|
|
By Kevin M
 Can we be completely honest about something? We all deal with a lot of different businesses, but it’s only when we have a bad experience with one that we ever say anything substantial about them. And at that point, of course, what we say is completely negative.
There are a number of companies I do business with and some of them are actually excellent businesses to work with. One of these companies is AutoZone, the auto parts supply company.
I’ve been an AutoZone customer for several years. My wife and I have two older cars, and as we all know, the older a car gets the more repairs it needs. AutoZone has been like a “partner” for us, helping us to keep our debt-free cars a few years longer at lower cost.
Saving on car parts compared to parts at repair shops
Here’s something I’ve learned from working with independent mechanics and a little do-it-yourself—full service repair shops charge two to three times the actual cost of the parts they put into your car.
Continue reading How AutoZone Made Me a Customer For Life →
By Kevin M
 If you’re not a car expert—and let’s face it, most of aren’t—there’s an excellent chance that you’re the exact opposite: a car victim!
Does that sound a bit cold? Maybe so, but it’s a fact that the less we know about cars the more we pay for everything—parts, repairs and buying the cars themselves.
Usually, when I write about anything related to cars, it isn’t from the position of a car expert, but rather a car victim who’s had enough of paying too much. It’s precisely my lack of expert status that drives me—relentlessly—to find less expensive ways to handle all things related to cars. As a budding entrepreneur I’m always looking for ways not only to increase income, but also to cut expenses—it’s the critical “other half” of being self-employed. Car repairs are a major expense, and one with a lot of room to cut!
In the past I’ve written on hooking up with car experts, making use of backyard mechanics, buying parts direct or where to find large and convenient sources or used car parts, and you can find links to some of those posts just beneath this article. Today, I want to take this a step farther and discuss the implications of fixing your car yourself.
The mother load of car repair savings
Continue reading Save on Car Repairs By Fixing It Yourself →
By Kevin M
 Pssst…wanna lower your cost of living—I mean really lower your cost of living and do it for good?
Ditch your car. No, I’m not kidding, ditch your car!
Most people cut costs by trimming along the edges—clipping coupons, reducing eating out, eliminating vacations and the like. But sometimes that isn’t enough. You can cut all of those and still end up with a tightly stretched budget, one that doesn’t allow much room for savings and investment, for debt pay down and payoff, or for a plunge into the career unknown—a major theme on this blog.
It comes down to a choice between micro- and macro-frugality–do you cut your smaller expenses across the board, or do you target two or three of the biggest? For most people, housing is the biggest single living expense, but cars are a comfortable second. For many, cutting or eliminating car expense is far easier than making the same choice on a home.
How much can you save by not owning a car?
Continue reading How Much Can You Save by NOT Owning a Car? →
 Do you want to save money when you buy a car? Don’t go out to a dealer, at least not right away. First do some homework, get the information you need–then head out looking for cars.
You’ve heard it said, “knowledge is power”, and no where is that more true than when it comes to buying a car. Here’s the main point: you’ll be going into a car dealership that not only has the cars you’re interested in, but it’s also a place that’s filled with people who generally have more knowledge about their vehicles than you do. From a financial standpoint, that’s a disaster waiting to happen. The greater the knowledge gap, the more likely it is that you will pay too much for what ever you buy.
How do you get the information on the car you want to buy? In the old days, you probably had to hook up with a “car guy”—one of those people who seems to possess an almost supernatural understanding of all things automotive. But today we have the internet, and that’s really leveled the playing field. There are websites dedicated to providing not only free information about all kinds of cars, but even the best car dealers to buy from!
That last point shouldn’t be taken lightly either. There are different kinds of dealers—independent or franchised—and there are also car supermarkets. Which one you work with will have an impact on the deal you get on the car you buy.
Finding the best deals on new cars
Continue reading How to Save Money Buying a Car – New or Used →
Guest Post
 In reason # 10 of 11 Ways to Cut Your Car Insurance on this site, the suggestion was made to “Shop, shop, shop!”—but you need a way to do that quickly and efficiently. Car insurance comparison websites enable you to gather information and rate quotes from the largest number of carriers in the shortest possible amount of time.
The goal should be to get cheap car insurance, and not just cheap, but sufficient coverage to make certain you’re adequately protected and in compliance with legal requirements. After all, that’s the whole point of car insurance, isn’t it?
Car insurance comparison web sites as a source of information
Continue reading Using Car Insurance Comparison Web Sites to Find the Best Rates →
Guest Post
 How might tickets and accidents affect your car insurance premiums? One speeding ticket in the last three years will likely not have a significant impact on your car insurance rates, unless it is a teenage driver. However, multiple tickets and accidents most certainly will impact your rates.
If you have experienced a large increase in car insurance premiums your best bet is to take time to receive comparison auto insurance quotes from competing insurance companies.
All insurance companies are not equal
The reason why it is important to request comparison car insurance quotes is because insurance companies charge differing amounts of money when tickets and accidents accumulate. Some insurance companies essentially want you to take your business elsewhere by increasing your rates substantially, while other companies will make your rate increase more reasonable.
Continue reading How Traffic Tickets Affect Car Insurance – And What You Can Do About It →
 Distractions draw your attention away from the road whenever you’re behind the wheel. On any given day, you might confront thousands of things that cause you to divert your attention or take your mind off traffic. Some are necessary. Stop signs, merging vehicles, traffic lights, and construction crews all must be acknowledged. On the other hand, cell phones, texting, reading, and putting on makeup should be avoided while driving. These and countless other distractions dramatically increase the risk of causing an accident. That will cause your car insurance rates to climb.
Below, we’ll share a few statistics that will demonstrate the extent to which talking on the phone impairs your ability to drive safely. We’ll then take a look at other activities that can pull your attention away from the road. You’ll also learn how a single mistake due to distracted driving can influence your auto insurance rates for years to come.
Continue reading Driving While Distracted: Driver Distractions, Auto Accidents And Your Car Insurance Rates →
By Kevin M
 It’s often said that the only two things that are certain in life are death and taxes, and while that’s true enough, if you own a car you can add car insurance to that short list. Car insurance is virtually mandated in most of the Western world, and since you have to pay it, it helps to keep it is inexpensive as possible.
How do you do that? There may be 100 ways, but I’ve identified at least eleven.
1) Carefully chose the car you buy. Much of the cost of car insurance is set when you purchase your vehicle. Higher priced vehicles, certain model types as well as newer cars generally cost more to insure. Before buying your next car, you might want to get insurance quotes to see what it is you’re setting yourself up for. Once you own the car, it will be too late.
Continue reading 11 Ways to Cut Your Car Insurance →
By Kevin M
 One of the biggest line items in a typical household budget is car expense, and one of the reasons it’s so large is because of car loans. After decades of easy credit, we’ve been conditioned to think of car loans as a normal part of the car buying process. I have a car, therefore I have a loan.
But is that the way we should be thinking? Are there deeper risks to having a car loan that we tend to gloss over? I think so. The loan you sign on for when you’re safely employed can quickly become unsustainable after just a few months of unemployment. And with job losses and extended periods of unemployment becoming the “new normal” we should be changing our assumptions about car loans.
What are some of the reasons you should avoid a loan and pay cash for your next car?
A loan puts your car at risk
Unlike credit cards—where the lender has no specific claim on your assets—it you fall behind on your car loan, your car can be repossessed. This reason alone should remove any casual notions we have about car loans. They’re higher risk than almost any other loan type! Even if your house is foreclosed on, there is an extended period of due process that can take a year or more in many states, giving you valuable time to maneuver. No such protections exist for a car loan; stop paying and the repossession process is pretty swift.
Continue reading 8 Reasons Why You Should Pay Cash for a Car →
Guest Post by Edward Pacheco
 Getting a loan on a new car can be easier said than done. In short, lining up financing for that new ride of yours all depends on your credit score. If you have a perfect credit score then you will have no problem getting approved for financing, and getting a great rate.
But if your credit score is less than perfect you might have a tough time getting a loan at all. At best, you might get approved for a loan with a wildly high interest rate. Regardless of how your credit is there are some things that you can do to help ensure that it is steady and constantly rising.
By taking the time to follow a few simple steps you should be able to secure financing for that new car that you have had your eye on in no time at all!
Continue reading Getting a Good Car Loan with Less Than Good Credit →
|
OutOfYourRut Disclaimers
General: Any information in regard to money, credit, personal finance, or in regard to any other monetary topic, provided or shared on OutOfYourRut.com is presented for information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It is intended to provide general information only and does not constitute personal financial advice in regard to your specific circumstances...MORE-->
|
How AutoZone Made Me a Customer For Life
By Kevin M
There are a number of companies I do business with and some of them are actually excellent businesses to work with. One of these companies is AutoZone, the auto parts supply company.
I’ve been an AutoZone customer for several years. My wife and I have two older cars, and as we all know, the older a car gets the more repairs it needs. AutoZone has been like a “partner” for us, helping us to keep our debt-free cars a few years longer at lower cost.
Saving on car parts compared to parts at repair shops
Here’s something I’ve learned from working with independent mechanics and a little do-it-yourself—full service repair shops charge two to three times the actual cost of the parts they put into your car.
Continue reading How AutoZone Made Me a Customer For Life →