If you’re thinking about a new car these days, you’re not alone. I’m seeing more and more new cars on the road as evidenced by the temporary license plate hanging in the back window. A new car however doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s brand new off a dealer’s lot. You may decide to buy used (which is usually the better choice). If a “new” car is in your future though, you may want to take a few steps to make the purchase more manageable for yourself.

First of all, if you’re planning on financing some portion of the purchase you’ll want to take a good look at your credit rating from the different bureaus. Every consumer is entitled to one free credit report per year, but very few people actually take advantage of it. Just go to AnnualCreditReport.com to order your free reports. By knowing your credit rating you know what kind of financing you can expect and can also take steps to raise your score if that be the case.

In order to determine whether or not you can realistically afford the new purchase, you may want to set aside an amount each month equal to your estimated monthly payment. After doing this for some time, you’ll not only know how the payment will affect your monthly finances, but you’ll have a nice down payment as well for when the time comes. I would highly recommend this option to anyone who is looking into getting a new car or adding any significant monthly bill to their finances.

You will also want to research ahead of time the type of car that you’re looking for. The last thing you want to do is walk into a dealership without any idea and have the salesman talk you into something. You’ll want to be familiar with the options that are offered and decide beforehand which options you do and don’t want. Knowing this information up front allows you to negotiate the best price on a vehicle that you actually want.

Finally, before you buy that new car, take a step back and ask yourself whether you really need it or if it’s just satisfying a nagging want. Buying a new car can be a great experience, but the “perceived newness” to you doesn’t actually last that long. Just make sure that it’s purchase that doesn’t put an unnecessary strain on your finances and that you won’t regret in the near future.

A few days ago I received a check in the mail that I wasn’t expecting. It was a legitimate check for $9.25 that said it was for rewards from some program. It was from the Traveler’s Advantage program which I believe is associated with Budget Car Rentals. If you looked close, however, in fine print it said that by cashing the check you were enrolling in their program. Then on the back of the check where you would normally endorse it it had more fine print. You were agreeing to enroll in the program for 12 months at a cost of $14.99 per month.

Needless to say, I was not impressed with the tactic that was being used. Even if I had been interested in the program (which I wasn’t) I wouldn’t have signed up for it at that point because of the shady tactic that was being used. I would also venture to say that most people are turned off by marketing that is misleading. They are banking on the fact that at least some percentage of the people they’re sending it to will just cash it without reading the fine print.

This type of thing should serve as a reminder to all of us that we should always read and understand the fine print. These companies aren’t looking out for you financially, but you should be. Don’t fall prey to their deceptions. And if I were you, I wouldn’t sign up for Traveler’s Advantage. How good can the program be if they have to mislead people to get them to sign up for it?

Let me start by saying that there is nothing good on regular TV on a Saturday morning. I don’t have cable so that limits my options, but there’s pretty much only programming for kids. This being said, I happened to see something that really got me thinking.

There was a commercial that was advertising a new Barbie doll. I don’t know what the specific doll was called, but it was something like Shopper Barbie. It was basically a fashion barbie where you could pretend like you were actually buying the clothes. It comes with a credit card and a register. This may seem like it’s just another toy, but what was shocking was what they were saying about it.

The commercial was showing how the register talked and said the prices of what was being purchased. You could then swipe your credit card. They then said that you will never run out of money. I actually couldn’t believe it when I heard it. This sort of thing is what’s being taught to our children. You can buy whatever you want and you don’t have to worry about money cause you’ll never run out of it. We need to be careful what types of things we teach our children and what we allow them to believe. Take this however you want, but if you don’t teach your children about finances, they’ll learn it somewhere. And you may not like what’s being taught.

Like most people you probably accumulate a lot of things that you don’t use anymore, or at least very infrequently. A lot of this stuff probably sits around in storage or closets since there “may” come a time when you’re going to need or want it again. If this scenario doesn’t describe you, you most likely know someone it does.

Every now and then it’s a good idea to sort through your collective accumulation and assess whether you actually still need some of it. Not only can you significantly simplify your life and reduce clutter, you may be able to raise a little cash. There are many ways to rid yourself of extra “stuff” and profit from it at the same time.

Ebay is always a popular venue for selling your unused items. It’s a fairly user-friendly interface which is pretty easy to pick up. You can also list items on Craigslist which allows you to target a specific area. Craigslist is great for larger items that would need to be picked up in person by the buyer. If either of these options is too unfamiliar to you, you can always hold a standard garage sale. If you’re really enterprising, you can organize a neighborhood sale which will attract more buyers.

Another option is to donate items to local charities and organizations. You can also just give things to individuals who you think would like or could benefit from them. An expansion of this idea would be to offer an item up for a blog contest as a way to drive traffic. This is an option that I’m considering (stay tuned), but I’d only use items that are “almost new” or in great condition.

These are by no means the only ways to rid yourself of clutter and benefit at the same time. What are some ideas that have worked for you or someone you know?

Many of you out there have your own blogs, be it also about business and finance or about another subject you’re passionate about. Because you’ve got this medium already established and provide your readers with quality content and information, you have the potential to earn income.

Text Link Ads is a great service for you to sign up with in order to begin earning money from the blog you’re already publishing. Advertisers will pay to have links put up on your site that will generate traffic. All that’s required of you is a little space in one of your sidebars to put up these links.

So, if you’re looking to earn a little money on the side with your blog, give Text Link Ads a try. All you need to do is sign up with them and follow their instructions. What do you have to lose?

First of all, I’m excited to say that this is the 100th post on this blog. I’ve enjoyed writing for this site and am looking forward (hopefully you are too) to hundreds more. (Note: Fiscal Musings has also transitioned to its own domain name.)

I’m always thinking of ways I can save money, cut costs and make more money. Here I’m going to focus on 5 ways that I use to save money. None of them are difficult.

1. Rent Movies for Free: I’ve previously written about how to score free movie rentals from Redbox. These are big red DVD vending machines that you’ll find in MacDonald’s or some grocery stores; however, they aren’t all over yet, so you may not be able to find one near you. I also rent movies from the library. This isn’t a new “flashy” way to save money, but it’s free.

2. Don’t Pay Full Price at Restaurants: I’ve also written about the Restaurant Lifestyle and how you can save a lot of money by doing just a little planning ahead of time. Visit Restaurant.comto buy gift certificates at extreme discounts. For $10 you can get a $25 gift certificate, and for $3 you can get a $10 certificate. They also run promotions all the time where you can save even more. I’m always being notified of these promotions of up to an additional 60% off so just email me if you’re interested (fiscalmusings@gmail.com).

There are also a ton of coupons out there for different restaurants. Just last week my wife and I used a ‘buy one get one free’ coupon at a Chinese place. Great food for both of us and it cost us just under $8. The point is, don’t be too proud to use a coupon.

3. Re-evaluate Your Needs and Wants: Take a look at your expenditures and your spending habits. Take a moment to assess whether those things are needs or wants. It’s one thing to buy things you want; it’s another to mistake them for things you need. I’ve talked before about the line between needs and wants, but it’s good to check yourself every once and a while.

4. Take Your Lunch to Work: This can save you a lot of money in the long run. Some would argue that groceries aren’t all that cheap themselves so why not grab a quick value meal for a couple bucks. Based on my experience, though, it’s hardly ever a “quick cheap value meal” on a consistent basis. The temptation is always there to upgrade, add on, or even sit down somewhere (oops, I forgot about a tip!). By bringing your own lunch, you’re also able to use up some food at home that might otherwise have gone bad or been wasted.

In high school, I worked at a department store (JC Penney’s) and would almost always eat at the food court in the mall. I finally realized that I had to work about a full hour just to pay for the lunch I was eating that day. It was almost like working for free for an hour. Also, when I graduated high school, my uncle gave me $1,000 for college. He told me that in order to do that he had brought his lunch to work for about a year and saved difference. It was a great lesson.

5. Shop with a List: This doesn’t just apply to grocery shopping. Know what you’re going shopping for (this is what you “need”) and don’t deviate from this. Retailers are in the business of selling and up-selling. They are very good at getting you to buy something you don’t need or didn’t even really want. It’s called merchandising. I’m always amused when I hear that people found something they just had to buy because it was such a great deal. Interestingly, they’re always finding these “great deals”. Remember, you save more money by not buying something than by buying something on sale.

Thanks for reading this site’s 100th post. If you’re new to this site, take a look around at some of the previous entries, and remember…

These radio ads have been around for a while now, and they’re a great example of what marketing can be. They’re also really funny. So here are a few spots to brighten your day:

• Mr. Hot Stock Tip Giver Outer
• Mr. Nosebleed Section Ticket Holder Guy
• Mr. Gangsta Rapper Posse Member
• Mr. Pro Sports Heckler Guy

Aside from just being funny, these spots accomplish many marketing goals. The product is remembered afterwards. The ads are memorable. They also generate a certain level of buzz. It’s also been such a successful marketing campaign that they keep making new ones because they’re so recognizable.