10 Ways To Save Money Buying A Used Car
Buying a used car can be a substantial investment, with considerable costs involved. In tough economic times saving every penny counts; plus why would you pay more than you have too.
Here are a few quick tips when buying a used car.
1. Financing – Keeping your loan term to the shortest amount of time will save you money in the long run. Generally, it is wise to keep the term within 36 months if possible.
2. Loan – Obtain a loan for a used car via a third party lender. Generally used car dealers will charge higher rates or tack on additional fees, plus it puts you in a weaker position when negotiating the cars price. If you are in the military or work for the government, there are lending institutions which provide good rates to government personnel, which are unavailable to the general public.
3. Private sale – Generally you can obtain a used car for a lower price from a private seller. The vehicle may not have a warranty and almost never comes with a guarantee. However, since there is no middle man in the transaction, both the buyer and seller of the used car come out better in the long run.
4. Inspection – Have a friend who is a good mechanic? Have them inspect the used car for less. Throw a few dollars his way and skip the expensive used car inspections. Additionally, you will be building a relationship which might come in handy in the future.
5. Car Fax Reports – If you search online numerous websites list discount coupons for car fax reports for your used car. The discount rate isn’t much, but every penny counts!
6. Wear and Tear Items – Most used cars have worn out parts: tires, brakes, cracked glass, broken/burnt out bulbs and exhaust leaks. Check the car over rigorously as these items add up. Additionally, make sure all items needed to pass inspection are in good condition; or have the seller knock off a few dollars to compensate. Also, used cars with broken inspection items are harder to sell, so the owner may come down in price.
7. Change your own oil – Changing your own oil can save you money, especially if you use synthetic.
8. Application Fees – When obtaining a loan for a used car normally there is an application free. See if the loan officer will waive the fee. Tell the loan officer you just had a kid and times are tuff. Heck, flirt with the person; you might be surprised how far you can get.
9. Ladies bring a guy – While this will sound sexist, it is strongly advised that ladies bring a guy when buying a used car. Some individuals are of the opinion women are not knowledgeable about cars, and will try to push you into a bad deal. Having a guy with you, even if they are just a friend or relative will help to eliminate that problem. Additionally, having two sets of eyes is always better than one.
10. Buy out of state – Some states do not require you to pay tax up font when purchasing a used car. Buying out of state can save you money initially; additionally your state of residence might have a lower tax rate.In fact there is a good resouce for locating out of state cars LocalCarHub.com.
11. Bonus – Know what you are buying. Do the research; learn what similar cars are selling for. Check the blue book value of the car.
Enjoy your used car.
By John Rover
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© Copyright 2009, John A. Simpson. All Rights Reserved.
Ways To Save Money And Manage Personal Finances
In today’s declining economy, financial problems are becoming increasingly common. Every time you go to the grocery store, the price of at least one thing you buy has gone up in price since last week. Almost daily the price of gas increases. So what can you do when you are continually forced to spend more and more, but your income stays the same? How can you take control of your personal finances, save money and get ahead? First, you must be aware of where your money is going. Many people don’t realize this and without knowing it are spending what adds up to be a significant amount each month on little things. If you don’t normally ask for a receipt, start doing it now. Write down everything you are spending. Include cups of coffee, magazines, sodas, snacks and money spent eating out. Don’t omit anything. If you don’t know exactly where your money is going, you can’t make any affective changes, save money or take control of your finances. Second, make a budget. Put all of your expenses into one of three categories: needs, fun money and savings. Everything you need to have obviously goes in the needs category. Be honest! Only put it here if you really need it. This includes things like rent or house payments, gas, childcare (for when you are at work, not at a movie) and food. From your fun money come things you enjoy having but can live without, like gifts, eating out, cable t.v. and toys for your kids. Finally, there is your savings. Maybe you aren’t saving anything yet or aren’t saving enough. 65% of all people living in the United States aren’t saving enough for retirement. Maybe you have a lot of credit card debt and can’t think about retirement until you’ve paid that off. Don’t despair! Keep reading to find out how you can pay off your debt, save money and take control of your personal finances. Third, you have to be willing to make changes for your own good and the good of your family. Look closely at where your money is going and see what you can cut back on. Do you buy a $3 cup of coffee each morning? This adds up to $60 a month. Make your own. Start taking your lunch to work. Don’t buy the most expensive gifts. This article covers very briefly the basics of balancing your money. For details visit my blog by clicking here because there is so much more information vital for balancing your money, controlling your personal finances and becoming financially secure than I am able to put in this article. It describes in depth each of the three categories: needs, fun money and savings, as well as the percentages of how much you should be spending on each category. It tells you exactly how to get out of debt, no matter how much you have, and how to best plan your retirement. My blog also offers a variety of ways to save money.
Gina Clark writes on financial issues. Click here to learn additional ways to save money and manage your personal finances.
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© Copyright 2009, John A. Simpson. All Rights Reserved.
Saving Money While Shopping For Baby Clothes
Most young parents have experienced the dilemma of shopping for baby clothes. It’s not an easy thing to do, after all. The process goes well beyond choosing blue for boy and pink for girl. One has to ask questions like: where do I shop? What should I look for? Is baby fashion supposed to be this expensive or are there more affordable options with which to dress up my child? Do retailers – most of whom make baby clothes shopping sound so complicated – offer discount coupons for their products? Fret no more, young parent. If you need advice and suggestions on shopping frugally and wisely for baby clothes, this article is for you.
1) Don’t buy too much. Come up with a budget, and impose controls on your shopping. Your child will grow up real quick anyway. There’s no need to please his or her vanity. Besides, family and friends are bound to donate clothes for your baby, too. Don’t succumb to the vast baby items that are available in your local department store or online, no matter how cute and can’t-miss they seem, because it’s not like your boy or girl is going to remain that size for a very long time.
2) Consider factors such as security and comfort for your baby. Usually, cotton is the best material, since it will feel soft and gentle and natural against a child’s skin. Outfits that mix cotton and polyester, while not as soft, might also work as they don’t tend to shrink once washed. The best option is to look for cotton clothes that are one size too big for your baby. To minimize hazards, avoid clothes that have cords, tight elastic bands, or buttons in them; you don’t want to wake up with Junior suddenly getting snarled into dangerous knots. And you also never know what your child is capable of choking on. If possible, also buy baby wear that is flame-retardant.
3) Clothing sizes differ from brand to brand. If you’re going to shop online, make sure that the clothes will actually fit your baby. That’s common sense. Visit trusted suppliers like Leaps and Bounds, Kid Surplus, and Baby Center Store for guidance and practical advice on shopping for your baby or child. Remember also to take advantage of the stores’ online deals; use Leaps and Bounds promotion codes, Kid Surplus promotional codes, and Baby Center coupon codes to save money on your baby clothes purchases.
4) Don’t rule out second-hand shops, online auctions, or consignment clothing stores. Contrary to what you may think, it is very practical to look for baby outfits that have been used before. It’s not like babies will wear out their clothes in the first place, because they outgrow what they wear so quickly. Thus, most second-hand clothing for young babies, toddlers, and children are still almost in brand new condition. You’ll even be surprised to find how many designer brands you’ll find at the charity or second-hand shop; some will even have tags on them. If you still want to buy new baby clothing while trying to save a fortune, remember at least to use discount coupons.
David Stack is a web developer who offers money saving opportunities by listing promo codes and discounts. You can view his list of coupons from various stores on his site: http://www.couponsaver.org.
If you enjoyed this post, please make sure you register to receive these posts via email. You can also follow me on Twitter, link to me on LinkedIn, or visit my other blog, at www.johnasimpson.com.
© Copyright 2009, John A. Simpson. All Rights Reserved.
What Kind Of Home Improvement Can I Do With Bad Credit?
When someone needs to make home improvements and does not have the cash needed to pay for them, the usual solution is a home improvement loan. However, having bad credit may be an obstacle to obtaining high amount loans. Therefore, many people wonder what kind of home improvement can be done when the home improvement loan applicant has bad credit. The answer to this question is not simple because there are too many variables involved.
There are different kinds of home improvement loans and therefore, the type of loan will determine the amount of money you can obtain and consequently the type of improvements that you can afford. Also, the financial and credit situation of the applicant can also modify the final loan amount that the lender will be willing to offer. And last, but not least, whether the applicant can offer any kind of guarantee for repayment other than equity will also determine the loan amount and type of improvement that can be made.
Improvements With Unsecured Home Improvement Loans And Secured Ones
Unsecured home improvement loans are personal loans that are used for making home improvements. Since these loans carry no security the risk is high and so is the interest rate. But most importantly, the amount of money you can borrow by these means is also limited. Therefore, only minor home improvement like repainting, retiling, fixing pipes, roofs, etc. can be afforded with these loans.
However, with secured home improvement loans, the situation differs. These loans are guaranteed by equity and therefore, the amount you can obtain is determined by the amount of free equity on your property. Since these loans provide higher loan amounts usually measured in tens of thousands, it is possible to undertake bigger home improvement projects like adding a room to a house, carpeting all the property, replacing the whole electric, water or gas internal system, etc.
How Bad Credit And Harsh Financial Situations Affect What You Can Improve
Bad Credit will limit your ability to finance improvement projects. In order to get approved for a loan for home improvements you need a fair credit score and a suitable income for repaying the money you owe. Bad credit will determine the possibility of undertaking only small home improvement projects while you are struggling to recover your credit because no high amount loans will ever be available with bad credit unless you provide collateral or get the aid of a third party.
If you are desperately in need of making home improvements and you can not obtain the money by other means, you should consider the aid of another family member. Sometimes the head of the house makes wrong decisions and ends up with a bad credit score. However, other members of the household may be able to act as co-signors for the loan with a good credit record that will guarantee approval from the lenders due to a significant reduction of the risk involved in the transaction.
Devora Witts is a certified loan consultant with several years of experience in the credit area who instructs people regarding credit recovery and approval for personal loans, home loans, consolidation loans, car loans, student loans, unsecured loans and many other types of loans. If you want to understand Credit Debt Consolidation Loan and Bad Credit Student Loan Consolidation thoroughly you can visit her site http://www.badcreditloanservices.com. If the link doesn’t work, just copy and paste www.badcreditloanservices.com in your browser’s address bar.
If you enjoyed this post, please make sure you register to receive these posts via email. You can also follow me on Twitter, link to me on LinkedIn, or visit my other blog, at www.johnasimpson.com.
© Copyright 2009, John A. Simpson. All Rights Reserved.
