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March 3, 2012

Easy as 1, 2, 3 – How to Apply for Auto Title Loans

Throughout the state of Arizona, consumers are discovering the peace of mind that comes from knowing that they can access the cash they need if a financial emergency should occur—even if they’ve had serious credit problems in the past. In order to qualify for car title loans, AZ residents need not undergo a credit check or extensive financial background investigation; instead, applications are considered based on the value of the vehicle and the ability of the applicant to repay the loan. This new approach allows even those with seriously damaged credit ratings to borrow the money they need by using their paid-for vehicle as collateral.

Application Requirements

In general, the application process is similar throughout Arizona, and it will not vary significantly for Phoenix title loans as compared to Tucson title loans or loans from other cities within the state. Most companies require that the borrower provide the following:

• A clear title to the vehicle

• Proof of comprehensive and collision insurance with a specified deductible amount

• Proof of employment and residence

• A valid driver’s license

• References

The borrower will be approved for a specific loan amount based on the value of the vehicle and the borrower’s current ability to pay. Auto title loans are usually of extremely short duration, but in some cases, they can be extended for as long as three years in order to allow the borrower to repay the loan more easily. The lender will retain the original title, which is used as collateral for the loan and must be surrendered to the company in the event that the borrower defaults on the loan agreement.

How It Works

• Step #1: Companies determine the borrower’s eligibility for an auto title loan online through a simple computerized application.

• Step #2: Once the borrower has been approved, he or she can simply deliver the title to the brick-and-mortar location of the title company, or if the lender allows it, the title can be sent by courier service to a centralized holding facility.

• Step #3: The company will retain the title and will disburse the needed funds as soon as is practical. If the title is surrendered in person, the company typically delivers the cash on the spot. For online applicants, the loan is usually disbursed on the day the title is received in the office, and the money can be in the borrower’s bank account as soon as the next business day.

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March 2, 2012

3 Ways to Lower Your Spending

What do you spend money on that’s actually necessary? You’d surprised how much is actually a waste of money. Many people fool themselves, and they’re essentially letting their pocketbook dictate for them. This is a mistake, because you can save a lot of money on things you’re already paying for by just modifying how you pay for those “necessary expenses”.

1. Cook At Home

If you had a $300 bill each month that you could avoid, would you cancel the serivce? Well, I know how you can do this very same thing. Simply, don’t go out to eat anymore. The typical meal for two costs $30 when you include a tip. If you get desserts, drinks, appetizers and alcohol, that price can shoot up more than 200%. Plus, if you have kids, and you buy meals for them, even if you use the kids menu, you could end up spending $50 or more. That is just an unnecessary expense. So, what is the answer? Cook at home. Some people feel that cooking at home is expensive, but it’s not really if you buy a few simple ingredients in bulk and cook from those. Prepared foods are important and cooked foods are important. Just get a small bulk assortment of grains, eggs, cheese, milk, and breads, and you can get creative with cooking at home. Uses spices to mix it up, and just google recipes and cooking tips – you’ll never get sick of your own food this way.

2. Buy Generic Foods

Speaking of bulk grocery shopping, one thing you should do is buy generic. Each grocery store has their own generic brand of most ingredients, and these can be purchased for much less at the grocery store themselves. People are used to buying their favorite brands like Heinz, Starkist, and Dole, but these brands are grossly overpriced. Plus, if you add in the grocery store discount card, you could save even more. On the subject of grocery stores, try not to shop more than once a week. Make your food stretch, and if you can’t, this means more of what you buy should be purchased in bulk.

3. Water

Most people don’t like the taste of water from the tap, but they can get a water filter and bottle it at home. If you bottle your own water, you can save a lot of money in the long run. You don’t have to spend money each week on bottled water, and you don’t have to lug it in from the car (which can be pretty annoying), and let’s face it – you’re helping the environment! Furthermore, a water filter is nice to have because you know that all the water you drink is pure and fresh. When you think about it, buying bottled water regularly means you have two water bills each month, one of which is marked up something like 1000%.

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New York Rental Prices Rise with the Increasing Economy

New York has begun doing what any major city does when it runs out of real estate, but with great success. It has started increasing the rent for up to $5000 for a single bedroom apartment, not a better deal for an average family earning $100K a year. And to date there are no witnesses of slowing in the growth of the rental prices in this city.

The ever-taller high rises, extremely profitable to the owners relative to the forecasted construction costs, provide homes for escalating population. While single family homes that are put up for rent are typically larger, with private yards, the condos are barely 1000 sq. ft. but with views of the city and scenery to die for. Extra features such as gym, playgrounds, club house and concierges provide an interesting alternative to living here.

A two bedroom single family home in the heart of the city can cost around $6000 and as low as $750 in a suburban area outside the city, almost double the cost of what it was two decades ago. The downtown part has a rent of anywhere from $1500 to $2200 for a studio, and $3000 for a 2 bedroom, while upper east side-the affluent area where most skyscrapers are-can go as high as $10,000. Although the outskirts have seen a slight decrease in the influx of people after the recession, the very wealthy area have done very well in maintaining this price over the last ten years.

Reasons for Rent Increases :
There are various theories behind what is really causing the rental prices to increase in New York. And most prices are driven by owners and their agents convincing people to rent while justifying that they are seeing a completely rational price in comparison with the cost of owning a home. One can note that the recent rental boom has not been limited to New York but has been in full swing in other states such as California, Washington and North Carolina. The wealthiest cities and neighborhoods have experienced the greatest home appreciation recently, and these increases have outstripped rental growth in such markets.

Let us look at some of the theories that is driving the rental price here:

Theory 1: Demand and Supply:
People who are on an edge of buying houses in NY are seeing that housing and mortgage markets are imperfect, with real estate agents not representing the buyers interest and appraisers being paid to justify exorbitant prices. They are realizing that homes under this scenario are not worth what they were worth previously. Land is scarcer in the most exclusive communities and people renting would pay large premium for living in such communities.

Theory 2: Renting is Cheaper than Owning:
Renting is one way of showing that home prices cannot escape the fundamental forces that drive them in the long term-income. The housing prices have grown exponentially with respect to renting, and in this massive economy people are unable to pay large portion of their paycheck toward their house. People fearing the real trouble meeting their obligations in the future such as divorce, job loss and medical emergencies, want to post-phone buying and just rent for a while.

Theory 3: Population Growth and Immigration:

Probably the most popular reason as to why rent prices has seen an increase in recent years. Most new immigrants are renters and prefer to rent as long as they could save money to buy a home, resulting in more demand for rental properties.

Theory 4: Escalating Construction Cost:
Even though home builders are on the sell side of the market, they are unable to fair given the high cost of construction, compelling them to increase the price of houses to a level not reachable by an average middle class family- another economic reason that people are renting rather than buying. More so, builders claim that it is the zoning and building restrictions that are the culprit in higher rental prices.

Where The Current Rental Market is Heading:
Even homeowners with less leverage in their homes are now feeling relatively safe renting the houses given the current trend. Considering the shaky economy and no real income growth, people are beginning to dedicate their resources and attention to rent in an attempt to avert a real disaster from buying a house.

David Haynes is a writer who searched for the Lettings Bristol had to offer when choosing his home.

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March 1, 2012

7 Strategies to Save Money On Travel

There are many benefits to save money while traveling. Among them, people can often go on trips that otherwise would strain the budget, by reducing the trip’s cost. Here are seven strategies to save money on travel.

Go Off-season

Most travel destinations have two distinct seasons: the peak season and the offseason. During a destination’s peak season, prices everywhere will be much higher than the rest of the year. Hotel rates can double, even triple. Many restaurants will require reservations, and deals will be hard to find. By traveling during the off season, people will face much smaller crowds and lower costs. Prices across the board will be lower. Yet, these savings do have a cost. During the offseason, weather conditions might be harsh or major attractions might be absent.

Some people do not want to travel during the offseason, but would like to save money while traveling. For this demographic, the shoulder season can be perfect. The shoulder season is just before and after the peak season. During it, crowds start to dwindle. Prices reflect the reduced demand. At the same time, most businesses are still open during this period. The shoulder season typically lasts for a couple weeks, but varies by destination

Pack Light

Packing light, especially when flying, is essential. Airlines are continually raising rates for checked bags on both domestic and international flights. To avoid these fees, try to bring only carry-ons along for the trip. Reducing your luggage by a single checked bag will save you at least $50.00, in most cases.

While travelers who are flying will save the most by packing light, everyone will save a little money. Extra luggage in cars will reduce gas mileage. The added cost at the pump likely will not be $50.00, unless you are going on a cross-country road trip. Yet, every little bit saved helps.

Leave Room

Leaving room in your luggage for purchases will save you money on the return journey. Anything bought or received as a gift will have to come home, somehow. These items can either be added to the luggage or shipped. Whether bringing an extra suitcase along for souvenirs and gifts, or shipping everything back in a box is cheaper, varies. If there is room in a suitcase, the most cost-effective way is to pack purchases in a suitcase that needed to be brought anyway.

Fly Weekdays

Airfare is one of the major costs of many trips. It also has one of the greatest opportunities to save money. Airfares differ greatly. Some factors that determine their prices are subject to when the ticket is purchased, when the flight is and the cities being flowing between. Generally, purchasing tickets in advance and flying during the off-season will save people money.

Travelers will find that the lowest airfares are often on weekdays, specifically Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. By flying on these days, people can save anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds. The exception to this rule is holidays. When flying for a holiday, typically the holiday itself is cheapest. Outside of that, airfares will be oriented around when the holiday occurs in the week.

Call the Hotel

By calling hotels individually, people can often get the best rates on hotel rooms. These rates often beat any deals found online, and they certainly will be lower than those offered by the reservations line. Call specific hotels and ask to make a reservation with them. If you are referred to a reservations line, call the hotel back and talk with an employee of that hotel again.

Eat In

Eating out becomes expensive very quickly. The solution is simple: eat in while traveling. Sometimes, purchasing an upgraded room, which has a kitchenette, will pay for itself. The easiest meal to eat in is breakfast. Look for accommodations that offer a free breakfast. If you cannot find any with breakfast included, stop by the local grocery store for a pack of muffins or donuts.

Public Transportation

Renting a car is not always wise. In large cities, it can become a burden to find parking, and drivers can get lost easily. In addition to the rental costs, you must pay for fuel and parking. In big cities, relying on public transit can save travelers money. Become familiar with the public transportation system, before departing.

There are many ways to save money while traveling. A savvy traveler can save hundreds or thousands, depending on the extravagance of the trip, with these tips.

Author Bio: Zach Daniel writes for Morocco Tours, a travel company that provides private Morocco tours that allow people to fully experience Morocco.

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