Leasing and buying (new) cars, are the biggest waste of money, even if you buy a new car and you plan on keeping it for 10+ years.
Buy yourself a 1-3 year old car, that’s in better than good condition. A car loses approximately 30% of its original value as soon as it is driven off the lot (in the first year) and a 1year old car will last you for ten or more years… If you get it certified from a dealer, you will probably pay a bit more, but you will have a warranty on it. If you buy it privately, you will save money.
From personal experience I can tell you the following: whatever you decide if it’s a used car, certified or not, spend the 80-100$ to bring it to a mechanic you trust and have them check out the car. Just because a car is certified, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have problems… Oh, also, ALWAYS GET A CARFAX (for the vehicle’s history, accidents etc.) – a dealer should pay for one, private seller, not necessarily – anything that has had a major accident will give you problems forever.