Buying A Used Car

By: John L. White

You don't need to have the knowledge of a mechanic to find a good used car. The two most important qualities you need are patience and common sense. I spell out the common sense strategies in this article. Only you can supply the patience.

It is critical that you not be in a hurry when shopping for a used car. You have to be willing to do the necessary legwork required. If you feel like you can't devote the required time to this search, much as I hate to admit it, you might be better off purchasing a new car. Don't get me wrong though, purchasing a used car is still a much better financial decision than buying a new one, but only if you are willing to devote the time and effort to do it properly.

With regard to the type of car you want to buy, maintenance history is important. Edmunds.com is a good resource for this. You want to select vehicles that have the best maintenance records, so hopefully you will have to spend less money on repairs over the years. Another thing to consider is gas mileage. If you purchase a gas-guzzler, you will pay for it over the years. Also, try to steer clear of a vehicle's first year of production. There are typically more mechanical problems with first year vehicles.

Once you have narrowed your list down, you can begin your search for a specific vehicle. The classified ads and autotrader.com are where I usually start. I try to narrow the ads down to ones that mention excellent or mint condition. I have no interest in purchasing a car that was not immaculately maintained. You shouldn't either.

After you locate a few ads that look promising, prepare a short list of questions that you want to ask before you pick up the phone and call. You will eliminate unnecessary trips if you ask the correct questions over the phone. Your goal is to try and eliminate the cars that won't meet your standards so you don't waste your time and money driving out to see a car that is a hunk of junk.

Are they the original owner?

Buying a used car from the original owner helps eliminate some of the unknowns you might encounter. The exception to this is if there are full maintenance records from the previous owner. They tell a complete story. The most important piece of that story are the records that will prove the oil was changed on a regular basis. With regard to maintenance history, oil change frequency is absolutely critical.

What is the mileage?

While low mileage is always desirable, there is a tradeoff involved with low mileage vehicles. You are going to pay more than you will for one with high mileage. Conversely, you will be able to get the high mileage vehicle for less money. The reasoning being that there is less life remaining in a high mileage vehicle. While generally this is true, I think there are exceptions you should consider. If you buy a vehicle with a reputation for lasting years and years with high mileage (like a Toyota) and you know that the vehicle has been properly maintained, don't necessarily let the mileage scare you away. However, make sure that the price is adjusted accordingly for the mileage because you can expect more repairs and maintenance with a high mileage vehicle.

Has the car been in any accidents?

This is a critical question. I won't purchase a used car that has been involved in anything but the most minor fender bender. If you know or have any idea that the vehicle has been in an accident, walk away. There are too many unknowns. Is the frame bent? Does everything still seal like it should? Was it repaired properly? Is there any damage you can't see? Your best bet is to play it safe. When in doubt, don't take the chance.

Has the car been regularly maintained and does the seller have records?

If there are no maintenance records, walk away. Don't take the owner's word. You want proof. Make it clear that you will want to review the records if you make the trip to see the car.

Why are they selling the car?

This may seem like an obvious question, but the answers you get may be enlightening. The answer I like to hear is they are upgrading to a new vehicle. Some people just like to have a new vehicle every few years. There have been several times that I have asked this question and the person just started talking and kept going, eventually revealing information that told me I didn't want to investigate the car any farther, or was just so weird that my gut instinct told me to walk away.

If the vehicle does not pass any of these questions, you should be honest and thank the person for their time and end the call.

PayPal - Protect Yourself from Fraudulent Emails

A fraudulent (spoof) email pretends to be from a well-known company, such as PayPal or eBay, in an attempt to get personal information from you. People who send spoof emails hope to use your information - such as credit and debit card numbers or account passwords - to commit identity theft.

You can prevent spoof from affecting you

Spoof, or "phishing," emails - and the spoof websites often associated with them - are deceptive in appearance. However, they contain content that reveals they're fake. The most important thing to do to protect yourself is be able to spot this misleading content.

Know a spoof when you see it

Frequently, a spoof email looks something like this:
Spoof screenshot
What to watch out for

1. Generic greetings. Many spoof emails begin with a general greeting, such as: "Dear PayPal member."

2. A false sense of urgency. Most spoof emails try to deceive you with the threat that your account is in jeopardy if you don't update it ASAP.

3. Fake links. The text in a link may attempt to look valid, then send you to a spoof address. Always check where a link is going before you click. Move your mouse over it and look at the URL in your browser or email status bar. If the link looks suspicious, don't click on it. And be aware that a fake link may even have the word "PayPal" in it.

Learn more ways to spot spoof

Read PayPal's 10 ways to recognize fake (spoof) emails now.

Questions PayPal will never ask you in an email

To help you better identify fake emails, we follow strict rules. We will never ask for the following personal information in emails:

* Credit and debit card numbers
* Bank account numbers
* Driver's License numbers
* Email addresses
* Passwords
* Your full name

Ways to fight spoof

* Report it. Forward the entire email - including the header information - or the site's URL to spoof@paypal.com We investigate every spoof reported. Please note that the automatic response you get from us may not address you by name.

* Use Account Guard on the eBay toolbar. If you use Internet Explorer, download the eBay toolbar. Account Guard helps ensure you are on PayPal or eBay. Download the eBay toolbar now

* Use the SafetyBar. Email security provider Cloudmark has engineered a toolbar for Microsoft Outlook you can use to report spoof emails. Should you receive a spoof, click the SafetyBar's "Block Fraud" button to automatically report it to us. Download the Cloudmark SafetyBar now

We're dedicated to protecting you

PayPal works hard to educate you on the best ways to recognize and fight spoof. Learn more about how PayPal fights fraud for you around the clock.

Steps to take to prevent spoof from affecting you

* Keep your security software current. Update your firewalls and security patches frequently. Consider using software from companies like McAfee and Symantec.

* Monitor your account. Check your account periodically to see if there is any suspicious activity.

* Change your password often. And, if you think your security may have been breached, create a new password immediately.

* Use a unique password. Your PayPal password should be one-of-a-kind, and not used on any of your other accounts. A good password contains letters and numbers. This makes it more difficult for people to guess it.

* Take action. If your information is compromised, get a fraud alert placed on your credit report.

Get more information on how to prevent fraud
To download security tools, report fraud, and learn more about how we protect you, visit the PayPal Security Center today.

Even if you don't itemize, don't overlook above-the-line tax deductions

By: Sandra Block

Smart consumers are skeptical of offers that sound too good to be true. If those miracle weight-loss products advertised on late-night TV really worked, we'd all look like aerobics instructors, and manufacturers of elastic waistbands would go out of business.

But when it comes to your taxes, you really can reduce your tax bill without breaking a sweat. The secret: above-the-line deductions. These deductions are taken on the first page of your tax return, above the line for your adjusted gross income. Even if you take the standard deduction instead of itemizing, you may qualify for these tax breaks.

Quick guide to tax forms Your tax situation will determine the kind of tax return you must file with the IRS. A quick guide to figuring out which form to use: 1040EZ Taxable income below $50,000. Single or married filing jointly. Under age 65. No dependents. Interest income below $400. 1040A Taxable income below $50,000. Capital gains distributions from mutual funds, but no other gains or losses. Only deductions are for IRA contributions, student loan interest, educator expenses and/or tuition and fees. No itemized deductions. 1040 Taxable income of $50,000 or more. Itemized deductions. Self-employment income. Income from sale of property. Source: IRS

Itemizers shouldn't overlook these deductions, either. Above-the-line deductions reduce your AGI, which may make you eligible for other tax breaks tied to your income, says Jackie Perlman, senior tax analyst for H&R Block. For example, itemizers can't deduct unreimbursed business expenses unless they exceed 2% of AGI. Shrinking your AGI will increase the chance you'll qualify for that deduction, she says.

To get the full benefit of above-the-line deductions, you have to know what they are. A look at some deductions that could save you money:

Individual retirement accounts. The maximum contribution for an IRA is $3,000 in 2002, or $3,500 if you're age 50 or older. If you're not covered by a retirement plan at work, you can deduct your IRA contribution.

If your company offers a pension or retirement-savings plan, such as a 401(k), you can't deduct the full IRA contribution if your AGI exceeds $34,000 a year if you're single or $54,000 if you're married and file jointly. Singles with AGI up to $44,000 and married couples with AGI of up to $64,000 qualify for a partial deduction.

Don't overlook the spousal IRA. If your spouse isn't working or isn't covered by an employer plan, you can contribute up to $3,000 on your spouse's behalf or up to $3,500 if your spouse is 50 or older. You can deduct the full contribution as long as your combined AGI doesn't exceed $150,000, Perlman says. If your AGI is between $150,000 and $160,000, you may be eligible for a partial deduction.

You have until April 15 to contribute to an IRA for 2002.

Student loan interest. You can deduct up to $2,500 in interest paid on federal student loans. The deduction phases out for single taxpayers with AGI of more than $50,000 or married taxpayers with AGI of more than $100,000. The deduction is available for the full term of the loan, assuming you meet the income thresholds. A rule that limited the deduction to the first 60 months of loan payments was eliminated in 2002.

Higher education expenses. A new above-the-line deduction for 2002 allows taxpayers to deduct up to $3,000 in college tuition and related expenses. Single taxpayers with AGI of up to $65,000 and married taxpayers with income of up to $130,000 qualify. The deduction is a useful tax break for families that earn too much to qualify for the Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning Credits.

Classroom expenses. If you're a teacher and spent your own money on books, school supplies, computer equipment and supplementary educational materials, you can deduct up to $250 of your unreimbursed costs.

Alimony. Alimony, including back alimony, is deductible in the year in which it's paid. Property settlements and child support aren't deductible.

Early withdrawal penalties. Did you cash a certificate of deposit before it matured in 2002, triggering an early-withdrawal penalty? You can deduct the lost interest on your tax return. You don't have to itemize, but you must use the longer Form 1040 to take the deduction (see box for guide to tax forms). If you're not sure how much to deduct, check the Form 1099 from your bank, Perlman says. The amount should appear under "forfeited interest."

Taxpayers often mistakenly believe this deduction also extends to penalties triggered by an early withdrawal from an IRA, Perlman says. Unfortunately, those penalties — usually 10% of the amount withdrawn — aren't deductible, she says.

Moving expenses. The cost of a job-related move is an above-the-line deduction, as long as your new job is at least 50 miles farther from your former home as your former job.

Hybrid vehicles. If you bought a hybrid car in 2002, you can take an above-the-line deduction for up to $2,000 of the cost. The IRS says the Toyota Prius, the Honda Insight and a hybrid version of the Honda Civic are eligible for the deduction. The deduction is limited to new cars, and you can take it only for the first year you use the car.

Protecting Your Assets

Have you ever wondered what would happen to your assets if you were sued, in a car accident and it was your fault or if you became disabled or even died? Most people consider this question but do very little about taking the necessary steps to protect their assets.

The first thing to do is to have a plan in place before anything bad happens to you. Even if you are one of the luck ones and nothing ever bad happens, eventually as a fact, everyone dies.

When you die, your bank accounts are frozen, and an executor is appointed to wrap up your estate. This means finding everyone you owed money to, and settling the debts. If you have a family, and all your assets are in your own name, your spouse could be unable to access your funds for up to 2 years.

There are three major concerns when it comes to protecting your assets: estate duties, income taxes, and lawsuits.

Estate duties

When you die, the government claims a percentage of the value of your estate. This amount varies from country to country, and it could be anything from 20% to as much as 55%.

The solution to the estate duty problem is to ensure that your estate is worth as little as possible when you die. Moving your assets into a living trust could be a good solution, as the trust is not taxed upon your death.

Income tax

How do you legally reduce your tax liability? One way is to decrease your income to an absolute minimum. Anything you need could be paid for by a business. For instance, if you need a new laptop, it could be paid for by your corporation or living trust. It is a legitimate business expense, as long as you use it for generating income, and not just for playing games.

The expenses of a business are deducted from its income before taxes are calculated. For individuals working for an employer, taxes are deducted before you even get your paycheck. That means that your personal expenses are paid for with after-tax income. If a separate legal entity can pay some of these expenses, it reduces the amount of money you need to earn, and the amount of tax you need to pay.

Lawsuits

The first thing that happens when someone wants to sue you is that his or her lawyer will try to find out what you are worth.

It is not difficult to find out someone's net worth by examining public records. These days, on the internet, it is even easier. What you need to do is look like a poor target. This could mean transferring as many assets as possible into a separate legal entity, which you do not own, but do control. This could be a living trust, or a corporation.

It might also mean that you ensure that properties in your own name are mortgaged to the hilt, so that your net asset value (the difference between what you own and what you owe) is as low as possible. Ideally, you want your assets and your income to be as small as possible, so that you are not worth suing you.

In conclusion

Everyone has different financial needs. Laws are different from country to country, and from state to state. It is essential that you get professional advice from a competent financial advisor before doing anything.

If you are in financial trouble, it is already too late. If you transfer assets in order to put them out of reach of your creditors, it may be seen as fraudulent and illegal. You need to have a plan in place before you are sued, and before anyone tries to take your assets away.

You may think that you are too young to worry about asset protection, but it is not too early to get a plan in place. It is a cliché, but still true: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

SAVING MONEY ON CAR INSURANCE WITH A TEENAGE DRIVER

By: Barry Brenner

Are you paying a fortune to insure your teenage driver? You really don't have to.

Some car insurance companies will charge you for your teenage driver when they turn sixteen. Some won't. Call your carrier ahead of time to find out what their policy is.

The most costly coverage on your auto insurance policy is the collision coverage. Collision coverage covers damage to your vehicle when it is involved in an at-fault accident. I.e. you hit someone or something. New drivers, no matter what age, are rated higher and cost more due to their lack of driving experience.

To save on the cost of the collision coverage on a new driver, consider purchasing a used vehicle that cost between one thousand five hundred and three thousand five hundred dollars. Make sure that it is mechanically sound for your driving needs. If you want to cover this vehicle for theft and vandalism, you can purchase comprehensive coverage. Instead of purchasing collision coverage on this vehicle, purchase uninsured motorist property damage coverage.

Uninsured motorist property damage coverage protects your vehicle for up to a limited amount if an uninsured motorist hits it and you can identify the driver and the vehicle. That way if anyone hits you, even if they have no insurance, your vehicle will be repaired or you will receive payment from your insurance company for the fair market value of the vehicle. Some insurance companies include a deductible with this coverage. Your savings could be anywhere from five hundred to two thousand dollars per year for your first three years of driving. How much does that add up to after three years?

When my daughter turned sixteen this year, I was faced with this dilemma. I own a 2002 Honda Accord and a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer. My auto insurance carrier wanted to increase my premium by two thousand dollars every six months to add her onto the policy.

I bought her a 1970 Plymouth, in good mechanical condition, and found a different top insurance company that charged me $642.00 every six months for the Plymouth with her on the policy. This policy came with permissive driving as a standard feature. This means that any other car she drove, including my other cars, were covered by this policy.

After I purchased the policy on the Plymouth, I was then able to add her onto my current policy for my Honda and Mitsubishi as a not rated driver without any additional cost. If she causes an accident while driving my Honda or Mitsubishi, the policy on the Plymouth would come first with its' coverage's. Then my current policy would come second, if necessary.

My current carrier wanted $1,200.00 every six months if I added the 1970 Plymouth and my daughter onto the policy. So I ended up saving over $1,100.00 a year on my car insurance.

STOP WASTING MONEY ON HIGHER COOLING BILLS!

By: Liz Pauley

If you could put more money in your pocket, this summer, would you? Well, you can, by lowering your cooling bill. Chances are, it's higher than it needs to be. You'll be surprised at what you can save. No sacrifice required. Check out these quick and easy maintenance tips that can put you on your way to lower bills in no time.

Quick Facts About Your Central AC

Your central air conditioning (AC) system circulates cool air through your house through supply and return ducts (often the same ducts used for heat in the winter). A typical central AC system has an evaporator, condenser and compressor in a single cabinet located outside the house (usually on a concrete slab right next to it), or alternately, a condenser and compressor outside and an evaporator in a separate cabinet, inside (usually in the basement or crawl space). Both systems have a blower that forces indoor air through the coil of the evaporator where it's cooled, dehumidified, and sent through the ductwork into the house. The heat collected by the evaporator is transferred to the condenser (outside) to dissipate.

Change the Air Filter

This is the most important thing you can do to help keep your system working at peak efficiency. The air moving across the evaporator is cleaned before it gets there by a filter located in the return air duct (usually within easy reach in a wall or ceiling, or at the air conditioner itself). Filters get dirty and clogged through regular use; the dirtier they get, the less air gets through the system. The dirty air that gets through is carried right to the evaporator. Dirt sticking to the evaporator coil further impedes air flow, reduces the evaporator's ability to absorb heat and can reduce your system's efficiency by as much as 10 percent. Not to mention, that dirty air is circulated right back through your house.

Air filters are made by a number of manufacturers and come in a variety of types and efficiencies.

* Most residential systems use 1-inch or 2-inch flat or pleated fiberglass "throwaway" filters (thicker filters may hold more dust but are not necessarily more efficient).

* There are also "permanent" type filters: mesh, electrostatic and electronic, some with pre-filters that collect larger dust particles.

* If you or a family member suffers with allergies or sensitivity to dust or other particulates (i.e., tobacco smoke, pollen or pet dander), consider using a High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter, also known as a HEPA filter. These are specially constructed filters that allow a high volume of air to pass through them while stopping even very tiny particles.

* If you have any question about the right filter for your system, don't guess; check with a professional service technician.

Whatever type of air filter you use, inspect it and either clean it or replace it about once a month during peak cooling season or more often if you're living in dusty conditions or with pets. Never run your system without the filter in place.

Clean Evaporator Coils and Fins

Even if you regularly change your air filter, dirt will still accumulate on the evaporator over time. Check your evaporator coils at least once a year and clean them if necessary, using a vacuum cleaner with brush attachment, careful not to bend the fins.

Clean Condenser Coils and Fins

Condenser coils and fins (outside) are also vulnerable to dirt - from debris and leaves falling from trees, cut grass kicked up by the lawnmower, and lint from a nearby dryer vent - so, check the condenser unit at the beginning of the cooling season. Cut the power to the unit and use the following checklist:

* Gently remove any debris from top and sides.

* Sweep the concrete pad.

* Prune back any overhanging leaves (2 feet is the minimum recommended clearance; 5 feet overhead).

* Use a soft brush to sweep the fins.

* (Optional) Spray the fins with a gentle household cleaner; let it sit for 5 minutes, then gently hose them down pointing the spray into the interior through the fan opening.

* Keep the unit free of dirt and debris throughout the season.

* If you can shade your unit (without blocking airflow), even better: the shaded air around your system will be cooler, and a properly shaded system can operate up to 10 percent more efficiently over the course of the season.

Keeping your evaporator and condenser coils free of dirt and debris can improve your system's performance by as much as 10 percent. Just be careful with those fins. They're a little fragile and easily bent. It's best to use a special tool called a fin comb to straighten them. Those are available through your local home center or online. Be sure to buy the correct comb for the number of fins per inch your unit has.

Other Simple Steps to Savings

* Anything that obstructs the flow of air through your system reduces its efficiency and drives up your bill -- keep your registers clear of furniture, drapes and other obstructions.

* Keep all exterior doors and windows closed when operating the system.

* Raise your temperature setting. Raising the setting even 1 degree can lower your bill by as much as 9 percent over the course of the season.

* Keep your system set on "AUTO" and let your thermostat do its job. If you find you need to run the fan constantly to keep cool, it's time to call a technician.

* Set your system to recirculate the indoor air (if you have the option) rather than drawing outside air. Conditioning the warmer outside air takes far more energy than simply recirculating the already conditioned household air.

* A little money spent could equal a lot of money saved: have a qualified service technician check your system at least once a year. The technician will measure your refrigerant to see if it needs recharging, inspect your coils, measure air flow over the cooling coil, and will do a thorough inspection of the motor, compressor, air handler, and ducts (and of course, the air filter). The technician can spot potentially costly problems early or help you avoid them entirely.

For Owners of Older Houses

If you're still using a central air conditioning system manufactured during the 1970s, you're likely using 30-50 percent more energy than a more recently manufactured unit would use. Even if your unit is only ten years old, replacing it with a new, more efficient unit can save you 20-40 percent in cooling costs. Over the life of the unit, that's considerable savings, especially with energy costs continuing to rise.

HOW TO INVESTIGATE AN MLM COMPANY BEFORE INVESTING YOUR TIME AND MONEY

By: Yoshi Kundagawa

If you're like me, you're probably thinking of ways to make you just that little bit richer, and without having to worry about changing jobs or working too hard to do so. Well, the great news is that there are hundreds of ways to do this on the internet, and the even better news is that you can start today. It's called MLM marketing, and there are many MLM companies out there, so you're bound to find one that interests you. However, make sure you do what I did, and check these companies out first before spending anything.

MLM marketing (or Multi Level Marketing) is pretty easy, and that's what I like about it. Basically, you get something to sell, and find other people to not only buy it, but sell it for you too. Then you all get a share of the profits, so everybody wins! Great, huh? But like I say, there are hundreds of MLM companies out there, so I recommend you do the following to make sure you get hooked up with the best:

* Look at the company's track record. This is pretty easy to do, but it can save you a whole heap of money. When I was looking for the right MLM company, I made sure I found out how long they'd been going. This is really a no-brainer, since it's usually the best companies that last the longest.

* Ask about a fixed phone number and a real address. Let's face it, you and I know that without an address, you're classed as homeless, and do you really want to give all your money away to a homeless company? Me neither. And unless they have a phone number where I can reach them day or night, they're not getting my money either.

* Speak to real people. I had seen a lot of "testimonials" by people who'd succeeded at companies while I was looking for the MLM company I wanted to join. But then I thought anyone can write a testimonial, and it could all be made up too! So try and speak to actual people who've been successful within that company. It's pretty easy to do, as well - if it's a decent company, the owner will give you names of people you can actually speak to.

* Costs. This is one of the biggest things you need to check. Like I say, I'm not rich so I can't afford to throw money left, right and center. So I made sure I knew what extra costs might be involved, like a monthly subscription or minimum purchases of the things I want to sell.

* Ask what the realistic potential of the business is. Sure, I could tell you that I want to make a million in my first year, but come on - how likely is that? So find out what you need to spend, and how much you should expect back.

At the end of the day, a good MLM company wants you to succeed just as much as you do. After all, any profit I make, they'll make too. So don't be afraid to ask questions beforehand - I did, and now I'm making a nice amount to allow me extra vacation this year, and I can't argue with that!

EASY WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

By: Sarah Russell

To get on the road to financial freedom, you’ve got to have a budget to help you focus on achieving your financial goals. If you’d like to own your own home someday or pay off all your credit card debt, you need to plan ahead and set aside money to make your dreams a reality. But saving money can seem impossible when you’re already reaching to pay all your bills. Fear not – it can be done! Check out some of these easy tips to help you start saving money.

Spare Change Matters

Don’t underestimate the power of the penny! If don’t think you can afford to put any extra money into a savings account, commit to saving your loose change for that purpose. At the end of each day, put all your loose coins in a jar or a cheap piggy bank. As your jar fills up, stop by a Coinstar machine and deposit the cash into your savings account.

Let Online Banking Help You

Online banking makes it easy to transfer money to your savings account. If have direct deposit for your paycheck, you should be able to set up an automatic transfer so that a portion of your money automatically goes to your savings account. If you never see the money, in your checking account, you won’t be as tempted to spend it. Most experts recommend that you automatically deposit 10% of your take-home pay, but if this is too much for you to start with, try to work up to it.

Learn the Trading Game

If you’re great with kids, why not volunteer to watch a colleague’s children in exchange for a free ride to work? Or offer to trade some of your world-famous pies for some auto repair work from a car-loving friend. Everyone have some skills – use the things you’re good at to trade for the goods and services you’d otherwise pay for.

Cut Your Utility Bills

With the explosive growth of modern technology, it seems that there’s some new gadget for every task. Using all these tools can make your life easier, but it also increases your energy bill. One night a week, wash your dishes by hand, or hang your clothes to dry on a clothesline in your laundry room. Buy a carpet sweeper or a manual lawnmower to replace their energy-guzzling alternatives. You’ll cut your energy bill and develop a new-found respect for your pioneer ancestors.

Live the High Life on a Budget

Buying a $5 coffee everyday or catching dinner and a movie every Friday night with your partner can quickly chip away at your savings. If you can’t give up your Starbucks, consider switching to plain black coffee with a bit of flavored creamer. You’ll save money as well as all those calories in your grande caramel macchiato! Learn to cook a nice dinner to serve by candlelight in your home and follow it up with your favorite old movie on the couch.

If some of these tradeoffs don’t sound like much fun, try to keep your financial goals in mind. Picture yourself moving into your new home or driving down the road in your Ferrari convertible. If you stay focused on your goals, you’ll find it much easier to stick with your budget and save more money. For more easy ways to save money, visit The Sexy Secretary - a great website with lots of tips on living the good life on a budget.

SEVEN SIMPLE WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON GAS

By: Gary Ruplinger

Looking for ways to save money on gas that won’t require you to go out and spend more money just so you can save a few bucks at the pump.

If you have a perfectly good vehicle, then spending $25k on a new hybrid car just so you can save $10 when you fill up at the pump might not be such a good deal.

Also, if you’re not the type that wants to install any of those “gas saving” devices in your car, then this list is for you.

Whether or not you have any mechanical skills, you can use these no brainier methods to start saving money on gas right now – even if you don’t know how to change a tire.

1 – Get A Gas Card

Want a tip that will save you money every single time you fill up at the pump no matter what vehicle you drive? It’s a gas card. Just about every major gas station offers their own brand of gas credit card that will allow you to save 3-5% on all your gas purchases at their gas stations. Forget about the branded gas cards and get one that will save you 5% on gas no matter where you fill up, like the Discover Open Road Card. Just remember, pay it off every month or it won’t save you any money.

Saving 5% off every gallon of gas means that $3/gallon gas now costs only $2.85 and $4/gallon becomes $3.80. If you have a 25 gallon tank, you’d save $3.75 every time you filled up ($3/gallon gas).

A lot of people use a credit card when filling up at the pump anyway since it’s easy and convenient. You may as well get a gas card so it’s easy, convenient, and saving you money.

2 – Avoid Aggressive Driving

Hitting the gas hard when the light turns green and braking hard will make your car drink gas faster than a drunk at an open bar at a wedding. If you were to drive away from a stop at a more moderate pace, accelerate in traffic more slowly, and anticipate when you’re going to need to brake ahead of time so you can do so slowly, you’re going to save a lot of gas – up to 37% – about the same buying a hybrid car but this tip won’t cost you anything. (oh yeah, it’s safer too)

3 – Use Your Cruise Control

Personally, I won’t buy a car if it doesn’t have cruise control, since it means I don’t have to worry so much about keeping my speed constant. However, cruise control also had the added benefit of saving you gas too. On average, you’ll save about 7% more gas than if you don’t use cruise control.

4 – Slow Down

Sure, going fast can be fun. It can also get you a nice collection of speeding tickets, but more importantly, the faster you drive the more gas you use. I’m not saying that you need to drive like your grandmother, but slowing down from 75 to 65 can you 12% on you gas bill, and unless you’re driving across the country, the time difference in getting where you’re going will be minimal.

5 – Stop Idling

Having the car running when it’s not moving wastes gas.

I remember being taught when I was first learning to drive that you should let your car warm up for a few minutes before driving it anywhere when it’s cold outside. While that may be true for older cars, modern cars don’t need warm up time before being ready to drive. Don’t drive like a maniac (see #2) before you car is completely warmed up and you’ll be fine.

If you going to be sitting and waiting some place without moving for more than about a minute, turn off the engine. It probably goes without saying that if you can avoid rush hour traffic, you should.

Also, one great place to sit and waste gas is your local fast food drive-thru. Get off your lazy butt, get out of your car and go inside to get your food.

6 – Plan Ahead

Instead of driving to the gym, going home, driving to work, driving home, driving to the store, and then home again, start combining trips whenever possible. This is really easy to do if you just think ahead. Avoid just spontaneously hopping in the car and driving to the store to pick up some milk and eggs. Think about what else you can do if you’re going to be out running errands anyway so that you can avoid another trip later.

7 - You got legs – use’em

Really want to save money on gas? Then use your legs. A lot of trips aren’t really that far, and while it takes a little longer to walk somewhere than to drive there, it’s a good chance to get outside, get some fresh air and get some exercise in the process. It’s really not necessary to drive absolutely everywhere unless you happen to live in the middle of nowhere. So get yourself a comfortable pair of tennis shoes and start walking instead of driving when you can.

Also, a bicycle is a nice compromise between the two, and can actually be faster to get some places than a car. I remember when I was in college and moved off campus – although we lived almost 2 miles from campus, it was a lot faster for me to take my bicycle to go to class than to take my car.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY SHOPPING ONLINE

By: Everett Sizemore

Learn how to save BIG online by searching for multiple coupons, getting free shipping, comparing prices and researching the brands.

Many consumers think that online shopping is more expensive because they wouldn’t have to pay shipping at the brick-n-mortar store. They don’t know what you’re about to find out.

Did you know that there are thousands of websites that exist just to provide you with coupons for online stores? Did you know you can find sites that compare prices, and brand features, or that entire forums and networks are dedicated to allowing users to voice their own opinion about a product or service? Did you know many stores use their online portal and email newsletters as a quick way to unload overstocked products at below-cost prices? Did you know some stores allow you to combine free shipping deals with dollar off deals, with percent off deals, with buy-one-get-one deals…? Did you know there are companies that allow you to join their affiliate program and save hundreds of dollars by selling yourself their product? I know of one that lets me buy a hosting package for $95 including taxes, and then deposits $100 back into my affiliate account a few months later. They are actually paying ME to buy their product. It says nothing against doing this in the agreement I signed, and as far as I’m concerned it is a don’t ask; don’t tell situation.

Most of these sites did not exist five years ago, at least not with such economic success while providing such unprecedented value. We have the emergence of Affiliate Marketing to thank for this, as you will see below.

The Digital Coupon

I was shopping for a relative’s Christmas present last year and my mother saw me get onto a coupon site. It was http://www.thecouponmatrix.com , which has little coupon-like dashes around the logos, and she asked "Are you going to print that coupon out?" It dawned on me then that perhaps not 'everyone' knew what an affiliate program was, or that thousands of merchants pay bloggers and website owners in every conceivable industry to distribute online coupons via special codes that the buyer types into a field during the checkout process: "Save 25% on everything – today only! Enter Code: 12345 at Checkout." Others just apply the code automatically when you click on the link: "Get free shipping. Click Here." If you are going to buy the Blue Widget brand of widgets, for example, go to Google and type: 'blue widget coupons' or 'blue widget coupon codes'. You'll be surprised at how many there are!

Double Dipping

Most ecommerce systems these days are smart enough to allow stores to make coupons not applicable with any other offers. But the employee behind this million dollar ecommerce system doesn’t always have his coffee in the morning and you can often find online stores that allow multiple coupons to the point of practically getting something for free: Free shipping + 25% off + $10 off + Get one free = A heck of a deal! Do a Google search for "you can use multiple coupons" and see if you can find any of your favorite stores.

Compare Prices

There are plenty of websites out there that will check databases from thousands of online stores and return the result that has the cheapest price for the product you asked for. You might already know some of them, such as: amazon.com, pricegrabber.com, bizrate.com, and Nextag.com.

Compare Brands

Less common than the price comparison site, but equally as useful, is the brand comparison. Before you try to find where to buy, you need to know what to buy. That's where sites like http://www.comparethebrands.com come in. They take two brands (i.e. Treo VS Blackberry Smart-phones) and compare features, price, consumer opinion from other review websites, and come up with an unbiased suggestion as to which brand is the best buy, thus saving you money both short-term and in the long run with a higher quality product.

Join Newsletters and Feeds

Get a free Hotmail or Gmail account, and use it only to subscribe to your favorite stores’ newsletters. Before long you will have a library of emails from which to select coupon codes, limited time offers and deep, deep discounts on overstocked items. I often see the price being offered in the email to the newsletter group can be as much as half of that listed on the website for everyone else to see. Feeds are slowly taking over instead of newsletters, and have the added benefit of being more anonymous. You can sign up for Compare The Brand’s 10 Most Recent ever-flowing feed of product reviews just by copying and pasting the URL into bloglines or Google feed reader. You can even get a widget and put it on your desktop.

Sell Yourself and Double the Winnings

Affiliate programs gave birth to this type of service and utility in the ecommerce industry by allowing regular Joe's to place a link on their own website, or in an email, and get a percent of the sale every time someone went from their link to the merchants' site and purchased something. What those new to the affiliate marketing industry do not know is that most merchants have no clause in the affiliate agreement about using the discounts to buy for yourself. Just join all the programs you can, keep a page somewhere online that you can put all of the links on, and next time you want to buy something just go through your own link. Not only will you save by using the coupon code, but you get a percent of the sale. How much cash back does Visa give - 0.02%? Hop on over to Commission Junction, Shareasale or Linkshare to get up to 25% back every time!

Remember: Compare the brands, join the newsletters, compare prices and double dip those coupons while selling yourself on a Great Deal! You’ll be the best customer you've ever had. I promise.

HOW TO STOP SPENDING YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY

By: Neil Parnham

Answer these questions:

a. Does your spouse or partner complain that you spend too much money?

b. Are you surprised each month when your credit card bill arrives at how much more you charged than you thought you had?

c. Do you have more shoes and clothes in your closet than you could ever possibly wear?

d. Do you own every new gadget before it has time to collect dust on a retailer’s shelf?

e. Do you buy things you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them on display in a store?

If you answered “yes” to any two of the above questions, you are an impulse spender and indulge yourself in retail therapy.

This is not a good thing. It will prevent you from saving for the important things like a house, a new car, a vacation or retirement. You must set some financial goals and resist spending money on items that really don’t matter in the long run.

Impulse spending will not only put a strain on your finances but your relationships, as well. To overcome the problem, the first thing to do is learn to separate your needs from your wants.

Advertisers blitz us hawking their products at us 24/7. The trick is to give yourself a cooling-off period before you buy anything that you have not planned for.

When you go shopping, make a list and take only enough cash to pay for what you have planned to buy. Leave your credit cards at home.

If you see something you think you really need, give yourself two weeks to decide if it is really something you need or something you can easily do without. By following this simple solution, you will mend your financial fences and your relationships.

TIPS ON HOW TO TEACH YOUR KIDS TO SAVE MONEY

By: Norleen Gray

A lot of teens nowadays do not understand the value of earning and spending money. They were not oriented that investing is necessary even if they are still students. As parents, you play a crucial role in this area.

You should be able to teach your kids on how to save money. They should be able to understand the concept of money and investment as early as childhood. This will prepare them to learn money management, as they grow old.

Here are some tips on how you can teach your children how to save money:

1. Your children should be educated of the meaning of money. Once your children have learned how to count, that is the perfect time for you teach them the real meaning of money. You should be consistent and explain to them in simple ways and do this frequently so that they may be able to remember what you taught them.

2. Always explain to them the value of saving money. Make them understand its importance and how it will impact their life. It is important that you entertain questions from them about money and you should be able to answer them right away.

3. When giving them their allowances. You need to give them their allowances in denominations. Then you can encourage them that they should keep a certain bill for the future. You can motivate them to do this by telling them that the money can be saved and they can buy new pair of shoes or the toys they want once they are able to save.

4. You can also teach them to work for money. You can start this at your own home. You can pay them fifty cents to one dollar every time they clean their rooms, do the dishes or feed their pets. This concept of earning little money will make them think that money is something they have worked for and should be spent wisely.

5. You can teach them to save money by giving them piggy banks where they can put coins and wait until they get full. You can also open bank accounts for them and let them deposit money from their allowance. You should always show them how much they have earned to keep them motivated.

Money and saving is not something that is learned by children in one sitting. You should be patient in teaching them and relating the value of money in all of their activities. Children will learn this easily if you are patient and consistent in guiding them and encouraging them in this endeavor.

SAVING MONEY ON YOUR MORTGAGE

By: Peter Spyr

Shopping around for mortgages is so popular these days that many people can be excused for thinking that switching lenders is the only way to save money on your home loan. But there is a much easier way that does not require phone calls, computers connected to the internet, or trips to your bank or building society.

Did you know, for instance, that making overpayments on your mortgage can slash thousands of pounds off your interest bill? Additionally, it will cut the length of time taken to repay your home loan so you get to own your home sooner.

Imagine, say, that you have a £100,000 repayment mortgage, with a 25-year term and an interest rate of 6%. Your monthly payments will be £644, and after 25 years you will have paid back a total of £193,290. In other words you will have paid back £1.93 for every pound borrowed.

If, however, you were to overpay your mortgage by just £50 each month, your total payment would be reduced to £177,279 -- a saving of over sixteen grand in interest. Furthermore, this overpayment shortens the length of the mortgage by 45 months, which means almost four extra years of bliss.

Its is worth being prudent though and ensuring that your will not be penalised by your lender for changing your standing order or making overpayment. In the main, most flexible mortgage lenders will allow you to make overpayments of up to 10% each year. But if your lender doesn't allow this, you have another trick up your sleeve!

Lessening the term of your mortgage from 25 years to 21 years would increase your payments in exactly the same way as overpaying by £50 each month. Mind you, this is a much harsher way to do it because payments are fixed. However, it doesn't prevent you from increasing your term again, should you need to, by simply writing to your provider.

At the end of the day, paying off your mortgage early is simply the best and least risky ways of saving money. By making overpayments to your mortgage of around 6%, your money would be working harder than if you had invested it into a savings account with 7% earnings.5% for a basic-rate taxpayer. For a higher-rate taxpayer, this risk-free and tax-free rate is equivalent to 10%, which is practically unbeatable!

Many people forget that even though we sign up for a 25-year mortgage term there is no earthly reason why we have to stick to this. If you have any extra cash each month, using it against your mortgage can make a huge difference and it can save you thousands of pounds in interest each year.

Good luck on removing that mortgage millstone from around your neck!

FRUGAL LIVING TIP - GIVING YOURSELF A REASON TO SAVE MONEY

By: Jonni Good

In the US and much of the Western world, we equate money with happiness, even though our personal experience seldom gives us reason to believe that the old saying "you can't buy happiness" is anything less than true. We assure ourselves that if we only get a raise or get a better job or win the lottery, all of the stress of daily life will disappear and we'll have time for those things in life we really enjoy.

This would be true, at least partially, if making more money allowed us to have more money in the bank. However, each raise in pay also raises our desire to spend, so a promotion at work can actually put us farther into debt. How many people do we know who bring in over $100,000 a year who are still living paycheck to paycheck? How many lottery winners end up in bankruptcy court, wondering where all the money went and how they managed to make such a muddle of this windfall that should have set them up for a lifetime of financial security?

An option to spending as much or more than you make every month is to live frugally - and it's refreshing to see the increase in interest in the voluntary simplicity movement. Being intentionally frugal can actually bring you the financial security that a high-paying job cannot. In fact, if you go one step further to voluntary poverty, as I have, you may be able to quit that job and actually do something that could really make you feel fulfilled.

The one frugal living tip that makes the biggest difference is to simply keep track of everything you spend for at least a month. You probably won't keep it up for much longer than that, but it will give you an idea of where your money is going, and whether or not the money you spend on each item is really giving you the satisfaction you're paying for.

However, just keeping track won't help much unless you have a vision of another way of life that would really give you pleasure or contentment. Saving money for it's own sake feels like a sacrifice, but saving money so you can retire early and start that little farm you've always wanted would be a goal worth working for. Creating that goal may take some true soul searching and many deep conversations with your family.

When you come up with a goal you all agree on, decide how much time it will take to get there - this time frame is important, and you should be as realistic as you can. Do you want to own your own home without a mortgage? Will it take 5 years of frugal living? Or 10? Would you like to retire all your credit card debt? How long will it take?

Once you have that goal in mind, the best way to start putting money in the bank is to notice where you're spending your money now.

One thing most people discover is that the simple act of jotting down the $3 you spend on coffee every morning, plus every other small or large expenditure, will magically cause you to have money left over that you ever had before. Keeping track causes us to be mindful of our choices, and even without adding up any numbers or making any deep decisions, we save money by spending more consciously.

Once you have at least a few weeks' worth of figures, you're ready to get out the calculator. Divide the items on your list into any categories that seem reasonable - such as lunch at work, utilities, dog food... Then add up the columns to see how much you really spend.

Then, go one step further to give yourself a true shock - multiply the amount you spend on each unnecessary category, like your morning coffee at Starbucks, by the number of months you think it will take you to reach that long-term goal.

If you spend $3.50 each working day at the local coffee shop, it doesn't seem like a very big deal. Multiply that by the average of 20 working days a month, and you may be startled to realize that you spend $70 a month on coffee that you could make yourself in your own kitchen. But the real eye-opener comes when you multiply that $70 times the number of months you need to reach your goal of financial security.

If you are willing to spend 5 years in frugal living to pay down the mortgage on your house or pay off all your credit cards, multiply your monthly coffee money by 60 months, and you'll see $4200 on your calculator screen. That 's enough money for a down payment on a reasonably priced house, or to buy a good used car for your teenager. It's also enough to pay at least several month's mortgage payments, or to put in the bank for a medical emergency. $3.50 isn't an important amount of money, but to almost anyone I know, $4200 is a serious amount of cash.

Do the same calculation for everything on your list that isn't truly necessary, and you may discover that you can reduce the amount of time you need to reach your long-term goal by several years or more. If your credit card debts are weighing you down and causing daily stress, this simple frugal living tip could lead to a complete elimination of debt in just a year or less. In my mind, that's more important than a fancy cup of coffee.

LOOKING WITHIN TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE MONEY

By: Mario Churchill

Learning how to make money always starts with yourself; if you want to learn how to make money and become wealthy, you need to take a good look at your reflection first and honestly ask yourself what you can do to improve and enhance your strengths while reducing your weaknesses.

10 Tips for Learning How to Make Money by Looking Within

Know your interests. This will let you know what kind of your job you’ll be happiest of. Don’t think about its profit potential first. What you should really be concerned about is to search for any interest that will make you enjoy work and get paid for something you love and don’t mind to do!

Know your strengths and weaknesses in relation to your chosen field of profession. When you’ve identified your key interests, this will lead you to your chosen profession. And when that happens, it’s time to take a good look at your reflection and know what makes you strong and weak. Afterwards, we do things to improve our strengths and reduce or eliminate our weaknesses.

Invest effort in learning and gaining experience. Don’t stop learning new things. It doesn’t have to be directly connected with your chosen field all the time. Any educational opportunity is ultimately beneficial because it exercises your mind. And of course, you’ve heard about how experience is the best teacher, and it’s still true. That’s why you should do your best to gain as much experience in your preferred job.

Be ethical. Contrary to popular opinion, good guys don’t finish last often nowadays. In fact, it’s the big guys who are now leading the pack. You only have to look at Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to understand this.

Being ethical pays, but don’t do this just for the sake of higher returns. Do this because you know it’s right. Be fair to your clients, employees, employers, superiors, distributors, retailers, suppliers, and all other people who are working with you. Do unto them what you want them to do unto you in short.

Set standards for your company. Having standards is a way of motivating the people in your company or business to aim higher and do better. It also lets you know whether you’re making money or not, and if you are – whether you’re making as much as you should or not. If you aren’t, it lets you know what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong.

Think of your work or business as a plant. You need to nourish it if you want it to grow, blossom, and bear fruit. It will not survive solely on financial investment. For anything to become truly profitable, you first need to involve your body and soul into it.

Rule by example. Your employees play a key part in turning your company around, and if you want them to perform well, you need to show them that you can and will always do what you’re asking them to do.

And most importantly of all – don’t be afraid to take risks. If you focus too much on what you could lose, you might lose track completely of what you could gain if you take the risk. Instead of being impulsive, weigh your options carefully to ascertain which risks are foolish…and which ones aren’t. Use your heart to know which risks have great potential, but use your head to decide which is right.

MAKE YOUR MONEY WORK FOR YOU

By: Alison Bolger

Do you want to know the real truth about how to get wealthy? The answer is very simple. All you need to do is make your money work for you, instead of you having to work for your money.

Talk to all the people who have become wealthy and I bet they’ll all tell you that they make their money work for them. They may not have started out with any money but they learned that if they were smart with what money they did earn they could make it work for them instead of the other way around. This rule does not discriminate. Every one has an equal chance to do this and it is never too late to start.

Why hasn’t someone explained this to you before you ask? Why didn’t you learn this at school? You are probably like the majority of people who went to school. You went to learn how to get a job and work for money for the rest of your life. Wouldn’t you rather have been taught how to make your money work for you? Did any of your teachers show you how to do this. Not likely. They probably didn’t know how to do it either.

You were probably told from a very early age to get a good education so that you could get a good job. This good job would assure you of a steady income for the rest of your life. If you were lucky, and got a really good job where you earned lots of money, then you might be able to save up enough money for the deposit on a house. Then you could spend the rest of your life paying off your mortgage and hopefully have a few dollars left to save for your retirement.

Did anyone tell you that by the time you get around to retiring, your savings probably wont go very far. Forget about a pension because there probably won’t be one by the time you retire. Well, if that’s the case then once you retire it won’t be too hard to have to start scrimping and economizing as you’ve done that all your life anyway so you are well qualified. Your only worry now is that you hope that your money won’t run out before you do.

Well before it’s too late, just how do you go about making your money work for you? Well there are dozens of ways you can do this. The first thing you need to do is find out from the experts how they do it. You need to be prepared to start educating yourself on the different options that are available out there.

Jamie McIntyre of the 21st Century Academy offers a free DVD and e-book that will give you some great ideas on how to get your financial intelligence off to the right start. Find out what hundreds of others are doing to transform their lives by learning how to make their money work for them. To check out Jamie’s free offer go to www.learnwealthysecrets.com and click on the 21st Century link.

MONEY MANAGEMENT AND PAYDAY LOANS

By: Max Hunter

There are a number of ways that people can use to manage money to stay out of debt and even establish savings over time.

Establish a Budget

The first, and maybe the most important step, is to set a budget for yourself and stick by it. Take a look at your household income and outgo. Set the budget up to accommodate your payday schedule. In other words, if you get paid once a month, then you have to budget accordingly so that you won’t run out of money before the end of the month. If you get paid every two weeks, or every week, figure out which of your bills have to be paid on each payday. It is absolutely essential to set some money aside for emergencies. Even if it is only $20 per payday, having some cushion will keep you from having to borrow money when something unforeseen occurs. There are all kinds of budget sheets available to help you figure things out and many of them are free on the Internet. However, it is not hard to make your own. Just make a list of your income and when it arrives, as well as a list of what has to be paid when. Check each item off and date it when it is paid. Don’t forget to budget adequate amounts for items like food, gas, entertainment, etc. If you have those items in your budget, it’s also a good way to track how much you are actually spending on them each month.

Get Organized

A good way to begin the budgeting process is to sort out all of your legal and financial papers and file them so you can find what you need when you need it. For example put bills that are due on the 10th of the month in one folder, and bills that are due on the 25th in another folder. Once you have paid a particular bill, shred it and dispose of it, in order to save confusion. Any other financial information, like savings accounts, mutual funds, etc. should also be stored in appropriately labeled folders. At the first of the year, when your tax documents start coming in, put them all in one folder with the tax forms. When April 15 rolls around, you won’t have to dig through piles of mail on your desk to come up with all of the appropriate documents and forms. Items like insurance policies should also be labeled and file so that you can readily find them if and when you need them.

Find Ways to Save Money

Do some brainstorming about your expenses and how you could possibly cut back on them. It is wise to write them down on paper because it is less easy to dismiss them that way. For example, can you cut down on the amount of gas you use by taking public transportation? If you eat out often, consider making more meals at home. Examine your buying habits. Do you go shopping when you are depressed? Do you go grocery shopping when you are hungry? Do you purchase items advertised on the shopping channel without every leaving your easy chair? These are all practices you can change. Find healthier activities for when you are feeling down – go for a long walk instead of going shopping. Make a grocery list and carefully plan what groceries you need for the coming week, then go to the store and buy them. Coupons can be advantageous if you buy name brand items, but store brands are often cheaper in the long run. Watch the weekly sales flyers in the local newspaper and buy items like meat when they are on sale. It’s handy to have something in the freezer to fix, and less costly in the long run than making a quick trip to the store after work and picking up only what you need for that night’s meal.

Find Ways to Make More Money

Get an extra part time job, or work overtime at your regular job, if possible. Clear out your attic or your garage and have a yard sale. You may be happily surprised at the amount of money you can bring in. These days, many people make money selling items through online auction sites like ebay, and don’t have to sort and tag and have people running all over your yard for a day. If there is a local farmer’s market, consider something you can sell there. If you have extra produce from your garden, or are a good baker, you will find that people are readily willing to buy things that you can grow or make. If you make extra money, don’t increase your expenses. Either use it to pay off bills, or put it away for savings.

Choose Credit Carefully

If you have to have a credit card, shop around for the best deal. Some credit cards have yearly fees that have to be paid whether you ever use the card or not. Interest rates vary widely. Make sure you know what the interest rate is and shop around for the lowest. If you charge something, pay it off before the end of the month, then it won’t cost you any interest on the card. Don’t use more than one credit card. It’s too easy to get into the cycle of living on the credit cards and never really paying more than the interest on them. This is a practice that will get you deeper into debt in the long run.

Payday Loans

If you have an emergency and need to get a payday loan, make sure you investigate and find the one that is the best deal for you. The amount of interest charged varies widely from company to company and so does the repayment period. Find the loan that gives you the most flexibility for the least fees. Try to never roll your payday loan over, but pay it off in full by the due date.

BUYING A CAR : 5 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

By: Michael Lewis

Buying a car is an expensive thing. But, does it have to be? There are a number of things that you can do to get the car that you want for much less. Simple and a bit more complex, these tips will help you to save money in the long run. Buying a car can be affordable.

Here are five tips for saving money on your next car purchase.

1.Get your financing in order before you leave to look at cars. While many car dealerships are offering financing for vehicles, this can be one of the more costly options. Make sure you talk to online financing companies, your local bank and your credit union. You probably will save a good amount of money here.

2.Do the down payment. Even a bit of a down payment can help you to save considerably down the road. You can save a good deal of money if you invest wisely. But, adding a bit of a down payment to the purchase will help to lower the amount of principal that you actually owe on that vehicle purchase.

3.If your credit is bad, get a co signer. Having someone else that can help you to get your car is a great way to secure a vehicle for a more affordable price. This helps to lower the amount of risk that you present to the car financer. The lower the amount of risk you prove to be, the better your chances of paying less for that car.

4.Trade-ins are good too. If you have a car that you plan to trade in, you may be able to get a good price for it. To improve the amount you get, make sure that the car is as clean as possible, is running well and has been taken care of. In addition to this, make sure that you know the value of it by looking it up on the web. Know what its worth so you do not get taken. The value of the trade in will lower the amount you have to have financed on your vehicle.

5.Shop around and haggle. There is no shame in saving money. Dealers are selling cars to make a commission. How much will they make off of you? Do your homework out the type of car you are looking for and know its worth. Look at several dealerships to find the right car at the right price. Don't forget to haggle with the dealership salesmen. But, whatever you do, do not be insulting to them. That's the wrong way to get your price down.

Take these five ways to save on the next time you buy a car and you will walk way with the benefits that you deserve. You can save a good amount of financing and interest charges this way.

FINANCIAL PLANNING AND INVESTING

By: Evangelos Haramis

What exactly is financial planing and why is it so important?

Financial planning is the process of determining how to manage money, investing, present and future financial goals, and the strategy that should be undertaken to obtain them.

Because our goals and desires change as we do, financial planning and investing is a task that is never finished.

How we are financially able to reach these goals, and the risk we are willing to take to get there, necessarily means that any financial plan must be specifically tailored for an individual or family.

Financial planning begins by taking into account each individual's assets and liabilities at that particular point in time.

The asset category includes life insurance and monetary investments of all kinds, along with physical assets such as a home, automobiles and other items.

Liabilities may range from personal loans, credit card debt, and loans taken to obtain hard assets, such as mortgages.

Next is where sources of ongoing income and increases in hard asset wealth enter into the equation. Income most usually is earned by employment, but other sources, such as possible inheritances, must also be considered.

Increases in hard asset wealth, such as rising home prices, will be affected by general economic conditions as well as owner enhancements.

From here, things get trickier, and this is where the true planning begins!

Our particular stage in life -- whether we are young, old, or somewhere in the middle -- will usually lead us to desire a particular set of goals.

Financial planners often break down our life cycles into distinct phases. Which phase we are in is often determined by age but will also be dictated by how much risk we are willing to assume.

Younger people are most often described as being in an accumulation phase. Their earnings have not yet hit their peak, but at the same time they are striving to obtain both hard and soft assets.

Examples here include saving for a new home or a child's education. Risk assumed here will be tempered by the time constraints of these goals as well as individual risk tolerance. In general, the longer the time frame, the more investments in the aggressive category may be considered.

The other phases extend to middle age and beyond to retirement. Our middle age years often find us at the peak of our earning power, with many of our former goals satisfied. This will mean greater savings are possible, and as time progresses towards retirement, our tolerance for risk will necessarily diminish.

Financial planning takes all of this into account and more. Other factors, including planning for health care and other insurance needs, preparation for emergency expenditures, tax and estate planning and the like will all be part of the strategy.

Unexpected windfalls may also enter into the picture. Saving for retirement becomes increasingly important as the time earned income will end draws nearer.

All of these variables add to the importance of financially planning across all stages of one's life. It is a concept that encompasses your total financial picture -- both in the present and for the future.

PUT EXTRA MONEY IN MY ACCOUNT - MAKE THE BEST USE OF YOUR MONEY

By:
John Gutenburg

Most of the people prefer to put extra money in a bank account when they start making money. This is the most prudent thing that you can do with the extra money you have. Putting your extra money into a bank account carries a plethora of advantages. The banks not only provides you an easy and secure way to store your money, but you also get increments in your saved money from time to time in the form of interest.

Actually, when you put extra money in the bank, the money goes to a huge pool of funds provided by the thousands of existing customers of the bank. The bank keeps a portion of this money as deposit and invests the rest of the funds in various financial ventures. This way, whenever you require some money, you can withdraw it from your deposit. Also, when you keep your money for a long time with the bank, the bank also shares a certain part of the profit earned by the investment it made with your money. This part of profit is termed as interest. Most of the banks fix a certain percentage of interest.

Again, when you put extra money in the bank, the interest is charged after a fixed period of time. Some banks prefer to offer interest annually, while other banks credit the amount of interest half-yearly, quarterly, or even monthly. However, this period also depends on the type of the account you own. There are various types of accounts you can choose from, such as checking account, savings account, current account, and fixed deposit account. You should put your extra money in the bank, but at the same time, you should choose your options prudently.