The Frugal Free Gal

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.

Your house will always be the biggest purchase you’ll make, but your car is probably second on that list. And while you put a lot of thought into your home, you should also put some careful thought into what sort of vehicle you’ll be parking in your home’s driveway.

NEW CAR VS. USED CAR

The first question you might ask yourself when you start the car-buying process is a simple one: New or used? Here are a few things to consider when answering that question.

New car advantages

New cars are reliable and accident-free. They’ve also got a great warranty (although many used cars do, too). And that new car smell can’t be beat!

New car disadvantages

The biggest drawback is the higher cost. A brand new family sedan without all the fancy extras will probably cost around $30,000. The same sedan loaded with features but three years old can be had for $20,000 to $25,000.

Used car advantages

Lower cost is a big used car advantage. Like we discussed above, used cars cost far less than their newer counterparts.

Used car disadvantages

Used cars are, well, used. They’ve got some miles on them, which means repairs will be needed sooner than they might if you bought a new car. The warranty on a used car also has a few years on it, which means it will likely expire soon (if it hasn’t already).

WHEN TO BUY A CAR

Now that you’ve decided whether you’re buying new or used, your next decision is figuring out when you’ll buy your car. Believe it or not, there are times of the year, month, and week when buying a car is better. There’s even a good time of day!

Best time of the year

The end of the summer and the end of the year are the best times to buy a car. The end of summer is good because that’s when dealers are trying to clear out the current year’s stock to make room for next year’s models. The end of the year (December) is good because that’s when dealers are trying to meet their year end sales quotas.

Best time of the month

Like the end of the year, the end of the month is a good time to buy because dealers will be anxious to meet their end-of-month sales goals.

Best time of the week

Hit the dealership in the middle of the week – Tuesday or Wednesday – to get the best deals. That’s when the dealerships will be least crowded, which means salesmen will have more time to focus on you and will be more likely to want to make a sale.

Best time of the day

If you’ve applied all the lessons above, you’ll be headed to the dealer at the end of the summer (or December), on a Tuesday or Wednesday at the end of the month. What time of the day should you stop in? About an hour before closing is best. That’s when dealers are wrapping up for the day and more likely to make a deal before clocking out.

How did you save on your last car purchase?

Most parents love their children with a deep and abiding passion. It is natural for us to want our children to be happy and healthy. We want them to have everything they need and almost everything they want. But sometimes giving a small child everything they want can be detrimental. Take birthday parties, for example. Huge, extravagant birthday parties are a growing modern trend (Thanks, Pinterest!) Here are five tips for planning that simple party, and doing it on a budget as well.

1. Buy birthday supplies in bulk at Dollar Tree. 

You’ll be surprised at how many fun, little birthday party trinkets you can find at a Dollar Tree. Buying cups, plates and napkins there can save you lots of money. If you’re going to have balloons at the party, rent a helium tank and fill your own. The balloons can be both entertainment and decor. Here’s what we found for my daughter’s 7th birthday party at Dollar Tree. Follow my Instagram account while you are here! Watch my YouTube video about birthday decorations at Dollar Tree.

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Dollar Tree has *new* unicorn birthday party decorations – all $1 each – perfect for my New Year’s Eve birthday girl! Check out my @dollartree videos by clicking the link in my profile. #dollartree #dollartreefinds #dollar #dollartreecommunity #dollartreedecor #unicorn #unicornparty #unicornpartyideas #unicornparty? #unicornpartytheme #unicorns #unicornlove #birthday #birthdaygirl #birthday? #birthdays #birthdaydecoration #birthdaydecorations #birthdaydecor #dollartreeaddict #dollartreeobsessed #savemoney #savemoneytoday

A post shared by Frugal Free Gal – Brittany ? (@frugalfreegal) on Dec 29, 2018 at 8:51pm PST

2. Make the Food Yourself

Catered food is expensive. Even if you’re not a chef, it’s easy to make your own food for a child’s party. Start with a yellow cake mix. Turn it into cupcakes and decorate them with pre-made frosting. Add a few bowls of chips or party mix, a platter of baby veggies and dip, and a bowl of punch. That’s really all you need to keep kids happy. Just remember to beware of any allergies before handing out food.

3. Make Your Own Amusement Park

If you’ve got access to a yard, you can make your own water park. Set up wading pools and a slip-and-slide. Put a pile of squirt guns next to the faucet. The kids will quickly get the idea and have a blast. Don’t want to mess with water? Set up a simple obstacle course or a treasure hunt. Or, if it’s too cold to be outside, rent videos and video games. Make sure the kids take turns and add some interest by creating prizes for the highest scores.

4. Use Free (or Cheap) Public Entertainment

Plan your party at a public park or swimming pool. At the park, you can set up games of horseshoes, wiffle ball or croquet. There will be plenty of space for old fashioned games like hide and seek, as well. At the pool, you won’t even have to plan any entertainment. The kids can simply enjoy the water. Many kids’ museums are free, or, since you’ll have a crowd, offer discount tickets.

Related: Should You Have Your Child’s Birthday Party Away or At Home? + Birthday Theme Ideas

5. Stick to the Basics

Birthday parties are more about creating memorable moments in your childrens’ lives rather than trying to be over the top to impress people. What kids really want from a birthday party is some games, sugary food and a fun time. Anything other than that is extra, and may even lead to cranky, burned-out kids.

Do you have any tips for hosting a birthday party on a budget?

Check out more money saving tips!

Guest post written by Jennifer at The Coupon Centsation 

Shrinking Budget? How we provide for a family of five with less than $100 food budget a month!

Can you afford NOT to coupon? For my family of five, couponing is NOT an option, it is a NECESSITY! Several years ago, I was faced with the dilemma of being able to produce quality meals for our family. After our household income was cut by more than two-thirds, I found myself trying to find ways to get more for my dollar! One evening, while enjoying dinner with friends, I was introduced to the Coupon Game. After doing several weeks of online research and months of experimenting at local stores, I have cultivated a variety of methods into the Coupon Centsation approach. I have been using this approach for the past two years.

Saving money on your monthly household budget is much more than just cutting coupons! On a daily basis I find myself searching for deals, applying for FREEBIES, and identifying the best places to get the most for my money! Every week, I visit the local grocery stores and drug stores several times. By using my innovative approach, I know the latest trends! In weekly coupon trips today, my overall savings is greater than 90%. I find it a privilege to be able to bless those around me with the money-saving gift that I have been given, even if it’s only several dollars at a time!

Our family uses the Coupon Centsation approach to plan our weekly menu based on the items that we already have in the house. Our weekly grocery list is created based off of the coupons that we have matched up with the weekly sales ads from various grocery and drug stores. In today’s newspapers, there are so many coupons! We find it our mission to wait until the most opportune time to put those coupons to practice. I find myself not wanting to pay full price for anything since I know that I don’t have to! People ask me all the time, do you really need all those coupons? Yes, I do! Even if I cannot use an item, I use the coupons and give as much as I can to those that are less fortunate. In today’s economy, people like us are still able to give a lot without money! We take our extra items to local shelters and organizations that benefit from our true passion, couponing!

Today nearly every American family is on a budget trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible. If you follow the tips below, you will be on your way to saving money. Many times, you can shop for FREE, or get paid to shop! I like to think of couponing like a game of Poker, I have the coupons; I just have to know the right time to cash them in. Here are the top 5 tips to act on:

1) Shop the Sales & Stockpile

2) Plan your Menus

3) Stock up on Coupons: Internet, Printable and Inserts

4) Know and Understand your Store Savings Programs

5) Be Flexible on brands and stores

Couponing has become part of who we are! Anybody can cut coupons out of the paper. However, it takes practice to know how to match the coupons to the best sales each week. Learning the sales cycles of your stores and the best time to buy items is the most important concept to learn. With a passionate heart and a  little planning, you can save a lot of money and help your family while helping others at the same time.

My love for saving money started after college when I started my first job as a second grade teacher. My husband and I had just started our careers, and we had to find ways to live beneath our means so that we could also save for our future. It’s true when they say the earlier you start the better, and it’s never too late to start no matter what age you are! I decided that reading books about finances, saving money, and budgeting was the best place to start. I was able to learn on my own time from reading, and you can do the same! Below you’ll find the list of books that helped motivate our family towards financial success. These books are placed in order in which I read them. Some books I read years ago, and some I’ve read within the last year or so. Take a look and maybe one or two (or all) of these would be of interest to you, too!

1. Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach

This is THE book that motivated me to take my very first steps to saving. I read this book in 2005 at our first duty station in Pensacola, Florida. When I was a second grade teacher, I found myself reading this during break times. It didn’t take me too long to get through the book because it was very interesting. I was a young teacher and I knew that saving money as early as possible was key, so I didn’t waste time. We found a financial advisor, set up our first investment accounts for retirement during this time and have been contributing ever since.

2. The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach

After reading Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach, I wanted to read more of his content. I read Automatic Millionaire in 2007 in North Carolina at our second duty station when I was working out on the treadmill at our apartment gym. This was another great read as it taught us how to save money by setting up automatic payments. Each month, we set up automatic payments to go directly into our retirement accounts and savings accounts. To this day, we still follow the automatic savings plan and it works great for us! The money leaves our account and goes directly to savings each month without us having to worry about it. Every bit adds up over time!

3. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

I always heard great things about Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I read this book on a flight back from Texas to North Carolina in 2008. I remember mostly reading about assets vs. liabilities as well as financial investing. We continued to invest monthly towards our future.

4. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

The Total Money Makeover is one of my favorite books of all. I read this book in August 2015 here in South Carolina. This book is THE book that got us back on track after years of saving but not aggressively saving. It’s the book that taught us how to be gazelle intense with our finances. My husband read this book after I did and we both continue to listen to Dave Ramsey’s podcasts daily as well. Thanks to this book, we were able to follow Dave’s Baby Steps and we are currently on baby steps 4-7. We continue to save for college, pay off a rental home, and give at the same time. If I were to recommend that you read any of the books listed first, this is actually the book I would start with.

5. Retire Inspired by Chris Hogan

This is a brand new book released in 2016. My husband and I read this in January in South Carolina. Retire Inspired is what I call the kick in the pants that we all need to save for retirement. This is an eye opening book as it motivates us to save even more for retirement. After looking at our own numbers, we realized that we needed to kick it into higher gear and put away even more each month. We discovered Chris Hogan (he has an amazing voice!) on one of Dave Ramsey’s podcasts and on another podcast by Ramsey Solutions, Chris Brown on Air. These three guys (Dave Ramsey, Chris Brown, and Chris Hogan) are three financial pros that I highly recommend listening to this year if you want to get on track financially.

Added **6. The Legacy Journey: A Radical View of Biblical Wealth and Generosity by Dave Ramsey

We are actively reading this book now. Legacy Journey is another book written by Dave Ramsey. We’ve applied the Dave Ramsey teachings to our life over the last year and it has been so successful that we want to keep learning about ways to build our legacy. We plan to improve our personal finances and budgeting in the new year (2017).

Books on My Reading List

Everyday Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth?and How You Can Too by Chris Hogan – “Chris Hogan destroys millionaire myths that are keeping everyday people from achieving financial independence.”

Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze – “In Smart Money Smart Kids, financial expert and best-selling author Dave Ramsey and his daughter Rachel Cruze equip parents to teach their children how to win with money.”

Love Your Life, Not Theirs: 7 Money Habits for Living the Life You Want by Rachel Cruze – “In Love Your Life, Not Theirs, Rachel Cruze shines a spotlight on the most damaging money habit we have: comparing ourselves to others. Then she unpacks seven essential money habits for living the life we really want–a life in line with our values, where we can afford the things we want to buy without being buried under debt, stress, and worry.”

If you’d like to get motivated and inspired to get on track this year financially, I highly recommend finding some good books such as the ones listed above to help you get started. Look for these books at your local library or find a good deal on them at Amazon. Then, when you are finished with the books, pass them on to a family member or friend that you feel would benefit from reading them. It took the very first book on the list to motivate me to get started years and years ago, and I don’t regret the decision to start early and save one bit!

Have you read any of the books listed above? What money saving books do you recommend?