I just bought the Caddy! AND, I slapped it on my Credit Card!

Betcha didn't see that one coming, eh? Haha...Yes, after 5 days of test driving, researching, and thinking about it all, I decided to buy the Cadillac :)

And to be honest, I'm not even sure it was the 100% best thing to do financially at this point, but I made a decision and I took the chance. That's really the best way to learn anyways, right?

So how much did it cost? What are the deets?

The Price:
It was only $3,100! It was originally priced at $5k a month ago, then dropped to $4k, and then to $3,400 when I saw it. Guess the crazy high gas prices scared everyone away? Well I took advantage, and as much as i felt bad for the guy, I had to offer lower - $2,800 in fact. After some more bargaining, we finally settled on the $3,100.

The Car:
1993 Cadillac DeVille! Shiny maroon-red with tan leather interior, carriage top, and impeccably clean for a car it's age. Seriously, the thing is a beast. The owner was a mechanic, and car fiend, so he tweaked all the parts and made sure it was in top shape. He even loaded it with a new exhaust system to get that nice gargling sound ;) Pimp, much? OH, and he also added an alarm system, along with key-less remote (which didn't come standard) AND the best yet - A remote engine starter! haha... so i can start it from inside my house on a cold wintery day! MMmmmmmm.

The Financing:
Once I realized I was falling in love with it, it was time to figure out the financing. I checked w/ our local credit union, where my current car's financed with, and they just laughed i my face saying the car was too old. I then checked out USAA, of course, and the best they could do was 6.75% - not bad, but not all that great.

Then i had one of those "Ah-Hah!" moments and got to thinking about my credit card! The interest is variable, but $hit, it's only 5% right now! And plus, I only plan on having the "loan" until I can sell and payoff the SUV. Soooooo, I called back USAA and asked if there were any specials running and they were! If i used one of those checks they send out with the statements, I could put the entire $3,100 on it for a measly 3.4%! And it's locked in for an entire year - now THAT's more like it ;)

So now what?
Yes I found the perfect car, for a perfect price, and with perfect financing (for me, that is - i don't recommend going the c/c route if you don't work well with them), but now I have TWO cars. And that's on top of Mrs. Budgetsaresexy's car too!

Well, I now have to sell my SUV. And I have a feeling it's gonna be a tough one these days. Anything with "SUV" and "higher gas prices" involved is sure to get tricky. And worst case? I'll pay a little interest on the card, pay a little extra insurance, and drop the price a bit. I can't imagine having the car for months on end (knock on wood), but it is something to consider...just not as yet ;)

So while a plan like this isn't for everyone, i really feel like i'm on the right track and that I picked up a great opportunity. And not only for the car itself (which is totally rad), but for our financial future as well.

The day of zero car payments isn't too far away!

All I have to do now is sit and pray for some good offers to come in. Can you imagine the relief of losing $443 monthly car payments? My goodness that's sexciting :) I might have done things the other way around here, but damnit if i don't feel alive right now. That's life baby!

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O.M.G. I might be buying a new car.

I just came across a killer Cadillac on Craigslist, test drove it, and now i want it! I really shouldn't have gone over to look at it, but I couldn't help myself. The best part, besides the price ($3,400!), is that it's owned by a mechanic! And one who enjoys supping it up a bit too ;)

I'm doing the research on it now, and will give my self a cple days to take it all in, but i'm 75% thinking of getting it. If i can figure out a way to pay it off quickly, that would mean ZERO car payments! Yes, gas would be crazy obnoxious, but at least i wouldn't have that $24k car note, right?

Ahhhhhhhhh Kelly Clarkson...

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5 Gas-Saving myths that i was tricked into believing ;)

I came across these twice in the past few days - once on a pf site which i can't remember for the life of me, and the other in this month's Money Magazine - so I'm taking it as a sign to share :) Some of these i've fell for, and others are brand spankin' new (and interesting) to me.

While i usually don't know what to believe out there, I'm sure these "experts" know what they're talking about. That's actually a pretty cool job if you think about it - going around proving myths aren't true! I wonder how much you get paid for that? They probably just go around asking experts in certain fields for their opinion....that makes more sense, but it's not as fun to think about ;)

Anyways, it's always good to separate a little fact from fiction, so here are the truths behind some of those gas-saving myths:

1. Gas up in the morning
I'll have to admit i've never heard this one before, but it has something to do with fluids being more dense in colder temperatures. So if you fill 'er up early on, you'll get more "gas molecules" for your money. Apparently the temperature of the gasoline straight out of the nozzel doesn't fluctuate much though, so it really doesn't matter. Oh well, it was a good try!

2. Change your air filter
Now THIS one i hear alllll the time! In fact, i heard it 2 weeks ago when changing out my oil at one of those Lube Centers (which i LOVE btw, you're in and out in 15 mins if you can beat the lines, and they check everything!) While changing your filter is good to do every now and then, the myth-busters say it doesn't help on gas. "Modern engines have sensors that adjust the fuel-air mixture as an increasingly clogged filter chokes off the oxygen supply". Huh. Interesting...unless you have an older car eh?

3. Use premium fuel
Same goes with this bad boy, your engine sensors can detect the lower-octane fuel and adjust accordingly. This only applies if the manual says premium gas is "recommended". If it says it's required - then you should DEFINITELY stick to that.

4. Put in an additive
A definite nope on this one unfortunately...and I'll be the first to admit i've tried a number of them out there! The idea of it is just so quick and easy, ya know? Oh well, guess we'll have to kiss those secret sauces away for now...at least it'll save a few bucks not putting it in anymore ;)

5. Avoid the AC
If you're driving in town, then it works! (hooray). BUT, if you're speeding along the highway, you might as well forget it. Keeping the windows down affects your mileage just as much because it causes aerodynamic drag...so you might as well choose your fav. option at that point - either way it just sucks. It also sucks that one of my boys told me this a few years ago and i just laughed it off....oops.

And there you have it, 5 myths all cleared up for ya! While it's no fair there aren't any secrets out there, at least you can concentrate on other ways to save on gas now - driving smoother, no heavy stop and go action, carpooling, riding public transportation, etc.

And who knows, I bet someone's devising a little somethin' somethin' as we speak to help alleviate our gas crisis!

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Save $10 bucks and wash that sexy car of yours.

Money Hack #13456i89 - Start Spraying Away!
It's seriously one of the easiest ways NOT to spend money - just like when you make your own card instead of buying it at Hallmark.

While it may not be the quickest way to save or earn a buck (wash out that dirty mind of yours), it def. does the trick! Will Smith does it so why not you?

Here are my TOP 10 reasons to wash your own car:

1. Save Money! $7.00 to $15.00 depending on where you do it, and what you want done.
2. Get cooled down - A great way to deal with this massive heat wave.
3. Feel productive - when was the last time you did something yourself, instead of paying to have it done?
4. Feel like a kid all over again - Unless you're already a kid...but then you actually get PAID to do it ;)
5. Show off your sexy bod - Throw on your bathing suit and flip flops, and spray away!
6. Impress your other half! Hook up their car too and score mad points :)
7. Impress your neighbor! Hook up a neighbor's car while you're on a roll - i swear you'll be rewarded for this one.
8. Kill 2 birds w/ 1 stone - Water the flowers, plants, bushes, lawn, etc too. Or how about washing away those cobwebs on the outside lamp post?
9. Do it on your own time - Don't have to worry about store hours, or long a$$ lines.
   
10. Drive away looking hot and sexy! My personal favorite part - rolling down the windows, and pumping out Kanye West with the shiny paint, and rims blingin'!

So whatcha waiting for? Unless you're at work reading this (as am i), it's time to get outside and enjoy the summer. Come on, peer pressure!

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The value of PATIENCE in today's crazy society.

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Guest Post: Carrie from Fantastic Sarcastic. One of my all-time favorite non-pf bloggers EVER. Seriously, i love her blog. Clever, funny, and just so freakin' refreshing! She also happens to be another of my writing twins ;) Take it away girl...
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While Mr. & Mrs. Budgets Are Sexy are, um…I presume getting sexy on their honeymoon, I have been invited to guest post. I’m Carrie from Fantastic Sarcastic – although not a Personal Finance Blogger, I am a fan of the PF Blog world and Mr. J. Savings in particular. I mean, how can you NOT like a blog named Budgets Are Sexy?

In these times of $4/gallon gas, rising food prices, and that scary word recession floating around, I've been thinking a lot about the value of PATIENCE.

I consider myself a fairly patient person, yet I constantly have to remind myself to slow down, wait it out, etc. Our culture is so programmed for immediate gratification that practicing patience can be difficult at times.

For example: I keep reading that once your car passes 60 miles an hour, your fuel efficiency decreases. Although the speed limit on the freeway in Seattle is 60, of course that means I usually drive 65-70 miles an hour. But when I think about it, do I really NEED to go that fast? Will shaving a couple minutes off my morning commute make that much of a difference? Not really.

So lately I’ve been telling myself that it’s okay to stay in the slow lane for a few miles. There’s no need to curse at the old dude in front of me, to huff and puff at the minivan taking its time on the onramp, or especially to scream “Oh my God! Speed up, already!” at the semi truck in the fast lane.

Instead I keep telling myself to have some patience, chill out, and reap the benefits of fuel efficiency and more money in my pocket.

The same can be said in a multitude of other financial situations. Instead of “I NEED to go see Indiana Jones in the theater NOW!” you can wait until it’s released on DVD.* Instead of buying a hot new electronic gadget immediately when it comes out, wait a few months – or longer – until the price goes down.

The waiting game and nurturing our patient sides isn’t always very fun (or sexy!), but in the long run, it’s usually worth it.

*Full disclosure: The Indy example was completely hypocritical. I just saw it in the theater and it was AWESOME. But you get my point.

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Yours truly is honeymooning in the Caribbean and wishes you a very sexy day.

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Save Money, Save Gas, Save Your Car's Engine When Idling

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Guest Post: Mike from CleverDude.com. I've been a fan of his blog for months, and was pretty excited to meet him face to face during one of our DC area happy hours (holler if you'd like to come out one day). Mike has written one of the most helpful posts I've seen, and I recommend it each and every time a blogger asks for advice: 50 Tips for New Personal Finance Bloggers. Enjoy today's post!
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Prior to starting CleverDude.com, I thought nothing of just letting the car idle when I was waiting outside of a store, parked in my driveway, or waiting to pick up my wife from work. But now that I'm focused on finance daily, either writing articles or working with our own money and budget, I look for ways to save money in the most common and uncommon ways.

Well, this is one of those common, and common sense, ways to save money.

When I walk through the parking lot now, and see a car just sitting there idling (i.e. the engine is running for no reason), I just want to walk up, knock on the window and ask the driver (or passenger) why they're doing it. I've refrained from doing so thus far only out of fear of getting mistaken as a carjacker and shot. So instead, I'm spreading the word here in hopes that at least one person turns off the car when idling. Not only will you save money and gas, but depending on how long you're idling, you'll save a bit of wear on your engine. And don't chime in about the wear-and-tear on your starter; it'll survive just fine.

You don't need to limit the times you shut off the engine to just when you're outside the store or your home. Now, at traffic signals with which I'm familiar, I stick my truck in neutral and shut off the engine. The only reason I don't throw it into park is because all my doors automatically unlock and I'd rather keep them locked for my protection.

At the traffic light near my home, if I get the red light, I know I have at least 45 seconds of idling so shutting off the engine for that time is definitely worth it. I know when to start up the truck again by watching the pedestrian crossing signals and when they start flashing red. Some signals even give you a countdown which helps your timing even more.

The Safety Factor

There's only one main argument against shutting off your vehicle while on the roadway: getting out of the way of emergency vehicles (or just getting out of the way). But here's the thing; you have more than enough time from hearing the sirens to turning on your engine and moving. Personally, I've never been caught in this situation, but I have forgotten the truck was off once or twice and it was only a split second to start up and get moving.

Getting Your Stuff Done BEFORE Starting Up

Lastly, how many times do you start up the car, then buckle up, then situate your cup of coffee, then adjust the mirrors, then plug in your phone to the charger, then blah blah blah. How about you take care of everything else BEFORE starting the car? All those seconds add up and keep in mind that it's not just about saving money, it's also about not wasting.

So overall, if you aren't comfortable with turning off your car while in traffic, I hope at least you'll shut it off when you're just idling in the parking lot or driveway.

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Yours truly is honeymooning in the Caribbean and wishes you a very sexy day.

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Holy Cow, these gas prices are no joke!

I know there's been a 345,456,77.15 articles out there on this whole gas fiasco, but it wasn't until last night's fill up that it actually hit me...

These gas prices are ridiculous! I could have bought a used computer instead! (okay, so that's a little exaggeration...but great googly moogly just the same.)

Care to take a guess how much it cost me to fill up my SUV? And keep in mind, I have a Toyota Highlander which is quite respectable in it's class for consumption: $60.56 - for less than 16 gallons!

I know it's not the end of the world, some people are spending over $4.50/gallon. But it's just that i kinda blocked the whole gas thing out, and was doing SO good at not letting it get to me :( Needless to say, selling the car will be back on the consideration list again.

Wanna know the saddest part about this? The other day when i was going through my old planner (from back in the college days) i found a "receipts" pouch and took a stroll back memory lane. I nearly fell over at what i saw: Gas per gallon back then - $1.02.

W-O-W.

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Win cash playing "Edmunds Savvy Shopper" sweepstakes!

Edmunds.com just came out with a fun little sweepstakes to win cash prizes - up to the grand prize of $3,500 cash towards a new car!

All it takes is a little car smarts (or in my case, a LOT of guesses and google researching) and you're on your way.

It started on May 1st, and goes through to June 12th - so start entering!


You can also enter once a week, and by "enter" i mean "guess correctly", and there will be a total of 6 weekly prizes + the end grand prize. Here's the link: Edmunds Savvy Shopper sweeptakes

Oh, and a little hint: Most of the cars just rotate in and out....in case you get stuck ;) Thanks M80 for sending me an email on this, we'll take any chance to win some easy money! Holler.

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Net Worth: MARCH... And why cars suck.

Not too shabby. I was hoping a few of my 401k deposits (7 to be exact) would hit my account, but still no luck in that department. it's all good though, it should be cleared up by the end of April.

All the other categories are moving along pretty nicely, w/ the exception of my stupid car situation :(

Value down almost $1,000?? COME ON. i hate cars. seriously, every month it's gone down like $1k, and i'm only paying off $300+ of the principal per month. i keep saying i may sell the car, but now i actually LOVE IT! ha ha... whatever, i'm too much in a good mood to get into this right now. we'll deal later.

Here's it all played out last month (Mar):

Cash Savings: Definitely a nice little jump. i'm putting my savings bonds in this category for now (prob. will create it's own section later), so $200 of this increase is related to finding out how much they're now worth. Yay! the additional $272 were from savings of going under budget :)

Roth IRA: Haven't added any additional funds in months, so i'll take an increase in earnings any day! Keep doing your thing mutual funds ;)

401k: Not impressive at all. Granted, it could def. be a billion times worse w/ the way the market is these days, BUT still. I mean, i'm contributing 19% of my paycheck twice a month. At least i have something to look forward too - once all is back to normal, i should see $4k increases each month (not including ups and downs in the market)! Y-U-M.

Condo Investment: Still creeping along nicely. I like helping family out.

Home Equity: This will remain the same over the next few months. We basically paid a large chunk of the mortgage off cple months ago (not on purpose), and since we have interest-only financing, we're taking a break until after the wedding to get more situated.

Auto Worth (kbb): ARRGHHHHH. that's about it.

Credit Cards: We're knocking them away month after month! I was paying off both cards evenly ($100 a piece), but now i've decided to pay more off the card where the 0% financing is ending first, while paying minimal payments on the other. As it stands right now, both cards are at 0%.

Auto Loan: Measly $300ish principal payment out of the $440 i'm sending in each month. Arghhhh again.

ps: i also updated my side bars to reflect the new & hip scenario.

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To sell, or not to sell... my SUV.

I'm one of those people who have buyer's remorse pretty frequently, esp. when it comes to something w/ a lot of options.

Usually i can't tell if i want a red widget, or a blue widget and usually come to the conclusion that i wanted the opposite of the one i brought home.

Normally this doesn't present a problem as i can just return said widget to the store and get the one i think i really want. When it happens with big ticket items, however, i can get myself into trouble.

This brings us to today's dilemma.
To keep my 2005 SUV, or to sell my 2005 SUV? I purchased it last summer as my favorite car in the entire world conked out on me; a '93 DeVille in pristine condition...well, except for the conkin out part ;). When it comes to cars, it seems my A.D.H.D. kicks into overdrive (no pun intended) and I will usually go 1 of 2 extremes. An older "classicy" kinda car w/ no car payments, or a newer more reliable kinda car with heavy payments. In this case, i chose the latter.

The PRO's on this are abundant: newer, cleaner, reliable, shiny, more fuel efficient, etc.
The CON's are too: WAY more $, and paranoia of someone scratching, dinging, or just plain ol' wrecking it. Not to mention losing value each month I own it - and more so than the actual amount being paid off each month :(

These PRO'S originally sold me on it, however, buyer's remorse (if you can still call it that one year later) has since played its part. I'm pretty ready to give up my high payments for a decent old beater. I'm guessing this is due to my new found frugality, because i really find my car physically attractive (in a very non-sexual way of course). Limited Edition, v6 all wheel drive, leather interior, 6 cd changer, chrome rims, sunroof, and heated seats! I got a great deal on it too, but still it's $23+k that is still tugging at me asking if i really *need* it, ya know?

As it stands today, i am 65% thinking of listing it and seeing what happens. I figure if i DO get takers, then maybe it's meant to be and i should let her go. I could then share my fiancée's car, split the payments, gas, etc with her and save a good $500/month easy. Maybe do that for a month or two while looking for an older car?

I dunno really. The weather can also get pretty horrible w/ icings and snow all over, and in those times i turn into the SUV promoter! haha... I guess what i really need to just do is weigh the goods and bads thoroughly one more time, and then make a decision once and for all. All this wishy washy drive me absolutely C-R-A-Z-Y.

We shall see what happens ... you know i'll keep ya posted :)

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