Buying a car — and financing one — is a major decision. It’s important to determine how much you’ll be able to afford before you make a commitment.

These tips can help you understand how much you can afford for your monthly payment, down payment, and other costs associated with buying a car.

Calculate your monthly car payments

Before signing on the dotted line, determine your monthly payment, how it’s calculated, and if it’s affordable. These three steps can help:

1. If you know the rough price of the car (through online research, ads, shopping in dealerships, or other means), you can use an auto loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments.
2. When calculating your monthly payments, factor in your interest rate. Interest rates will typically be lowest for new cars bought from a dealer, and highest for used cars bought from private parties.
3. To determine whether you can afford the estimated payment, consider including it in your monthly budget for three months, setting aside each payment amount into a savings account. This will show you how the payment will affect your budget and allow you to build additional down-payment funds.

Calculate your down payment

One of the biggest questions is, “How much should I put down on the car?” If you lease, you may not need a down payment at all. If you buy, it’s likely you’ll need a trade-in, a down payment, or possibly both.

To determine an affordable down payment, first assess your financial situation:

• Do you have cash on hand or money in your checking or savings account?
• What are your monthly obligations, and could you set aside part of your budget for a down payment?
• Do you have access to any other funds?

Remember, the more you put down, the lower your monthly payment will be. While some experts recommend putting down 20% on a car, the national average is 12%, according to Edmunds.com.

Determine the total cost of ownership

A few other costs factor into the total cost of ownership. The first is insurance. You’ll need to purchase auto insurance whether you buy a new or used car, or lease a car. Because insurance is based on the value of the car, rates are generally lower for used cars. But if a new car has certain safety features, insurance rates may be lower. Learn more about how you can save money on auto insurance.

A second cost to consider is preventative car maintenance, including regular service checks, oil changes, unexpected repairs, and other upkeep.

Vehicle financing that works for you

Financing a car is a big expense. If you consider all costs, including your down payment, monthly payment, insurance, and maintenance costs, you’ll be in a better position to calculate how much you can afford. Learn more about vehicle financing.