Posted by Elizabeth Retton

You may be absolutely in love with your car, especially if it’s your first or if you spent an especially huge amount of money purchasing it.  When you love something, of course you want to take care of it.  However, many car-owners do this to the point of irrationality.  Or you may find that you are in denial about your car’s problems and so ignore them to the point of destruction.  Either way, you will end up wasting your money.  Here are five of the more popular ways:

Oil changes.  Though you probably believe you need to change your oil every 2,000 (or 3,000) miles, most manufacturers recommend that you wait 5,000-7,500.  Some cars can go nearly 15,000 miles before the oil becomes too dirty.  Depending on your climate and how much you drive your car (and how hard), you will probably only need to change your oil twice a year.  Look at the odometer, not the calendar.

Visiting the dealer.  You are wasting your money by visiting the dealer for routine or even major services.  An independent mechanic will be able to perform the same services for much less money.  Your dealer is lying to you if they tell you that visiting an outside mechanic violates your warranty.  Do some research before any car servicing, however.  You want to make sure that your mechanic is an ethical one.

Tire pressure.  Driving on tires that are under-inflated sucks up your gas mileage.  You’ll improve it significantly by making regular checks of your tires’ pressure (once a month should do it), which you can do with a handy, inexpensive gauge and by stopping at a gas station to fill them up.  This is frequently a free service and will also prevent you from having a possible blowout and from wearing them down more quickly (and tires can be very expensive to replace).  You will also want to make sure that you know how to change your tires, that your spare is in good working condition, and that you have everything you need for a possible tire change – including blocks and a workable jack – in your car at your disposal.  These are easy things to keep track of, and cheaper if you do it yourself.

Built-in navigation.  You may be paying upwards of $2000 or more for the factory’s built-in navigation system when you could be saving a ton of money by simply using the navigation system offered by your phone.  An added benefit to the one you can carry around in your pocket is that they are frequently updated, whereas the one built into your car is not.

Throwing away your records.  This includes saving your receipts.  As time goes by and you visit the mechanic for even the smallest of repairs, you will probably find that you can’t keep everything done to your car in mind.  Purchase a log book so you can keep track of even the tiny expenses, such as purchasing new window washing blades, or something a little bigger, like replacing your brake pads.

Elizabeth Retton writes for Kanetix, where you can compare quotes to find the best coverage. Compare quotes online at Kanetix.

How You Can Find a Good Job in a Bad Economy

Posted by Money Tips Staff

The economic downturn that has affected the U.S. for the past several years has left many people high and dry … and out of a job.  While it may seem hopeless to you now, one of the biggest mistakes people who are out of work make is to assume that there are no jobs available.  Follow these tips to help you secure a good job for yourself, even in this time of doubt and uncertainty.

Your résumé.  If you are currently unemployed or stuck in a job that is going nowhere or doesn’t afford you the funds you need, utilize any downtime you have to update your résumé.  Include ways that you have been able to challenge yourself and ways that you have succeeded despite overwhelming odds.  Prepare a cover letter template that is easily adaptable for the variety of jobs you may be researching and that highlights your professional experience as well as the benefits any job will gain based on your specific personality.  Also take the time to ensure that it is clean and easy to read.

Research.  It is easier than ever to look for more jobs in a shorter period of time.  Utilize online resources such as job-hunting search engines that will deliver you nightly emails containing jobs that you may be qualified for.  However, it is important for your morale to be realistic and remember that thousands of other people probably use the same search engines that you do, keeping the competition stiffer.

Recruitment agencies.  If you decide to use one of these agencies, they will hopefully be able to offer effective recruitment strategies, but there is no guarantee that they will be able to find you a job as quickly as you might like.

Network.  Make your contacts from your professional and private life with more frequency than you have before by calling five people a day instead of five a week.  Follow up immediately on any job leads.   Arrange to meet with a potential source in person if you can. You are more likely to find the job that is best for you if you meet with people face to face.  And make sure to thank anyone you meet or who offers you a tip … don’t wait!

Stay positive!  This is the trickiest step of them all.  After you have devoted countless hours to updating your résumé, filling out job applications, following up with phone calls and emails, or even making an interview only to be rejected after all, you will undoubtedly realize that job hunting can be an incredibly demoralizing experience.  There are no easy ways to do stay confident, but you should continually remind yourself that there is a job out there for you, and that you are the perfectly qualified person for it.  Maintaining a positive attitude will help you when you do get a job interview.  Employers can sense desperation in a candidate and it may turn them off from you.  While it is challenging to keep up your confidence in yourself, it will pay off in the end!

The Pros and Cons of Timeshares as an Investment

Posted by Money Tips Staff

Timeshares are handy for people who like to travel and who travel frequently, particularly if you visit the same places on a regular basis.  The concept of a timeshare is fairly simple:  multiple owners each pay for the right to spend allotted times in one property, often condominium units, typically for a week and usually at the same time each year.  For many people, the concept of sharing a property is difficult, even if you are fully aware that (theoretically, anyway) the time you buy is your own.  You may want to weigh the benefits versus the prohibitions when considering whether or not to invest in a timeshare.

Convenience is the biggest pro to consider when making your decision.  Owners in the timeshare are able to return at the same time to the same place every year with no hassle.  The staff who work at the timeshare take care of all the cleaning and maintenance, which means you won’t have to hire a caretaker.

Compare the cost of your weekly cost for a hotel room over the next several decades of vacationing.  Ultimately you will save more money by paying the timeshare fee up front, particularly if you figure that most timeshare property does not appreciate like other real estate.  However, you must keep this in mind if you are planning on selling later.

One of the biggest cons you are likely to encounter is the unethical practices of unscrupulous major industry players.  Sales staff are often aggressive and may not give you all the information up front that you need to make an informed decision.  If you are considering buying a timeshare as an investment, remember that timeshares generally do not appreciate in value.  However, in a good mark the value of timeshares is known to increase.  As an owner of a timeshare, you are not obligated to keep your timeshare for the entire allotted time of ownership.  You can sell your timeshare whenever you feel like it.  One of the biggest advantages is that you can rent it out as well, but make sure that you understand the rules of your timeshare first.

Remember that, when making a decision whether to invest in timeshare, that you keep other options open.  Fractional ownership is not the same as a timeshare.  “Fractional ownership” means that any asset is divided into portions or shares, and offers people more freedom, as they own part of the title of the asset and not just the time (as in a timeshare).   On the other hand, you may want to consider becoming a member of one of several residence clubs available.  These are usually highly luxurious, reminiscent of the service you would receive in a five star hotel, and require membership.  Some higher quality hotels run their own private residence clubs, which means that you can visit multiple properties rather than being confined to one place year after year.

When deciding whether or not to invest in a timeshare, make certain that you conduct plenty of research.  You must understand fluctuations in the real estate market and have an eye on the future.