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3 Hacks to Owning a Car on a Tight Budget

Post COVID-19 recovery phase is a survival for the fittest era where everyone is needed to adjust their lives to fit the new norm. Among the many problems facing people today, lack of finances tops the list.

Despite this, one has to do whatever is possible to meet their daily needs. Owning a car has become a necessity in the 21st century due to its crucial role in people’s lives. It is thus unfortunate for anyone forced to buy or change their car during these hard economic times.

But all is not lost. If your needs don’t allow you to wait for times to get better to get a car, implement these three simple strategies, and you will own a car within no time.

Go for Used Vehicles

Today, thanks to technological advancement and modernization, people are changing cars faster than ever before and as such, getting a quality and reliable second hand car is no longer a challenge. All you have to do is visit your nearest car supermarket and select from the wide variety of vehicles available.

3 Hacks to Owning a Car on a Tight Budget - smiling couple sitting in a car
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Used cars generally cost lower and have less insurance and maintenance costs. Moreover, opting for this option ensures you make an informed decision before purchasing the vehicle. This is through reading on other people’s experiences with the said vehicle through the reviews.   

You will need to practice patience and do thorough research to purchase a good quality used car. Make sure to follow all the rules, such as having the car first checked by a mechanic before purchasing it. Doing this will save you from a lot of agonies that may befall you later.

Consider a Cheaper Vehicle

Purchasing a used vehicle may not be part of your vocabulary, but this should not stop you from owning a car. There still exist new quality cars that cost way less.

Start by evaluating the vehicle’s main purpose and look around to identify what car model will satisfy and meet your immediate needs. You do not have to go for that car with magnificent features that will cost you a dime when a car with similar simple features serves the same purpose.

Some things to worry you should be safety enhancement features, maintenance costs, and the engine. If this is in good condition, go ahead and purchase the vehicle.

Renting a Vehicle Could Save You Money

If you need to use the car once or occasionally, such as when traveling as a family, you can decide to rent out a car instead of purchasing one. This method will keep you away from insurance and maintenance costs.

Therefore there is no need to demean yourself for not owning a car when you can use a rental car to run your errands. Besides, it’s more comfortable and faster to travel via rental cars than public means.

Parting Shot

Purchasing a car is one of the major investments in life. Apart from the money involved, it requires proper planning and in-depth prior research. If a lack of money has been killing your dream of owning a car, rise and dust yourself as the above three strategies will have you driving your car within the shortest time possible.

Important Things To Consider When Hiring A Lawyer

There may never come a time in your life when you need a lawyer, and this is probably the case for most of us. A lawyer can be used for many types of cases but most people will never need to hire one for themselves. 

However, if the time does come and you need to hire a lawyer for a case, you need to know what to look for. Lawyers can be piranhas if you choose the wrong one and you need to take the selection process of a lawyer very seriously in order to make a good choice this year. 

Today we want to talk to you about some of the important things to consider when hiring a lawyer. 

Important Things To Consider When Hiring A Lawyer - handshake image
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The type of case 

The first thing to consider before you hire a solicitors is the type of case you have on your hands. If you have a divorce to put through this will be a job for a family lawyer; whereas compensation for injury will be for a personal injury lawyer to take care of. Make sure you choose a lawyer that specialises in the right area of law because if you don’t do this they won’t be able to represent you to the best standard. Think of law like medicine – there are many different avenues to take and it is likely that a foot doctor won’t be versed in how to change the valve of a heart. The same applies to lawyers which is why you should find a specialist. 

Your budget 

Budget is a huge factor when choosing a lawyer and when doing just about anything. When looking for a lawyer it is important that you have a budget in mind and ensure that you only shortlist lawyers that fall within the range you want to pay. Be sure to not simply choose the cheapest or the most expensive before you speak to them though because the money they charge will not always reflect their quality. Take price into account but don’t allow this to be the be all and end all of your decision making. 

Their size 

The size of a law firm says a lot about them and it is something you need to consider. A very small law firm might not have the man power to provide your case with enough time and energy and you may not get the best service. A massive law firm might not have that personal touch that is required for certain cases and may treat you just like another number. Finding the happy medium between both of these things is important because you want a capable law firm but one that is willing to care about your case for you. 

Their personality 

Always have a face to face meeting with a lawyer at their office before you make a decision on whether or not to hire. Not only will you be able to see their facility and their resources when you go for a meeting but you can see what kind of people they are. The last thing you want when working a case is a lawyer who is cold and arrogant and seems to care about nothing but themselves. The personality of your lawyer is important because you will be liaising with them a lot and you need to build a rapport where you feel comfortable with them.

Tackling Your Finances Head On

Any time of year that you decide to tackle your finances is the best time of year. But, when New Year approaches, many people decide that will be when they make the most of the finances. 

Taking a real look at debts, income, and creating a budget.

It is important to remember not to put too much pressure on yourself. At the start of the year, people often decide to make many large changes and then can feel bad if something doesn’t go perfectly. When it comes to your finances, you can make changes, no matter how small, to significantly impact. 

Consider it like a snowball. It will start small and gather speed and size, meaning impact as you go.

Something that makes tackling your finances interesting is that it doesn’t matter how much money you have. Everyone can benefit from some actionable steps when it comes to their finance.

Tackling Your Finances Head On  - growing money image
Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash

So how do you get the most out of it? And what can make your financial life more comfortable? 

Read on for some simple tips. 

Debt

It is very easy to push that to the back of your mind and begin to bury your head in the sand. Even though that is a massive source of stress and can be one of the things many people struggle with. 

Unfortunately, most of the time, that isn’t going to go anywhere, and it will need to be handled eventually. It is a good idea to note all of your debts, who they are owed to, the amount that is owed, and even looks at your original agreements.

You can find many template letters that can help you to get in touch with your creditors and freeze interest, reduced repayments, and come up with a monthly payment plan that suits what you can afford. If you don’t want to be contacted by phone, you can also request that all communications come via letter.

Depending on how much debt you have and what it relates to, you might get a debt management plan.

If you need some help, here is a useful guide that can help: Struggling With Debt?

Future planning

Is this the year that you begin to save for your forever home? One of the biggest things that they wish to purchase is a house or a new car for many people. These are new financial obligations that need to be carefully planned into your future. This means when you put your budget together, there should be a large amount allocated to these in terms of monthly repayments.

In the case of adverse credit, you might be required to speak to a specialist to see if there are alternatives to help you make your future financial dreams a reality.

Banking

Many people open a bank account, and rather than shop around for alternatives, they keep the same bank account for years. This is partly out of convenience and partly out of loyalty. 

You must remember that in the end, you don’t actually owe your bank anything, and they might not be providing you with the best possible service. It is very straightforward to swap banks in most cases. 

You can even swap your bank account online in some cases, should you need to. Use a comparison website to look at all of your bank’s different offerings compared with other banking companies. You might even find that you are paying higher charges or have a low-interest rate with your current bank.

Budget

A budget is not just something for those who are on a low income, or those looking to save money. Almost anybody can benefit from a well put together budget. A good financial budget can help you with that future planning that we just recently discussed, and it can even help reduce your debts.

One of the simplest ways is to set up your budget is to look at the money you have coming into your home and where it gets spent. 

You might find that you have more money left at the end of the month than you thought if you simply skip a few of those takeaways or reduced the number of times you use the car. 

It can be surprising just how much money you can save but putting a budget together.

Automation

You can often find that you can get a discount on utilities or services if you have an automatic payment set up. Another great thing about automatic payment is that they are usually taken on a regular date every month, making it very easy to work this into your budget. And you are much less likely to spend any money that is already allocated on automatic payment.

You can also set up automated savings. There are several phone applications, and even some banking services provide this now. 

They look at your income and outgoings, and using a special algorithm can work out how much you can save safely, and they will automatically put that into a savings pot for you.

The great thing about automatic saving is you very rarely notice it, and it can be as small as a few pence or cents at a time. Even a matter of weeks or months with the small automatic saving can give you quite a little pot of cash.

Credit card

If you are currently relying on a credit card for emergencies, then perhaps it’s time to start putting cash into an emergency fund. You can use the automatic payment system mentioned in the previous point to help you build up an emergency fund

This might mean that you will need to hold off on unnecessary spending or put all of your focus on paying off any current credit card debt. Then with your spare cash, start filling it into an emergency fund.

Finance can be scary, but once you understand all of your options regarding handling your creditors and putting yourself in the driving seat with a well thought out budget, you will have your finances ship-shape in no time at all. 

Tips For Saving Money On Home Renovations

Home renovations can be a costly expense. From knocking out walls to installing brand new flooring (read more here), there are some home renovation costs that cannot be avoided. Nonetheless, there are still ways to save money. It just takes a little creativity. If you have a costly home renovation coming up or you are wanting to do some updates around the house on a budget, here are some tips.

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Make A Budget And Stick To It

Creating a budget and sticking to that budget is one of the most crucial steps when it comes to saving money on your home renovations. Keep in mind that when you are on a budget, that does not mean that you are only doing what is cheap. You can still pay for quality, you just may have to pick and choose what you want to pay for. Think about how much money you are willing to spend and compare that with how much money you have coming in. From there you can start creating a budget that works with your income. It is also recommended that you add an additional 10 percent to your total amount for incidentals.

Pay In Cash

Pay your renovations in cash or with a debit card if possible. You do not want to take out a loan to pay for the updates. Loans are typically accompanied by high interest rates. It might make sense to borrow money to do some home updates if you intend on selling your home. You will likely get a return on your investment, but if you are only doing them just for the sake of updating the house, it is best that you pay in cash.

Pace Yourself

You do not want to rush any job, especially one that involves how your home will look. Pace your home renovations. Avoid rushing the process. Sometimes you do not have a choice but to pace yourself since you are gathering all the necessary capital needed to make the renovations happen. On the other hand, if you have all the money you may feel the urge to get all the renovations done at one time. Do not do this. Your home will look like a dusty mess in between the renovations.

Do Them Yourself

There are some home improvement jobs you can do yourself. Give it a try! Doing some renovations yourself will save you thousands of dollars. If you are not comfortable doing handy work and you insist on paying someone, there are things you can do to prepare for their arrival. Remember, you are paying them per hour. By setting up your home for their arrival, you will be saving money.

Use What You Have

Instead of gutting the entire room, consider using what you already have and repurpose them. For instance, if you are updating the kitchen consider repurposing the doors instead of swapping them out for new ones. You will be surprised what a good sanding and a fresh coat of paint can do to update a space.