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Heck, you even missed the prime months of November and December, statistically the best time of year to find deals.

Despite all that, you still need to get around and can no longer delay the inevitable.

You’re not alone, with plenty of people looking to buy a car this spring.

Here’s what you can do to save money in the process:

The full financial picture goes beyond a monthly payment

Budgeting best practice is to keep total automobile costs, whether buying, leasing, renting (even car sharing) to below 10 per cent of your take-home pay.

If your net pay is $5,000 a month, your total car costs should be below $500 a month, including: insurance, gas (or electric charging), parking, street permits, tolls and regular maintenance such as oil changes and tune-ups.

The first step is to do the math on costs. For example; gas $50, parking $50, insurance $135, maintenance and registration allocation $40 leaves you $225 for a car payment if your full monthly budget is $500.

I know, it’s less than you thought you’d have — and certainly less than what the dealership and bank say you can afford.

Using this information, you can narrow down your search for cars that fit your budget, and stop wasting your time on vehicles that don’t.

Get online quotes for insurance, and see how much better prices are when bundled with home insurance.

If you’re already a cautious driver with a good record, you can save even more on insurance by signing up for a vehicle tracking system which sends your driving quality data to the insurance company.

Buy used. Better yet, buy outright to save the most

If you’re sitting on cash, and it’s not your emergency fund, you might be in a position to buy a quality used car outright.

This will save you the most money because of the steep depreciation on new vehicles the moment you drive off the lot. It will also save you having to pay interest on a loan.

Check out car dealers, Clutch, Autotrader, Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace to see what’s out there.

You can even set up automated searches on  that will alert you when your dream car lands.

Before buying, spend a little money to have a thorough inspection by a trusted mechanic. This can help you avoid buying a lemon riddled with imminent, expensive repairs.

If you have to finance even a portion of your used car, beware that used vehicle loans typically come with higher interest rates and worse terms than new-car financing.

To get around this, people either save more to avoid a loan altogether, shop the loan around to different financial institutions, or use a personal line of credit.

Also beware that older cars can mean higher insurance rates, so budget for that, too.

The longer you drive a quality used car, and the less money you spend on repairs, the more value you’ll get from this purchase.

Sometimes, buying new is the better way to go

You may be in the fortunate position where you have good cash flow and ample savings, and the cost of a new vehicle actually fits your budget, your wants and needs.

And, if you plan to drive the vehicle for a long time (10 years or more), it can make sense to buy new.

Some reasons why buying new include: lower interest rates on financing, higher reliability, more dealer incentives, lower insurance rates, better gas mileage and the fact that eventually you’ll own it outright.

The key is to look at the total cost of the purchase, not just the monthly payments.

Run your numbers for the new car and compare it with the used car scenario (which might mean you’ll end up replacing it sooner).

You might just find that the new car works better for your life and your bank account.

Leasing can sometimes make the most sense

There are some situations where leasing is better than buying new or used.

If you own a business, there may be opportunities for writeoffs.

If your employer gives you a generous car allowance and lease payments are less than a financing payment, you could end up with more money than if you had bought the car outright and sold it at the end of the lease.

And if you like to change cars often, leasing allows you to move from vehicle to vehicle easily.

Finally, leasing can allow you to get a new car if you don’t have a big budget. Be mindful of mileage allowances, however, and how long you’re on the hook for payments.

Whether financing or leasing, there can sometimes be better interest rates and terms by shortening or lengthening the payment period or putting more money down.

Run multiple combinations of scenarios before committing.

Do negotiate hard for every nook and cranny of savings opportunities in this transaction and watch out for sneaky add-ons you really don’t need.

And have a competitive offer to present so you can at least match, or better, the best offer you could find.

There’s so much change in the car space every year with car shares, rental programs, EVs, and cutting edge technologies.

What remains consistent, though, are your numbers.

Let solid math (and your budget), not emotional excitement of a new ride, drive your decision-making.