Welcome to Cashed Up Boot Camp – First Car (2026).
Complete this course and find out everything you need to know about buying your first car.
As you work through the course, you’ll learn about how to narrow down the field when choosing your first car, your options for paying for the car, the ongoing expenses you’ll need to cover when you own a car, and tips for steering clear of scammers in the used car market.
The Cashed Up Boot Camp - First Car course sections are:
1. You’ll look good driving this car.
You'll have some big spends over your lifetime. Buying a car will probably be the first one. Run through the decisions you’ll have to make so that you can start planning now.
2. How will you pay for your first car?
Investigate the options you have to buy your first car. Is it better to borrow or pay cash for your first car?
3. It costs money to keep your car on the road.
The spending doesn’t stop once you’ve bought your first car. Review the regular expenses necessary to keep your car on the road and recognise the importance of budgeting to cover them.
4. Buyer beware!
It’s well known that the used car market is popular with scammers. Learn how to spot them and avoid buying a dodgy car, or worse…a car that doesn’t exist!
You will receive your course-completion badge when you:
- Reach 100% progress in your course by working through all the course materials and attempting all tasks.
- Achieve a total score of 75% across all assessed tasks, including those marked by the facilitator.
This course should take you approximately 2-4 hours to complete.
Select Start the course in the banner above to begin!
This course will close on December 18th, 2026. The updated version will be available via the Financial Basics Foundation website in January 2027.
- Learners investigate to determine the best car to suit their wants, needs and budget.
- Learners construct a Vision Board to reflect their preferences for their first car.
- Learners describe different options for borrowing to buy a car.
- Learners identify the features and requirements of loans suitable for buying a car.
- Learners assess their eligibility to access finance to buy a car.
- Learners recognise the impact of loan interest on the total cost of a car.
- Learners recognise the impact of depreciation on the cost and value of a financed car.
- Learners convert the concept of the effect of compounding on saving to borrowing.
- Learners use personal input to create a SMART goal for their first car.
- Learners examine the requirements and costs involved in getting a provisional licence.
- Learners identify the ongoing expenses of keeping a car on the road.
- Learners assess their financial capacity to cover the ongoing expenses of keeping their car on the road.
- Learners examine the categories of insurance relating to a car.
- Learners examine what determines level of risk when calculating insurance premiums.
- Learners practise the principle of shopping around when buying a car, looking for finance, and choosing insurance when buying a car.
- Learners identify resources, searches and procedures available to check the mechanical condition, ownership and history of a used car.
- Learners apply principles of scam defence to buying a used car.