ways 2 save

Cook at home often: If both the husband and wife work, this is likely to be very diffi cult. Start out with the habit of cooking at home once a week and slowly increase the frequency until you fi nd a

balance between saving money and getting stressed out.

Make your own coffee: Everyone seems to have heard of the latte factor. Even though the author may have overestimated the savings from skipping a latte at Starbucks, don’t underestimate the

ding it puts in your pocket in the long run. You don’t have to entirely ban drinking coffee, but skip it as often as possible unless you make it at home.

Brown bag lunch at least a few days a week: Lunch times are great opportunities to network and make connections that could improve your career growth. So unless there is a common eating

area for brown baggers, you may choose to limit brown bagging lunch to three days each week. Find a balance between saving some money and making the connection. In my case, I take my lunch

with me 2-3 times a week and eat out the rest of the time.

Make a list before going shopping: They call it impulse buying for a reason. Humans simply have a very tough time resisting the temptation to purchase extras while shopping. Without a list you

will buy items that you simply do not need. Even worse is when your forget to purchase the actual item you came to the store for in the fi rst place. If you plan on cooking at home, pre-plan a rough

menu and make a list before you go grocery shopping. Getting all that you need in one trip can help avoid another unnecessary trip and temptation.

Go grocery shopping while you are in a hurry: Maybe you need to go out in a couple of hours. Or your favorite show is going to be on TV after a couple of hours. Try to squeeze in the grocery

trip in that intermediate time. Armed with your grocery list, you should be in-and-out very quickly with little time for meandering and getting tempted to buy things you don’t need.

Watch out for expiration dates on perishable goods: This one seems intuitive when you read it, but I am surprised at how many people do not pay attention to expiry dates. No point getting a

gallon of milk if it is going to turn sour with a couple of days. Same goes for meat, eggs, yogurt, spreads, frozen items, deli/bakery items etc. Some people say you can use a few items a few days after

expiry – but I personally value my health more than money and would rather avoid buying such items in the fi rst place.

Buy in bulk whenever possible: When it comes to non-perishable items, buy in bulk whenever you fi nd something on sale. The items I usually stock up on are, cereals, tinned goods, rice, beans,

pasta, coke, toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, toilet paper etc. For such items, shopping at warehouse stores like Costco, Sam’s Club etc can save you quite a bit of money, provided you stick strictly

to your shopping list when you shop at these places.

Buy generic products whenever possible: Does it really matter whether your cereal is made by Kellogg’s or is the store brand? Does it matter if your milk is Oak Farms or the store brand? For a

few things (like soda in particular), I prefer brand name products. For others, I do not mind generic store brands if they can save me money. Find what works for you and switch to generic brands for

at least a part of your grocery list.

Use grocery store bags to line trash cans: This may not work if you use a massive trash can but we use a small sized one for which the grocery bags are a perfect fi t. This not only helps us save

some money, but reduces our environmental foot print and avoids the kitchen from stinking from a huge overfl owing trash can.

Consolidate and pay off debt as soon as possible: If you carry any debt, focus on consolidating it to a lower interest and paying it off as soon as possible. Money paid in interest is money thrown

away! Why spend your hard-earned cash to make the fi nancial institutions rich?

Be aware of your bank balance and avoid over draft fees: If you use your checking account often or have some bills that are paid automatically from your checking account, be aware of the

balance and avoid overdraft fees.

Avoid ATM fees: Be aware of the ATM withdrawal fees charged by your bank.

Price check before buying anything expensive: For other items that are expensive, do a price check before buying the item. If you can wait for a while you can track the prices and grab a great

deal when it comes along.

Avoid impulse buying: Make it a habit to avoid impulse buying.

Bottle your own water: Drinking water is good for your health. I always make it a habit to keep some at my desk at all times. Bottled water is the most convenient since it can provide protection

against accidental spills. That said, buy bottled water only once in a while, and then reuse that bottle to fi ll your own water. If you are not happy with tap water, invest in a Brita Filter – in the long run

it can save a lot of money.

Avoid the vending machines: Almost everything that is dispensed via vending machines has a huge markup (and is rarely healthy).

Avoid credit cards with annual fee: Credit cards with their cash back bonuses and reward points are a great way to save some money. Just make sure that the card does not charge you any annual

fees! There is no dearth of cards that offer fee-free reward plans, so there really is no reason to pay the annual fees.

Disconnect land line if possible: Unless you have small kids in the house or older people to take care of, it is more than likely that you will be able to survive with only the mobile phones and can

get rid of the land line. We have survived without any problems for over 4 years now with out a land line. Our Internet comes via cable.

Instead of buying books, borrow books from the library: Whenever possible, borrow your books instead of buying them. The card to your public library is free and the libraries are generally

well stocked. In my city, the chain of public libraries is connected and the available books can be checked online. If there is some book that I cannot fi nd in my local branch, I can make a request online

for it to be brought in from one of the other branches to mine which is very convenient.

If you have to buy books, check if you can buy it used: Used books do not quite give the same feeling as leafi ng through the crisp pages of a brand new book. But considering that you can get

used books for almost as much as half the price of a new book, it is a small price to pay. My favorite place to buy used books is a local chain called “Half Price Book Store”

Do regular scheduled maintenance on your vehicles: Do not skimp on or forget to do regular oil changes. Remember to check the air in your tires often. And use the grade of fuel that the owner’s

manual recommends. These small acts can signifi cantly lengthen the life of your car, giving you years of use.

Ride your bike or carpool whenever possible: In many of the cities in the US it is hard to get by without a car. That said, just because you have a car does not mean you have to use it every day.

Whenever possible, ride your bike or share a ride with a colleague or spouse and save both on gas and reduce the environmental footprint.

If you watch a lot of DVDs, get an online DVD store membership: Membership to online movie stores like Netfl ix or Blockbuster Online can save you a lot of money compared to buying DVDs

or renting it from a local store. You need to wait once you order the movie, but if you watch a lot of movies at home, then you can easily get into the habit of ordering ahead of time so you always have

something at home.

If you like watching movies at the theater, go before 6:00 pm: This is one of our soft spots when it comes to spending. We really like watching movies in the theater with the big screen and the

great sound effects. But instead of paying ~$10 a pop for the ticket, we usually go before 6:00pm when the tickets are a little less expensive. Also, for movies that we don’t absolutely want to watch

right away, we just wait until it screens on the discount theater where the tickets are $2 a pop. We avoid the temptation to buy snacks, by usually going for a theater some time soon after our lunch or

sometimes sneaking in our own snacks in the purse.

Regulate your electric use: When not in use, unplug electric appliances. Apparently, unplugging the TV instead of just switching it off can save a lot of electricity! When not in a room, switch off the

lights and the fan. Use a programmable thermostat to control your A/C and heater usage. If that’s too much, at least know what each appliance uses and unplug a few of them.

Plan vacations ahead of time: Vacations are a necessary part of saving our sanity in the busy lives that we lead. But vacations are also a huge drain on the family fi nances. You can cut the cost of

a vacation signifi cantly by planning and booking ahead of time. Bookmark travel sites for fi nding inexpensive airfare, hotel etc., and book at least two weeks in advance.

Avoid credit cards with annual fee: Credit cards with their cash back bonuses and reward points are a great way to save some money. Just make sure that the card does not charge you any annual

fees! There is no dearth of cards that offer fee-free reward plans, so there really is no reason to pay the annual fees.

Regulate your electric use: When not in use, unplug electric appliances. Apparently, unplugging the TV instead of just switching it off can save a lot of electricity! When not in a room, switch off the

WAYS

INSIDE

2SAVE

Save with coupons found in each edition of the Reporter-Herald,

page 3

Create a budget and stick to it, page 10

6.17.09

2 Ways To Save/Reporter-Herald W E D N E S D AY, JUNE 17, 2 0 0 9

Readers share tipson saving money

Save on Groceries ............................................ pg. 3Summer vacation on a budget ..................... pg. 5Save on your next auto purchase................ pg. 8Create a budget and stick to it.................. pg. 10

inside WAYS TO SAVE

JADE CO DYSPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

In the past year, many of us havehad to tighten our belts withspending and saving. Some have

even cinched up suspenders (thelucky ones, I say).

Personally, I am bad at savingmoney — with or without tight fit-ting waistline fashion. I eat out toomuch, play too much and generallydo everything else too much, too.But I’m trying.

If you are looking for ways to save,too, browse through this Reporter-Herald section to find a number ofadvertisements and articles withhelpful ideas. I also asked RH read-ers to write in with their own tips onhow to save. Here is what they sentme:

• Share magazine subscriptionswith your extended family. Whenyou’re done reading each one, passit on. When done completely, sendmagazines to the magazine recy-cling table at the public library soothers can enjoy.

• Get the government coupons fordigital converter boxes and cut offsatellite and cable. You can save over$100 per month.

• Wait for movies to come to theCinema Saver Six in Fort Collins andlimit to once a month or less.

• Loveland public library has freestory time. It gets the boys out andabout, and they have a ton of fun.

• Hulu.com has a lot of free showsand movies to watch online.

• Cut off Internet service and hitup free Wi-Fi hot-spots.

• No land line. Just use cheap cell

phones.• Instead of going out to the bars,

pick up a shift at a bar. I have just asmuch fun socializing (have a fewfree drinks) and I get paid.

• I don’t buy CD’s, I get music freeon Pandora.com

• Collect all the different ads andcoupons from all of the grocerystores in the Sunday Reporter-Her-ald. Take them all to Wal-Mart, theyhonor them all. Saves at least $200per month (most of the time we cutour entire grocery total by 50-75p e rc e n t ) .

• Go generic.• Get cheap dog food. Our dog is

as healthy and happy with his $12bag of food as he was with his $45bag.

• PBR is good, cheap beer.• Designate a drawer at work for

snacks instead of hittin’ up thatoverpriced vending machine.

• I skateboard to work as often asI can and our VW gets 25-35 MPG.We spend maybe $20 a month ongas.

• No gym membership: Push-ups,sit-ups, pull-ups and running arefree.

• Grandparents love to spend timewith their Grandchildren. Let themwhile you’re at work. We have justone day of paid daycare.

• Go home for lunch everyday andeat leftovers.

• I utilized the newspaper’s classi-fieds to advertise selling plant startsfrom my yard. The last two weekendsI made $78 selling plants that I hadthinned out from my yard. Over thelast eight years, I’ve probably madeover $600.

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Ways To Save/Reporter-Herald W E D N E S D AY, JUNE 17, 2009 3

LI N DA LARSONMARKETING/COMMUNITY RE L AT I O N S

If you think you just can’t get yourgrocery dollars to stretch farenough, you’re not alone. The cost

of groceries — from food to health andbeauty aides to cleansers — is enoughto strain the best of budgets. But eat-ing well and staying healthy doesn’tneed to break your budget.

Not everyone has time, energy oreven space, to maximize their savings.But you can reduce your costs, usingthe methods that are right for you.You won’t become a super saverovernight, but you can start saving im-mediately, and add new techniquesthat are appropriate for you.

I can sniff out a coupon or promocode a mile away. It’s almost like agame for me — to see if I can find acoupon for whatever I’m going to buy.$.25 here, $1 there; it really adds up.

Coupons easily can cut 10-to-20 per-cent from your grocery bill — and it’s

possible to save much more if you’rewilling to put in a little time and effort.For some it’s a hobby, for some it’s anecessity, but for most people, it’s justa smart thing to do.

Saving money is sometimes easierthan making money. Using coupons isa simple, sure-fire way to save moneythat requires a little up-front planningand perseverance. Before getting start-ed saving money with coupons, begin-ning couponers must first learn whereto get coupons.

THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

There are usually one-to-three insertbooklets of coupons for grocery items.I can usually find a coupon for brandsand products I regularly buy. My fa-vorite coupons are the ones that willgive you a free product. Coupons arecommonly from Valassis, Smart Source

and RedPlum. Ad-ditionally, largecompanies likeProcter & Gamble(look for theP & G b r a n d S AV E Rinsert) andUnilever oftenhave specialcoupon inserts fortheir products.

THE WEDNESDAY PAPER(THE GROCERY ADS)

The Wednesday paper holds all theads for the grocery stores. I browsethrough these to findcoupons for specificitems at specific grocerystores. Some-timescoupons areonly valid fora few days be-cause theyare such agood deal ($1for a jar ofpeanut butteror $.25 for acarton of eggs).

IN PACKAGESOften times,

you find couponsin certain foodpackages that aregood for a discount on a future pur-chase of that same item. For instance,South Beach Diet foods often have acoupon for $1 off a future purchase ofanother South Beach product. Or cer-tain items at the drugstore, like de-odorant or sometimes toothpaste willhave a coupon in it. Chances are if youbought the product to use then youlike that product, so why not save mon-ey on a future purchase of it?

ONLINESearch for coupons on any search en-

gine site online and you will find a tonof sites where you can print couponsright off of your computer! Also visitthe Web sites of the companies thatmake the food products, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, health andbeauty products, household productsand other consumer products that you

buy. Many of these companies are likelyto provide printable coupons on theirWeb sites, or they will mail or e-mailcoupons to consumers who sign up fortheir e-letters.

Some Web sites let you printcoupons as soonas you register,while others e-mail the couponsto you periodical-ly. You might wantto create an e-mailaccount specificallyfor this purpose.

You may need todownload a coupon-printing program.Download these pro-grams only from theWeb sites of well-known companies.

Downloading programsfrom disreputable Web sites

Saving

Online couponWeb sites

Coupons.comShopatHome.comCouponsinc.comInternetdrugcoupons.comCouponmoutnain.comGrocer ycoupons-save.comIvillagecoupons.comGrocer ycouponnetwork.comC o u p o n s u r f e r. c o mGrocer ysavingtips.comthegrocer ygame.com

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can load viruses onto your computer.One disappointment I’ve found with online

printable coupons is that when they print out, itclearly states “No Doubling.” I’m less inclined towant to print them if this is the case, because Ican create such terrific deals with store specialsand a doubled coupon from the newspaper.

THROUGH E-MAILMany of the online coupon sites have an e-mail

list you can sign up for to receive coupons throughyour e-mail so you don’t have to go online to findthem. You can also receive coupons to specificstores/restaurants when you sign up for their e-mail lists.

AT STORESHave you ever seen the little red coupon dis-

pensing machines lining the aisles of your grocerystore? I have to admit that I haven’t seen as manyof them lately, but I do find coupons at grocerystores from time to time — and they are conve-niently located right underneath the item they aref o r.

M AG A Z I N E SMany magazines also feature coupons in a lot of

their ads. You can often find coupons for groceryitems in magazines that are directed towardswomen (Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, etc.).Fashion magazines tend to have coupons for differ-ent makeup and skin care items as well.

CLIPPING SERVICESIf the thought of picking up a pair of scissors or

taking the time to clip turns you off, there are ser-vices that will clip any coupon you need for a smallfee. For between 5 and 8 cents per coupon, theseservices will fulfill your coupon order and mailthem to you.

NOW, TO SHOPI set my goal at saving 45-60 percent on every

grocery trip and the higher the percentage, themore I feel like I won. I can do this consistentlywith every shopping trip without a lot of extra ef-fort. I know there are people who do better —much better than that. Before you shake yourhead and believe that it is impossible, readthrough — it takes organization and time, butanyone can do it.

The first step is to start with the Wednesdaynewspaper and sales flyer. Time to make a list withsales items only. What is worth looking at? Makeno commitment to purchasing anything, just noteany good prices, or anything you know for a factyou need to buy (perishables, produce). Note anyspecial additional offers, such as the “buy 10 get$10 back,” or “free with purchase.” Again, try notto assume you are going to buy any item just be-cause it’s a good price.

The next step is to walk over and open the re-frigerator. What do you need, what do you haveroom for, what needs to be tossed (do it now), andhow can you rearrange what you have to fit themost in. We usually need fresh milk, coffee cream-er and produce. Check the pantry, cleanser area,laundry and personal care items, too.

Next, match up the coupons you currently havewith the offers and your immediate needs. Ham-burger Helper is $1 on sale, a good emergency sta-ple, but not critical. Add on a $1 coupon, whichmakes it free, and mark your list to be sure to pickit up. Is something you need not on sale? Keep iton the list, and check prices in the store. If pricesare too high and it’s not critical for the next sevendays, try to pass it up and hope for a better pricenext week.

If it’s something with a high price, has no sale,no coupon, and is not critical, cross it off the list.

Personally, I don’t make a meal plan before Ishop. The sales and savings drive the meal plan-ning later, with a bit of creativity.

Now, to the store. I have a short list, a few notesand my ever present coupon box. Even though Isort out coupons I know I want to use with sales orcritical items, there may be additional clearancesor unadvertised sales that I want to take advantageof. Before submitting them during check-out,make sure your coupons are within their expira-

tion dates. When you're organized, you avoid frus-trating yourself and likely the people behind youin line.

When is a coupon not a good deal? Knowing thiscan be as helpful to you as the coupon itself.

In most cases, the generic version of what you’rebuying is cheaper than the more expensive coun-terpart even with a coupon. You may be askingyourself, “So why even bother? Why not just pur-chase generics?” You will need to become coupon-savvy in order to recognize when coupons are agood deal and when they’re not. Coupons workbest when they’re combined with another deal orare doubled.

My store of choice doubles up to 50 cents (i.e.,doubles to become $1). No super deals there, butit does help reduce costs. Many grocery storeshave loyalty programs that not only give you sav-ings on certain items; they also track your spend-ing patterns and present you with relevantcoupons upon check-out to use on future shop-ping trips. You’ll get the best deals by combiningthe manufacturer's coupon with a store's coupon.

Take advantage of buy one get one free offers.You can use two coupons on these promotions be-cause you're buying two items. You can even use abuy-one-get-one-free coupon and end up gettingboth for free.

I walk every aisle and look. Any sale tags hang-ing? Any surprise sales? They exist if you take thetime to look and find them. You'll get the mostsavings by waiting until the item you have acoupon for goes on sale. Be careful that you don'twait too long, though, since most coupons haveexpiration dates.

The satisfaction and pay-out comes when youhave cleared the finish line (checkout) with a sav-ings that is significant enough to go fill up yourtank at the affiliate gas station, where you’veearned enough points to knock an additional tencents off each gallon by being a smart shopper.Good luck.

Linda Larsen is a career couponer and theMarketing/Community Relations Manager forthe Reporter-Herald. She can be reached atl l a r s o n @ re p o r t e r- h e r a l d . c o m .

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Summer

MEGHALA DI VA K A R A NFOR THE RE P O RT E R -HERALD

June 21 is the first official day of summer this year, al-though it seems like the weather in northern Coloradois unable to make up its mind about it. Many people

have made plans to go away for the season, but the uncer-tain economic condition is making them think twice aboutit. And yet, the call of exotic places, the thrill of exploringand just taking a break from the humdrum of everyday lifeis too hard to ignore.

There is a way to make the best of both worlds by plan-ning a summer getaway carefully. Summers are a busy timeof year, and getting a decent place to stay may pose a chal-lenge if planned at the last minute. Besides, it’s easier tonegotiate a good price before others stake their claims.When purchasing other travel options, buying a packagemay also help save money since they often include lodging,meals and a variety of activities.

Another must-do for those looking to save on summertravel is paying a visit to the local visitor center. There arecoupons and great deals on lodging, dining and other vaca-tion pursuits. There is also valuable information on localweather and things to look out for. The information is freeand advisors at the visitor centers are happy to help. This is

Find below low-budget vacationideas from hotdealscolorado.com.

NATURE WALKS IN ASPENLong Walks with No ‘Fo o t p r i n t s ’ in

Aspen. Visitors can commune with na-ture on free guided nature walks led bynaturalists from the Aspen Center forEnvironmental Services. The 45-minutewalks meander along Richmond Ridgeatop Aspen Mountain, where partici-pants learn about the trees, birds andanimals that thrive in the high-alpineenvironment. Tours meet at the top ofthe gondola on the hour from 11 a.m.to 3 p.m. daily. www.aspennature.org

CENTRAL COLORADOEffervescent Experiences in Central

Colorado. Hike through eight miles ofpaved and unpaved trails at the Gardenof the Gods, a 480-acre park known forits 20 stunning sandstone rock forma-tions. Then cool off in the nearby townof Manitou Springs, which features sev-eral fountains offering natural mineralwater. www.experiencecoloradosprings.com; www.manitousprings.org

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARKSleep Under the Stars in South Cen-

tral Colorado. At the Great Sand DunesNational Park and Preserve, travelerscan see the largest sand dunes in NorthAmerica (and slide down them on skis,snowboards, sleds, etc.) or watch localwildlife such as mule, deer, pronghorn,and coyotes. You can also camp under-neath the starts — all for less than $20

a night. www.nps.gov/grsa/

GONDOLA RIDES IN VAIL

Enjoy summer Gondola Rides in Vail.On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdaysfrom 4-9 p.m. (mid-June through La-bor Day), Vail’s Eagle Bahn Gondola of-fers free rides up Vail Mountain. Don’tmiss the F.A.C. (Friday Afternoon Club)featuring live entertainment at 10,000feet. www.visitvailvalley.com

DINOSAUR RIDGE

Have a Jurassic Time at DinosaurRidge. Take a self-guided tour of Di-nosaur Ridge. It allows visitors to viewJurassic dinosaur bones, such as al-losaurus, apatosaurus and stegosaurusfossils as well as more than 300 creta-ceous dinosaur footprints. Stop by thevisitor center for a free trail map thatwill lead you through viewing stops thatfeature bones, tracks and prehistoricripples preserved in this unique out-door setting. www.dinoridge.org

NEW BELGIUM BREWERY

Each year, thousands of visitors de-scend upon the New Belgium Brewery,looking to sample its award-winningbrews. The brewery offers one-hourguided tours Tuesday through Friday,leaving every half hour 1 to 3:30 p.m.On Saturday, tours run from 11 to 3p.m. on the half hour. The tours arelimited to 20 people and are offered ona first come first serve basis.w w w. n e w b e l g i u m . c o m

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MEGHALA DI VA K A R A NFOR THE RE P O RT E R -HERALD

With car prices plummeting,this is perhaps the best timein years to buy that dream car.

This is particularly true of GM andChrysler brands with the governmentstepping in to cover warranties. Carcompanies are offering deals that havenever been offered before and the in-dustry is abuzz with markdowns andgreat values on trade-ins. Here aresome tips to help you buy that dreamcar at a dream price.

DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH:John Schneible of Uptown Auto, an

independent body shop in Loveland,said the first thing every buyer shoulddo is to conduct thorough research.Read as many car reviews as possible,and what’s even better, try and find oneor two people who own the car and talkto them. Read reviews after the car hasbeen owned for 10 years or more, sincethat’s when the real quality of the carcomes through.

According to Schneible, even beforegoing to a dealer, obtain comparativecar quotes from reputable online websites such as Cars.com, Edmunds.com, Yahoo!Autos, InvoiceDealers, Au-tos.com, MyRide.com andCarsDirect. If unable to get a consen-sus quote from online dealers, get thelowest quote and present that to thedealer. If the dealer is unable to matchit, consider buying the car online.

P R I C E - M ATC H I N GEngaging dealers in a price-match

competition is another option. SumaKuravi of Fort Collins, who purchased acar last year, went to three differentdealers and asked the first dealer tomatch the lowest offer. She saved$4,000 by using the price-match strate-gy. When the dealer was unable to re-duce the price of the car, she asked fora discount on the accessories.

“Generally, it is better to buy stan-dard accessories from outside, but ifyou want to buy the car pre-packagedwith certain accessories, you may usethat as a negotiation plank. Stay awayfrom certain features like rust-proof-ing, window tinting, etching, clearmarks, etc. — these are add-ons thatdealers use to make you pay more,”

Kuravi said.The price-match strategy may also be

used to finance the car. Having com-petitive interest quotes from onlinevendors and local dealers will make itsimpler to negotiate the rate with adealer. According to Jack Moore ofJack’s Auto in Loveland, “The goldenrule in negotiating is to never buy a carin the first visit. Do not be afraid to say‘n o. ’ The dealers will always call youback,” he said.

For used cars, another factor thatshould be taken into account is main-tenance expense. Think about howmuch you can afford to pay for a carand add that to the purchase price.Many used cars are out of warranty andyou may have to either purchase a war-ranty or risk paying for expensive re-pairs down the line. Schneible gavethese numbers:

• Average yearly maintenance on avehicle out of warranty: $1,000-$2,000a year

• Independent research on cost permile: Audi — 28 to 30 cents per mile

• Toyota — 12 to 13 cents per mile• Average expected repairs and ser-

vice needed on a vehicle for sale on aused car lot: $800-$1,000

Any used car should be inspected bya professional mechanic, and most au-to repair shops offer these pre-pur-chase inspections for a fee.

Joe Goebhardt, of Davidson Goeb-hardt Chevrolet in Loveland, said thatwhen buying a used car, lowest mileageand/or price may not be the best indi-cators of the car’s health. A car mayhave been used sparingly but not beenserviced at all or poorly maintained.

“Looking at the car history report atCarfax will give you a better picture ofwhat the car is capable of,” he said.

THE TRADE–INFor those looking to trade a used car

for a new one, there are some simplerules to remember. Learn about thevalue of the car by looking up KellyBlueBook, Edmunds, The National Au-tomobile Dealers Association and bytalking to a mechanic, Schneible said.

“It is important to make sure thatyou get a fair price for your car,” hesaid.

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Ways To Save/Reporter-Herald W E D N E S D AY, JUNE 17, 2009 9to drive new vehicles, especially those that pay atten-tion to the mileage limit on the contract,” Schneiblesaid. Once the mileage limit exceeds, however, it is adifferent story. Consider leasing if you like to own anew car every two-three years.

Those who like to take advantage of cars requiringminimum to no maintenance for the first few yearsshould consider rotating cars every three years. Thecar is still in very good condition, and you have takenthe brunt of its depreciation; waiting to sell it four-to-five years or later will fetch a bad price, Schneiblesaid.

CASH VS. FINANCINGIf a person has the money to buy a new car, there’s

nothing like it. Investing savings in a long-term sav-ings account is not always going to yield better re-turns than paying the annual percentage rate(APR)on a car, according to Goebhardt.

Once the car is paid for in full, there is nothing toworry about, and the entire step of negotiating thefinance charge is eliminated. If unable to borrowmoney from a low-interest financer, or a friend, be-ing prepared for a car financing option is the way togo. While researching car finance options, collectingquotes from online vendors and comparing themwith your dealer would help.

“Pay attention to term length, interest rates andAPR’s. A 0 percent APR may seem fantastic at first,but a careful reading may be necessary to under-stand it fully and making sure that you are not losingmoney in the long term,” Goebhard said.

BEWARE OF AUCTIONSThere are several Web sites out there that adver-

tise auctions for vehicles seized by the police andother government agencies. Some of these may bebogus but www.autoauctions.gsa.gov is not. Accord-ing to Moore of Jack’s Auto, “if a mechanic or some-one who knows cars inside out is able to accompanyyou to these auctions, chances are that you will get agood deal.”

These cars have to be bought as-is, however, andeven if you have a car history report, an element ofrisk is always involved. “These vehicles may be in-spected but not be test-driven and hence having amechanic by your side is always helpful. Some auc-tions are restricted to car dealers, and most dealerspurchase cars from auctions that are then turnedaround and sold,” he said.

Knowing the price of the car will help, and thething to remember is that you are competing withthe general public, mechanics and car dealers andthe last thing you want to do is get swayed by theauction and end up paying more than planned.

THE EXTENDED WARRANTY QUESTIONPeople who plan on buying a car for a long term

may consider purchasing extended warranty. Thesewarranties are sold by third-party vendors, car deal-ers and online vendors.

“It’s important to read between the lines of the ex-tended warranty contract and do the math beforedeciding to purchase it,” Goebhardt said.

Schneible added that it is important to comparethe terms offered by the dealer and other vendors.

“Most warranties have an upper limit of $3,000and they do not cover routine maintenance,”Schneible said. “They also have four or five levels ofservice and when considering a warranty, it’s betterto buy the highest level that covers electronics andsensors. It does add to the total price of the car andunless deemed necessary in your particular situa-tion, this is an add-on that may be avoided.”

BEST TIME TO BUY A CARPrices are at an all-time low and although the in-

terest rates are not very attractive, if there is an op-tion to pay by cash, the deals are here to grab.

“Factories are offering special rebates and dealersare happy to share that information with you”Goebhardt said. Knowing when rebates are offeredahead of time will also give a hook to negotiatewith.

Goebhardt added that many customers are un-aware that sales tax is calculated not according towhere the vehicle is purchased but where the cus-tomer resides. It is not better to buy a car in a cer-tain state because the state taxes are lower, since thetax will depend on your place of residence.

In the end, everything comes down to getting thatdream car at a dream price. Passion for a car will cer-tainly go a long way in getting the best price and fol-lowing the guidelines discussed here will make thejob easier.

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Build a wise budget

RHEMA MUNCYSPECIAL SECTIONS RE P O RT E R

Cash seems to burn a lot of pock-et holes. The Consumer Re-ports Money Book recently

found that typical American house-holds carry $38,000 in debt, besideshouse debt and that total consumerdebt has nearly tripled since 1980from $1.3 trillion to $3.3 trillion. Ac-cording to the Wall Street Journal, 70percent of all consumers live from pay-check to paycheck.

But according to local budgetingprofessionals, saving money is a habiteasily built through cash flow aware-ness, setting and keeping financialgoals and living within salary means.

There are classes on financial stabili-ty offered by reputable sources inLoveland on a regular basis, such asthe Money Matters program at theLoveland Public Library, area churchsmall groups and Larimer CountyWorkforce Center classes.

Money-saving basics are comingback into style according to LarimerCounty Extension Director Laurel Ku-bin, a presenter at the Loveland PublicLibrary Money Matters program. Themonthly sessions cover a range ofmoney topics, including the June ses-sion about budgeting.

“Knowing where your money is go-ing is the first step,” Kubin said. “Ta kea look at those things that are mustsin your life and those things that couldpossibly wait or be of lower priority.Figure out the best way to use the in-come you have so that you are meet-ing your basic needs with out overspending and being able to live withinyour means.”

Librarian Susan Linden presentedthe May money talk on how to utilizebank services safely. She laid theground-work for smart budgeting byinforming the public about the safetyof FDIC insured banks and checkingout all of the savings and investing op-tions available.

Mutual savings banks are insured bythe FDIC. A commercial bank has afull range of financial services, such aschecking, saving, lending and many

branches have ATMs and FDIC insur-ance for their accounts.

“Monitor your bank’s financialhealth through the FDIC, make sureyour accounts are insured, tightenyour money management and increaseyour emergency fund with 3-6 monthsof costs covered if something shouldhappen,” Linden said.

Linden offered several resources tobegin the budgeting process, includ-ing “Personal Finance,” a text book byKapoor, Dlabay and Hughes.

The book offered a system for suc-cessful money management. The bud-geting track started with handling dai-ly business affairs, including payingbills on time; planning and measuringfinancial progress; completing re-quired tax reports; making effectiveinvestment decisions and determiningavailable resources for current and fu-ture buying.

The budget plan can be crafted afterthe completion of a statement of fi-nancial position. According to Kapoor,a family’s net worth is determined by asimple equation subtracting debt fromwhat is owned.

To list items of value, the text sug-gested these guidelines:• Determine liquid assets — These

items of value could easily be convert-ed into cash. This can include easilyaccessed checking and savings ac-counts and life insurance cash value.• Assess real estate value — This in-

cludes a home, condominium, vaca-tion property or other owned land.• Personal possessions — Items

such as automobiles, technology, jew-elry and other possessions listed atcurrent market value.• Investment assets — These funds

have been set aside for long termgoals, reflecting their value at thetime the financial assessment is pre-pared.

After household value is determined,the next step is to calculate debt. Thisincludes debts needed to be paid in ashort time as well as long term liabili-

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ties, according toKapoor. Plug both theassets and liabilities in-to the net worth equa-tion.

“A person may havehigh net worth but stillhave financial difficul-ties,” Kapoor wrote.“Having many assetswith low liquiditymeans not having thecash available to paycurrent expenses.”

After determining net worth, thetext book suggested creating acash flow statement to track theoutflow of cash during a certaintime period. The equation for thisinformation is cash outflows duringthe time period subtracted fromthe total cash received during thetime period to determine cash sur-plus or deficit.

This statement records income,fixed expenses and variable expens-es to help accurately see wheremoney is spent. For more informa-tion on how to set up such a bud-geting sheet, peruse the McGraw-

Hill/Irwin personal finance onlinetool at www.mhhe.com/business/finance/persfinonline/index.html.

Once financial health is assesed,Financial Peace University founderDave Ramsey offers tools to getpeople out of debt and making fi-nancially sound decisions.

Loveland Church of the Nazarenerecently studied the 13-week Fi-nancial Peace University programvia video lectures with Ramsey asthe content presenter.

BABY STEPSThe first encouragement Ramsey

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offered was to help people get out offinancial messes by taking baby steps.

• Step One: Establish an Emergen-cy Fund of $1,000 ($500 if the house-hold income is under $20,000 a year).

• Step Two: Pay off all debt exceptthe house using the debt snowballmethod. This method requires payingoff the smallest debt first while mak-ing minimum monthly payments onthe other debts. Then when the small-

est debt is paid off, apply those pay-ments to the second smallest debt,working up the chain.

• Step Three: Build up three-to-sixmonths of expenses in savings.

• Step Four: Invest 15 percent ofthe household income into Roth IRAsand pre-tax retirement.

• Step Five: Build up college fund-ing.

• Step Six: Pay off the home early.• Step Seven: Build wealth through

mutual funds real estate.The class covered in depth how to

achieve these baby steps and othertopics such as cash flow planning, on-ly buying through bargains and re-training the brain to save instead of

consume money.

SETTING PERSONAL GOALSEric Tyson, financial coun-

selor and author of “Pe r s o n a lFinance for Dummies” dis -pelled the belief that moremoney equals more financial se-

c u r i t y.“Folks who accomplish their

goals aren’t necessarily smarter orhigher income-earners than thosewho don’t,” Tyson wrote. “People who

identify their goals andthen work toward them,which often requireschanging some habits,are the ones who accom-plish their goals.”

Kubin stressed thatpeople remind them-selves of smart financialplanning basics.

“It helps if we can beencouraged to use someof the most basic infor-mation around moneymanagement,” she said. “We reallyare in control of our money throughthe choices we make — it is very em-powering to feel like we are on top ofthe game rather than feeling like weare always going to be in debt. We arealso a healthier community when wehave people that have more financials t a b i l i t y. ”

RESOURCESBooks available at the library for

check-out:• Common Sense Economics: What

Everyone Should Know About Wealthand Prosperity by James D. Gwartney,Richard L. Stroup and Dwight Lee.

• Smart and Simple FinancialStrategies for Busy People by BryantQuinn.

• Unconventional Success: A Funda-mental Approach to Personal Invest-ment by David R. Swenson.

• The Budget Kit: The CommonCents Money Management Workbookby Judy Lawrence.

• The Self-Sufficiency Standard forColorado 2008: A Family Needs Bud-get by Diana Pearce prepared for theColorado Fiscal Policy Institute.

• The Tightwad Gazette: PromotingThrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyleby Amy Dacyczyn.

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