Tips For Buying A New Car

Buying a new car is definitely not as fun as driving one. There are many things that can go wrong that can end up costing you a bundle. But if you learn about the buying process beforehand, you can make smarter decisions and save you a lot of money.


1. Take Notes After Each Test Drive
After test driving a car, take notes on how it felt (handling, braking, acceleration etc.). Also take note of the interior space and overall comfort. Was there anything strange or unexpected? Write it down so you can remember it later. You might also want to consider taking along a digital camera to take pictures and video of each car. You can upload the videos and pictures to get second opinions from your friends.

2. Buy At The End Of The Month
Car salespeople track their sales by the month, which means they will sell harder at the end of the month than any other time. You as a buyer are in a better position to buy at this time.

3. Add Up The Extra Costs
The sticker price for a car is only the beginning. Consider additional costs and add them all up to get a better idea of the total cost of your car. Some common additional costs include gas, insurance, depreciation, maintenance, repairs, licensing, registration, taxes, financing, delivery, addons, and accessories. Be realistic when estimating each cost and you'll be able to set a budget that fits your means.

4. Learn More About Safety Features
Some common safety features to look for are Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, and Anti-lock Brake Systems. Many of these features come standard or as options. If you can choose, buy the optional safety features. The financial and physical cost of getting into an accident dwarf the cost of adding a few extra safety features.
Another important thing to consider is a car's crash test rating. You can find the crash test ratings for most cars at safercar.gov. Each car is given a 0 to 5 star rating for frontal, side, and rollover crash tests. The site is overflowing with useful safety information and because it's a government website, it is completely ad free.

5. Negotiate Aggressively
Negotiating a lower price can be the most important part of making a new car purchase. Bringing the price down a few thousand dollars can be far more effective than getting a lower interest on a car loan. Think of it this way. Negotiating more aggressively for an hour can result in a savings of a few thousand dollars. How long does it take for you to earn a few thousand dollars from your job? Surely more than an hour. Also, be prepared to simply walk away if any negotiation isn't going your way. It's your money so you should do your best to protect it.

6. Build Good Rapport With Your Salesperson
Building good rapport with your salesperson can benefit you in many ways. If your salesperson is more comfortable talking with you, he/she won't mind letting you take longer test drives and might give you a lower purchase price. Building good rapport is completely free and can go a long way.

7. Bring A Friend Along
If you have a car enthusiast in your circle of friends, invite him/her to come along when you go test drive cars. It's more enjoyable with someone else you know and can help you make a more informed choice. Just keep in mind that sometimes car enthusiasts can have strong biases towards certain brands or types of cars. Do some research on your own and find what suits your needs best.

8. Buy Addons And Accessories After The Purchase
Buying addons and accessories can end up costing too much for two reasons. The first reason is that addons and accessories aren't always completely necessary, but people buy them anyway. To avoid making this mistake, give yourself a week or two and get used to the car and see if you really need a certain addon or accessory. This will help you make less impulsive decisions that can cost a lot of money. The next reason why addons and accessories can cost so much is because the prices of these items are marked up at the time of purchase. After market parts are usually much cheaper and can easily be found online.

9. Take Your Time
An impulsive shopper is a salesperson's dream. Take your time when you consider what car to buy and don't be fooled when you're told things like: "This car might not be here tomorrow" or "This is a limited time deal". If your salesperson says any such thing, do yourself a favor and walk away. Being hasty will make it easier for a salesperson to manipulate you into making costly mistakes.

10. Research Using Free Online Resources
There are hundreds of sites, forums, and resources that cater to new car buyers that are completely free. Some of the bigger sites include kbb.com, edmunds.com, and cars.com. If you have a specific question about a certain brand or model, search for an online forum for that particular brand or model and ask your questions there.
If you take your time and follow these steps, you will have an easier and less stressful car buying experience. It does take time and effort, but once you take the first ride in your new car, it will all be worth it.

10 Incredibly Stupid Ways To Spend Your Money

Does anyone enjoy wasting their money when they don't have to? Of course not, but people do it all the time. Wasting money can have a huge negative effect on your finances and make it much more difficult to save and invest for your future. The first step to stop wasting money is to know the most common wasys money is wasted.

1. Avoidable Fees
People pay fees they don't always have to out of laziness and negligence. This doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but happens more often than you think. These fees include interest fees, overdraft fees, late fees, and finance charges. If your checking/credit/loan service is taking a lot of your money, try to find out the reasons why and try to stop paying them. These fees have a way of snowballing, which can take a bigger bite out of your income. Banks usually have overdraft fees, and negative balance fees that can work together to rob you if you're not careful.

2. Gourmet Coffee
Gourmet coffee drinks are a big waste of money. The coffee is good, but the price is not. People will make a big fuss over four dollar / gallon gas, but don't blink at the sight of a five dollar cup of gourmet coffee. Buying expensive gourmet coffee drinks has become more fashionable recently, but that doesn't mean it makes a good financial choice.

3. Unused Memberships And Services
Unused memberships and services are a complete waste of money. Sometimes memberships and services are unused but still paid for because of billing contracts. Whether it's your cell phone, TV, internet, or health club, you should always be careful before agreeing to a billing contract. There are companies that provide these services on a month to month basis too, which is something to consider.

4. Alcoholic Drinks
Some of the highest profit margins in the restaurant/club business is on alcoholic beverages. If you buy a beer at a restaurant or club, it is not uncommon to pay 5 to 10 times as much as the retail price. And that's just for beer. If you buy a mixed drink drink, the price can be even higher. A jag bomb typically calls for a half can of red bull and a shot of Jager Meister and can cost about 10 dollars. If you buy a can of red bull for 2$ and a liter of Jager Meister for $20, the retail cost of a jag bomb comes out to 2$.

5. Small Convenient Purchases
People know they can buy a 2 liter (67.62 oz) soft drink at a grocery store for a dollar, but won't hesitate to pay the same price for a 20 oz soft drink at a gas station or vending machine. Soft drink manufacturers have convinced us that paying a dollar for a 20 oz soft drink is a fair deal, but this isn't the case. Other small and conveniently packaged items like chips and candy are also typically overpriced. Keep snacks in the car to avoid buying these things at gas stations and convenience stores.

6. Brand Name Clothing
It's ok to buy brand name clothing to look and feel your best, but sometimes it doesn't make sense. People buy brand name clothing to associate themselves with particular brands and images. The problem is that most people aren't able to identify what brand clothing you wear and usually don�t even care. This is especially true for pants, underwear, socks, and ties. So limit the amount of brand name clothing you have in your wardrobe so you're not paying brand name prices for everything. A nice top from a fashionable retailer and a cheap pair of pants from a big box store is a smart way to limit your brand name clothing.

7. Cigarettes
Smoking is bad for your health and your finances. If you smoke, consider quitting for your financial and physical well being. Think about how many packs you smoke each day and calculate how much it costs over a month. You might be surprised how much those small cigarette purchases add up.

8. Gas / Fuel
Energy prices always seem to be going higher and higher. If you're driving a car that has poor gas mileage, you may want to consider buying something more fuel efficient. It will help save you money at the pump and help improve the environment.

9. Bottled Water
It's ok if you don't like the taste of tap water. In many cases, it doesn't taste pleasant and can even be unsafe to drink. So wanting higher quality water is definitely a valid desire, but bottled water is not the most financially savvy choice. Bottled water, even the generics, costs more than gas. This is a problem because you can get the same quality of many bottled waters in your own kitchen using a filtration system. Brita and Pur both sell different types of filters that will make your tap water taste as clean and pure as bottled water. Plus, it's fresh from your tap and doesn't stay on a grocery shelf for months.

10. Full Price Goods
Paying full price for anything is something that can easily be avoided. Every week, there are grocery sales. Every season, there are clothing sales. Every year, there are holiday sales. If you hold off purchases, or buy early, you can save yourself a lot of money and get more of the things you want. Look out for Sunday coupons for grocery stores, end of season sales at your favorite clothing retailers, and black Friday sales for anything.

Bonus: Eating Out Too Often
It's perfectly normal to eat out every once in a while to celebrate a special occasion with friends and family. But if you find that you get most of your food from restaurants and delis, instead of grocery stores you're making a poor financial choice. If you eat out for lunch every day at work, consider the costs over a month. If the average lunch costs 7$, that comes out to 140$ a month. Most people cringe at the thought of paying 140$ for anything on a monthly basis, but you can easily spend that amount and more by just eating out. So try to find foods that will fill you up and satisfy you at home so you won't break the bank by eating out all the time. And if you really must go out, do your best to save money oneach meal. 

Money Saving Sites

There are many free websites online today that can help you find bargains and save money. A lot of these sites are run by companies, passionate deal hunters, or both. If you're looking to find the best prices online, or connect with other deal hunting fanatics, these sites are for you. These seven sites were selected from hundreds of similar sites and are either the best of their kind, or offer a unique or special service.


1. Fat Wallet ( fatwallet.com )
If you should know about any one deal site, you should know about Fat Wallet. The reason why Fat Wallet is better than most other deal sites is because of its community. The Fat Wallet forum is populated by over 500,000 of the most savvy and passionate deal hunters around. You won't find a community of that size and quality very easily online. So check out the Fat Wallet forum's hot deal section and browse around. Fat Wallet also has a coupon / cash back section which has some deals, but the forum is really where all of the best deals are.

2. Deals Plus ( dealspl.us )
Deals Plus is another great community driven money saving site that has an unusual but memorable domain name. Each of the deals on Deals Plus are submitted by its users. The interesting thing about Deals Plus is that it has a lot of features similar to a social network. You can add friends to your profile, send messages to other users, and comment on different products with other members. These features can't be found on many deal sites, making Deals Plus a unique social network for deal hunters. The good news though is that you don't have to be an active participant in the social networking aspect of the site to take advantage of the deals. All of the deals on Deals Plus are accessible to anyone that visits the site.

3. Deal News ( dealnews.com )
Deal News' main strength is the sheer volume of deals posted on their site. There are many sites like Deal News, but none come close to Deal News in terms of size. Each day, Deal News posts hundreds of deals to their site which you can keep track of by subscribing to their RSS feed or newsletter. Deal news also has a forum, but it isn't quite as large or active as other deal sites. Again, the main benefit of Deal News is the large number of deals they post every day.

4. Woot ( woot.com )
Woot is an online store with a business model different than most. It only sells one product per day at a reduced price. Each day, a new product is offered until it is sold out. Some days, Woot sells mystery bags for $5 dollars a piece which can contain just about anything. Woot also has two subsites: Woot Wine ( wine.woot.com ) and Woot Shirt ( shirt.woot.com ).

5. Slick Deals ( slickdeals.net )
Slick Deals is a site very similar to Fat Wallet, where there is a large emphasis on the community forums. The forum on Slick Deals has over 300,000 members and over 11,000,000 posts. The forum is very actively updated with hot deals, freebie deals, coupon deals, and contests by some of the internet's most passionate deal hunters. One advantage of the Slick Deals forum over the Fat Wallet forum is that each Slick Deals thread is categorized, making deal browsing a lot easier.

6. Mint ( mint.com )
Mint is a free financial tracking service that can help beginners and personal finance geeks handle their finances more easily. After signing up for a Mint account, you can add the checking, credit, investing, and savings accounts you want to keep track of. Mint allows you to see where your money goes in real time and makes budgeting a breeze. Mint also makes use of simple graphs and charts to make it easier for you to visualize where your money goes. Some of Mint's newer features include local spending comparisons where you can compare your spending habits to others in your area. It's a wonder they offer this service for free and is certainly something to check out.

7. Dealighted ( dealighted.com )
Dealighted is a website that aggregates the best deals from many different deal sites. Dealighted also allows users to submit deals, which increases the number of deals on their site. The reason why Dealighted is a useful site is because it puts the best deals in one place so you don't have to scrounge around on multiple sites.

Extreme Ways To Save Money

Not having enough money is a common problem for many people. It is very easy to overspend and over borrow which can lead to large and daunting debts. Sometimes the only way to pay off these debts is to take extreme measures to save money. Most of the things described in this article are extreme and not recommended for everyone. Always consider your health and safety before attempting any of the following.

1. Live In Your Car
If you're paying too much for rent, you do have the option of living in your car. If you live with your girlfriend, or live in an unforgiving climate, you definitely should not try this. It is certainly one of the most extreme ways to save money on this list, and requires a strong will and a very desperate financial situation. You can get a gym membership to shower, groom, and change your clothes and go to a laundromat to wash your clothes. With a gym membership, you can spend your time exercising and working out instead of going out and spending more money. A gym membership and laundromat will cost anywhere from 50-150 dollars a month which is likely a fraction of what you pay for rent.

2. Eat More Rice, Beans, And Pasta
If you're spending too much money on food, consider adding more rice, beans, and pasta to your diet. These foods all are extremely inexpensive and can fill you up quickly. The only drawback is that each of these foods are extremely bland. To fix this, try using simple sauces to make eating them more tolerable and less boring. If you make rice, beans, and pasta regular staples of your diet, you'll be saving yourself a lot of money.

3. Cancel Your Cable And Internet
This is one of the most practical ways to save money on this list. Canceling your cable TV and internet will save you a good chunk of money each month and will make it possible for you to do more productive things with your time. Instead of sitting around at home watching TV or surfing the internet, you can start exercise, volunteer, or learn a new hobby.

4. Buy Everything Used Or Barter
The biggest advantage of buying things used is cost. You may get something with a little bit of wear and tear, but the savings are usually worth it. This is especially true for cars, clothing, and furniture where you can easily save 50% or more off of the retail price when you buy used. In addition to buying everything used, you can also try bartering for things you want and need. This will help you get rid of things you don't need and help offset the costs of getting new things.

5. Cut Your Own Hair
Cutting your hair can save you a lot of money in the long run. If you have a simple buzz cut, there's no reason why you shouldn't cut your own hair. All you need is an adjustable trimmer and a mirror. If you have a more complex hair style, it can be more difficult to learn how to cut your hair, but it is definitely doable.

Bonus: Plan Your Diet Around The Sunday Coupons
Most grocery stores have discounted items they sell at a loss. If you only buy and eat these foods, you're basically paying less money for food than the grocery store. This can make it difficult to eat exactly what you want, but it can save you a lot of money.

5 Things You Should Always Buy Online

The internet's speed, convenience, and sheer enormity makes it a great place to shop and save money on many different things. If you're looking to save a few bucks here and there, in a fast and convenient way, you should make an effort to buy the things on this list online instead of at the local store.

1. Books
The internet has revolutionized book shopping and has made it possible for book stores to run more efficiently and offer better prices than ever before. Online book stores usually have lower overhead costs than traditional brick and mortar stores, which means lower prices for consumers. Online book stores also offer much wider selection of books to choose from. Additionally, the market for used books is huge online. This is especially beneficial for students who don't want to empty their wallets to pay for text books.

2. Electronics
Consumer electronics is another product category that benefits from the cost efficiencies of running a business online. An added benefit of buying consumer electronics online is that many of the bigger ticket items like TVs are bundled with free shipping offers which lowers costs even more. Much like books, there is a much vaster selection of consumer electronics online than in big box retail stores. If you walk into a Best Buy or Wal Mart looking for a mouse, you may only have a few to choose from. This obviously isn't the case if you're shopping online.

3. Computers, Hardware, Accessories
If you're looking to upgrade your computer, the best place to find and buy the parts you're looking for are online. Much like the other types of products on this list, computer hardware is both cheaper and in greater selection online than in traditional brick and mortar stores.

4. Plane Tickets, Hotels, Car Rental
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, it is possible for average consumers to find great deals on plane tickets, hotels, and car rentals without the assistance of a travel agent. More and more tech savvy consumers are choosing to plan and book their own vacations online to get the most choice and lowest cost vacations available. If you're planning to go on a trip in the near future, head over to your computer and find some deals online.
 
5. Used Goods
The internet is a great place to connect buyers and sellers of used goods of all kinds. You can find a vast array of used cars, houses, clothing, athletic equipment, electronics, movies, and books online at very low prices. The internet is the biggest garage sale in the world and doesn't require you to drive anywhere. Used goods are nice and cheap online because they involve person to person interaction. Connecting two people in this way minimizes the middleman to your computer, instead of a store. When you buy from a business, the cost of labor, parts, shipping, and other expenses are included in the price. When you buy from another person, the only real additional price is shipping.