If there’s one holiday tradition you can count on in our ever-changing world, it’s seeing a commercial for a car with a giant car-sized bow on it at the end of each year. While I’ve never personally received a car with a giant car-sized bow on it (and feel free to change that for me), it’s true that this is one of the best times to go car shopping. Many automakers are now offering sales and financing deals on cars to get them off the market as new model year cars come in. If you’re in the market for a new or used car, this time of year can be a great time to shop for extra savings, but only with the right plan. Arm yourself with these buying tips when shopping for a car this holiday season.

Try to buy towards the end of December, as sellers are rushing to meet monthly quotas and annual sales goals before the year ends. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are excellent times to get the best deals. Year-end model sales also offer big discounts. Just make sure you can buy the previous year’s model with confidence if you go this route.

Research is your friend. By the time you get to the dealership, you should already know:

Whether you lease or buy (although you're probably better off buying than leasing.)