How to extend the life of your car

Today, more than ever, it’s important to get your money’s worth out of a car. With the high price of fuel, who has the extra cash to buy a new car? Doing your best to avoid costly repairs and unnecessary expenses is critical to your pocketbook, and there are countless steps you can take to extend the life of your car. These are few general rules of thumb.
Regular maintenance
Perhaps the easiest way to get the bang for your buck when it comes to your vehicle is performing regular maintenance. Keep an eye on your car’s mileage to ensure a timely oil change. Most service stations also check other components of your car when performing an oil change. Spending a few dollars here and there beats paying out a small fortune for a fix that likely could have been avoided with regular maintenance and checkups.
Careful driving
Another relatively simple way to prolong your car’s life is through your everyday driving. Don’t drive like you’re competing in the Indy 500. Drive the speed limit, take curves and bumps with ease, and avoid erratic turns. This safe driving, of course, will not only help your car, but it will protect the lives of other motorists.
Quality gas
Try to find a reputable service station where you feel comfortable filling your car up with fuel. Ask questions. Does the station regularly change its pump filters? Some stations don’t have pump filters, making your car more vulnerable to being filled with dirty gasoline. Is the product watered down? Some stations may not mix alcohol and fuel properly or their product may be watered down. In addition, if you drive a vehicle (sports car, higher-end car) that calls for high-test fuel, use it. Vehicles that call for premium fuel run better on premium fuel. It also is a good idea to note that, if you see a gasoline tanker at a station, don’t fill up then. Go to another station or come back another day. As the station’s underground tanks are being filled, the turbulence can stir up sediment that - in your gas can - can clog fuel filters and injectors.
Keep it clean
Wash your car regularly and keep its interior clean. Polishing or waxing occasionally also will help maintain your car’s appearance. Keep a check under the hood, as well as underneath your vehicle, to ensure the quick removal of any potentially harmful debris.
Good insurer
Accidents and the unavoidable happen so, when something unexpected strikes, having car insurance that will help pay for expenses is a blessing. Having a good insurer that will pay for parts from the original manufacturer with a repairs guarantee will give you the peace of mind that your vehicle will be back in top form to the best possible standard.

This guest blog post was written by Freedom Rims, a Responsible Military Lender since 1983. Freedom Rims offers military financing for a variety of rims and tires including Mezzano Rims and BIGG Rims throughout the USA.

Sound Advice for Settling Debt Using a Debt Settlement Attorney

Don’t get trapped into declaring bankruptcy until you know your options
Being it debt is no fun. You feel trapped as if there is no way out and you start doing dangerous things like transferring balances between high interest credit cards in order to pay for food and housing. Or worse—you decide that declaring bankruptcy is your only option. However, declaring bankruptcy will lead to lengthy damage to your credit. Sure it will get you out of debt quick, but can you live with the negative, long-term repercussions on your credit?
Before declaring bankruptcy, speak with to a qualified debt settlement attorney about settling your debt.

How does debt settlement work?

During the debt settlement process your debt settlement attorney will negotiate with your creditors on your behalf. He or she will offer to settle your debts at a reduced amount—typically 25-percent to 50-percent less than your outstanding debt.
Creditors are on-board with debt settlement because they really have only two choices:

1. They can collect whatever you can give them.

2. Or they risk getting nothing at all (should you declare bankruptcy)
As you can understand, most creditors are more than happy to accept a partial repayment on your loans and credit cards in exchange for relieving you of debt—especially if the only other option leaves them completely empty handed.

How do you qualify for debt settlement?

First, you must speak to a Debt Settlement Attorney who can examine your finances. If you qualify, your lawyer will offer you enrollment in a professional debt settlement program, which follows these basic steps:

1. Signing over power of attorney: This is done so that your attorney is able to negotiate your debt settlement for you.

2. Accrue settlement fund: In this step you will accumulate as much money as you can towards settling your debt.

3. Your attorney negotiates with the lender: There will be some back and forth negotiation between your lawyer and creditors until a reduced settlement amount is reached.

4. Debt is paid: Using the funds accumulated in debt settlement fund.

5. If you have multiple creditors: Your lawyer approach another creditor with a debt settlement offer, and you will accrue another settlement fund to pay off each lender.

The pros of using a debt settlement lawyer-

1. Knowledge and respect from creditors: Experienced debt negotiators know the law. For instance, they are aware of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a federal law that governs how, when and where a debt collector can contact you—e.g., at work, any hour of the day or night at home—and will make sure you are not hassled by credit collectors.

2. Time and experience is on their side: A debt settlement lawyer has the added benefit of time and experience. Ask yourself if you would even know how to begin the debt negotiation process with a creditor? Probably not, especially if you work full time or are in fear of having your wages garnished.

3. You will learn valuable budgeting skills: One of the main perks of going through the debt settlement process is learning budgeting and money management skills. Many debt settlement programs will offer this, others will not, so be sure you enroll in a program that teaches these skills.

The cons of using a debt settlement lawyer-

1. Hidden fees: Many debt settlement programs have hidden fees, if this is the case with your current firm don’t sign anything. Instead, seek out another lawyer to represent you.

2. Negative tax consequences: Ask if you qualify for tax exemptions—otherwise you may be taxed on the amount you save during your debt settlement process.

3. Awareness of the conditions and terms involved: Many debt negotiation lawyers aren’t as upfront as they should be with the terms and conditions of the debt settlement program. Ask how long will the process take, how long until your debt is paid in full? And don’t sign anything until your questions are answered.

Financial Aid Planning

Thеre arе a grоup оf new ѕtudіeѕ whіch hіghlіght thаt althоugh а cоllеgе еduсatiоn is highlу deѕіrаblе іt is beсoming inсrеaѕingly diffіcult fоr a studеnt to асhіеvе thiѕ dream. In a reсеnt Pеw Rеsеarсh Cеnter study оf рerсeptіоnѕ аbоut a collеgе educаtiоn, 94% of раrеntѕ іndiсаtеd that thеy wаnted theіr сhildren tо go to соllеge whіlе lеѕѕ thаn hаlf оf thе students will еnrоll іn а four-уеar degrее progrаm. Thе ѕіnglе bіggеst оbstасlе сіtеd by the studеnts waѕ а lасk of mоneу tо pаy fоr their еduсation. Amоng minоrіtу ѕtudеntѕ closе to 70% оf thoѕe studеntѕ who chоѕе nоt to gо to cоllеgе сіted thе lack of іnfоrmatіon about finаncіal аid аѕ the bіggеst obѕtacle tо соntinuіng thеіr еducatіоn. There іѕ а bіg gаp іn wаntіng tо go to соllegе and ultіmatеlу bеіng ablе to рау for іt.

The other іnterеstіng раrt of thе Pеw ѕtudу toоk а lооk at thе рrоblem frоm thе vіеwроіnt оf cоllеgе рreѕіdents. Thrеe-quаrters of аll cоllеgе рrеѕіdentѕ pоlled іndіcated that сollege wаs a gооd value fоr thе mоnеy spеnt and 42 percеnt bеlievе thаt соllеge іѕ аffоrdаble fоr mоѕt рeорle. Thіѕ cоmраrеs wіth 60 perсеnt оf ѕtudеnts аnd рarеnts whо were роllеd іndіcatіng that соllege іѕ nо longer а good vаlue alоng wіth the 75 pеrcent whо belіеve thаt соllеge іs nоt аffordablе fоr thе аvеrаgе fаmilу.


One grоup оf reѕpondеntѕ, thе рarentѕ and studеntѕ, ѕee сollеge сoѕtѕ rіѕіng аnd ѕtatе fundіng drоpрing. The оthеr grоup оf rеѕроndеntѕ, thе сollеge рrеѕіdents, hаve ѕeеn unprеcеdеnted іncrеaѕеѕ in student аid over thе раst ѕеvеrаl yearѕ. Muсh оf thіѕ nеw mоney іѕ bеing fundеd dіrectly bу thе cоllеgеѕ. So who iѕ right?


It іѕ a matter оf whеre yоu lіvе аnd what tyрes оf ѕсhооls to whісh уou aррlу. In mаnу ѕtateѕ with funding cutѕ thе nеt соst оf аttеnding рublіc schоolѕ hаѕ gonе up dramаtісаlly оvеr the раѕt few уеars. Hоwеver, thе nеt соѕt оf attеndіng рrіvаte schоolѕ hаѕ aсtuаllу dесlinеd оvеr thе sаmе реrіоd of tіme. Essentiаlly fіnancіаl aіd has іncrеаsеd fаster than thе сost оf аttendіng аt рrіvаte ѕchооls. And whilе thе fedеral gоvеrnmеnt hаs роurеd mоnеу іntо finаnсіаl аіd іn thе form of grаntѕ аnd ѕubѕіdіzеd lоаns the number of students wаntіng to аttеnd collegе hаs gоnе up drаmаtiсallу аѕ jоb оptiоns have bееn lіmited during the rесеssіon.


Thе bіggеѕt differеnсе bеtween the cоnѕumer аnd thе ѕuppliеr оf еduсаtіоn іs sіmрlу іnfоrmatіоn. Fаmіliеs do nоt hеаr аbout соllеgе fundіng frоm thе cоllеge'ѕ реrѕpеctіve, and сollegeѕ аssumе thаt fаmіlіеѕ knоw еverуthіng about thе fіnаnсial аid prоceѕs. Fоr moѕt fаmiliеѕ devеlopіng a finаnсіal aіd plan cоuld help them bеcоme bеttеr conѕumеrѕ of eduсatiоn. In mоѕt саѕеѕ reducіng the соst of аn еduсatіоn therеbу mаkіng іt mоre аffоrdаble. And соllegеs соuld makе the whоle fіnаnсіal aid prосeѕѕ more trаnѕраrent аnd lеѕѕ dіffісult tо nаvіgate. Thеу wоuld bе сreаting a grеatеr реrcеption of thе rеаl valuе of an еduсatіоn. Unfortunаtеlу fоr the fаmilіeѕ, аѕ thе conѕumer, the onuѕ іѕ оn them tо рісk ѕсhооlѕ wiѕеly, bаѕеd on the real соstѕ of аttеndіng. There іѕ a wаy tо plаn fіnаnсіally fоr a collеge еduсatіоn. Lеt thе buуer bеwаre!

About the Author : Rohitesh Naik, a Freelance writer and a Internet Marketer who presently writes about the Upcoming Verizon Phones. It includes all the the news and updates about New Verizon Phones.

Save Money on Gas by Driving Safe

This guest blog post was written by Freedom Rims, a Responsible Military Lender since 1983. Freedom Rims offers military financing for rim and tire packages throughout the USA.

As gas prices rise, we start to look to other alternatives to save money on gas. One of the easiest ways to save money on gas is by driving safe. There are certain driving habits and acts that can actually cause you to use more gas while you are driving. However, these tips and suggestions can help you to spend less money on gasoline and reduce your fuel consumption overall.

Tips to Follow:

• Speed Limit

Following the speed limit can benefit your automobile and your wallet because rapid acceleration and speeding wastes gas. The majority of car accidents that happen occur because of speeding, as well. The more force you put down on the gas, the harder your car must work, which in turn uses more gas. Gas mileage is known for decreasing rapidly once it reaches above 60 mph. Slow down and your fuel mileage will increase.

     

• Cruise Control

Using cruise control when you are on an interstate or long road can be beneficial. It maintains a steady speed, meaning you do not have to physically gas the car. Be aware that this is ideal for flat highways and roads. When you reach roads that have hills and many turns, the cruise control should be turned off so that the engine isn’t constantly trying to speed up and slow down.

• Don’t Idle

When you are stopped and parked somewhere, turn your car off. If you plan on sitting somewhere for a few minutes, sitting in idle will just burn gas, costing you more money. Turn the car off and restart it once you are ready to go. This will save you a great deal on gas. Many communities and cities have started enforcing no idling areas to help prevent burning gas.

• Extra Weight

The more you have in a car, the more gas it takes to move it. This means if you are carrying around extra things in your trunk or car, it may be a good idea to take them out. Unnecessary items in your car may be one of the many things costing you extra money.

• Brake

Efficiency saves the most money. When you slam your breaks over and over again you are being inefficient. You can save gas by gradually rolling up to stop lights and intersections. Changing this driving habit can be very beneficial to your gas consumption.

• Alternatives

Consider using public transportation or carpooling systems around your area. In economically challenging times, this can help the environment, as well.

Driving safely can cut down transportation and gas costs. As gas continues to rise, it will be more important to try and save money where we can. Not only do these tips and suggestions help you to save on gas and money, they help keep you and other driver’s safe while on the road.