I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Archive for the ‘frugality’ Category

An increasing number of people, in recent years, have turned towards the option of buying a used car. It seems that as soon as you buy a car its depreciation starts immediately and your car just isn’t worth what you paid for it. For many people it’s made more financial sense to buy a used car, especially in today’s economically turbulent time. But if you’re on the market for a car, before you buy used there are a few things that you should keep in mind before you make the purchase.

How Much Can You Spend:
This should be your first step before you even walk out the door or go online. You should be factoring in what you can afford versus what you can spend. Before beginning your shopping, decide on a limit and under no circumstances should you go past that amount. Don’t tell the dealer what your limit is because they’re likely to try and get everything they can out of you. Start a little lower than your actual limit and then work from there. If not you’re likely to get talked into spending far more than you planned.

Vehicle History:
First of all, the first thing on the mind of anyone looking to buy a used car is the condition of the vehicle. Not everyone takes care of their car like you would so use web sites like Carfax.com, which will give you a run down of the vehicle’s history. This will tell you of any accidents or touch-up work the automobile has had in the past. Using this resource is essential towards making sure you’re not buying a car that has a checkered past. You don’t want to end up with a headache of a car that’s bleeding you dry when it comes to repairs.

Shopping Around:
Don’t go to just one or two places before making your decision. Just because a salesman is telling you that the deal offered is too good to pass up doesn’t make it true. Visit several car dealers. You can do this online as well so you don’t end up spending a lot on gas. Your objective here is to save money so compare the cost, condition, selection, and mileage on all of the vehicle options. Don’t go for the fringe features on a car. What you’re looking for is affordability and a car that won’t kill you in maintenance costs. Don’t be distracted by all the bells and whistles.

Make Sure You’re Clear On the Details:
Don’t purchase the car unless you feel confident with all of the details of the purchase. You’re likely to spend the next five years with the car so make sure your decision is based on rational thinking rather than a motivation to get behind the wheel. Ensure that your contract is clear and the warranty is understood fully. Don’t let the experience overwhelming because it’s likely to be a lengthy experience. You should also leave with a clear definition on the return policy in case anything goes wrong with the car.

The main goal is to save yourself money so use some of these tips, and others that you can find online to save yourself a lot of money. Taking these steps and the time out to consider all of your options will put you in a much better place in making the best and most informed decision on such a huge purchase.

It can often prove to be a chore to find a good babysitter. Especially if you have multiple children of varying ages, it can be difficult to find a sitter with the versatility to juggle the differing needs of the children, and at an affordable price.

However, there are plenty of resources for you to locate a babysitter:

1. Friends and Family
What better way to get a babysitter? This is probably your best bet, both financially and for security reasons. Those of us who have large extended families can probably easily find a youngster who needs some extra cash, and whom your kids are already familiar.
Also asking around your neighborhood is a great idea. Suburban neighborhoods are chock full of teenagers that have probably babysat for other members of the community.

2. Agencies
There are a significant number of agencies all over the country that can provide you with a great babysitter. Though chances are high you won’t be familiar with the individual chosen to watch your kids, you can be guaranteed they are qualified, and most likely have had training in emergency situations, which is something not guaranteed by seeking out friends and family.

3. Online Services
There are several websites available that can help you find a babysitter in your area. Services like SitterCity allow you to search for a certified babysitter by zip code. You can also find nannies for longer-term care through some of these services.

4. Posting
This method of locating a babysitter is going to bring you a variety of results. Posting an ad on Craigslist or other job listing service online will probably bring you a high number of responses. You can also consider posting flyers with pull-tabs at local high schools and universities on their community bulletin boards. A lot of students need extra money now and then, and will probably pursue any babysitting opportunity they can find.

So now that you have a lot of responses for a babysitter, it’s time to sort through the candidates. Even if you have qualified candidates from a local service, it doesn’t necessarily mean he or she will be the right fit for your family. You want someone with experience, but you also want them to have good chemistry with you and your children.

1. Phone Interview
Interview all candidates over the phone. Keep note of their tone, enthusiasm, and demonstrated knowledge of working with children. It’s also very important that they ask you questions; it shows a genuine interest in you and your family. Always ask for multiple references, including at least one previous client, as well as expected pay, availability, and any emergency training they’ve had (if you don’t already know).

2. Check References
Create a long list of questions for references. You don’t have to ask all of them, but create enough questions that will make you comfortable. In this case, it’s okay to ask probing questions; after all, this person is going to be watching your children.

3. In-Home Interview
After checking references, pick your top three and have them come in for an in-person interview. This should be a time for you to see how great your chemistry is with the potential babysitter. Let them sit down and interact with your kids; see how they play with them and talk to them. Note any red flags.

After these interviews you should be able to make your decision. Sure, it’s a long and time-consuming process, but you want to make sure that you are hiring someone whom you know will properly take care of your children and whom you will want to bring back every time you need a sitter.

Ah, springtime. It’s that time of year when people start cleaning out their garages and basements and get rid of all their old clothing and other junk they don’t need. It’s nice to have that feeling of renewed and emptied space, but there’s a problem. Everybody else is doing it, too. Which means that when it’s time to set up for a garage sale, you’ve got to stand out. You’ve got to beat out the competition and sell more stuff than them! It’s time to declare war.

Take these tips to heart so you can create the most kick ass garage sale in your neighborhood.

A) Navigability
The problem with most garage sales that you can’t even navigate through them because (a) there’s crap everywhere or (b) there isn’t enough space for several people. Carefully craft your layout and where everything is to be placed so you can create the maximum user-friendliness and navigability.
Think of it like any store or supermarket. You have aisles, each of them a different category. Though your garage sale is by no means as sophisticated as a supermarket, it can still be organized that way, with clothing in one section, toys in another, electronics in another. Plus, it will get people who are looking for something specific in and out in no time.

B) Personality
Your garage sale should have some personality to keep people interested. This means putting up some decorations (no need to be too elaborate) with creative and colorful signage, and maybe even play some music.
If you have kids, have them make the signs for the different sections. Kids are always clever and cute, and your guests will be sure to enjoy them.
Also make sure you’re in a good mood the day of your garage sale. Visiting an angry seller is a sure way to detract visitors. Enjoy yourself, have a good time meeting the people who are buying your stuff off you.

C) Charity
Organizations like Relay for Life hold garage sales to raise money, but you can do this yourself as well. Post signs saying that “(%) of sales benefit (organization name).” This will give customers an incentive to buy more things, giving you more money and doing some good for a local organization.
If that is outside your means, another good method is to have a bake sale. Baking cookies, brownies, even slices of pie and cake, can be relatively inexpensive. Most people love buying these treats, especially if it goes to a good cause.

D) Interactivity
If everyone else is doing the three things above, it’s time to pull out the big guns. Pull together some fun activities to do at your garage sale. You don’t have to rent a bounce house or anything outlandish like that, but set up some activities your guests will enjoy. Try a silent auction (to also put some additional money in your pocket), have a children’s play area while the parents browse (include some toys for sale in the play area), or set up a miniature scavenger hunt with a prize. This will keep guests there a little longer, and give them more incentive to buy more items.

E) Collaboration
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em…together! Community yard sales are a great bonding experience for the members of a neighborhood, and can raise much more money because they are so much bigger than individual yard sales. Though it does require more advance planning and organizing, you and your neighbors will be able to enjoy each other’s company while getting cash for your unneeded stuff.

Selling things online is a no-brainer for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with the hassles of pawnshop haggling or the hard work of hauling things out for a yard sale or to the flea market. But what was once only a handful of online options has turned into a messy cluster of classifieds, bidding sites, and social networks. Choosing the right one can be difficult if you’re serious about getting a good deal or even executing a planned business strategy through one of these options. The following highlights the risks and rewards of each avenue and a general who’s who of online consumer-to-consumer businesses.

CLASSIFIEDS (Craigslist.org, Backpage.com)

If those who have profited from the Internet know one thing it’s that while the technology changes, old habits die hard. Online classifieds operate in nearly the same exact fashion as newspaper classifieds, only this time they’re free. If you don’t mind the frustrations of meeting the buyer in person, aren’t interested in paying a third party, and haven’t got the time for a bidding war, sites like Craigslist are probably the most ideal way to sell your stuff.

The loss of that third-party commission means there’s no guarantee that the transaction can be reversed in the event of a problem. That’s probably less your risk and more the buyer’s, but it’s worth mentioning that these sites have webpages dedicated to informing you about the fraud that’s possible. You don’t want to get involved with shipping anything to anyone so stick to local offers. The more expensive the items, the riskier it gets dealing with anything but cash. Most classified sites advise to stick to cash.

ONLINE AUCTIONS/FIXED PRICE WITH COMISSION (Ebay.com, Amazon.com)

Agreeing to sell your items online with the ultimate intent of shipping them means your market reach explodes in size. The online auction, pioneered by Ebay, is still a great way to maximize the profit on high demand rarities and other valuables, though the margins are volatile if you’re planning on doing it large scale. Ebay is encouraging its users to shift towards the fixed style model of C2C commerce that Amazon has been successfully doing for years now. This kind of online selling through a third party cuts out the stressful bidding process and allows products to remain available for sale almost indefinitely. Unlike free classifieds, credit card payments and shipping risks are at elast in some ways covered in the event of a problem.

SOCIAL NETWORKS AKA YOU (Facebook, Twitter, Etc)

For some reason sites like Facebook and Twitter haven’t done a great job in harnessing the power of C2C commerce through their massive following. Currently if you’re caught committing acts of commerce through Facebook your profile may be deleted. But that shouldn’t necessarily stop you (what do you really have to lose after all?) For example if it’s just a matter of selling off the few valuable pieces of an estate sometimes working through a network of close friends and relatives is the best way to go about the sale. There are all sorts of reasons why you’d prefer to stick to people you know and their associates. While I wouldn’t encourage launching an antique business through Twitter, it’s worth thinking about if maybe, perhaps, you wanted to start the next big thing: a Twitter/Ebay combo? I’d call it Twitbay…just kidding.

Hopefully this gets you thinking about the ups and downs of the options you have in front of you. Always be wary of the risks and be cautiously optimistic about the rewards. Knowing the best way to sell your particular item or items can ensure less of the former and more of the latter.

I’ve had a lot of questions lately pop into my inbox from new readers that found this site searching for frugality topics out of necessity, not necessarily desire.  With the economic climate in the US such as it is, sometimes people are making the choice to be frugal as self preservation, not as a desired lifestyle choice.

And I can completely relate to that.  Although I enjoy trying to be frugal with what I have and find ways to cut or eliminate expenses, it wasn’t always this way.  I never had super-extravagant tastes, but I did like to spend money on myself, and not always for things I needed.  Becoming a more frugal person has been a very eye-opening experience, and has taught me a lot about myself, but hasn’t always been easy.

The problem with any radical changes is that they tend not to last.  If a person tries to go from spending money freely and without any forethought, directly to spending only on a strict and controlled budget, that is a recipe for disaster.  You might stop spending money for a few days, or a week, but sooner rather than later you “slip”, and once you slip it is easier and easier to go back to your old habits.

Small steps are the key.  Here are some ideas for a few small steps to take to ease into a world of frugality – which to me is not about spending as little as possible, but instead about being self-aware about the choices we make with our finances and the effect they have over both the long and short term.

Date night can be a walk in the park.  Literally.

If you have kids, which I do, having a date night with your spouse doesn’t have to be an extravagant affair.  My spouse and I recently went on our first date night in quite a while, and honestly, it was fun just to hang out and not have kids pulling us in 16 directions.  Plan your date night with an eye to the atmosphere and not just something expensive.  A picnic in the park can be as fun (or more) than a fancy dinner out.  The second-run movie theater can be a great alternative to the newest releases.  And if you do have kids, trading babysitting with a friend can keep you from breaking the bank on child care.

Cutting coupons doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

Coupons are a great way to lower your grocery (or other) bills.  But you don’t have to spend hours and hours finding the best deals.  ease into using coupons.  Start with just scanning the Sunday coupon offerings and picking out things you were already going to buy anyway.  As you become more comfortable with the process, you can branch out.

Spotting the right sale is like a beat the bank game show.

I scan circulars for sport, I admit it.  I like to try and beat the advertising at its own game.  It is all a matter of mindset.  If you think something is drudgery – it will be.  Inject a little fun.  Have a contest with yourself to get the best deal (or a better deal than last time).  You might like it!

What has to go first – what needs to go next – what’s left is negotiable.

Changing everything today may not be possible.  Take a realistic look at your finances.  How much needs to be cut back?  Prioritize.   If you need to eliminate $150 from your monthly budget, start by cutting $150 of your spending, not $500.  Work your way up bit by bit instead of all at once, and the road will be easier to stick to for the long term.

Looking at the world through a frugal lens does take some work, but ultimately can be very rewarding.   Looking at frugality as a task to be enjoyed, and ultimately as taking control over your financial life, can provide needed encouragement to keep on the path to a better financial future even when that road seems steep.