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	<title>On Building a Better Life... Brent Riggs &#187; Personal Finances</title>
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		<title>You Do NOT Have to Get a Car Loan</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/you-do-not-have-to-get-a-car-loan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/you-do-not-have-to-get-a-car-loan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:39:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=494</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230; Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/you-do-not-have-to-get-a-car-loan/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/reducing-expensives-lowering-your-gasoline-expense/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/reducing-expensives-lowering-your-gasoline-expense/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:39:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With gas prices rising rapidly, let’s talk about ways to reduce your gasoline expense. Find some friends either at work, or neighbors who work in the same general vicinity as you, and set up a rotating car pool. You can use email or classified ads to find people, as well as posting flyers in your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
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		<title>Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/reducing-expenses-%e2%80%93-ways-to-save/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/reducing-expenses-%e2%80%93-ways-to-save/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:38:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s some suggestions on way to save money which helps us with goal number three: reducing expenses. A Deep Freeze A freezer full of frozen vegetables, bulk prepared meals and left-overs uses very little electricity because its full of frozen food, and rarely changes temperature. It’s a great way to save by buying bulk meats [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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      or put it on one of the social sites:</span></p>
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<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/reducing-expenses-%e2%80%93-don-%e2%80%98t-buy-new/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/reducing-expenses-%e2%80%93-don-%e2%80%98t-buy-new/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:38:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the residual benefits of American prosperity for prudent folks is that pretty much everything you need to buy can be found in like-new condition for pennies on the dollar. If you are running down to Walmart, BestBuy or the mall to buy new items, you are simply WASTING money. Light up a hundred [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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      would share this with someone, <br />
      or put it on one of the social sites:</span></p>
<p><a class="addthis_button" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&#038;pub=brentriggs"><img src="http://www.mcklinkyblog.com/sharethis.jpg" width="305" height="22" alt="Bookmark and Share" style="border:0"/></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js?pub=brentriggs">var addthis_config = {services_compact: 'email, twitter, facebook, print, StumbleUpon, Blogger, Digg, MySpace, Technorati, WordPress, more'}
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<div id="apf_post_footer">
<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Contmentment and the Recession</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/contmentment-and-the-recession/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/contmentment-and-the-recession/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:38:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A couple of things for you today&#8230; First, on my personal blog, I just posted a presentation that has to do with being contented. As Americans we seem to have a never-ending thirst for increased lifestyle and prosperity. It&#8217;s not the amount of money or wealth that we have, it&#8217;s whether or not we have [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>105 Ways to Save Money, Reduce Expenses</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/105-ways-to-save-money-reduce-expenses/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/105-ways-to-save-money-reduce-expenses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:38:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Favorites]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=484</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Download the full report here.  Here&#8217;s the first ten: GET OUT OF DEBT. My most recent book and DVD are on this topic. Being out of debt is the number one thing that will help you relieve stress and do well when costs go up, and the belt gets tight. Check out my book here: [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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      or put it on one of the social sites:</span></p>
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<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Push Your Flywheel</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/push-your-flywheel/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/push-your-flywheel/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:38:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[A reader asks: Why isn’t my online business growing any faster? I’ve been working at it for several months and while I’m making some money, I would have thought by now that it would be making a lot more? Any suggestions? Well, I don’t have any specific suggestions because I don’t know enough about the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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      or put it on one of the social sites:</span></p>
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<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>What About The Lottery?</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/what-about-the-lottery/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/what-about-the-lottery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:38:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=480</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sorry I haven&#8217;t posted in a few days. I was really sick for a while. A reader asks what about the lottery? If I have the money to play the lottery what&#8217;s the difference between me spending a few bucks on lottery tickets instead of going golfing? - &#8211; - &#8211; - &#8211; - &#8211; [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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<p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; color:#999; font-size:11px; text-align:center;">I would be very grateful if you <br />
      would share this with someone, <br />
      or put it on one of the social sites:</span></p>
<p><a class="addthis_button" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&#038;pub=brentriggs"><img src="http://www.mcklinkyblog.com/sharethis.jpg" width="305" height="22" alt="Bookmark and Share" style="border:0"/></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js?pub=brentriggs">var addthis_config = {services_compact: 'email, twitter, facebook, print, StumbleUpon, Blogger, Digg, MySpace, Technorati, WordPress, more'}
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<div id="apf_post_footer">
<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Top Ten Best Attitudes About Money</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/top-ten-best-attitudes-about-money/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/top-ten-best-attitudes-about-money/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:38:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=478</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What are the best attitudes and beliefs we should have about money? I&#8217;m trying to create a TOP TEN so that people can have a specific list to help them get the right mindset about money. Help me create this list. I&#8217;ve added a couple already. Go here: http://www.serioustopten.com/list_in_progress.asp?listid=8 Once the list is finished, I&#8217;ll [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
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		<title>Stewardship: Be Thrifty</title>
		<link>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/stewardship-be-thrifty/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brentriggsblog.com/2009/08/stewardship-be-thrifty/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:37:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Personal Finances]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=476</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I wrote on my blog about some advice from Abe Lincoln. I wanted to expand on one point here because it fits into one of our main points: Giving &#38; Stewardship. Here’s what I wrote on the blog: You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. (Abe Lincoln) For all you young folks out there, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><STRONG>You have to get a loan to buy a car&#8230;</STRONG><br />
<P>Simply put, this is complete nonsense. You do not have to have a loan to buy a car. You simply need to be disciplined and save the money first. You need to control your impulsiveness and keep the long term goal in mind. Most people convince themselves that they must have a new car for all sorts of &quot;convenience and lifestyle reasons.&quot; Since the auto industry makes it so easy and attractive to get credit, it is extremely tempting to go into debt to get a car you cannot afford. The simple fact is, if you must take out a loan to get a car, you are buying a car your income cannot afford.</P><br />
<P>The truth is, you can get a lot more car for your dollar if you save up the money first, look for a very well maintained two or three year old used vehicle, and start waving cash around in front of a motivated seller. </P><br />
<P><STRONG>TRUE STORY</STRONG></P><br />
<P>Do my comments about car loans sound familiar to you? When I was a teenager, I got my first job. I immediately determined HOW MUCH CAR PAYMENT I could afford. Of course, I had no problem finding a car dealer who agreed with my assessment that I could afford $225.00/month in car payment… after all, I made over $500 in monthly pay! (If that percentage of income for an auto doesn’t scare you, it should!) Of course, I discovered quickly that there is more to owning a car than the minimum car loan payment.</P><br />
<P>As my income rose, about every year or so I got new car fever and carefully calculated that $50 more a month, or $80 more a month was something I could &quot;easily&quot; afford, especially when I got &quot;no payments until March&quot; and no down payments. </P><br />
<P>As you can imagine, I ended up about 10 years later with a $600+/month car payment on a vehicle that I was MANY thousands of dollars upside down on, aided, of course, by each car dealer who was more than willing to rollover my deficit into a new loan.[TIPJAR]</P><br />
<P>Once I got smart, I paid off the deficit on the vehicle, then sold it for book value to get out from under WAY MORE car than my income could support stress free. I’ve never bought a new car since. I’ve purchased, WITH CASH, reliable used cars. Currently, we drive a very decent 4 year old Honda minivan and a 3 year old Toyota. We don’t owe a dime for cars and could sell both of them for a profit at any time if we chose to.</P><br />
<P>This is a story I have told my kids over and over. You should warn your kids about the dangers of &quot;new car fever.&quot; If you are in the same situation I was in, don’t worry, you can get out of it too. Pay off the deficit if you are upside down, then sell the car. Save your money to buy a used car WITH CASH, even if you have to drive a junker for a while. The stress is not worth the lifestyle of debt.</P><br />
<P>You do not have to have a loan to buy a car! Quit letting commercials convince you that you do!</P><br />
<P><A href=http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp>http://www.seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/default.asp</A></P><br />
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<p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; color:#999; font-size:11px; text-align:center;">I would be very grateful if you <br />
      would share this with someone, <br />
      or put it on one of the social sites:</span></p>
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<h4>Related mind dumps:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=492">Reducing Expensives &#8211; Lowering Your Gasoline Expense</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=490">Reducing Expenses – Ways to Save</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=488">Reducing Expenses – Don ‘t Buy New!</a></li>
<li class="apf_footer"><a href="http://www.brentriggsblog.com/?p=486">Contmentment and the Recession</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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