ragingtornado/flickr

Many serious and expensive mechanical problems begin a long time before your car breaks. There are lots of signs indicating that something is wrong. If you learn to recognize those signs, you can save yourself a lot of money and heartache.

However, talking to your mechanic about what you sense is wrong is not always easy. You need to know how to talk about what you are experiencing.

First of all, it is important to notice when your car is running well. How does it sound? How does it handle? Turn off the radio and roll down the window. Ride in the car by yourself and listen. What do you hear?

If something sounds funny, you will need to describe it to your mechanic in terms that he understands. Here are ten basic mechanic sound names and descriptions from the booklet “Let’s Talk: A Service Signals Checklist for the Car Owner” published by General Motors Corporation:

1. Boom – continuous bass drum roll; distant thunder
2. Click – camera shutter; retractable ball-point pen
3. Clunk – heavy door closing
4. Grind  – sharpening an ax on a grinding wheel; garbage disposal
5. Growl – angry dog
6. Hiss – air escaping from a tire; steam from a radiator
7. Knock – knock on a door
8. Rattle – baby’s rattle; stone bouncing around in a can
9. Squeal  – like a pig sound; fingernails scraping on a blackboard
10. Whine – electric drill motor;  mosquito

Now that you have some names to describe what you are hearing, really listen. Write down what you are hearing. Does this sound happen when the car is cold? Does it happen when the car is hot? Can you make this sound happen anytime you want? Does this sound only happen under certain conditions? If you can’t answer these questions, your mechanic is going to charge you a high hourly rate to find out.

Also pay attention to smell, handling, leaks, and response. Keep a notebook in your glove compartment and write down anything unusual. If you jot down mileage and amount of gas pumped each time you fill your tank, you will be able to calculate your miles per gallon, another indicator of how your car is performing.

Your mechanic is not a mind reader, nor is he a magician. He needs you to be able to let him know what you have noticed about your car so that he can accurately and cheaply repair your car. Oh, and by the way, if you feel that your mechanic doesn’t want to hear what you have to say – get another mechanic.

This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

Would you let a stranger drive your car to make some extra cash? Rudolf Gumba / Flickr

This post is brought to you by hearing aids.

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

While listening to NPR yesterday, I learned more and more people are making extra money by letting complete strangers (Yikes!) drive their cars for a fee. The people who are renting out their cars are doing so through car-sharing start-ups.

A college age woman told NPR she makes an extra $150 a month. That’s $1,800 a year. Nice! Before you start making money off your ride, here are some things you need to know to protect yourself and your wheels.

• Before handing over your keys, check with the company to see if it provides commercial auto coverage. This type of policy provides coverage to repair or replace a vehicle damaged in an accident and it will pay the claims of any third-party injured in the accident.
• Ask the company how they evaluate who can rent your car. Do they make sure drivers have a valid license? Do they check their driving record?
• Make note of all dents before and after the car is rented out and bring them to the attention of the start-up company.
• If the company doesn’t offer insurance, make sure you know what your insurance policy covers. Many drivers just have liability insurance and it will only cover the damages made to the other car.
• Check that your policy is valid when someone else drives your car. Note, that many personal policies will not cover your car if you’re not the driver.

I don’t have a car. If I did and it was just parked, I’d sell it. By renting out your car, you end up taking on too many risks. I mean, what if you end up losing money instead of making extra cash? I’d be too paranoid. Would you let strangers drive your car so you could make extra cash? If renting your ride for cash is not for you, then check out my post about other ways to make more money.

TFDuesing/flickr

If you want something you don’t have the money for, figure out how to make it. (I’ve already talked about getting things by swapping or repurposing).

Personally, I have found that learning to make something is the best way to go. I get what I need, and I know how to repair it. Here are my five favorite sites to go to when I want to learn new things:

1. General instructions - Instructables - You can learn anything from how to carve a pumpkin to how to build your own computer to how to construct a rocket ship. Instructables has more pictures and instructions than videos.

2. Video tutorials - YouTube – Now that YouTube has grown beyond silly home videos, you can find all sorts of wonderful how-to videos. Check on the length of the video before choosing which one you want to watch. It’s pretty boring to watch a 10-minute video on how to tie a knot and it’s pretty useless to watch a 30-second video on how to do your taxes.
3. 
   5 minute Life Videopedia – Five minute videos about all sorts of stuff at http://www.5min.com/Category/
4. The ultimate handyman site - DIYnetwork – I also like HandymanUSA. These are both wonderful sites to go to when you want to know how to fix your broken doorknob or unclog your sink.
5. Hundreds of the best 18-minute talks on Technology, Education & Design - TED talks – Think of the very best speaker you ever heard. Now imagine the talk being no more than 18 minutes long. These are TED talks. My favorite ones are by Sir Ken Richardson on the subject of education.

There are so many things we pay for someone do for us that we could do ourselves. By hiring others to weed our gardens, cook our food, and fix every broken thing, we lose the joy of creating our own lives. The internet gives us access to information that allows us to learn new things with a few clicks. Use it!

What are your favorite sites to learn new things?

This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

Soft, soft cashmere - photo by Bobbi Burger Brunoehler

I just scored a cashmere sweater for 99 cents at the 99 cent store. Yep. A cashmere sweater for less than a dollar! This unbelievable discount got me thinking about my Bargain Hall of Fame.

I find bargains every day, but sometimes my finds are special. Here are my personal top 10 best buys:

1. Brand new original Leatherman tool for $1.50. Retailed for $50 (but it is retired and you can’t even buy it anymore except as a collector’s item).
2. Sewing machine (like new) for free on Freecycle.
3. Large box FULL of jewelry (including a gold ring) for $20. My daughter had a field day taking the jewelry apart and redesigning it. I often wonder if the man that sold me this box of jewelry got in trouble with his wife.
4. Three giant garbage bags full of clothes at swap-o-rama-rama. Entrance fee was a bag of my clothes and $5. My favorite way to get new clothes is at a swap.
5. Wooden swing set with slide, fort and two swings for $200. Retail cost $2,200. We got years of fun out of this swing set in two different States. We finally sold it to someone else for $150.
6. The afore mentioned cashmere sweater for 99 cents – retail price $255 at Nordstrom. It’s a super soft sweater as you can see from the picture.
7. Hundreds of dollars worth of fake flowers for $15 at an estate sale. I later used these flowers in a craft tent at a huge children’s festival.
8. A David’s Bridal bridesmaid’s gown for $20. Retail $220. This gown is now part of my daughter’s costume collection.
9. Fixing my car horn, cruise control and air bag for free under factory recall. Savings of at least $500 dollars.
10. Buying my home in a short sale for half of what the previous owner paid for it. BIG savings.

Those are my Bargain Hall of Fame nominees. How about you? What are your best bargains ever?

Daquella Manera/flickr

I am a firm believer in returning products. If I get it home and find out that it doesn’t fit, work, or do what the advertising promised, I return it. However, I hate the time, effort, and gas it takes to make a return.

Most stores have very good return policies. However, it often costs more to return the item than its purchase price. For instance,

if I bought an under $10 item from a store 20 miles from me – which happens a lot in a big city like Los Angeles – then it will cost me almost that much in gas to return the item. Not to mention the time it takes to run the errand. Even items purchased online take time to return and sometimes you have to pay postage.

What’s a bargain hunter to do?

The key is to REALLY look at what you are trying to replace or buy BEFORE you go shopping. Check on size, shape, color, length and width. Comparison shop online and scan reviews. Take pictures and measurements. If you are bad with color (like I am) then bring a swatch you are trying to match, or the actual item.

Because we have a huge selection of just about everything that we can buy, we really need to narrow it down.

For instance, I just bought a home phone. I wanted a corded phone that didn’t plug into an electrical outlet and I was so excited when I found one. It was a great price. When I set it up, I realized it didn’t have an answering machine, a feature I absolutely wanted. In my excitement, I forgot to check if it had everything I needed.

I had to make a special trip to the store to return the phone and get another (more expensive) one.

Unfortunately, all of the information that you need when buying an item – especially electronics – is not on the outside of the box. Often the sales personnel is also pretty clueless, unless you insist on talking to a manager who knows the product. Some stores will search online for additional product info or you can do this on your smartphone.

Researching a product ahead of shopping will save you money. I know because at yard sales I have picked up brand new items from people who said they just never returned it. This is especially true if you buying an item that can’t be returned because it is a final sale or second-hand.

Are you a returner, a should-have-returner, or a can’t-returner?

We all know that we should do research before making a major purchase. We know about comparison shopping, haggling, and looking for discounts. But do you know how to mentally prepare? Here are my 10 tips for shopping preparedness.

1. Be well rested. If you have small children, it is possible that the idea of getting a good night’s sleep is but a vague memory and dream. If that is the case, take a nap prior to going shopping. If this is a big item you are purchasing, you may consider hiring a babysitter to watch the kids so that you definitely get a nap. I know it is hard, but shopping while exhausted is bad for your budget.

2. Eat first. Grocery shopping while hungry is an expensive mistake. However, shopping for a new dishwasher or car on an empty stomach is even worse. You don’t want to have your attention on anything but the shopping. It takes energy to compute and negotiate, and you are less likely to give in just to be done. It is cheaper to stop at a fancy restaurant and have a lobster dinner than to go shopping on an empty stomach.
3. Be clear headed. Eat, but don’t drink. Sales resistance is a good thing. Alcohol lowers resistance. I also suggest that the night after a big party where you may have “had a few” isn’t the best time to shop for your new computer.
4. Shop alone or take a good shopping partner. Do not take any children with you. If you must take your children with you, then bring someone along to watch them. A distracted shopper is a “buying mistake” just waiting to happen.
5. Be happy. If you have just had a fight with your hubby or kid, it is NOT the time to go and buy a car. If you are worried about the test results you are waiting for from the doctor, don’t go shopping for a new carpet. The better your mood, the more logical your thinking.
6. Make time. Don’t make a major buying decision in a rush. Sales people love people in a rush. The best deals come when you can ponder and take your time and visit the competitor.
7. Dress comfortably. Gone are the days when shopping required women to wear heels, stockings and white gloves. Now you can dress in jeans and crocs. Don’t ruin that comfort by carrying around a heavy purse or bag. Give yourself a light load.
8. Stay hydrated. Even a slight dehydration effects mental abilities. Carry your own bottle of water with you so that you can keep hydrated at all times.
9. Be sharp. Don’t choose a big old slurpy or soda to drink. The sugar will cause your mental faculties to slow down. You want to be your smartest when making a major purchase.
10. Be willing to walk away. Don’t wait to the very last moment to buy. If you know your washer is on its last legs, start looking. This will give you the ability to find the right product at the right price and put you in control of the shopping experience. The best price comes after you say, “I think I’ll keep looking.”

How do you get ready to shop?

KB35/Flickr

This post is brought to you by AmeriLoanSearch offering no credit check loans with instant approval.

There are 11 common mistakes people make when buying or selling a used car, according to the October 2011 issue of ShopSmart, published by Consumer Reports. All of them add up to lost money. Summarized below. About to buy a new car? Here’s how to negotiate a good price and the three steps of haggling. Did you know you can save a lot of money buying car parts from a junk yard? Make sure to check this car recall site before you pay for any repairs.

Seller mistakes

1. Settling on price. Trading in your car is quicker and easier than selling it yourself, but the dealer price will be lower than if you sell it on AutoTrader.com, Cars.com, or Ebay.

2. Risking your privacy. Don’t list your address or full name or you may attract unwanted visitors. It’s a good idea to meet potential buyers in a public place, instead of your driveway.

3. Combining buying and selling. Trading in your car and buying one at the dealer is a super

complicated process. Negotiate the price of your new car first, and if the dealer won’t meet your selling price, either walk away or sell your used car privately.

4. Selling dirty. Cleaning up your car’s body and interior can raise the price of your vehicle and perhaps lead to a quicker sale. Some people even buy “new car smell” air freshener.

5. Getting ripped off. Do not accept a personal check or installment payments from a buyer, even if the buyer is a friend or family member. A car deal gone bad will effect the relationship. Cashier’s and certified checks can be counterfeited, so verify the check is good with the bank before you sign away the title. Offer a discount for buyers who pay in cash.

Buyer mistakes

1. Owning up. Never let the seller know what you can afford. Unless you are happy to pay that amount.

2. Going in blind. If you don’t know the value of the car you are trying to buy, how will you negotiate a fair price? Best to check multiple sources, like Kelly Blue Book, Edmunds, Cars.com, Ebay, and AutoTrader. The mileage, condition, and maintenance history will effect the value.

3. Rushing. Dealers like folks in a rush because they often forget to inspect the car and ask important questions. Slow down or come back another time.

4. Staying put. Being able to walk away is a crucial – and detectable – bargaining tactic that will influence how you and the seller discuss the car and come to an agreement on price, or not. If the seller won’t accept your top price (assuming you’ve started with a lower price and slowly worked your way up), walk away.

5. Nixing your mechanic. Have your own mechanic inspect the car, even if the seller says they had it inspected for you. Tell the seller ahead of time that you want to deduct the cost of repairs from the selling price.

6. Blowing off VIN. Do a background check on your car by getting a VIN (vehicle identification number) history report. The report costs a few bucks, but will reveal any accidents and how many past owners the car has had. A car that has been in an accident is often less worth, and a car that has had many owners may have more problems.

I have a 14-year-old car that I adore. Despite the allure of a beautiful, new, high-MPG eco-friendly compact, I want to keep my comfy Dodge Grand Caravan running smoothly. It is paid-in-full, has low insurance rates, and can easily transport all our stuff.

I was strongly considering buying another, more recent used car to replace my van. However, after extensive research and test drives, I decided to keep my beloved caravan and fix anything that was wrong. I know the history of the car’s breakdowns and repairs. And I know what will soon need fixing. I already took advantage of a free recall replacement on a defective air bag indicator.

Since I figured I would have paid at least $5,000 to get a new-used van, I figured I could spend that much on fixing my current car and still be ahead of the game.

My first items on my to-do list:

• Driver’s side electric mirror
• Rear brake/turn signal/back up light unit
• Silencer pad (that sheet of asbestos on the inside of your car’s hood)

I called the dealer and found out that to buy the parts and have them installed would cost $688. Way too much.

I knew there were junk yards where you could go and pick your own car parts but I wanted to find these items at a junk yard that specialized in Dodge parts. Online, I found just the place an hour from my house. So I saddled up the van and took a road trip into the world of automobile dismantlers.

Wow! What an adventure. These guys literally take apart the cars until they are down to the frame. It is really interesting to see. I was able to purchase all three parts that I needed for the exact year and model of my car. One of the guys installed the tail light unit and they showed me how to easily install the other two parts.

The total of my purchases and installation: $120. My savings: $568. That is an 83% discount!

Now, I think I am a junk yard addict. I’ll never buy a part from a dealer again.

We all make good and bad financial decisions. Overall, I am pretty happy with mine. They have allowed me to live the kind of life that is important to me. I get to be an at-home mom and have been there to raise my kids. The trade off? Used cars and no fancy address.

Looking back at my choices, my worst financial decisions have been:

1. Not buying a house 30 years ago. I knew that I would be moving a lot, so I didn’t want to buy a house. But in fact, I always stayed longer in each place than I meant to and with the rising housing market all those years, I would have made a lot of money on each turn over and I’d own my house now.
2. Not putting money into

   a weekly investment account. There just never seemed to be any left over, but even if I had just put “something” aside each week it would have grown.

3. Not learning more about how to effectively grow money. I wish I had learned this very early on.
4. Not marrying a millionaire. Well, that would have been a good financial decision, but I love my non-millionaire hubby.
5. Not asking my dad more questions about finance and his experience and learning in the subject before he passed. My dad knew a lot about business and money, but he never got around to teaching it to me and I never tried hard enough to get the information. Sad.

The best financial decisions I made are:

1. Paying off my credit cards in full each month. I might not know how to grow money, but I’ve accomplished something perhaps as difficult. Not growing debt.
2. Balancing my checking account statement each month. This one process forces me to look at my finances with a fine tooth comb at least once a month. Doing so gives me great control of my finances and I highly recommend it to everyone. I don’t care if you think that “the bank knows what they are doing.” That is not the point. The point is – do you know what YOU are doing!
3. Keeping good track of our expenses and setting-aside money for various expenses that always come up. Doing No. 2 above allows me to do this step. Having money set aside means that I don’t have to worry about how I will pay the bill when an unexpected expense arises.
4. Only buying cars we can pay for in full. New cars are expensive, long story short. I have never had a car payment and I never want one.
5. To always live within the means of my husband’s paycheck. Even when I was still working and before we had kids. This meant that we did not have financial obligations that would make it impossible for me to stay home and raise our kids.

What are your best and worst financial decisions?

© Pavel Losevsky - Fotolia.com

A list from the used car listing site web2carz of the best used cars costing less than $10,000 intrigued me. The used car market is hot right now because so few people are willing to shell out cash for a brand new one. I’m a big fan of used cars, and my husband and I are toying with the idea of getting rid of our two cars for one family car. Convincing him to buy used is not a given but would save us thousands. I summarized the web2carz list below.

Fuel Efficient – 2004 Toyota Prius

Used fuel-efficient cars are in growing demand. Even the newest hybrid technologies can be found used. A 2004 Toyota Prius is a great buy if you are looking to save money at the pump, but you will certainly pay for it in the pedal. A used 2004 Prius will average you 48mpg-city/45mpg-hwy.

Luxury Cars – 2003 Lexus ES300

Used luxury cars retain their value more than their

stripped-down compact counterparts. Consumers attracted to luxury often want speedy performance—a hard to find package for just $10,000. Remember what features you are looking for in a used luxury, and weigh the loaded perks against performance and price. The 2003 Lexus ES300 is more luxury than sport, but compared to its faster competitors, the ES300 give you grandeur interior comfort, a relaxed and smooth ride, superb safety technologies, and an acclaimed reliability rating.

Sports Cars – 2004 Mazda Miata MX-5

Look for something with lower mileage, and demand the owner take a polygraph to confirm the car wasn’t beat on—too much. For Used Sports Cars under $10k, a 2004 Mazda Miata does justice. At first glance they look, well, a bit puny. Curvy and akin to retro, the 2004 Miata beckons space-invasion, and grandma’s little roadster. Nimble, tight, and responsive, the 1.8-liter 4-cyliner Miata Mx-5 is a joy to drive around town or down the small stretch. As for highway passing speeds, on the other hand, the Miata is a bit noisy. It gets 20mpg-city/26mpg-hwy.

SUVs and Crossovers -  2004 Honda CRV

The 2004 Honda CR-V is a reliable used SUV for buyers looking fuel efficiency, drivability, interior space and five-star safety in one package. The 2004 CR-V is equipped with 2.4-liter 4-cylinder i-VTEC engine that delivers 160 horsepower, and LX versions can be equipped with either front or all-wheel drive. Complaints about the Automatic-Transmission taken into account, the CR-V accelerates cleanly, and handles sharp. For 72 cubic feet of available cargo space, the 2004 Honda CR-V averages an exceptional 23mpg-city/28mpg-hwy.

Compact Trucks – 2005 Toyota Tacoma

Used Toyota trucks have been a hit in the compact class because they simply last forever. Throw words around like “reliability,” “durability,” and you begin to explain why a Toyota Tacoma resonates with used truck buyers. Available in a variety of trims, cab sizes, and V4 or V6 engine sizes, the Tacoma can be found in both two and 4-wheel drive editions. The smallest engine option, a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 142 horsepower and 160 pound-feet torque—averages 20mpg-city/25mpg-hwy. The larger 3.4–liter V6 spits out 190 horsepower and 220 lb-ft torque, and can haul up to 5,000 lbs. Downside to Tacoma is minimal interior comforts and limited features on the base models.

Used Full-Size Trucks – 2007 Ford F-150

As the best selling vehicle for 20 years, the Ford F-series balances a comfortable style for daily commuting with a rugged durability for the heavy haul or tow. A truck for the comfortable weekend tow, a used 2007 Ford F-150 offers regular cab, SuperCab and SuperCrew cab models. It has three engine options, including a 4.2-liter V6, a 4.6-liter V8, and 5.4-liter V8. Compared to competitors, the heavier F-150 is not as quick, and is said to be sluggish under heavy tow.

The Vespa gathering dust.

Bobbi’s posts about buying used cars got me thinking about selling my husband’s Vespa scooter because we almost never use it. It came out once last summer, to be exact. I’ve never even driven the two-wheeler myself! But its potential for fun and gas savings makes us hesitant to sell. Are we being foolish by not selling it – or by not using it? What would you do?

Pros of selling

Cash – Nada Guides values the 2007 LX50 Vespa scooter at $2,310, a nice chunk of change. (Edmunds and KBB do not value scooters). That would more than cover a summer vacation next month or go halfway to maxing out one of our ROTH IRAs.

No guilt – We won’t feel guilty every time we see the Vespa gathering dust in the basement. And we won’t be bogged down by the Vespa’s inertia, currently greater than our motivation to get it

road ready.

Bike – I have a mountain bike to get around town in, so I still have options other than driving.

Loosing value – The longer we don’t use it while waiting to sell it, the more value it sheds. The waiting game is ours to lose. (Though we’re not currently paying registration or insurance on it.)

Cons of selling

MPG – At 85 miles per gallon, it’s more than twice as efficient than our two cars. The Vespa has enough storage, believe it or not, to make small grocery runs, which is easier than lugging food home on my bicycle.

Work – Cleaning the scooter, gassing it up, and fixing a broken gauge will take 2-4 hours. Plus, we’ll need to take pics, make a Craigslist ad, and deal with often flaky potential buyers. Who knows how many hours we’ll spend to sell it.

Parking fees – Parking a car at the local beach costs $20, but the scooter gets in for free.

One car – If we go down to one car, which I am hoping we can do, having the scooter will be a nice option for in-town errands and trips.

Missed fun – Buzzing around on the scooter is super fun and parking is always easy. Riding the scooter is a summer adventure!

digitizedchaos/flickr

A couple years ago, I knew NOTHING about cars. They appeared in my life (from my parents) when I needed them. This lovely, but unsustainable situation, disappeared with the passing of my folks. I had to learn about a subject that interested me as much as fantasy football.

Two years later, I am a used car buying guru. As a follow up to my post about free car repair via recalls, here are ten key websites that I have found necessary to educate myself prior to buying an “out of warranty” vehicle.

Entering the arena of “over 8 years old or 100,000 miles” is tricky. You have to know things you never even thought about, like: how much should you pay for the car, what problems do people have with this make and model, and what is the previous owner not telling me?

1. Edmunds.com. Without a doubt, this is the site I go to the most. Search for the year, make, and model of car. You well get pictures (inside and outside), prices to buy and sell, reviews, and options that come standard or add-on for that model.
2. Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com). The standard for pricing in the used car industry. I find it interesting that the prices on KBB are always much higher than the prices at Edmunds. I always print out both and take them with me. This helps me negotiate a better price.
3. Craigslist. Still the best place to look for used cars being sold by owners in your area. I would NEVER buy a car that had to be shipped.
4. Recycler. If you are in Southern California, this was THE place to find used cars prior to Craigslist. Still has a pretty good supply of cars for sale.
5. Recalls.gov. The government site that lists recalls on cars. Similar to the site where I found out I could get my car fixed for free.
6. CarMax.com. A great place to find newer used cars. It is very easy to look at lots of different cars there. I find the cars overpriced, but there is no haggling, and you can buy a warranty if you want. The cars tend to be in pretty good shape, but check each listing carefully.
7. CarParts. You can buy your replacement parts YOURSELF. You don’t HAVE to buy them marked up 200% from the dealer. Check out this site to see if you can find a replacement for your little broken gizmo.
8. AutoTrader.com. A huge online car trading site.
9. Traveling Mom. Car reviews from a mom perspective. These review look at things that aren’t normally noticed in regular reviews. Mostly new cars, but someday, that new car will be a used car.
10. How Stuff Works. If you are just starting out learning about cars. Check out these very comprehensive pages on how a car works. It is much easier to buy a car if you understand how it works.

I hope these sites help you. Good luck. May the car buying forces be with you.

By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.

Robert Couse-Baker/flickr

Several years ago I had a minivan that I LOVED. It was the first car that I had ever purchased myself. Unfortunately, one part kept breaking. I must have fixed it four times. I finally just gave the car away. A few months later, I was talking to a mechanic and mentioned how many times I had fixed that part. “Oh yes,” he said, “that part was a factory recall.”

“A factory recall?” What is that?

Turns out that every car has a list of problems that so many people have had with that particular year, make and model, that the factory agrees it screwed up and will replace it FOR FREE!

Instead of paying to fix a part four times, I could have

taken it to the dealer and they would have fixed it FOR FREE! The catch is that unless you are the original owner of the car and are registered with the dealer, you will never hear about this recall.

Fast forward to present time. Here I am with another van that I love. There are things wrong with the van, but I can fix them. THEN, the horn stops working, the cruise control stops working, and the air bag light comes on. Yikes! I take it to several mechanics and get quotes from $60 to $800. Oh dear.

This repair sends the cost of keeping the van over the top. I have to get rid of it. But then I remember my earlier adventure and go and check this website that lists all the factory recalls on cars. I find the year, make, and model of my car. Lo and behold, it turns out my van’s problem is on the lifetime factory recall list.

First thing in the morning, I call the dealer. Make an appointment and take it in. After two hours and ZERO dollars, my problem is solved. Unbelievable!

Find your car on the above list and see if your vehicle’s problem is covered under factory recall. You might be in for a pleasant money-saving surprise.

Buying a used car? Visit these sites first.

zoetnet/Flickr

Got vacation time coming your way? Trying to decide what to do? I’ve got 10 steps for a great staycation (a vacation at home, so no hotel and travel costs), plus specific things to do in 80 towns across the country below.

I’m always amazed by people who haven’t been to some of the interesting places in their hometown. Don’t wait for visitors to be a tourist in your own town!

1. Decide on your dates. If you have flexibility in your dates, try to arrange the time around an event you are already interested in attending like a fair or show. This will put a big highlight in your itinerary.
2. Start reading the calendar section of your local paper or the AAA magazine. Look for events occurring during your staycation.
3. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce to see if there are special events and discounts.
4. Do the same research on the internet that you would do if you were traveling to a foreign country. Read local blogs and search out special attractions.
5. Take out a travel book or two from your local library about your area. I got the most fabulous book from my local AAA. It’s called, “Los Angeles Attractions” published by Museon Publishing. This 500 page book has thousands of local attractions. Many of them are free. Most of them are things that I never heard of before such as Hollywood’s Rock Walk, the address of Ozzie and Harriet’s House and the history of the Venice, California canals.
6. Read the history of your area from a book such as Images of America. Take a day or two finding the places in the old photographs. Take modern pictures of the same sites.
7. Set aside money to do something extravagant that you wouldn’t normally do. This will really make it feel like a vacation.
8. If possible, try to keep all work and regular day to day activities out of your life. Tell your office you can’t be reached. Don’t answer your work email. Enjoy yourself!
9. Use every discount and coupon you can find. Buy a local discount coupon book, like the Entertainment Book. Or by Groupons. Search “name of your town”+”discounts” to be really thorough.
10. A great way to document your trip is with an ultramodern scrapbook or by making a video.

The main thing is to plan your time so that it doesn’t just slip by with the “same old, same old.” You want to feel like you have really been on vacation. Even if your itinerary is just “sleep in and lay in the hammock” you want to knowingly do that. You might even make a nice big “Do Not Disturb” sign and put it on your doorknob.

Staycations across the country: The Happy Housewife got together 80 bloggers to write about the best places to visit all across the country. Who knew there was so much to do in Oshkosh, Wisconsin!

Have you taken a staycation? Any advice for the rest of us?

Snazzo / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

With gas prices on the rise, finding ways to save money on transportation expenses is a must. Last year, my dad came home and announced he was going to start biking to work. He was tired of paying $160 a month to fill up his car.

“Part of your route to work is uphill. How are you going to do that?”

My skepticism didn’t discourage him. He shopped around and found an electrical bicycle for

$1,700.

Ever since then, he has been riding to and from work only turning the bicycle on when he needs to go up a hill.

“It’s such a stress reliever,” he once said while walking through the door. “I like passing all the cars that are stuck in traffic.”

Believe it or not, he hasn’t seen an increase in the electricity bill. That’s because his boss gave him permission to charge his bicycle at work.

Gas prices are $3.94 on average nationally and significantly higher in Los Angeles at about $4.38 per gallon. He uses his car less often now and only pays $65.70 a month. He is saving $94.30 a month. At this rate, his savings in a year will be $1,131.60. In about a year and a half, he will make back in savings the money he spent on the bicycle.

But that’s not the only benefit. My dad lost weight, decreased his sugar and cholesterol levels, all without a gym membership.

His plan is to go car-less to maximize his savings. Can’t give up your car? You can still save money on gas by avoiding pitfalls that waste gas. To save money on gas I take the bus and subway instead of driving. What are you doing to save money at the pump?