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I recently bought a car. It was a huge financial decision and a lengthy process. I have some tips and ideas to share with you on what worked best for me!

I first checked out the car rankings on U.S. News & World Report. I found the ratings to be trustworthy, easy to understand, and very helpful! I found out safety, reliability, performance ratings… and more!

After I decided which car was right for me, I went onto their website and became pre-approved for a line of credit. It took about 1 minute. Being as prepared as possible helped me stay in control (instead of the dealer being in control) throughout the car buying process. It also helped everything go quickly and smoothly.

Once I knew my line of credit, I began calling all of the dealers in my area. I was open and honest with them. I explained that I was shopping around for the best price. The dealer that I first called was ultimately the dealer that I purchased my car from. However, I was able to talk him down in price over $1,500 from his original offer! He wound up having to beat the price that I received from a competitor of his in order to make the sale.

I hope my story helps you save money the next time you purchase a car!

I just found a great article entitled Need Extra Cash? Try This on More.com- one of our websites here at Meredith. This article addresses the current economic issues that our country is facing and provides fun, innovative ideas on how we could all make some extra money! It’s very inspiring! Enjoy : )

These days, my cell phone is no longer my cell phone. My cell phone is my camera and my Internet. It’s really my… well… everything! If you asked me to tell you any of my friends phone numbers, I wouldn’t be able to! Because, my cell phone is now my memory. See, I wasn’t kidding when I said it was my everything!

But, this multi-tasking, pocket sized friend of mine comes at a cost. And, sometimes, that cost is much too much to bear! So, that’s why I’m posting a great article entitled Top Five Ways To Cut Your Cell Phone Bill today. I found it on Wallet Pop!

Also, here’s something important to remember. If you move into a new time zone, make sure you call your cell phone provider and let them know. They’ll take you through some simple steps to reset your phone so it is connected to the towers nearest your new home. This will save you minutes… and money!

This past weekend, I attended the Natural Products Expo West. The expo was filled with passionate companies that have created natural products to better the health of both our planet and the individuals that use them. I learned so much- it was amazing!

For example, did you know that your shampoo and conditioner (and probably any other soap that you have in your bathroom) is most likely filled with potentially harmful parabens? I had no idea! There are tons of natural products out there that get the job done without the chemicals! I checked out the price tags (of course) and the cost is pretty comparable!

If you’re really feeling like going natural (and really feeling like saving money), you can make your own shampoo and conditioner! For your conditioner, all you’ll need is some water, baby oil and an egg. You probably have those ingredients in your house already!

Another trick of the trade that I’ve picked up along the way… comb some olive oil into your hair before bed or throughout the day if you’re home. It will leave your hair with a healthy shine!

Go green and save money by making your own cleaning products from scratch! Cleaning products on supermarket shelves can be filled with toxic chemicals and can be very expensive. You can save money (and the earth) by following the below recipes to make all purpose cleaners. You’ll never have to buy cleaning products again!

All purpose cleaner (kitchen & bathroom surfaces): mix equal parts white distilled vinegar and water

All purpose cleaning scrub (kitchen, bathroom, dishes): mix lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda

Dish soap: dip lemons in baking soda and scrub!

Happy Cleaning : )

Lots of little charges can quickly add up to one big charge! Today, in a world where tons of companies have your credit and/or debit card information, it is important to keep track of who is charging you, how much they are charging you, and WHY they are charging you.

I found a great article on WalletPop.com entitled Top 5ive Sneakiest Surcharges. This article will help make us aware of some big offenders when it comes to little charges.

Fitness.com, one of our websites here at Meredith, posted a great grocery store list. The list consists of healthy (for your body and your wallet) items! Print this out next time you hit up your local grocery store and then return back to Fitness.com for how to put your new ingredients to use in healthy, money-saving, delicious recipes!

Happy eating : )

According to USA.gov, two of the top ten new years resolutions are to save money and lose weight. Which, I didn’t find to be all that surprising! Everyone wants to be their healthiest, fittest and most financially secure! But, not everyone knows how to go about being this way!

That’s why I was excited to find an article entitled Save Money, Lose Weight, and Eat Green for a Week with this 3-Step Sunday Set-Up on Planet Green’s website. This article gives great advice on what to shop for and how to prep your food during your down time on Sundays. With this system, eating healthy (and inexpensively) isn’t a big, daunting task!

Who said it’s not easy being green?!?

Family Circle, one of our magazines here at Meredith, recently posted the best hair products, skin products, bath products and cosmetics that cost less than $10 to purchase.  Here at ShopOnBuy, we support looking (and feeling) your best for as little money as possible. So, we thought we’d share this article with you!

I just found a great article on WalletPop entitled Tinseltown’s Thriftiest Stars. It lists 12 of the most thrifty celebs (most are A-list, you’ll be surprised) and their reasons for being frugal. It even shares some of their penny pinching secrets! For example, Tyra Banks stocks up on hotel soap!