Why You Should Stick to the One-Tenth Rule When Buying a Car

Woman enjoying a new car

With very few exceptions, cars are guaranteed to lose value. You may love your car, but there’s no reason to overspend on a depreciating liability, especially at a time when all other goods and services eat up so much of your income.

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The 1/10th rule for car buying is a budgeting strategy advanced by the Financial Samurai, Sam Dogen, and one that has been gaining traction among car buyers looking to spend as little as possible on an asset that loses them money. Often lumped in to the 20/4/10 rule (which adds being able to pay 20% or more of the total purchase price up front and being able to pay off the balance in 48 months or fewer to the mix), the 1/10th rule alone is something worth sticking to when shopping for a new ride.

Guest writing on the CBNC Make It, Dogen explained the thinking behind his 10% spending suggestion. “Too often, people will purchase a car without having a realistic understanding of how much more it will actually cost to own it,” he noted. “As a result, they end up spending too much and exceeding their budget.”

“If you make the median per capita income of about $42,000 a year, for example, you should limit your budget to $4,200,” Dogen suggested on his site. “If you make the median household income of about $62,000 a year, don’t spend more than $6,200 on a car.”

Remembering that total car costs include insurance, maintenance and gas (not to mention parking and traffic tickets!), if you can manage to spend only one-tenth of your gross income on a new-to-you car, the financial benefits are plentiful. Here’s three reasons why you should try the 1/10th rule the next time you buy a car.

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1. Practice Responsible Spending

According to Quicken, there are really only two questions you need to ask yourself when you are buying a car: 1. What kind of car do you need?, and 2. How much can you afford to pay? Following the one-tenth rule helps you select a vehicle that you can comfortably afford, taking into account not just the purchase price, but also ongoing expenses like insurance, maintenance and fuel.

2. Saving and Investing Opportunities

Spending more than 10% of your income on a car means you’ll have less money for other things, in particular, assets that can grow your wealth. By making a modest investment in a vehicle, you can redirect funds towards savings or investments that have the potential to grow over time, which will ultimately improve your financial future. According to Dogen, “Buying too much car is like negative compounding!”

3. Less Ownership Stress and Guilt

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According to Dogen, paying over 1/10th of your income on a car causes stress because you’re always thinking of what can go wrong and what potential damage will cost. Often, when people overspend on an item they fear the money should be going toward something more important, causing guilt and resentment. Sticking to spending 1/10th of your income on a car makes ownerships and driving (and even parallel parking) stress free.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Why You Should Stick to the One-Tenth Rule When Buying a Car