So you want to look for a new car, and the affordable insurance to go with it,  but just can’t seem to make your finances stretch far enough? Or maybe you’ve already found the car of your dreams, but know there’s no way you could even consider buying it. You’re not alone – the motoring industry has been hit hardest of all by the credit crunch and sales have reached an all time low. It seems like no one can afford to think about buying a new car right now, unless you were one of the lucky ones that took advantage of "Cash for Clunkers" deal from the US government.

But don’t let that get you down – there is still another option. There is another way you could still get the car of your choice, without even having to pay upfront for it. Car contract hire or leasing agreements are a great way to choose the exact car you want and you only have to pay one manageable monthly fee.  

I know what you’re thinking, there has to be a catch, right? Well, in fact, no there’s really not. Yes you have to sign a contract but you get to choose from any car on the market, even those that would normally be out of your price range. In fact, the more desirable the car is, the better deals you can get. It’s not like buying a new car where the value decreases with time, most contract hire agreements are based on your projected usage so they take wear and tear into account and when the contract ends you can trade it in for a newer model.

Choosing contract hire will usually also help with the running cost of having a car – often the road tax and servicing costs are thrown in to the monthly installments so you won’t find yourself suddenly landed with huge repair bills. And being able to trade the car in every couple of years means you’ll always have the latest model so it’s less likely to break down.

Basically, it’s a really beneficial and financially viable way of getting a new car without any of the worries of buying outright – and it really does make sense, especially now when times are hard. And who knows, you might even be able to get that dream car after all.