Financing

[jason]

Oh, how I have missed your delightful pink text. . .

I am going to discuss something that I feel comfortable giving advice for; transportation. Finding the right source of transportation, as well as managing your transportation can save you a lot of money, and lessen stress.

1. Find a more reliable car. I know all about unreliability when it comes to cars. I drive German.

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  Perhaps sell you truck and look for a Honda or Toyota. What they lack in throttle they make up for with their bulletproof engines and amazing gas mileage.

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  Changing your daily driver to something more reliable will drastically allow you to save money and spend less on repairs.

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  Going from a truck to a car if at all possible could save you a solid $50.00 a month in gas alone depending on how much you drive and of course your driving habits.

2. Perform maintenance on your vehicle yourself if you do not do so already. Don't be afraid to get those pretty little hands dirty.

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  I do everything on my car myself (from oil changes to timing belts to clutch replacements) and I pay a quarter of independent shop rates. And about an eight of dealership rates.

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  If you feel you don't have the know-how to work on your own vehicle, find a reliable family member or friend that does. Or surf the internet and learn a few things. Girls that can work on cars are superb.

3. Preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance. Oh, have I mentioned preventive maintenance?

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  Preventive maintenance is by far the easiest way to prevent yourself from having to spend hundreds, if not thousands repairing your vehicle. I'm sure you have heard the saying "You have to spend money to make money". It's true. Preventive maintenance is exactly what it sounds like. It is the act of performing maintenance on your vehicle prior to a particular component failing. For example: If you hear a radical clicking noise when turning, it could very well be your CV axle joint. If you are smart you would replace it immediately before it fails completely and leaves your stranded on the side of the road, thus having you spend hundreds on a tow truck.

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  Seriously, though, preventive maintenance. Got it?

I know my few tips may seem useless, but trust me, I have saved myself thousands of dollars utilizing such subtle tips.

 

[Glitter Milk]

@Jason I missed you too :3 However, I see someone else using a horrid fuschia text throughout the forum. I vote him banished!

Your post was actually the most helpful of all. (I drive a ford explorer)

Within the last two months I've replaced the battery twice, Alternator, brake pads, oxygen sensors, I had to replace / fix the serpentine belt (the only thing I actually took to a mechanic for, and the rest of the problems followed a few days afterwards)
Had to buy 4 new tires, and I broke the door handle lol

I guess I'm just a little rough on my car and I drive about 60 miles everyday (to and from work)
I'm looking to invest in a new car I was just waiting until after taxes come in to place a down payment / trade in my truck.

My credit is awful which is why I was putting off buying a new vehicle for some time. (My Victoria's Secret credit card was maxed out @ $5500.00 when I was 18 and Im still "paying" that off. lel.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read anyway c: And thank you for the tips!

 

[Sharon]

I'm old as shit and can't save money at all.
It literally kills me. I work so hard for a paycheck I can't even enjoy because I'm too busy working?

Mortgage, insurance, phone bill, electric, water, groceries, CC's, emergencies, gas.
Spent $900 the last few months to fix my truck. then christmas hit, my birthday is on the 31st of this month and I have no idea what to do.
I really want to get an overnight job or something but eh idk. What do you guys do with your extra money after you pay off priorities?
Like I literally spent 400 on things to make costumes for a convention I didn't even end up going to. waste of fabric and supplies that I can't return -.-
I just want to make sure I'm not the only one who can't manage their money responsibly. As soon as I get paid it's all gone xD

Admitting your situation is the first step - some people in your position are totally in denial and their attitude is that they don't care. Hope is not all, there are MANY resources out there to get your finances under control. The one place that really helped me get out of debt is http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/money-girl - Laura Adams is great.