Car shopping can be fun, exciting, the kind of good time you can share with your spouse and kids. Shopping for a new or used car can also be stressful, confusing and a time filled with financial uncertainty. You have to have reliable transportation but at what price?

For most of us it's about the bottom line, how much will this vehicle cost me? Some of us worry more about the total cost of a new car or used car and some of us are more concerned with the monthly payments. No matter which is of bigger concern to you, there are steps you can take to ensure you come out of your car buying experience better off.

One of the first things to keep in mind about car buying is to avoid having to buy one soon. When possible start to plan your car purchase 90 days or more before you will actually sign the paperwork. This gives you time to prepare for the lowest price possible with all things taken into account.

You should start your planning early so that you can deal with any credit issues you might encounter. Start by getting your credit reports as far in advance as possible. Quickly deal with any negatives you find in your credit report. Also start to pay down any lines of credit you have, get those credit cards balances paid as much as you can. This step alone can save you thousands of dollars and lower your monthly payments drastically.

While you are taking care of things found in your credit report and bringing those credit card balances down, save save save. The larger your down payment the better off you are. Have a yard sale, sell off any used vehicles your next car will replace. You will often get more for a good used car by selling it yourself than you will as a trade in.

As you get closer to when you will actually make this very large purchase you should shop around. See what is available, read up about the various models of cars that interest you, keep an open mind and narrow your choices down to just two or three different makes and models.

Once you know what you want, start to look at where you can get the best deal. Sites like AlowQuote.com are a great way to save time in shopping for a new car or used car. You can find a wealth of vehicle information and get pricing info from the comfort of your own home. You save time, money and avoid the high-pressure tactics found at most car dealerships.