<prompt> Human: Disclaimer: I have zero knowledge of how the financial world operates. So Ive been making some poor financial decisions for the past couple years and my credit is the lowest i think you can possibly have. I have unpaid student loans and have been out of school for about 2 years now. Im not sure how much this affects that but felt it necessary to mention. I also have a pretty bad history of late payments on bills butt also not sure how much this impacts that. I was in a pretty bad situation job and living wise but have since gotten myself into better living and working situation. Everything was okay until i totaled my car. Ive been looking around and decided i can get a decent used car paid off for about 4-5000. Now i have about 1500 saved right now and only recently 3 months started my job where i make about 2000 a month. I live with my parents so dont have any bills. My plan was to get a loan for 4000, pay off the car and then pay the loan payments instead of a note. But im discovering just how screwed up my financial situation is, which is what led me here. So my questions: Should I get a loan or deal with a note? Is there any place that would be willing to loan someone in my position 4000?Are my student loan debt and untimely payments the things hurting my credit? How do i fix my credit? I also believe there may be things on my credit that i had no part in so could i get that removed?Should i wait and save up and just pay off the car myself? I appreciate any advice you have for me and thank you in advance.  <response>: Youre getting to your job somehow and earning money, so thats all good.You need to save up 2000 and get a car with that. No loan. Use 100 cash that youve already earned. Then drive the new car really gently and as little as possible. Make it last a year or two until youre doing better financially.The only places that will loan you money for a car are the scammy used car lots. And if you go for that, youll be hopelessly upside-down for the length of the loan - and you still have to pay when the car breaks down. So dont do that. Its a classic mistake and really bad. 