How to Save Money on a Car

Buying a new car can be exciting, but it can also be a bit confusing if you don’t really know what kind of car you are after, or if you’re trying to buy it on a budget. As you get older, the things that you need from your car might change.

Do your research before you go to the dealership

Do your research before you go to the dealership and try and decide on a make a model of car that you want to buy, so that you could possibly haggle on the price if you need to or feel comfortable enough to do it. Don’t let yourself be bullied into buying a better model if you can’t afford it.

Buying a new car or a used one?

Perhaps one of the first decisions that anyone will make when it’s time to buy a new set of wheels is whether they want to buy a new car, or one that has been already owned by someone else. While lots of us may wish that we could afford to buy new, buying a used one could save you a lot of money, and, you may also be able to part-exchange your old car to help cover the cost. 

Think about size

Think about the size of the car that you want too. If your family is no longer young, then you may be able to buy a smaller car than you have been able to in the past, which could end up being cheaper for you. However, you should keep in mind that your family may expand if your children decide to have kids of their own, that you might wish to take on car journeys.

Shop around to get a good deal on the insurance

When it comes to getting the insurance on the car, shop around and make sure that you get the best deal for you.

Choose the time of year carefully

If you can manage to wait before you buy your new car, wait until dealers are selling off their models cheaper to make way for new ones. This isn’t always possible if your old car suddenly becomes no longer road worthy, but if you can wait, it can help save you money.

Finally, make sure that you take care not to overspend on the cost of your car and make sure that you still have savings left afterwards.

5 Quick and Creative Ways to Make an Extra $50.00

Sometimes you're short on cash and just can't seem to get any extra hours at work. You might need it to pay off some bills, or buy a ticket to that concert where your favorite artist is playing. Money isn't free, though, but luckily there are several ways you can build side income in your spare time. Here are five of our favorite ways to make that extra $50.00. 

Carpentry and Woodworking:

Here's a creative way to rise above artistic competition: woodworking. While most artists try to sell their ideas through print mediums, woodworking is a relatively less common form of commercial art. While many artists are interested mainly in selling an aesthetic piece, wood workers can make their pieces functional as well. You could carve keyholders, banisters, nameplates- you name it and it's probably a possibility. Good wood workers can easily sell commissions, and with little more than a carving knife and a block of wood, you can create a piece worth 50 dollars or more. 

Earrings out of clay:

Online customers will pay tons of money for custom jewelry, even if it doesn't contain any precious metals. Clay earrings are especially popular items for artists to make because they're fast, long-lasting, and easy to create for people new to sculpting. With your imagination, you can make abstract pieces that incorporate other materials, or maybe pieces based off of characters you created in a webcomic. The cost of creating earrings is relatively low, and the biggest determinant of your earring's selling price is their craftsmanship. 

Freelance Writing:

Freelance writing is easier than ever thanks to the internet. There are many websites looking to put all the hours you spent in English class to good use. Some places pay weekly, while others trade less regular pay for higher rates. The best thing about freelance writing is it's flexibility; you can work from virtually anywhere, meaning location isn't a factor when you're trying to make some extra money. 

Pawn shops:

Do you have some items lying around your house you no longer need? Pawn shops are a great place to take them, whether it be finding a buyer for your electronics at pawn shops in Fort Lauderdale, or selling off that saxophone in Seattle. It's not just instruments and electronics pawnshops are looking for, though. Many buyers are also hoping for items made of precious metals. Artwork is also a common buy for resellers; don't be afraid to take those off-the-wall things into pawn brokers. The worst thing that can happen is brokers will turn you down. 

Tutor in specialty subjects:

Anyone can quickly find a tutor for Spanish or Algebra, but if you have in-depth knowledge about a specialty subject don't doubt the money you can make. Do you know a lot about 3D printing? Put your expertise to good use for people interested in staying on the cutting edge. While lots of students want to learn French and Spanish, subjects like Arabic and Korean tend to have fewer tutors. You can put away a pretty penny if you're a speaker of a less popular language, especially if it's your native tongue.

Feel like 50 dollars is a lot to make? Don't give up. While it may require a bit of self-promotion and persistence, you too can make money on the side. You're in a world more connected than ever; think about all the people in need of the creative, unique skills and products you have to offer.

Author Bio
Karleia is a freelance blogger residing in Utah. Away from the office she enjoys spending time with her two daughters and husband.

Great Tips for Credit Card Debt Relief

Credit Card (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

After you have dug a hole into your credit cards it can seem almost impossible to get out. Although you might feel like you are in a bind with your credit cards, there are a lot of options available to you. Just start thinking about the future and leave the past behind you. 

What you have to do is think about how you are going to get your finances in order, rather than dwelling on your current financial position. Take a look at this article to see what you can learn about figuring out how to pay off you credit cards for good. Read on for some great tips on credit card debt relief.

The first thing you want to do is find out how much debt that you have. Once you can figure out how much debt you have you will figure out how much money you need to make to get yourself out of debt. This is a good way to understand what you need to do in order to get your finances in order. 

You can figure out how much you make a month and how much you spend on bills. Write out a budget for yourself and try to calculate how long it would take you to pay back your credit cards. This should give you a clear idea of how long it will take you to clear your credit card debt.

If you feel like it is going to take too long for you to pay off your credit cards, then you are going to want to look for another job, pick up more shifts at work, or consider working two jobs for a little while. All of these options are going to help you get more money regularly that you can use towards paying off your credit cards. 

It takes a little sacrifice to get yourself back on your feet and to eliminate the debt that you have created for yourself. Yet if you are serious about eliminating your debt, then you are going to sacrifice a little to get ahead.

Consolidation is always an option for you, and it helps you establish yourself further. Buy yourself a little time by consolidating your credit cards and having a budget that works for you. All it takes is a simple phone call to your credit card company, and you can have them consolidate your loans. 

You can also head down to your bank and see what they have to say about consolidating your credit card debt for you.

Use the tips for credit card debt relief shared above. Do not let credit cards scare you any longer. With the right amount of motivation you can find a way to pay off your credit cards in a timely manner. Planning ahead is the key towards figuring out how to pay off your credit cards. 

You now know what to do in order to relieve some of your financial debt. So dedicate yourself from here on out to practicing healthy credit card habits and pay off your credit cards as soon as possible.

Should you Invest in Property, Gold or Stocks this 2014

Once all the new year celebrations are done with, it is time to deal with the more intricate and complex things that are bound to shape the rest of your 2014, at least in financial terms. Investing has always been an important aspect for every salaried man as it increases their chances at a better life and a slightly higher income. However, these investments always tag along with their own set of risks, which also need to be addressed so as to not lose all your savings in the same. Therefore, before you even consider investing, you need to measure the pros and cons of the same. Ideally, there are three markets which seem intensely attractive to an investor and can help give you good returns depending on the situation. However, the question is, where should you invest? Given below is a detailed account of what you can possibly expect and where you are likely to achieve more positive results.

1.) Real estate:

Essentially, price and the corresponding affordability have a huge impact on the decisions that you make. In any ideal situation, the gap between price and affordability should be lower. However, with the year 2013 rounding up and even after the beginning of 2014, the real estate market has not shown any real improvement. The gap between these two fators continues to widen, with the property rates shooting up every passing day and the corresponding affordability staying constant or sinking down due to the inability of employers to raise income. Therefore, the negative growth in income and the continuous growth in property rates make it extremely volatile for you to invest in real estate. It is being predicted that this scenario is likely to change with the advent of General Elections; however, it is very unlikely that this will have any effect on the benefits that you may enjoy from investing in real estate this 2014.

2.) Stock market:

In Jan 2008, Sensex achieved a commendable feat of reaching 21000 level points. But instead of things improving from that point on, there has been a nearly 50% downfall. Therefore, many people are flustered as to whether or not this is the right area for invetsing in 2014.

Ideally, predicting how a stock market will do is not in the hands of people. Even the best investor or employee may be unable to answer that for you. The fact if the stock market will climb at least 24000 points and upwards remains a mystery. However, the sustainable bull market plays the deciding role for this and since the two factors that define this phenomenon– inflation and interest rates are not exactly in the country’s favour, it may be difficult to predict.

3.) Gold:

Gold has not just been the jewellery of choice but also a popular choice among investors. However, with the prices of gold falling to an all time low, with nearly 40% the past year, this trend continues to see the lower grounds even in 2014 and therefore, would not be very advisable. Not much progress in prices was made past 2013, and the situation is likely to remain the same or fall even further.

4.) So, where should you invest?

Ideally, it would be most rewarding to have your investments in products that are also known as debt products.This includes a vast range of fixed deposits and bonds. It is important that the places in which you invest will give you a redeemable offer and help save money at the very same time. As a rule of thumb, investing in Mutual funds, especially the short term bond funds will do your finances and savings a world of good this 2014.

Author’s bio:
Cher Keel is a finance analyst and works with a well known financial company. She enjoys learning nd reading extensively on investments. She is also a guest lecturer at a renowned finance institute and also writes a finance blog giving out investment advice.

When Facing the IRS Make Sure You Have A Qualified Tax Attorney

Exterior of the Internal Revenue Service office in midtown New York. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Literally dozens of questions can be asked of a tax attorney in Los Angeles. Some of the most important are included within the context of this article. A tax attorney can help you to avoid jail time for long-term tax evasion in some cases and can also help you to reduce payments, interest or even settle on a smaller amount for repayment. Getting in trouble with the IRS is not something you want to do as an individual or as a business owner. 

How to Make a Payment Plan with the IRS to Avoid Penalties and Tax Evasion

After preparing your taxes, you may not know quite how to go about working out a payment plan with the IRS when you owe a considerable amount. It is ideal to seek the help of an attorney as they better understand the policies, laws and restrictions that may be put in place in order to make a feasible payment plan. 

Penalties That Can be assessed

Penalties, mostly from interest, can be assessed when you do not adhere to the agreement with the IRS, are late filing or are late paying. Other penalties can be put into place depending on your situation; some serious penalties can include a wage garnishment or a bank account garnishment. The IRS can also put a lien on your vehicle and/or property until the monies owed are paid.

How to Avoid Penalties

You will want to ask your attorney how to avoid penalties. The attorney may suggest filing for an extension to give you more time to prepare your taxes. In most cases, this is a six month extension. At this time, you must at least have your return filed. The return does not have to include payment at this time. 

How to Keep Better Tax Records

An attorney may be able to help you better organize your tax files. You should ask how to organize receipts and expense reports in order to properly calculate these items into your itemized deductions better. You should also ask what items to disregard keeping records for as some items cannot be deducted.

What Items Need to Be Kept and for How Long?

Generally speaking, tax records should be kept for at least 5-years. This means that you will want to keep all items used to file taxes in a box in storage or in files on a computer for at least five years. This should be items such as W-2’s, 1099s and any other documents proving income or revenues. You should also keep utility reports, vehicle usage reports, business expenses, office supplies and equipment purchased to name a few items.

Keep these questions in mind when you seek the help of a tax attorney. It is also a good idea to keep a list of questions written down to take with you or bring up in a phone conversation. The only way that you are going to better understand what can get you in trouble and how to avoid making mistakes in the future is to ask.

Get your Credit Card Debt under Control for 2014

Credit cards are the culprit of far too many debts across Australia. Most people think long and hard before even considering a personal loan, but will rarely think twice when it comes to applying for a credit card. Intentions are good, and things go well to start with, but as the debt climbs and the monthly repayments grow the debt can soon become unmanageable if you don’t keep things under control. If you find yourself in a situation like this and you’re struggling to free yourself from your credit card debt, then take the first step today and discover what you can do to start diminishing your credit card debt right now.

Consider Debt Consolidation

Most people who are in a difficult situation with credit card debt often have more than one card, and sometimes have personal loans and other debts too. With this many payments to make each month it often ends up that you can only make the minimum payment off each debt – which in most cases will only cover the interest payment and doesn’t reduce your debt.

This is a vicious circle to be in, as you can easily end up continually paying interest and never reducing your debt. If you’re in a situation like this then debt consolidation could be the answer. By consolidating all of your debts into one debt with a manageable payment you can actually start working on paying off the debt you owe, rather than just paying interest charges every month.

Having all of your debts consolidated into one makes it more manageable and gives you a lower interest rate to work with, allowing you to get your debt paid off more quickly.

So, how do you find the best solution?

The most difficult step is often the first one. Once you have made started the process you will find things just get easier and easier, until one day your financial freedom is obtained. It’s advisable to always speak with a debt consolidation specialist in your area as they will be able to analyse your financial situation and put forth the best solutions for your circumstances.

Debt consolidation isn’t something which you should enter into lightly or without professional advice and you can end up making your situation worse, so make sure you seek advice from a professional if you are in any doubt at all.

Stop worrying about your credit card debt, take some solid action and get you can get your finances under control and fully manageable during 2014.


Author Bio: Nathan Rossiter is a regular contributor of money saving tips and debt advice. When he is not busy working with the team at DebtConsolidation.com.au he enjoys keeping up-to-date with the latest news from the world of Finance, and the occasional game of FIFA 2014!