyers from the start, are you ready to buy? It’s a simple question and one that feels like it’s not asked enough before making such decisions. It’s important to know that you’re prepared from a savings point, that you are ready to make a financial sacrifice to maintain a healthy life-style and still manage to make car payments on time.

Now that we’ve determined that you are indeed ready for that car you’ve so wanted from the lot, now is the question of how long do you plan on having that car? The reasoning behind this question is to best determine the length that you should get on your loan. If you answered that you plan on replacing the vehicle, a shorter loan is the right one to look for. The resale value of a car falls quickly, meaning that what you owe can end up being more than the car is worth by the time you get to selling it or trading it in.

Having a shorter loan can loan can also help you pay less on your car. A shorter term loan both pays off the car faster and keeps the interest costs down. The problem that many may have from getting that short-term loan is that the monthly payments will be more expensive. While that might seem obvious to some, many also don’t think about how the interest rate may impact the overall price on a longer term loan. You may end up paying less monthly with the long-term loan but the interest rate is higher on those loans, meaning that the car may be more expensive in the long run.

Long-term loans work the best for people who have the income now, but are not certain of where they will be financially in the future. It’s recommend for people that fall into this category seek out getting the longest possible loan with the lowest rate. If you do this, you can pay of f the loan aggressively and should the worst happen with things like losing a job, you will still have leeway to work with.

It’s a tough choice, to pay more now to pay less later, or to deal with more interest but less payments. There’s pros and cons to either side and only you know your finances well enough to choose between. Still, it’s good to think ahead about these things when going into the dealership so you have knowledge of just what kind of loan would best suit you.

Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge would like to help you get that car loan you’re wanting. Contact us and see what we can do to help you get that short-term or long-term loan. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter of more information on the dealership and on car news!

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