Written on September 28th, 2009 by l2cadminone shout
Take a deep breath and get ready to dive into savings.
Tip #I – Many Costco members are unaware of the fantastic deals that they can snag on rental cars. Costco offers discounts on all of the major rental car players. We have had great luck with Alamo and ended with a few extra United Mileage Plus miles to boot.
Tip #II – While Costco is great for rental cars, we prefer hotels.com for deals on hotel rooms. We really like their comprehensive hotel reviews as well as their overall customer service. Of course, you should go direct to each hotels web site to see if they will offer lower prices. If you decide to book with hotels.com, be sure to sign up for their free welcome rewards program first.
Tip #III – We’re not too crazy about paying big bucks for airport food. So, if we’re in a hurry, we snag a sandwich
at Quiznos and wait to eat it until we are on the plane (where we can avail ourselves of free beverages. Well ….. at least on Southwest airlines).
Tip #IV – If you plan on checking a bag, consider packing your own soda, water bottles and snacks. This will save you from paying higher prices for these items at the hotel. Just grab some ice from the ice machine and you’re good to go.
Tip #V – Use google maps to locate restaurants and grocery store options before you depart. It’s much easier to locate cheaptastic dinning options ahead of time. This tip is even more important if you’re staying in an area where low priced dining is scarce. Of course if you book a hotel room with a refrigerator and microwave, you could do a bit of local grocery market shopping and save big.
Written on September 19th, 2009 by l2cadminno shouts
Secrets to finding great deals on new car prices
Most people don’t look forward to buying their next new car. As you might have guessed, the back and forth price negotiations can frustrate even the most patient person. Well, we couldn’t agree more. That’s why we’re sharing our buying secrets to help you find great prices on new vehicles.
So here goes:
Figure out what you really need in a vehicle and write it down. Here are some example considerations
Determine how much money are you prepared to spend.
Write down the criteria that the vehicle must meet (e.g. good gas mileage, ability to tow, ability to carry lots of equipment and/or people, etc.).
Research various types and models of vehicles.
Visit edmunds.com to sort through vehicle choices.
Visit several dealers to test drive vehicles. Make sure that you let the salesman know that you will not be buying today and stick with that decision . Dealing with a manager will probably be less painful since they are typically not paid on commission.
Once you narrow down your vehicle choices, you should consider renting the same type of vehicle for a day or two to ensure that the vehicle will really fit you well.
Locate the dealers in your area.
Search the news papers and the internet for dealers within an hour of your house (or farther away if you prefer). Write down the contact information for each dealer, then call them to find out who the dealer manager(s) are. Try to obtain a phone number, email address and fax number for these folks.
Research vehicle financing options.
Check the rates and conditions at your bank or credit union before you consider a dealer financing offer. Remember, dealers really want you to finance with them because it can increase their profit margin.
If you can pay cash, they will save you the most in the long run. But if you need to finance, make sure you calculate the complete cost of the vehicle. You may be shocked at the sum of:
the vehicle price, the taxes and add-on fees and the total interest that you will over the years.
Fax and/email respectable offers before showing up.
Write a form letter stating that you are ready to purchase a vehicle within the next X number of weeks and that you will be going with the lowest price. Be sure to enumerate all of the options that you do or don’t want (including paint color). Also, be sure that you have your funding in order before contacting the dealer. And lastly, let them know how much time they have to respond to you.
Read the paperwork carefully at least twice before you sign anything (make sure that you clearly understand everything in the contract.
Inspect the vehicle carefully.
Bring someone else with you and literally take your time to inspect every inch of the vehicle before signing the contract. It’s not unusual to find paint defects, body dings, stains on seats upholstery, etc on new vehicles. If you expect the dealer to do right by you, you must point out what you find before driving off the lot.
Make sure to perform all scheduled maintenance to keep the vehicle in warranty compliance.
Written on September 13th, 2009 by l2cadminno shouts
When it comes to monthly services charges, the name of the game from the merchants point of view is to establish a long term relationship with you where they can count on you to keep paying them each billing cycle. This predictable revenue stream is what merchants want most. While this may sound bad for the consumer, the good news is that it can actually be very good for the consumer if they use this as leverage to ensure that they are getting the best deal.
Cable, DSL and Satellite TV/Internet providers
You may have noticed the never ending ads trying to encourage you to sign up for the specials from TV and Internet service providers. You know, the ones that offer free installation and a great monthly rates. From time to time, you might have thought “hey, those prices are less than I’m paying and I’ve been a loyal customer for quite a while”.
The fact is that unless you call them and ask for a lower monthly rate, they probably won’t be calling you.
Before you call them, make sure that you know what the competition is offering. While on the phone with your service provider, be sure to not only point out what the competition’s sign up specials are but also your current provider’s new customer sign up offers are as well. Point out to them how long you have been a customer. If the person on the phone brushes you off, be sure to ask to speak with a supervisor before moving on to the competition.
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