I'm back! (And money saving tip #8)

I know that I’ve been quiet for awhile but I’ve gotten a couple

requests to start posting again. I went on vacation and I’ve

been dealing with some health stuff so I’ve been pretty busy.

Oh, and I also bought a car. But before you write a comment

calling me a hypocrite, let me explain.

It’s hard trying to be “good” all the time. I don’t claim to be an

angel, I’m definitely human. I bought a car because I wanted

it and I know I can afford the payments. I could have waited

to buy it until the remaining $1539.10 of my “old” debt was

paid off but I wanted to drive it up-north on vacation. Life is

short and I don’t regret my decision. My little sister is buying

my old car from me and her twin is going to start using her

old car so it’s a win/win/win situation.

I qualified for a low interest rate and hopefully I will pay the

car off early. I researched the heck out of the cars available

online for sale and decided what would be best for me. I

stood my ground and didn’t sign a purchase agreement until I

 was happy with the deal the dealer and I negotiated. While

applying for the auto loan I discovered that my credit score is

 813. That’s all the proof I need that budgeting works.

This leads me to my next money saving tip:

• Do your research. If you know you’re going to need

something, look around online for the best deals before

you make your purchase. No matter if it’s a $10 fish tank

or a $500 fridge, read up on it and see your options

before you decide to purchase. Many retailer’s websites

will even list what’s currently in stock at your local store.

Read online reviews to see what other consumers have

to say about a product. Don’t let anyone or anything

pressure you into buying before you’re ready to sign

on the dotted line. If you plan well enough to anticipate

your needs ahead of time, you’ll be in a position to wait

for best deal out there and you won’t be at the mercy of

someone else.