Real Estate in Florence County SC Teresa McDonald, Realtor

Bringing you home!
Home     Search Listings     Email Tips     Teresa's Timely Tips     Buying     Selling     Real Estate Blog     Links     Florence Photos      

My Weekly Real Estate E-letters                                               

These are my weekly email e-letters. You may click on the title of the e-letter to be carried directed to that e-letter. I will be archiving old copies of the e-letters on this page. Click on Weekly Real Estate Email E-letter to sign up to receive the e-letter directly in your email box. The e-letter will contain real estate tips and tips in general for around the home.

Weekly Real Estate E-letters

Weekly Real Estate E-letter(5-25-09) How to Save Money with Your Car or Commuting Tips 11-15
Weekly Real Estate E-letter(5-18-09) How to Save Money with Your Car or Commuting Tips 6-10
Weekly Real Estate E-letter(5-11-09) How to Save Money with Your Car or Commuting Tips 1-5
Weekly Real Estate E-letter(5-4-09) How to Save Money in Your Personal Finance Tips 21-25


Click here to read April Tips
Click here to read March Tips
Click here to read February Tips
Click here to read January Tips
Click here to read December Tips
Click here to read November Tips
Click here to read October Tips

 How to Save Money with Your Car or Commuting Tips 11-15
11. Comparison shop for auto insurance at least once a year. Check with at least three companies before signing up.

12. You can save money on car insurance by changing your profile. Improving your credit, getting married, moving to a better neighborhood, taking a defensive driving course or joining the right national and local organizations can lower your insurance.

13. Keep your driving record as clean as possible, and if it's pretty spotless already, make sure your insurance company knows it. Be a squeaky wheel about discounts if you've gone a certain number of years without an accident or ticket, store your car in a garage or drive fewer than a certain number of miles each year.

14. Bundle insurance coverage. If you have more than one car, insure them on the same policy to get a break. Or try getting your auto policy from the same company that insures your home.

15. Don't buy more insurance than you need. Consider raising deductibles (bank that amount for emergencies) and increasing your liability coverage.
 How to Save Money with Your Car or Commuting Tips 6-10

6. Don't top off the gas tank. Rapidly starting and stopping a gas pump can cause it to overcharge you for the small amount of gas you put in, and there's a good chance gas will slosh or seep out.

7. Lighten up on the accelerator, and don't make fast starts or sudden stops. The faster you drive, the more gas you use. For example, driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph can improve your fuel economy by two miles per gallon.

8. Tighten the gas cap. And if your cap doesn't fit snugly, buy a new one. Gas easily evaporates from the tank if it has a way to escape. 

9. Buy a fuel-efficient car. When pricing cars, factor in long-term fuel costs. Keep in mind that sunroofs add to wind resistance, lowering the mileage per gallon. 

10. Be smart with the air conditioning. On the highway, closed windows decrease wind resistance, so run the air conditioner. In stop-and-go traffic, shut off the air conditioning and open the windows. 

 How to Save Money with Your Car or Commuting Tips 1-5
1. Look for ways to cut out your car altogether. Consider walking, biking or telecommuting. If you live in an area that has good public transportation, take advantage of it. If you can't quit driving altogether, your family could get by with one car instead of two if you use some of these methods.
 
2. Consider carpooling. Carpooling matching services are available free in many communities. Do a search online for a local carpool center or call your local government.

3. When using mass transit, be sure to take advantage of multiple-ride discount cards, monthly passes and any other deals for riders.

4. Maintain your car. Keeping tires inflated properly saves fuel and tread wear, and a well-tuned engine that gets regular oil changes burns less gas.

5. Buy the lowest-octane grade of gasoline appropriate for your car. As long as your engine doesn't knock or ping, the fuel is fine.
 How to Save Money in Your Personal Finance Tips 21-25
21. Consider transferring your balances from high-interest credit cards to low-interest ones. Then make the same payment as before or double the minimum.

22. If the opportunity exists, work overtime or an extra shift at least once or twice a month.

23. Participate in a 401(k) or 403(b) plan. Your contributions are made with pretax dollars. You save for the future while reducing today's taxable income.

24. Set up a tax-advantaged IRA or Roth IRA account to build up your retirement savings.

25. Save your raise. The next time you get a raise at work or a tax refund, consider directing half to savings. If you're not used to the money, you won't miss it.