Is Your Car Payment Destroying Your Life?
November 4, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars
You’ve heard me get on my soap box in the past about car payments and how they can soak up a lot of your monthly income. I really don’t like car payments, and I don’t think you need one to have a reliable car that serves your transportation purposes. As Americans, we’re obsessed with having nice, new cars. We have been taught from a young age that car payments are inevitable. You buy a car on credit, you pay the payment for five years, then you sell it. Follow that cycle, and you’ll actually never own a car outright. Here is an email that I received from a reader recently.
Should You Sell Your Car to Pay Off Debt?
July 23, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars
I listen to the Dave Ramsey show sometimes on the way home from work. It airs from 3pm to 6pm in Orlando. I often hear questions from people asking if they should sell their car to help pay off their other debts. There are a couple of things to consider here:
The Car Allowance Rebate System And Scams to Avoid
June 30, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars, Scam Alert
The Car Allowance Rebate System was signed into law last week, but there are already scammers out there trying to phish information from consumers looking to trade in their old cars. Here are some things you need to know to avoid these scams:
- If you come across any website that uses the term “cash for clunkers”, it’s not official by any means.
- The program will not get started until late July or early August, because regulators have up to 30 days to figure out a system for distributing and collecting vouchers.
A 5 Step Plan For Buying A Used Car
May 12, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars
Right now is a great time to buy a used car, because new car sales are lagging from the current state of the economy. Car dealerships know this, so they are focusing their attention on offering great deals on used cars with various promotions. I recently saw a TV commercial for a Toyota dealership boasting a Corolla for under $11,000, and I thought, “wow, that’s a good deal”. Then, I realized that it was for a 2007 Corolla, not a 2009. It was one of those types of car commercials that you would normally see for a new car where the car is driving down a highway somewhere in the hills of California. It tricked me into thinking that they were advertising a new car. Buying used cars a little different than buy a new car, so here is a step-by-step guide to help you on your search for a “new” used car.
How To Buy A Car In A Private Sale
March 19, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars
Recently, my best friend bought a used Toyota Yaris from a co-worker. Before he bought the car, he asked me for my advice about how to go about doing it. There a few questions to ask yourself before you start looking for a new/used car:
Money Crashers Is On the Cutting Edge For Fuel Economy
September 9, 2008 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars, Consumer News
About six weeks ago, my buddy Tim did a video post about hybrids, and he touched on the point that cars from the early 90’s such as the Honda Civic and Geo Metro could get 50 to 60 miles per gallon, yet today’s hybrids only get about 40 to 50 miles per gallon. What makes these hybrids so special?
Apparently, the media is catching on to this fact. The Los Angeles Times wrote this article about a guy that uses a 1992 Honda Civic and gets 61 miles per gallon!
The 5 Best Cars For College Students
August 29, 2008 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars
Okay, so Smart Money came out with their 5 best cars to buy a college student. First of all, I would never buy a college student a new car. But, if you’re rich, and you don’t mind dropping $15k on a car that will hardly ever be maintenanced, get ragged out, and probably be in a couple of fender benders, then go right ahead. Anyway, here is there list, with my cute little comments.
- Best Value: 2008 Mazda 3. These cars have decent value, but Mazda’s are notorious for always being in the shop. I’d steer away from these.
College Savings Tip: Live Without A Car
August 15, 2008 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Budgeting, Cars, College
This might sound crazy to some of you, but I knew plenty of people who made it happen. The only drawback this is that it makes it tough to hold a job during college. I think all college students should working during their college career, but many jobs are either on campus or right around the corner. My senior year, I worked as a computer technician on campus, and I lived five blocks from campus. I drove my bike to work every day. Here are five reasons why living without a car can save you some significant cash.
How To Get Free Gas (Seriously!)
July 30, 2008 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars, Consumer News, Contests and Giveaways, Energy
I end my three part post party with a reality check. If you were wondering if the end times were upon us, the following should set you straight:
GasforFree.com is your answer to rising pump prices, and will also visually pollute commutes across America. And though I may sound like I am above putting graphics on my car for gas money, I’m not. I scoured this site for information in the hopes of never having to pay for gas as long as my black/gold paint job holds the vinyl stickers on my Saturn.
Chevron Is Rolling Out New Commercials To Help You Save On Gas
July 29, 2008 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Cars, Spending and Saving
In between the car commercials that now label each vehicle’s fuel rating, Chevron is running a new ad as a public service to the gas conscious consumer.
Eventually Chevron will be using ten tips for gas conservation, though currently only one commercial is airing.
The tip: Slow Down
Apparently, driving 55 mph instead of the posted 65 mph can increase your fuel economy by as much as 20 percent. Do that and I will shake my fist at you as I cut you off. From this point on I will refrain from sarcasm for the rest of this post. Promise.
