If you are interested in finding a way to simultaneously sell the car you currently have while also getting the keys to a brand new (to you at least) car, without having to go through the rigmarole of posting classified ads online and all the associated risks, it may be time to consider part exchanging your vehicle. As appealing as this may be to a lot of people, there are both pros and cons to this options, and a lot of it rides on whether you are going to get a trade-in value for your car that is a) worth it and b) enables you to afford the difference in cost for the new car you’re interested in.

To help you figure out whether part-exchanging is right for you not, we are going to discuss some of the key pros and cons.

The Pros of Part Exchanging

Let’s start things off on a positive note and discuss the pros. Primarily, the biggest draw to part exchanging in favor of selling your car outright is that it saves you a whole lot of hassle and time. The time you may not have in your busy schedule to spare meeting with buyers who are potential wheel kickers and timewasters who want to try and get your current pride and joy for as little as they can.

A lot is involved though before you even start offering viewings, as you need to make sure your car is fully repaired because if it’s not you will need to mention any repairs and work it needs in the advertisement and you need to make sure it is spotlessly clean too.

With part exchanging, you don’t need to deal with any of this. You roll up to a dealership, they will assess it and then you can try and haggle out a deal.

The Cons of Part Exchanging

In the interest of fairness, let’s look at some of the downsides to part exchange. Most crucially, although part exchanging may be easier and less hassle, you are not going to get as much money as a result.

Most dealers don’t usually go any higher than the trade-in value and you might not even get that. Although some are sharks, most dealers are just looking to make a profit. They need to make as much money from the car they part exchange from you or else it’s not worth them bothering with.

Taking the pros and cons of part exchanging into account, it really comes down to your own circumstances as to whether it is right for you. If securing the highest price for your car is what’s most important, then you are still better going down the private selling route. However, if you need a better car immediately and don’t have the time to waste on the long-winded process that is navigating through the used car marketplace, then part-exchanging is the better of the two options for you.

Whatever you do, really think about your options before you decide and make sure, if you do go down the part exchanging path, that you choose a reputable dealer.

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You want to save as much money as you can on a vehicle when you are in the market for one. Ideally, like most people, you would want to get the car you are interested in, if possible, for as close to the wholesale price as possible. Generally, though, it is difficult as a normal member of the public to buy wholesale.

It is the dealers like Allen Honda who have a special dealer license that enables them to benefit from wholesale prices.

Although you could try to negotiate a deal with sellers, it’s not always likely you will be able to drive the price down to the wholesale cost. How then, can you do it? Wholesale car dealers are the best way and provide lots of benefits including lower prices.

Using Wholesale Car Dealers At Car Auctions

Wholesale vehicle dealers who offer trade-ins often source the vehicles they sell from auctions, and you can work alongside these brokers to get great prices on vehicles. Obviously, there is a charge for their services, but they do all the hard work involved in bidding for and obtaining a car for you.

Obviously, the biggest and most obvious benefit of getting a car this way is the price. It can literally mean that you save thousands on the purchase of your new vehicle and don’t have to go through the stressful rigmarole of trying to negotiate with a dealer.

You tell them how much you want them to bid on for a vehicle. Since it’s an auction, there are no guarantees you will be successful, as there will be others bidding against the broker representing you. It could be that you take part in a few auctions before you obtain a car or other vehicle.

Generally, though, people who go through this process of getting a car find it is worth it. Even after you have paid the fees, it is usually a lot cheaper than buying a new car and often a used car from a dealership.

Peace of Mind

Another huge benefit of getting a car through this process is that it offers you a serious amount of peace of mind. The peace of mind of getting a new car that is not likely to break down much, if at all. Although many will argue that there are some great used condition vehicles for sale, the general thought is that if you pay for a new vehicle, you are getting a higher quality vehicle.

Great Selection to Choose From

If you are not particularly fussy about which model your next car will be, then dealer auctions are ideal as there is a huge variety on offer. Many features the newest and best models by the most renowned manufacturers. As dealers use these kinds of auctions to fill the inventory of their business, you can be sure they are only looking for the best, which means you can benefit from getting the best of the best.

While it is true that auctions may be the perfect way to save a lot of money in getting the car you want, it does require a lot of patience on your part.

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Regardless of whether you’re heading off to university for the first time or downsizing into your forever home, moving home can be one of life’s biggest headaches, both practically and financially.

The good news is that a bit of advance planning can cut both the hassle and the cost.

Start by setting up a mover’s checklist

You want to do this as early as possible so you can cover everything required for the move. Remember that some actions will need to be completed well in advance of your move date.

For example, applying for a parking permit may just require you to fill in a form (and make a payment), however, it may take several days for your local authority to process it.

Similarly, if you’re going to need to feed parking meters, you probably want to give yourself time to build up a stash of coins (or make absolutely sure that they take cards and, if necessary, set up an account for card payment).

While it may be tedious, it’s generally a good idea to make your list as detailed as possible. For example, instead of just noting that you need to update your contacts after the move, create a sub list of all the contacts you need to update.

If you find it easier, or tidier, you can create a separate list and reference it. Just make sure you know where to find it.

Minimize your possessions as much as you can

Moving can often be the time you find out what you actually have, which may be rather more than you thought you had, which is why you ideally want to start your packing in good time.

Unless you are totally on top of your belongings, you’re going to have some stuff you want to move on and the more time you give yourself to do so, the more options you will have, including selling it.

Having said that, a compromise option is to become a registered donor for an official charity and then your donations can be tax-deductible.

Use up any consumables, especially food, toiletries and cleaning agents, none of which are usually worth the expense of transporting, and all of which have the potential to leak and damage other items.

Think outside the packing boxes

Laundry bags are great for textiles and can be picked up really cheaply. Alternatively you can use thick bin liners and double, or, if necessary, triple them up. Use any luggage and/or storage boxes you already have and then see if you still need packaging.

If so, try asking around shops, friends and neighbours as well as local advertising sites before you actually go and buy packing boxes.

Similarly, see if you can pack items with newspaper and/or textiles you need to carry anyway, rather than buying bubble wrap.

Do your sums before deciding whether or not to DIY move

In purely financial terms, DIY moving versus hire moving essentially boils down to the cost of your time versus the cost of employing professionals (who may do the same job more quickly). DIY moves are not necessarily cheaper; it depends entirely on your situation.

Author Bio

Indlu are estate agents in Manchester, offering a no sale, no fee estate agency service, professional letting services and a wide range of buy-to-let properties in Manchester.

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Personal finance is one of the most challenges that people are facing today. The world has gotten so difficult that many people are living from paycheck to paycheck even in developed countries like United States. A recent report actually found that most Americans were not in a position to afford a simple $400 emergency. This is probably the reason why depression and suicide rates are moving high. In this article, we will look at the best ways to manage your personal cash flow.

Manage your debt

A common reason why many people are struggling is not because they don’t have money. Indeed, in most developed countries, the unemployment rate is close to zero. The main reason is that they are very loaded in debt. In the United States, the average person is more than $38k in debt. The total amount of consumer debt is more than $14 trillion. Therefore, there is a debt problem. The reason for this is that many people have been attracted by the low rate environment. The number of companies offering loans has been increasing too.

There are several ways to manage your debt. First, you can consolidate the debt. If you have several debts, you can start by taking a loan to clear them all. This will make you pay just one debt. We recommend that you find a good lending company that charges less interest rates. Second, we recommend that you pay all of your debt on time. This will reduce the chances of your interest rates rising. Third, we recommend that you get a good lending company like Tunaiku that charges lower interest rates. Doing these three steps will help you get out of debt.

Have a Budget

A budget is a very important document to have. Ideally, a budget lists your income and everything that you spend your money on. We recommend that you use one of the many budgeting apps that is available in the internet. The benefit of using these apps is that they store your information in the cloud. This ensures that you don’t lose it.

Having a budget in itself is not enough. In fact, we know many people who have budgets and never keeps them. The secret is to ensure that you take everything in the budget very seriously.

Add Other Sources of Income

Another secret to financial happiness is to add other sources of income. If you are employed, we recommend that you find easy tasks that you can do on your part time. For example, you can drive your car for Uber after your shift ends. You can be an online writer. You can also be a YouTube professional. The internet has been very good in providing these opportunities. These opportunities will help you pay up your debt faster.

Think Before You Buy

Another common mistake we see many people make is to spend a lot of money buying things that they don’t need. They are impulse buyers. We have seen people buy expensive Mercedes Benz and Range Rovers in their first occupations. We have also seen people rush to buy the latest iPhones. While these devices are good, you should take time to think whether you really need them.

By using and refining these tips, you will be at a good position to have a successful financial life. You will get rid of your debts and within time, you will start enjoying life.

The post A Guide on How to Manage Your Personal Cash Flows appeared first on Money Hints.

When you are in the market for either a brand-new car or a used car, you have a lot of big decisions to make. However, once you have in mind a vehicle you would like to buy, or at least the style, brand or even a model, there is another important decision you need to make. Where are you going to buy your new or used car from?

The whole experience of buying a new automobile, whether its new or used, can be a positive one or a very negative one depending on the car dealership you choose to use. How can you avoid getting ripped off and having the best car buying experience possible?

Do Your Research

Cars are expensive and are probably one of the priciest things you will ever need to buy. That’s why the process of buying one shouldn’t be rushed. If you have already done all the homework and figured out the make and model you want to buy, you still have more work to do. You need to research the car dealerships that stock the cars you are interested in.

When looking at websites, look for dealerships that give more than just a cellphone number or a vague address. If they are a fully-fledged and trustworthy business, they should have several different phone numbers for their different departments and will want to display to all potential customers exactly where they are.

Look At Online Testimonials and Reviews

Just as you have probably looked at customer reviews by people who driven the cars you are interested in to help in your decision of which to buy, you need to do the same when choosing a car dealership. Impartial testimonials and reviews are a great way to determine the kind of car buying experience you may have. Don’t just be swayed by the positives, look at the negatives and if there are any growing trends among them, you need to decide if they were one-off incidents or not.

Remember, everyone is different. Someone may have had a bad experience just because they didn’t like the salesperson’s personality. You may not have the same problem. Weigh everything up before deciding.

Consider Its Location

You may not think, in the pursuit of the best deal on that dream car, that the location of the dealership is very important. It’s true, if you are buying a new car, you are unlikely to need to speak much to the dealership after you’ve driven away. However, if you are buying a used car, one that may potentially need servicing and repairs at some point, it can be inconvenient to choose a dealership that is two towns along.

Consider the distance therefore before settling. You want to know that it’s not going to cost too much if you need to tow your vehicle there. It is just good to know that your dealership is just a short drive away if you have any issues or questions regarding your vehicle.

The post Things to Consider When Choosing a Car Dealership appeared first on Money Hints.

It’s fair to say that except for a new house, a new car is likely to be one of the most expensive purchases you will ever make in your life. Not only that, as well as the initial cost of buying a car, there is also the running costs like fuel, maintenance and insurance to consider too. When you add those costs to the financial responsibilities you already have, it is a serious amount of money.

Therefore, so many people look to automotive financing options to afford a car. IF you have been put off taking a loan on a car in the past, we wanted to help you see the positives. In the following post, therefore, we are going to discuss some of the great advantages to buying a car on finance.

Don’t Have to Pay Out a Large Sum of Money at Once

This is perhaps the most obvious benefit, but it’s still worth noting. When you take out finance on a new car, you are free of the burden of having to budget for the full asking price. This means that you don’t need to take out more money than you’d prefer from your savings or even hit the plastic hard.

Able to Get a Higher-Quality Car

Once you are free from the constraints of having to use your credit card or drain your bank account to pay for a new car in full, when you choose to get a car with finance, you have a greater variety to choose from. It may even mean you can opt for a higher quality vehicle than the one you would have bought had you paid in full.

Perks and Incentives

Another key benefit of buying a car with finance is that you may be eligible for some nice perks and incentives. For instance, if your car is financed by the same company that you are going to buy it from, they will often add nice extras into the deal. This could be full car inspections or reduced-price maintenance checks.

Keep Your Savings Safe

It may be that if you were going to buy a new car outrightly, then you’d be dipping into the hard-earned savings you have stored up. Although for many people cars are the kinds of purchases those kinds of savings are made for, it may be worth holding onto them for real emergencies. It would be a shame to spend your savings on a new car, only to find that in a few months or years’ time you need to make expensive home improvements or repairs to your property.

Or even worse, you have an expensive bill that needs your attention. By getting a car on finance, you free up those savings and can benefit from them when you really need them.

Car financing won’t be right for everyone. But, if you can’t afford to pay for a car in cash or from your credit card, it is your next best option to getting the automobile of your dreams.

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Attracting highly qualified tenants can be an overwhelming and frustrating process for many landlords. This article will discuss five ways to help you attract, and keep, best-fit tenants for your property.

#1 Market for Success

Write down five qualities you believe that perfect tenants for your rental property possess. Then, write an advertisement or design your marketing pitch around those must-haves. For example, if you want tenants with a higher than average credit score – put that in your ad.Something like, “We have beautiful rental homes available now for people with exceptional credit.”

#2 Be Competitive

Keeping your rental property in peak performance mode is essential for attracting long-term tenants. Give your property a fresh coat of paint, update the appliances, and add splashes of color and texture to the landscaping. Something as simple as adding public Wi-Fi, or built-in charging stations in the residence can differentiate you from your closest competitor. Think about the perks and amenities you would want in a rental home and incorporate as many as possible for your tenants.

#3 Rethink Your Priorities

If you find your vacancy days are way too high, your policies may be holding you back. You want your policies to send the message that you value your renters’ business and want to offer them a safe, well-maintained home as much as they want to rent one. Pet policies may be keeping highly qualified tenants from your property. It is easy to understand why some landlords refuse to rent to people who have pets.But, could you increase your pet deposit or require a renters’ insurance policy that covers damage caused by pets without alienating highlyqualified tenants?

#4 Create a Positive Reputation

One of the best ways to attract good tenants, and keep them renewing the lease year after year, is by becoming a landlord who provides exceptional customer service. You can enforce rules and regulations while still being respectful and kind. Be professional from the instant a prospective tenant first makes contact to inquire about a vacancy, and never miss an opportunity to show a little kindness and appreciation. For example, a landlord who provides tenants with an emergency after-hours contact number or contracts with a 24/7 answering service, demonstrates he or she understands how frustrating a plumbing or HVAC problem is during the middle of the night.

#5 Focus on Professional Growth

Look for ways you can be a better landlord. Join industry associations to learn from experienced property managers that know how to treat their tenants. Study local, state, and federal laws, so you don’t find yourself facing legal complaints andinvest in modern technology that makes life easier for your renters.

These five tips give a variety of ways to attract better tenants. Think about each suggestion and see if there are other policies or actions you could take to make your rental property more attractive.

Becoming a landlord with a reputation for exceptional customer service is not as hard as you might think. The best approach is to start by thinking about what you would expect from a landlord if you were renting and make policy adjustments based on those thoughts.

The post Five Simple Steps to Attract the Right Tenants for Rental Property   appeared first on Money Hints.

Not only is it hard to save for retirement, many people who are saving just don’t know how much they should have saved. With employers increasingly leaving the burden of retirement on the individual, and a gloomy outlook on state-sponsored old age benefits, much of retirement saving is going to be up to you. How much you should have saved, and how you’ve allocated it, depends a lot on what your income is.

Recently, a MarketWatch article that claimed by the age of 35, you should have twice your salary saved was roasted online. For many Millennials carrying student debts into their 30s, dreaming about buying a home, and facing ever-higher rents, that number can seem completely out of reach. Unfortunately, there is some truth to it. There’s an important caveat: saving twice your salary by age 35 is a successful strategy for a stress-free retirement, but that doesn’t mean most people now or even in the past have been able to achieve savings like that.

Retirement Savings by Income

Much of your ability to save depends on your income. The more you earn, the higher percentage of your annual income you should have saved. A more reasonable model of retirement savings suggests that by 35 you should have:

• 90% of your salary saved if you earn $50,000
• 160% of your salary saved if you earn $75,000
• 200% of your salary saved if you earn $100,000
• 260% of your salary saved if you earn $150,000
• Up to 350% of your salary saved if you earn $300,000

Under this model, your savings should have an 80% chance of lasting 30 years after you retire and a nest egg that experiences 6% annual growth. From 35, you should be setting aside 10% of your annual salary every year.

Silver Allocation in Your Retirement

Stocks and bonds are the basics of your portfolio, but have you considered how precious metals like gold and silver can play an important role in your savings? As your retirement savings increase, it pays to look into non-paper assets, such as gold and silver.

Gold and silver are assets that are great to have when a recession or financial crisis hits your savings on the stock market. Some financial experts say anywhere from 5-10% or more of your portfolio should be invested in gold and silver. The last financial crisis, which largely shaped the employment and savings world Millennials experience today, sent off major gains in gold and silver.

Gold vs. Silver

Gold is the more stable of the two precious metals, whereas silver is a great bargain right now. If your primary goal is to counterbalance risk, gold is safe. Silver on the other hand has a much higher upside as it’s deeply undervalued right now. Silver bars can also be more accessible, as they come in at a fraction of the price. It isn’t hard to learn how to buy silver bars and bullion as online dealers can provide fully insured delivery as well as storage.

Investing in silver bars and gold will help you weather the storm. At the age of 35, there will likely be at least 3 recessions between now and when you retire. As you get older, you have less time to watch your savings recover if you want your savings to really grow. Precious metals can help you achieve that growth.

The post What Your Retirement Savings Should Look Like by Age 35 appeared first on Money Hints.

You’ve had your old reliable car for several years now. It’s helped you get to A from B over hundreds and even thousands of miles. Many amazing memories were made with that car. But, it’s time to say goodbye to it and replace it with something new. Perhaps your family is downsizing, and you can finally get a new Nissan Titan pick-up truck, or it’s just run its course. Regardless of what you’re thinking of doing, you’re faced with two choices – part exchange it or sell it privately.

In the following post we’ll look at both, discussing some of the pros and cons of each to help you decide which is best for you.

Selling Privately – The Benefits

Do you have a lot of time to spend finding the best buyer? Selling privately may well be the best option. You’ll be able to secure, in most situations, a higher price for your car, by selling it privately rather than part exchanging it. As the money you make is not also reliant on a dealership making money, you will get all the money you sell your car for. Another major benefit is that you can really drive home selling points that dealerships are not interested in, such as special features and modifications. These are far more appealing to private buyers.

Private Selling – The Downsides

It follows that while you’re able to get more money from selling privately, it takes a lot of your time. If you, therefore, have limited amount of time or just need to secure a sale quickly because you need a new vehicle, this is not the best way to go about it.

Another major reason why you may want to avoid selling privately is the fact that you’re bound to run into lots of timewasters selling privately. People who want to try haggle down to stupid prices.

Part Exchange – The Benefits

Convenience is, by far, the biggest benefit of part exchanging your current car. As we noted, it can often take weeks to sell a car privately, whereas you can immediately get the keys to a new car if you decide to part exchange.

Rather than having to go through all the palaver of creating ads and waiting for buyers to show interest, you can just make a trade right there and then when you visit a dealership. Perfect if time is of the essence.

Part Exchanging – The Downsides

Neither of these methods of selling your old car are fool proof and there’s downsides to part exchanging. For the dealership to make a profit, you lose out on some yourself. That means for the convenience that comes from part exchanging, you’re trading in some of the money you would have made selling privately.

It may also mean that you must negotiate with a dealership, which is not something that many people relish or enjoy. As well as negotiating on a price for the value of the motor your trading in, you’ll also be negotiating on the new car’s price. You have tom decide whether that’s something you want to do.

Which is best for you? There’s good points and bad points to both – you need to look at them all and consider what fits in with your own situation best.

The post Should You Part Exchange Your Car or Sell Privately appeared first on Money Hints.

Anyone who has ever had to build or rebuild their credit knows that the process can be tricky. However, if you’re young and don’t have a good score, you have a hard time buying things, getting loans, or even getting a credit card. It’s important to note that being on top of things, keeping track of your score, and paying your bills on time are the keys to keeping your score high. Luckily, there are ways to build your credit the smart way when you’re first starting out. Read on below for a few of those ways to be revealed.

Apply for a Credit Builder Loan

Believe it or not, there are loans out there that are specifically designed for people who are looking to build their credit. A credit builder loan is just what it sounds like, a loan that helps you start getting established in the credit department. The lenders most often report to the three major credit reporting agencies, so if you make your payments on time, it will indeed build your credit. If you would like to apply for a credit builder loan, they are usually offered by community banks or it is possible to find them online at sites like westernshamrock.com.

Apply for a Secured Credit Card

If you are building your credit up from scratch, then applying for a secured credit card is the perfect way to get you heading in the right direction. This card works by giving you a credit limit that is covered by a set deposit you have in the bank. You’ll make this cash deposit upfront and your credit limit will usually be for the amount you deposited. The card can be used like any other card, but it isn’t meant to be used forever. Once you have built up your credit enough to be approved for an unsecured card, then you can close your secured account and your deposit will be returned to you.

Have Someone Cosign for You

It is also possible for you to get a loan or even at times buy a car if you have a cosigner. A cosigner puts his or her name on the line if you default on the payments on whatever they helped you get. That is why it’s so important to talk to your cosigner carefully, letting them know that they will have to pay back whatever you owe if you don’t. Also, if you fail to make payments on time, their credit can be affected as well as yours. This can get tricky when it comes to family and friends, so be careful.

Become an Authorized User

Becoming an authorized user on someone’s else’s unsecured credit card can also be a good way to build your credit. You’ll certainly have more spending room on an unsecured card, and since your name is linked to that account as well, when the card issuer reports to the credit bureaus, your credit is being built also. If you’re good at paying your bills on time, then this is a viable option and one to be explored further.

These are just a few of the top ways that you can build your credit from scratch. However, it’s important to remember that paying your loan and credit cards on time is the key to keep that score high.

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