When choosing a car, one should adopt a rational purchasing approach.

If you want to buy a car worth 300,000 to 400,000 yuan, but then change your budget to 100,000 yuan instead, what do you do with the remaining money? You can use it to improve your quality of life, whether it’s buying better furniture or traveling both domestically and internationally. You can’t even imagine how comfortable your life would be. Therefore, I always think that for us ordinary wage earners, there is no need to buy those costly cars. A B-class car worth 100,000 to 200,000 yuan is already very comfortable for us, and the money saved can greatly enhance the quality of life.

1. What can be done with the saved 200,000 to 300,000 yuan?

• Home Upgrade: Spending 50,000 to 100,000 yuan to upgrade furniture and appliances, such as buying more comfortable mattresses, smart home devices, air purifiers, etc., can significantly enhance the home experience. A good living environment has a significant impact on physical and mental health.
• Domestic Travel: Taking domestic travel as an example, 30,000 to 50,000 yuan can arrange several high-quality trips (such as to Yunnan, Xinjiang, or Sanya, staying in good hotels and eating local cuisine). If you want to go abroad, 200,000 yuan is sufficient for several deep trips to Southeast Asia, Europe, or Japan to experience different cultures.
• Personal Growth: You can use part of the money to invest in yourself, such as enrolling in interest courses (photography, cooking, languages, etc.) or vocational skills training. 10,000 to 30,000 yuan can yield good returns.
• Saving or Investment: The remaining money can be saved as an emergency reserve or invested in financial management (such as a fund or regular investment), providing more financial freedom for the future.

2. Is a 100,000-yuan B-class car sufficient?

Cars in the B-segment range (such as the Geely Emgrand, Changan E-Tong or the entry-level models of foreign brands) with a price of around 100,000 yuan can already meet most of the daily needs in terms of space, comfort, and safety, for example:

• Space: The typical wheelbase of a B-class car is around 2.7 meters, which is spacious enough for daily use.
• Configuration: Many 100,000-yuan-level models now come with features such as reverse camera, cruise control, basic intelligent driving assistance, etc., offering good value for money.
• Fuel consumption/maintenance: Compared to more expensive cars, the fuel consumption and maintenance costs of economy B-class cars are lower, making them more convenient to use in the long run.

3. Buying a luxury car vs. improving the quality of life

• Buying a car priced between 300,000 and 400,000 yuan:
  Perhaps one can obtain a better brand, performance, or prestige. However, in daily use, there is not much difference in the experience of commuting in the city between a 100,000-yuan car and a 300,000-yuan car.
  The costs of insurance, maintenance, fuel consumption, etc., for high-end cars are higher, which may increase economic pressure.
• Purchase of 100,000 yuan car + remaining budget:
  The improvement of the quality of life is more direct. For instance, the happiness brought by traveling, delicious food, and home improvement lasts longer.
  The financial pressure is reduced, and the remaining funds can provide more possibilities for future planning (such as buying a house or investing).

4. The rational choice of the ordinary wage-earners

For the salaried workers with monthly incomes ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of yuan, a B-class car priced at 100,000 to 150,000 yuan is indeed a “sweet spot”. It strikes a balance between practicality and comfort, and won’t put too much strain on your finances. Saving the money you save and investing it in life experiences or self-improvement often leads to a higher sense of happiness. For example:

• Spending 20,000 yuan on a high-end camera to record the little moments of life.
• Spending 50,000 yuan to take the family on an island vacation and leave behind precious memories.
• Spending 100,000 yuan to renovate the house to make the living environment more comfortable every day.

5. How should I plan for this sum of money?

Suppose you have a budget of 300,000 yuan. After buying a car worth 100,000 yuan, you will have 200,000 yuan left. You can allocate it like this:

• 50,000: Upgrading home (new sofas, beds, air purifiers, etc.).
• 50,000: One or two high-quality trips (domestic or in Southeast Asia).
• 50,000: Enhancing personal interests or professional skills (courses, equipment, etc.).
• 50,000: Saving or making low-risk investments to prepare for the future.

Summary

Using the extra budget to enhance the quality of life, such as for travel, home improvement, or self-investment, not only makes life more fulfilling but also reduces financial pressure and boosts happiness.