3.4. Transportation
3.4.1. Borrowing money to purchase a car
One large non-discretionary expense that new graduates often commit to is the loan payment on
a new (or new for them) car. You choose which car to buy, and, therefore, the amount of the loan
payment. However, once you have purchased the car and committed to the loan, the payment is a
fixed non-discretionary expense. Ideally, you will be able to save to purchase future cars for cash and
avoid loan payments (see Section 3.4.3). In choosing a car, keep in mind that buying an expensive new
car (an “expensive for you” car) at graduation and taking on a large loan payment is a primary cause
of financial difficulty for new graduates.
It is helpful to understand loan amortization as it works the same for all loans (car, home, etc.)
One thing to note is that the interest paid on a car loan is not tax deductible (as an itemized deduction)
and the interest paid on a home loan is deductible. Also, home loans are much larger and for
longer periods of time (usually 15 to 30 years).
144 C.P. Guthrie, C.M. Nicholls/J. of Acc. Ed. 33 (2015) 138–163