Did you know that used cars out sell new car 3 to 1? Are you aware the average price of a used car is less than half than that of a new car? So why buy a new car?
Why not let some rich folks buy all the new cars then when they trade them in a couple years later, buy them. Sounds good or does it?
What makes the decision for buying a new car over a used car boils down to money in the bank. If you don’t have the money in the bank to buy it out right (few of people do) then we have to take out a loan. Then what if our credit and income does not match up to what is needed to buy a new car, then we have to settle for something less; a used car.
Yes, there is a several advantages to buying a new car. The warranty, the extra service you can get from a new car dealer, and the feel of a new car make a good argument toward buying new. Some people feel it is below their station in life to buy anything less than brand new just of the assembly line.
We are less than two months away from Christmas Day. The holiday shopping seasons officially starts in less than three weeks, with Black Friday. Already we are starting to see hints about Christmas shopping, and where the best deals will be at.
Commercials from Wal Mart stating the best deals will only be from them. Kmart has ran some commercials about how we need to use their Lay-A-Way plan as part of our Christmas shopping. Many other stores have already started displaying Christmas decorations.
Websites like TheBlackFriday.com have been posting what items are being sold and for how much. Then retailers like Target are wanting you to create an online account to see their Black Friday deals. Even the online retailers like Amazon.com are offering special deals from Black Friday thru Cyber Monday.
I was reading a piece for Money.CNN.com which was titled, “Get a Fair Shake: Not a Shake Down“. ATM fees are rising. It is harder to get free checking. Banks are pushing it’s customers to use the online banking over going into their branches.
Where do you going shopping? How much do you spend when you go shopping? By answering these two questions, I can tell you what you like to buy, and how much research you do before buying. Mostly likely I can see areas where you can save money.
Help me help you save money. Send me a months worth of your receipts. I can tell if your are an emotional shopper or a frugal shopper. When you do send me those receipts, I will send you a $20 gift card, if I use those receipts in future posts.
There is an alternative motive behind getting having you sending me your receipts. This is my way of finding where you are shopping, what your are buying, and what things you want me to research for you. Then I can take this information and plan further post around your purchases.
Don’t worry, I am not going to use your name or email address other than sending you the $20 gift card. All you have to do is scan your receipts into PDF format. then email them to me at efcussins@theshoppingnazi.com as an attachment. Put in the subject line Receipts. If you are having trouble emailing them, email me and I will set up a PO box for you. So start collecting those receipts.
Do you realize, in the United States, the average car repair is $1,500? Did you know the average vet bill is around $400 for a cat? Are you aware that most human health care insurance plans cover only a fraction of any major medical expenses? Considering the uncertainty of today’s job market, we need to some money in saving for those unexpected expenses.
Just a couple years ago, in 2009, the average savings account would not even cover the bills for a family for one month. According to all the numbers I can find it is not much better today. It is time to get our financial house in order and have a healthy savings account.
Saving is more than just putting money in the bank. Savings is putting the right amount of money in the right bank. Why? Savings account are not designed to store money up for a rainy day. An expected return is required. Neither do we need to have our money in a bank getting a high interest rate when that same bank is charging us all sorts of fees.
For over two years now I have been posting to TheShoppingNazi.com. Finally, a culmination of all those post is here for you in the form of an eBook. The eBook is titled Shopping with The Shopping Nazi. On October 1, 2011, TODAY! Shopping with The Shopping Nazi will be on Amazon.com. It will be in a format so you can read it on a Kindle or any tablet or cell phone.
You can Get the PDF version at WritersOut.com. Get it in the Kindle format at Amazon.com
In Shopping with The Shopping Nazi you will not find any Quotes from Adolf Hitler.
I can guarantee no celebrities were harmed in the writing of Shopping with The Shopping Nazi.
You will not find any mention of Lady Gaga in Shopping with The Shopping Nazi.
You will find how to save money one product at a time. You will get tips on getting the best possible quality at the best possible price.
Today’s post can have several titles. It could be call Price Comparison. It could be called Good Better Best. Or it could even be titled Finding the Best Possible Quality at the Best Possible Price. However, I have title it Website for Finding What You Want. All the titles summing up what I have written.
On the internet there is a lot of websites offering the best deal for almost everything you can think of buying. If you believe what you read, you may just be losing quality and money. Why?
Everyone who puts up any kind of website wants to sell you something. They can make it look good. They can make it look like you are getting a real deal, by quoting a suggested retail price and their discount of 50% or more. They tell you it is high quality and you should buy it now.
There are two things about this mere statement “Discount of 50%” that is misleading. First, it is a foolish waste of money to pay suggested retail price, or even manufacture’s list price for anything. That number is what suckers pay. Second, the 50% discount is telling me there is some other place where I can possibly get the very same item for less money. So what do I use for a frame of reference for when pricing any goods or services?
There is no shame in renting as opposed to buying and owning. The old stereotypical mindset which says it is cheaper to buy to own over renting is has been proven to be wrong. I am not talking just about buying a home. There are times renting a cars, tools, and other items cost less than buying out right.
When it came to working on my car, if I needed a specialty tool or widget, I would buy it. I would count that tool or widget as part of the cost of doing the repair myself. I didn’t take into consideration the fact I would maybe only using that specialized tool only once. What resulted was having a shed half full of tools I only used once or twice.
My neighbors and friends capitalized on stupidity. When it came time for them to need some specialty tool or widget, they would come by my place and check if I had it. If I didn’t have it they would go down to the local tool rental store.
For years coupons would arrive in the mail via some publication or local newspaper. In the 21st century, those coupons arrive via email or through the internet.
They are still offering reduced prices on products and services. Business owners use these coupons in hopes to attract more business. As a result we benefit. We get reduced rate for the product and service. We exposed to products and services we might never of have known existed.
There has emerged many online services that bring to our computers coupon deals. One of the most popular is Coupons.com. Here you have to opportunity to save 40 cent or more on name brand household items. They even have a section for discounts on larger purchase like Kmart and DELL computer.
If you ever watched any of the episodes of Sex in the City on television shows or any of their movies, you would think that women are the only ones who care about shoes. That is not true.
I can tell you from experience men care about their shoes. They may not have the wide variety of colors and styles as women do. Men look more to functionality and comfort, then how shoes look.
Where women seem to go for style then functionality. I don’t of many men who would walk around all day in high heels.
If you saw the shoes I have in my closet you would think I am they are rather simplistic in my fashion sense. I have only three pair of shoes; one pair of tennis shoes, one pair of 12″ high boots, and one pair of Coleman sandals. The tennis shoes I got at the local thrift store for about $3.00 over five years ago. I got the boots at Wal Mart over ten years ago. They were part of an unadvertised clearance sale. The sandals were part of mid summer sale at Kmart, this last July.
Help support The Shopping Nazi and his work. Saving you money one product at a time.