One thing that most people can agree on about America is that it is not pedestrian friendly. Unless you live in a place like New York City, you will have a difficult time getting around without a car. The cities and towns in this country have been designed in such a way that owning a car is essential for most people. Buying a car, however, can be costly. The good news is that there are programs that offer car buying assistance for low income families.
Being able to obtain some type of car buying assistance may be the only way that low income families are able to purchase a car. Without getting some assistance, they may not be able to come up with the funds in order to purchase one. Without that happening, they will be dependent upon others for rides, or need to take public transportation if they live close enough to it.
Issues to Keep in Mind
Low income families that are trying to buy a car will want to keep a couple of things in mind. The first one is that you want to first make sure that if you get any type of government aid that it will not impact your monthly grant. For some people, depending on the value of the car, you may end up losing some benefits. Be sure to always check first to see what the top value of a car is that you can own and still be able to get help through your monthly assistance programs.
Another issue to keep in mind is that you will have to have insurance on the car. Having insurance on the car is a law in every state and if you go without it you can get into some legal trouble. You will need to maintain insurance, which will be an ongoing monthly expense, or you can pay for it every six months. Depending on the type and value of the car you get, as well as your driving record, the insurance cost could be anywhere from $100 per month to $300 per month.
Car Buying Assistance Programs
Reach out to the programs below to see if you can get assistance with buying a car. They may help low income families with being able to obtain transportation, or they may also be able to provide you with additional referrals to other programs in your area that they know about.
211 – This number is provided by the United Way, which is a national organization. Anyone in the country who needs financial assistance can call the number for free referrals to programs in their area. They have access to some programs you may not find online searching around. Let them know you are a low income family looking to buy a car, and see what type of programs they can refer you to. Their service is free and open to everyone around the country. To get more information, click here.
1-800-Charity-Cars – This is an organization that helps people obtain free vehicles. There are certain conditions you have to meet, beyond being a low income family. The type of people who typically get approved for their program include victims of domestic violence, the medically needy, victims of natural disasters, families transitioning from public assistance to working, families living in transitional living shelters, the working poor, non-profit organizations, and veterans and military families. You can apply online to receive a car. Since 1966, they have been giving people help with car ownership. They have helped many people to obtain a free vehicle. Low income families may qualify for their program, especially if someone in the house is working or transitioning to work. To get more information about the program and apply, click here.
Cars – This charity collects donated cars from the public, and then gives them to families in need. You can contact them to see if you can apply to receive one of their collected cars that they give away. They can also refer you to organizations that they give the cars to. They provide cars to other non-profit organizations and then those groups give away the cars to families in need as well. To get more information and apply to get a car, click here.
Cars for Heroes – This is a program run by a charitable organization that provides cars for veterans and their families. They collect cars from people who no longer want them and they use those donations to provide to those who need the cars. They ensure the car is running when they provide you with it. The program aims to provide basic transportation to veterans, active duty service members, first responders, and their families. They do also take applications from civilians a well. You can apply for a car online. To get more information and apply for their program to get car buying assistance, click here.
Drive Time – They provide loans for low income families, so they can purchase a car. If you need car buying assistance you can apply online and see if they offer you the help. To get more information and apply, click here.
If you have another vehicle you can trade in, even if it doesn’t run, you can often use that to help you buy another car. Many dealerships will accept that as a down payment and allow you to get a loan to pay for the vehicle.
Another good option for low income families to get help buying a car is to look for small local dealerships that offer a “buy here, pay here” type of program. Many small dealerships will allow people with a low income to buy a car. They often have a limited selection to choose from, but you will be able to purchase a car there and then go there each month to make the monthly payment. They may charge a little higher interest rate than a bank does, but it is a way for people to purchase a car when they would otherwise struggle to do so.
