Fence Staining Day

Looks like we will be heating up today - may be last hot day of the summer here, according to the long range forecast. Living in the north, I tend to prefer it a bit cooler than HOT though.

After our fence went up last year, we had to wait a full year before we could stain, so here is Gerry, staining away! And me? Blogging his work- LOL

How To Get The Best Deal On A Car Loan

Ideally, you want to pay cash when you’re buying a new car so you can own it out right there and then and not have to worry about paying for it later. But realistically, that’s just not an option for most people, especially if you’re a one income household. Most normal people don’t have the spare cash to buy a car outright which is why a car loan is usually the best way to go. If your car packs up, you can’t wait around for months while you save the money, you need to replace it right away. Getting a loan means you can get the car as soon as you need it and pay off the cost over time. However, not all car loans were created equal and if you don’t know what to look for, you might end up getting a bad deal and paying a lot more than you need to. If you’re in the market for a new car and you’re going to finance it, these are some of the best ways to get a good deal on your car loan.

Image From Flickr

Work Out Your Budget

One mistake that a lot of people make is going into the bank without a solid budget in mind. The bank will offer you a certain amount of money, often more than you thought you might get, and then you’ll end up taking it and finding a car that you can afford for that price. The problem is, this often leads to people borrowing more than they can comfortably afford, just because they can. You should be doing it the other way around and thinking about how much you can afford to spend on a car so when you go into the bank, you already know how much you can realistically borrow and you won’t put yourself in a difficult financial situation in the future.

Fix Your Credit Score

Your credit score has a big impact on the quality of loan that you can get. If it’s particularly bad, you might not be approved at all but even if you do get approved, a bad credit score can push the interest payments up a lot on a loan so you’ll be paying a lot more than you need to. That’s why it’s a good idea to try to improve your score before taking out any loan. One of the quickest ways to do it is to get a company like The 700 Club Credit Repair to remove any negative entries on your credit report that are damaging your score. On top of that, you need to make sure that you’ve paid off any outstanding debts and you’re meeting all payments on bills on time.

Compare Your Options

When it comes time to start looking for a loan, you need to compare all of your options. Look at your current bank as well as other banks and consider switching your account if it means you can get a better deal. You should also get a quote from credit unions and the dealership as well because they might be able to offer you a better price. It’s worth asking about ways to reduce the cost of the loan like setting up automatic payments as well. In the future, you should look into the possibility of refinancing the car loan with another bank to get a better rate.

You’d be surprised how much you could save if you take the time to get the best possible deal on your car loan so don’t rush into anything.

Lorex – Home Security Systems & Cameras- For Inside and Out

Creators of innovative and secure surveillance systems and products for Homes and Businesses at an affordable prices- that's who Lorex Technology is.
We have always thought it would be great to have indoor and outdoor security.
We live in a good neighborhood, but let's just say that the town isn't without crime and we feel having security in place is a must. But not only for crime, we thought it would cool to see if we get any wildlife in the back, or "anything else". Maybe we'll pick up a ghost or crypto and be on the show Paranormal- Caught on Camera!!

With an RV in the back yard, riding mower and other things of value in the back yard, we thought it was time, and turned to Lorex for an easy system to use.

Their Smart Outdoor Wi-Fi Security Camera With Advanced Active Deterrence  was suggested to us as a great outdoor security camera. We found it very easy to install and use, and are quite pleased with it.

This camera features advanced active deterrence technology and hands-free Smart Home voice capabilities, as well as smart person and vehicle detection, private local video storage, infrared night vision, and 1080p HD resolution with 16× digital zoom capabilities, making it designed for modern-day security needs. We love it!

While protecting the outside of the home, also comes with protecting the inside, or to keep an eye on the pets while your away, with their 1080p Full HD Smart Indoor Wi-Fi Pan-Tilt Security Camera.

We are so impressed with these cameras that we suggest everyone have one!

Re Use It Store Finds To Build a Screened in Porch

Were were quite happy to find these Re Use It store finds to build ourselves a new screened in porch on the back deck. We paid only $12 for all of these! The screened porch door was only $2 and is brand new. Home Depot is selling it for $230! 

Unfortunately... we are on hold on what we will be doing or when.
Gerry priced out the rest of the lumber that is needed for it and shingles, and it will cost us $1,0000 for the rest of what we need. We'd like to still get that cost down. Lumber is so expensive right now.

He also is looking at building an enclosure for his riding lawn mower, but same issues with lumber costs. May end up doing a partial on it. Will see.

Painless Ways to Save Money

Adjusting your budget does not have to be painful. The first step you should make when you are ready to take a hard look at your budget is to decide what you will do with the found money. If you rework your budget but don’t have a plan for that money, you will not truly see the results of your efforts. There are a variety of reasons why someone may want to spend less. Saving for a new vehicle, home repairs, or another concrete choice is easy, as is saving for something fun like a vacation. However, maybe you want to pay down debt. While not as exciting, it is also important.

By paying off debt early, you pay less in interest. Also, a low debt to income ratio will boost your credit score. A solid credit score will provide the best interest rates for things such as mortgages, auto loans, and private student loans. Private student loans differ from federal loans in that they do take your credit score in to account when lending. Excellent credit may allow you to borrow at a lower rate than even federal loans offer. Also, there is no borrowing cap on private student loans.

Track Spending

You may think that you know where your money goes, but once you track every cent, you may be surprised. This can be tedious, but keep in mind that it isn’t something you need to do forever. A month or two should be enough to give you a fairly accurate picture of how you spend your money. There are many apps available that can do this job for you. Some will even connect automatically to your accounts so you don’t have to make the entries yourself. While these can be handy as a routine way to manage your finances, when you are just starting to track expenses, consider doing it the old-fashion way, with pen and paper. Something about having to pull out a notebook and record every expense will make it real in a way that automatic syncing on your phone will not.

Set Aside Money Meant as Gifts

If you receive money as a gift, resist the urge to treat yourself. Read the card, accept the money in the spirit it was intended, and deposit it into a high-yield savings account. As an adult, the best gift you can give yourself is financial security. Setting that money aside helps boost your savings while also creating a good spending habit.

Create No-Spend Periods

Take one day each week where you decide you will not spend any money. This should be relatively painless. Don’t plan it for a day you need to grocery shop, pack your meals for work, and resist the urge to buy a morning coffee. Stay out of the promotions tab of your email, because online shopping counts too. Once you are comfortable with one day a week, expand it. Maybe you can regularly plan for four no-spend days, or maybe you will dedicate yourself to one no-spend week each month. Regardless of how you arrange your no-spend days, you will be pleased with how quickly this money adds up.

Used Tires- Big Savings!

Tires were starting to get worn on my car.
Gerry said we'd need at least 2 new ones.
Heard that the used parts auto dealer had 4 used, but in great condition -for sale.
Was suppose to cost us $240 for 2 used, but since they were busy yesterday and had my car ALL day, they gave us 4 tires for $120- installed and balanced! 
How is that for a great deal??

Today's Quick Tip

Save money by shopping your local Give and Take or Free-cycle pages on Facebook.

If your handy, get free or cheap furniture, and other items that need some TLC, to fix up to resell. 

Win Your Choice of $50 Gift Card (Canada only)

Teaming up with my daughter for another Instagram giveaway!! 🙂

Enter here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CDry9S8BZTz/?igshid=qtc00qsph89k

Canada only.

A Second Chance on Life!

Traveling home to Alberta today on a Saskatchewan highway, our daughter and her fiance found a couple of kittens on the middle of the road. Unfortunately, when they stopped they soon found that one had not made it! They had to stop some traffic just to pick it up, and figured they had been thrown from a vehicle or just dumped on the highway. 

The kitten seems in good health and was happy to see them, so for now they are taking her back home, having her checked with a vet and seeing about getting her a new home.

How Money Works- Author Says Stop Using Stimulus Money on Credit Card Debt

Americans are paying down credit card debt with their stimulus money, but one financial author says stop worrying about your credit cards and start hoarding the cash!

Steve Siebold is author of the book ‘How Money Works’ and a self-made millionaire who has interviewed more than 1,300 of the world’s wealthiest people over the last 36 years.

An article in the Wall Street Journal quoting Equifax says that between February and the end of June, total outstanding credit card debt fell by 11%, or $100 billion. It also says April and May saw the largest drops in revolving credit, and fewer people were late with their payments.

“In the current economy, I recommend stockpiling as much cash as possible,” Siebold said. “Your credit can be turned off in no time, but no one can take your cash away from you. Pay the minimum balance on your credit cards in the meantime, but not a penny more and focus on building a reserve of cash.”

In addition, Siebold recommends:

-        Negotiating with your mortgage lender and creditors and explain your job loss and current financial situation. See if you can defer payments or at least reduce them. Even if you have the money you should focus on preserving the cash, so it’s still to your advantage to try and work out a better payment arrangement. Same goes for your car payment, credit cards or any other loan.

-        Inventory your assets and sell for cash, even small items like kid’s toys, garden tools or anything you don’t use or really need. Sell on eBay or other outlets and hide the cash in a safe place in case you need it. The longer the economy suffers, the more everyday items will go on sale. Three months from now, $1,000 in cash may feed your family for a year. 

-        Learn how money works and prepare yourself. The next wave of the Coronavirus may very well hit us in the fall. Get prepared now! Re-evaluate your financial situation and study the basics of personal finance. If you’re lucky enough to have one, contact your financial professional for assistance.

-        Don’t rely on the government or anyone else. Don’t be suckered into bleeding yourself dry of cash and counting on the government for help. No one is coming to the rescue. This pandemic has exposed the incompetence and unpreparedness of both the federal and state governments, and they have neither the money nor the system to save you.  

-        Get ready and excited for the turnaround: Although times may be tough now and it’s hard to imagine, it’s not going to be like this forever. In fact, when the turnaround hits, hold on tight. It may take some time, but eventually business is going to comeback full swing. The self-made wealthy are getting ready. You should be, too!