This post is sponsored by Cars.com. The story is all my own. Thanks for reading!

I've mentioned Betsy to you all once before, but if you aren't sure who rather what Betsy is ... I'm here to tell you that she's my car. She's the car I have officially driven for 17 years. There's only been a short period of time when I wasn't driving Betsy because two car seats, but after I was able to retire a car seat I went back to ol' Betsy. I say it's nothing but a miracle how faithful Betsy has been to my family and me.

If I'm honest, I am not absolutely sure that I am ready to let Betsy retire, but I know the time is coming. My CD player has officially went caput. The signal lights work mostly, but sometimes they're confused about their purpose. My youngest daughter has affection towards Betsy, too, because of the awesome crank windows she is loaded with. :) But no matter the love we have for Betsy, we are still here-- thinking about a new (or new to us) car.

Choosing a New Car is a Family Affair

We haven't shopped for a car in a decade. Our other car was purchased a few months before our youngest was born so car shopping will be an adventure for us. Since my daughters and I are pretty much a team when it comes to certain things, I can't imagine picking our new homeschool ride without their opinion. My daughters offer helpful insight when it comes to the style of car, the comfort it should offer since it's a different vibe when riding in the backseat, and keeping me true to my budget. Not only are my daughters included in finding a new car, but also my husband. When I purchased Betsy, I didn't care that it only had four cylinders. But now, I care a little bit more, and this is because my husband has helped me to see and appreciate the difference between larger motors. I am hoping he will also come in handy when it comes to negotiations. :) Yes, we are all in this together when it comes to finding a new vehicle.

While it's nice to go to variety of car dealerships and see the cars in person, I've found online window shopping with Cars.com to be just as effective. We can list the pros and cons for certain cars based on the description. As of now, we are looking at cars similar to Betsy because of the affinity we have towards her. Betsy is a Cavalier, and is no longer in production so we won't be purchasing a newer model. Another thing I like about looking at new cars on Cars.com is that I can compare prices of the different dealerships in our area. The dealerships also are rated by other shoppers which gives us an idea about which dealerships might be more consumer friendly.

Although I am a little sad about the change in vehicle, I am also excited about the prospect of a new vehicle.

Do you enjoy car shopping? Do search online before heading to the dealerships?