I Regret Buying A New Car

This was an email sent to us by a reader which I thought I’d share with you.

A few months ago, my old Toyota Corolla gave up on me. I had bought the car about 4 years ago for $4,000 and it had about 160,000 miles on it. Rather than buying another used car, I thought I’d go for a swanky new one because I was just sick and tired of driving an old car.

I wanted to have the latest “blue tooth” so I could talk hands free on my cellphone. I wanted a built-in navigator since I drove a lot and was on the road visiting clients all the time.

I got a new Volvo SUV! Got a 5yr loan (I can’t even remember the rate now!) with no money down. My monthly payment is over $600!. Now with the economy in such bad shape, I regretted buying the new car. I could have paid in full by selling some of my investments in my stock, but I didn’t. And now, with the market the way it is, (on hindsight), I should have sold some of my portfolio and paid for the car. At least my car would be paid off and I will not have to put up with the monthly payment.

Instead, my portfolio value has gone down and I still have to make the monthly payment. So for all you folks out there, the lesson is buy a used car and pay cash!

John

I don’t need to add anything further to this great email I got. Guess the moral of the story is that we should only buy what we can afford and pay cash!

Roundups - Below are some great post that caught my eye this week.

Bumblefucked terrorize debt collectors with sarcasm! - I really love bloggers who post something personal and this story cracks me up.

The Passive Family income has some suggestions on cutting out wasteful spending.

Why is dieting difficult but budgeting easy? Well, head over to Harvesting Dollars to find out.

Cutting your cable bill! Yikes, I’m addicted to TV, but to each his own.

Can you survive a 50% cut in your budget? Most people can’t, but if you can, you sure have done your planning.

Mr Credit Card has investing the new Citi card and has this interesting post on the Citi Forward Card Review.

Have a great weekend.

Saving Money With Credit Cards

When it comes to budgeting, we think of every way to cut corners and reduce any frivolous expenses. What many people do not realize is that credit cards can actually help you reduce your budget.

Can Credit Cards Really Save You Money?

Well, this will only work if you are the sort that pays your bills in full every month. If you do, then there mainly two types of cards that will help you to save money.

The first type of  money saving credit cards are cash back credit cards. These cards allow you to earn cash rebates for every dollar you spend on your card. That is literally like earning a small perpetual discount on everything that you buy.

A typical rebate would be 1% for every dollar that you spend on the card. Better cards like the American Express Blue Cash pay 5% cash rebates on gasoline, supermarket and drugstore purchases.

Another good example is the American Express Costco Card which pays 3% on gasoline and restaurant expenses and 2% rebates on travel expenses!

If you use these cards, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars in a year.

What’s the best way to save money with cash back credit cards?

• Always carry a card that pays between 1 and 5% cash back

• Combine coupons, clearance items, and store sales for maximum discounts in-store

• When you shop online always look for discount codes or free shipping codes before checking out.

Combining these tactics with the automatic cash back from your credit card will save you the most amount of money over time.

The best thing about cash back credit cards is that you save money without working at it.  Even when you purchase something that is not on sale, you still get an automatic discount. Does it get any better than that?

Airfare Is Expensive:

If you fly frequently you already know how expensive airfare is. The best way to protect your budget and earn rewards at the same time is to do some quick research into airline credit cards.

Airline credit cards offer tons of advantages:

• You will earn miles or points that you can exchange for free flights. This is a great way to save up for a vacation - trade in those miles and spend your vacation money on something happier!
• Some airline cards offer free miles as a sign-up bonus, so you literally start out ahead of the game before you ever use the card.
• If you regularly fly with several different airlines instead of just one, the are cards out there that let you transfer your bonus miles to any airline they are partnered with.

What’s the best way to save money with an airline card?

• Sign on with a credit card that gives you a nice amount of “starting” points or miles.
• Make sure you earn points with the airlines you travel on frequently.
• Shop for the lowest price on the flight you need.
• Use the card to book your tickets, sit back and collect the rewards.
• Pay your bill on time every month so that you avoid interest charges, and enjoy the free flights you earn.

If you are savvy enough, you can use air miles to get all kinds of free airline tickets when you bring your family on vacations. Alternatively, travel rewards credit cards can also help you earn miles to get free airline tickets or hotel stays.

Do You Shop Online? Amazon Doesn’t Always Have The Best Deal!

Another way to save money is to get a credit card that gives you cash rebates for shopping online. For example, the Discover More Card has a program called shopdiscover.com, which has over 100 online retail partners. If you shop online at these stores through shopdiscover.com, you can earn anywhere from 5% to 20% rebates (which is equivalent to getting a 5% to 20% discount).

Never pay high interest rates:

If you are paying a high interest rate on your credit cards, then you could save money on your interest cost (at least for a period of time) by getting a 0% balance transfer credit cards

These cards typically offer a teaser 0% on your APR for any balance that you transfer from another credit card. You do have to be aware that they charge a fee for transferring a balance (typically 3% of the amount transferred). You also have to pay your bills on time to avoid getting your 0% rates jacked up. But, this is one good way to save interest and also to help you to reduce your credit card debt.

So while you are doing and updating your budget, do not forget to look at the credit cards you are carrying. Getting the right card for yourself may actually save you quite a bundle over the course of the year and help in your budgeting efforts.

Gimme the Cash: Seven Ways to Save Money without Breaking the Law

Many people find themselves spending money they don’t have, and/or not saving as much as they should. Do you feel this way about yourself? There are many ways to save money without breaking the law. You don’t have to be sneaky or disobey law in order to save on monthly expenses. In fact, working within the law not only allows you to save but gives you the chance to have fun along the way.

Here are seven ways to save money without breaking the law:

1. Some people don’t search for more tax deductions because they think they will break the law in the process. Yes, there are some who stretch the truth and end up getting in trouble when audited. But guess what? You don’t have to be one of them. You can find many legitimate tax deductions that will save you a lot of money. There is no point in lying to the IRS when there are so many deductions that you actually qualify for. All you have to do is find them!

2. Opt for public transportation whenever possible. After doing this for a few weeks you may realize that you no longer need to own a car. In this case, you can get rid of your vehicle which will save you money on your monthly payment as well as gasoline, maintenance, and insurance.

3. Negotiate anything and everything. This is one of the most overlooked ways of saving money. Did you know that you can negotiate the price of your utility bills? How about the price of that computer you want to buy? Don’t let anybody tell you that their price is not negotiable. You will never know if you can get a lower price until you ask. In some cases you will not receive a discount off the actual price, but the seller will throw in something extra such as free channels (on your television bill) or a free warranty (electronic items).

4. Use coupons religiously. This is a great way to save money without much effort. You can find coupons in the local paper, in daily mailers, and of course, online. Be sure to use coupons on items you are planning on buying, while also letting what is available guide you towards new products.

5. Cut one subscription or hobby from your monthly budget. For example, if you currently subscribe to a magazine you should cancel it and instead read the online version. You may go through withdrawals at first, but soon enough you will realize that you don’t miss this nearly as much as you thought you would. And once you see how much money you have saved over the course of the year you will definitely be proud of yourself.

6. Save $10 on 10 monthly expenses. This may not sound like a lot on an individual basis, but when added up it works out to savings of $1,200/year. It is safe to say that you could use an extra $1,200/year no matter how much money you have. Even though the degree of difficulty appears to be challenging, nothing could be further from the truth.

7. Taking out a loan to make a big purchase is a huge step in your financial life. If you opt for the first interest rate you are offered you could be throwing thousands of dollars out the window. Take for example a home buyer. A 30 year fixed rate loan of 6 percent on a $200k home equals a monthly payment of $1,199.10. If you shop around until you find a rate of 5 percent your monthly payment will only be $1,073.64. The total monthly savings is approximately $125. You can imagine how much money this will save you over 30 years.

If you want to save money without breaking the law the seven ways above should help you get started.

Budgeting for School: Dorms versus Apartments

College tuition is expensive, and unfortunately this is not the beginning and end of the money that you will spend. In addition to tuition you will also have to pay for room and board. While living in the dorms is usually required of freshmen students, this is not the case from there on out at most schools. For the sake of saving money you should consider the cost of living in a dorm vs. renting an apartment. Not only is apartment living cost effective, but you can also have more fun and take advantage of a larger space.

For the 2008-2009 school year the average cost of room and board at a public college is roughly $7,700. At a private school this number increases to just about $9k. Can you imagine how much money you can save by renting your own place and buying your own food? If not, all you have to do is take a closer look at some of the numbers to get a better idea.

Take for example a student who attends a private college and pays $9k/year in room and board. In the same area, three bedroom houses and apartments are available to rent for $1,200/month. While this may sound like a lot, you will surely have roommates to help with the cost. If you find two roommates, your portion of the rent will be $400/month. When stretched over 12 months, your total cost is $4,800. And while this does not include miscellaneous expenses such as utilities and food, you can still see just how much you can save. Simply put, you can save thousands of dollars per year by finding your own apartment as opposed to living in the dorms. If you do this for three years, at the end of your college experience you will have saved yourself between $5k and $10k. How does that sound to you?

The cost of living in the dorms seems to rise along with tuition as each year goes by. There is nothing wrong with living in the dorms your freshmen year when this is required by the school. But once you make friends and realize that you can save money, while also having more space, it is a great idea to rent an apartment or house close to campus.

Budgeting: Are You Still Not Doing It?

Are you still living without a budget? If so, what is it going to take for you to make a budget and realize the benefits of adding this tool to your life? You may not want to live your life on a strict budget, and that is fine; nobody ever said that your budget has to hold you back. No matter what your situation or how much money you have, a budget is meant to help you plan each and every financial move while keeping an overall “eye” on your money.

It may sound harsh but those with a budget are smart, and those who live without are not using their brain. If you don’t have a budget how do you know exactly where you are spending your money? If you don’t have a budget how do you know how much you can save each month? As you can see, there are many good reasons to make a budget. And on the same token, there is nothing bad that can come from creating a budget.

There are many reasons why some people don’t have a budget. As noted above, some people associate the word “budget” with meaning that they cannot spend money. Nothing could be further from the truth. Simply put, your budget is there to make sure you are earning more than you are spending. And to go along with this, it can also help you save by realizing where your money is going each month.

Other people don’t start a budget because they think it is too much work. Not only do they feel that it is difficult to record all the numbers, but they don’t know where or how to do this. Fortunately, there is a solution: Money Tree Personal Budgeting Software. When you use software like this you can quickly, efficiently, and effectively create a budget. What does quick mean? With the right information on hand, such as your paycheck and bill statements, you can make a budget in 20 minutes or less. Of course, there are many other features of Money Tree Personal Budgeting Software such as the ability to set goals, suggestions on what information to add, and tools for planning the future.

Now is the time to get smart and make a budget. If you need help, and this may be the case, use Money Tree Personal Budgeting Software to get on the path to success.

Budget, Budget, Budget!

No matter who you are there will come a time when you make a money mistake that comes back to haunt you. This is true even if you have a detailed budget that you follow down to every last letter. Personally, I try to follow my budget day in and day out to ensure that I never make any big mistakes. But a couple years ago I got a bit off track, made a bad decision, and played catch-up for quite some time.

Everybody loves the look and smell of a new car, right? I was the same way, and was determined to buy a new vehicle even if it meant stretching my resources. And of course, I didn’t want just any new car. I wanted a fully loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee with a sticker price of roughly $32k

After looking over my budget I came to the conclusion that I could afford the monthly payment as long as I cut out some other expenses. And for a new car that looked so good I was willing to do so. Unfortunately, my excitement got the best of me and I did not take the time to consider every expense related to my purchase.

What did I forget? For one, my new Jeep had a bigger gas tank than my previous compact car. To go along with this, my past car got 27 miles per gallon whereas the Jeep was lucky to get 17. Do you see where this is going? I forgot to budget for the fact that the Jeep was going to cost me $100 more each month in fuel expenses.

Then came the talk with my insurance company. Once again, I made a mistake. Since the Jeep was so expensive, and obviously newer than my past car, my car insurance premium increased by $35/month. This was not a huge hit, but over the course of the year it worked out to more than $400.

Would a more detailed budget have helped me to avoid this problem? Probably. But more importantly, I needed to take my time and do my homework. Gasoline and insurance costs were present on my budget, but I was in such a hurry that I overlooked these details and moved forward with the purchase anyway.

You want to know if I still have the Jeep, right? Well, after about 18 months of ownership I was lucky enough to trade it in for the amount that I owed on the loan. This allowed me to buy another new car. But this time one that was more suited to my budget.

How to Budget for Insurance

Many people think they have to pay what their insurance company tells them. This way of thinking is true across the board with policies including auto, home, life, and health insurance. But one thing is for sure: this is a myth. You can set a budget for insurance and then stick to it if you put time into learning how to save money. Remember, the insurance industry is competitive. This means that every insurance company is fighting for your business. Why not use this to your advantage?

If you are interested in saving money on any type of insurance you should follow these two tips:

1. Follow the process of securing insurance quotes online. This is the easiest way to save money on insurance because you can compare prices from different companies without wasting time or worrying that you are missing out on something.

2. Collect as many quotes as you need to feel comfortable, but don’t jump on the one with the lowest price just yet. Remember, there is more to insurance than price; even though this is the one detail that you want to spend the most time on.

Are the insurance companies that advertise on television always the cheapest? Do they offer the best deals on both coverage and cost? While many people rush to answer “yes” they would be wrong. Just because a company buys up a lot of commercial time to tell consumers that they offer the best deals does not mean they are telling the truth. It is your job to receive quotes from companies that are advertising on television, as well as any others that you are aware of. You may find that the companies in the background are the ones that offer the best deals.

There are three ways to save money on insurance: negotiate a better deal with your current provider, find a better company, or do without coverage. The last option, doing without coverage, is not one that you want to consider. Instead, rely on the other two options to determine how much you can save on insurance expenses.

Making a Wedding Budget

There is no other way to say it: weddings are expensive. Of course, there are varying degrees of “expensive” and you need to know where you and your partner fit in. For some, $30k may be too expensive. But for others, those with a smaller budget, $10k may be the top of their price range.

When it comes to your wedding budget you need to be accurate and informed. It is important to know how much money you have, while also being informed of the costs involved with planning a wedding. After all, if you think you will be paying $20/person but find this number to be closer to $50/person your budget is going to be busted soon enough.

When making a wedding budget the following tips should help:

1. As noted above, you have to sit down with your partner and decide once and for all how much money you can spend. If your budget is $15k so be it. No matter the number you need to know what it is so you can move forward with the planning process. Remember to include the money you have, as well as anything your and spouse’s parents will be contributing.

2. Once you begin to receive price quotes you may realize that your budget needs to change. There is nothing wrong with reworking your budget if something no longer makes sense. For example, you may have initially put $1k aside for a dress but find out soon enough that you need more money. In this case, you need to go back to the drawing board and rework your numbers. Chances are that your first budget is not going to be your last.

3. Leave room in your budget for unexpected expenses. If you know you can afford $15k try to budget for $14k so you have a “cushion” to fall back on if need be. Of course, if you never spend this extra $1k that is fine as well. No matter how well you plan there is sure to be something that sneaks up on you along the way.

4. Don’t include the best of everything in your wedding budget. Couples who need the best venue, the best flowers, the best cake, the best clothes, and so on usually find it difficult to stay under budget. Sure, you want your wedding to be nice but remember that you can make concessions in some areas so you can spend more in others.

For more information on making a wedding budget visit the “Your Wedding Budget” page at About.com. This includes a wedding budget worksheet with tips on how much to spend on each item, as well as information on how to stay on track.

Are you having a difficult time determining how much some items will cost? If so, and you want accurate information, you don’t have to look any further than TheKnot.com. This is one of the top wedding websites, and is full of wedding planning details while also featuring a message board, discount offers, and much more.

Remember, your wedding is supposed to be fun. Even though making and following a budget is important, be sure you do so while having a good time with your partner.

Save a Ton on your Car: Buy Used

If you can do without the “new car smell” buying a used vehicle is the way to go. There are many benefits to buying used, and one of the most important is the money you can save. Simply put, buying a used car is always going to save you money. And since there are so many used cars on the market, you should not have any issues finding what you want at a price you can afford.

How can you save by purchasing a used car? The biggest savings will come on the price of the car. Did you know that a car depreciates the most during its first year on the road? By purchasing a car that is one year old you can avoid all this depreciation, while still getting a vehicle that has low miles and many more years of good service to offer.

To go along with this, you can also save by avoiding particular costs that are standard on new cars. This includes items such as transportation fees, advertising charges, and other hidden costs that always seem to pop up during the new car buying process. When you purchase used you will be able to avoid the majority, if not all of these miscellaneous fees.

Don’t forget about tax. The lower the price of the car the less you will pay in tax. And if you live in a state with a high tax rate, this can save you several hundred dollars or more depending on the cost of the car. For example, compare a purchase of $20k to $10k at a six percent tax rate. If you buy the new car for $20k you will pay $1,200 in taxes. But if you opt for the less expensive used car you will only pay $600. As you can see, not only are you saving $10k on the car itself but also $600 on taxes.

You can save tons of money by purchasing a used car. For more information on getting the best deal read the car buying guide at Carsforgirls.com. With this information, plus what you already know about how much you can save, it is safe to say that you will end up getting a great deal on a quality car.

Vacation on a Budget: Getting Great Prices on Priceline

Let me start by saying that Priceline is not the right “travel booking system” for everyone. Some people will find their system to be a lot of fun and a great way to save money. But others will shy away from it due to the lack of structure and increased risk. That being said, you definitely want to give Priceline a try so you can get a better idea of what it offers and whether or not it can work for you when planning future trips.

The first thing you need to know about Priceline is that you do not get to choose the hotel you are booking, or even its location. To go along with this, you have to be willing to book using your credit card and realize that this money is nonrefundable.

So why are so many people using Priceline to book their next hotel room? Simply put, it can help you save a lot of money. Sure, you have to take a chance but this can work in your favor from a financial standpoint.

To start, remember that Priceline wants you to bid your maximum the first time around so they can make money off of you. Of course, as a smart shopper you know that this is not the best move. Priceline tries to “force your hand” by setting bid limits and not allowing you to place more than one bid on the same location within 24 hours. Why do they do this? If they didn’t, you could essentially place a $1 bid and then slowly creep higher until you hit the right amount. While this would work for you, it would not make Priceline any money; and they are not going to agree to that.

Fortunately, there are a few tricks that allow you to use the Priceline system against itself. Most importantly, Priceline allows you to immediately rebid as long as you make a change to either the zone you want to stay in or the star-level of the hotel. Subsequently, this means that you can more or less place a number of bids one after the next instead of adhering to the 24 hour rule. Of course, it is not always easy to use this strategy. It works best in cities that have multiple zones, and several high quality offerings throughout.

For example, you could opt to place a $100 bid on a five star hotel in the downtown zone of Los Angeles. If you get rejected, you have two options. You can wait 24 hours to bump up your bid, or you can add the four star level at the same price. While this may not make sense, it allows you to expand your options while still having the chance at booking the five star room despite your previous failed attempt.

Another successful strategy is to add zones in which the “star quality” you are chasing does not exist. You can do this by checking all the areas around your target, and keeping an eye on the star levels that are offered. If no hotels are available in your star range, that level is highlighted grey. At this point, you can increase your bid by a few bucks in your first zone choice as well as the new zone. Since you are using a rebid your offer goes through, but Priceline only looks at your original target since no hotels in the second area meet your criteria.

By learning how the Priceline system works, and how you can use it to your advantage, there is no denying that you can save big money when booking your next hotel room.