4 Small Car Repairs to Make Now before They Become Expensive

Your car has been in need of having some minor repair issues done. As with most cars, time has had its way with your car, and it would be nice if you could snap your fingers and everything would be okay. 

Unfortunately, unless you know how to make these repairs yourself, you are going to have to pay a professional to do them for you. The following are four areas of car repair that you need to address now before the repair issues become more expensive.

A Brake Job

The brakes are an essential part of a working vehicle on the road. The problem is that it has been a long time since you had your brake pads replaced. A couple of days ago, you thought you heard them grinding when you engaged them. 

This is a problem you will want to get fixed immediately, because squealing or grinding brakes are a sign that continuing to drive on your brakes could create more extensive damage to your break system.

Alternator Problems

Having issues with your alternator can be a big hassle. You could be out somewhere and not even realize that you are about to find yourself stranded on the side of the road where your car is getting no power. 

What is worse is that alternator problems, if not dealt with quickly, can cause damage to your car’s battery, and that could make this a more costly repair issue out of pocket.

Camshaft Maintenance

Sometimes the easiest and cheapest way to stay on top of a repair issue is by doing the proper maintenance on your car. In the case of your camshaft, the part that regulates air to your engine, regular oil and valve cleanings are a superb way to save you from an expensive camshaft replacement down the road. 

By doing regular maintenance, you prevent the cam shaft from getting clogged up with dirt and debris which prevents damage to your engine too.

Change Your Air Filter

When it comes to cheap repairs, changing your air filter is not an overly expensive component to replace on its own. The problem is that failing to do this routine maintenance issue can get expensive. 

It could lead to a damaged mass air flow sensor that costs hundreds of dollars to fix. But, if that happens, look on the bright side. At least that is not nearly as expensive as a car repair issue that might land your car in a transmission shop.

Keeping an eye out that something is wrong with your car is an essential part of excellent car operation. Ignoring warning signs that something is wrong will, more often than not, end up costing you more in the long run. It is typically better to simply do the proper maintenance and to swiftly address problems that arise than to let simple repair issues grow to become more expensive problems down the road.

Getting a New Car for the Summer? Saving up is the Way to Go

The summer is a thrilling season. People often view the summer as an amazing opportunity to try new things out. If you’re thinking about purchasing a brand new car, the summer may be the right time for you to proceed, too. Saving money for a summertime car purchase doesn’t have to be a downer for you.

Get a Seasonal Part-Time Job

Summer part-time employment can help you save the funds necessary to complete your vehicle purchase. You may want to look into seasonal jobs. Restaurants in your community may be looking for servers who can work late hours. 

Hotels and resorts nearby may be looking for additional staff members as well. A seasonal job can help you get the money you need for a new car relatively quickly.

Put Together a Garage Sale

If you want to save for a new car, it may help to unload some other things. You can think about putting together a yard sale. Go through your belongings and figure out what you need and what you don’t need. 



It may be time to finally get rid of a tight sweater you haven’t worn in years and years. It may be time to get rid of a bicycle you never get the chance to use, too. Throwing a garage sale can help you unburden your life and score some cash at the same time.

Sell Old Belongings on the Internet

Going to a Chevy truck dealer can be invigorating. The thought of actually going through with a car purchase can make you feel energized. If you want to be prepared to make your purchase, however, it can help to sell old possessions on the Internet. 

You may want to auction off an acoustic guitar you haven’t picked up in years and years. You may want to use an online classified listings site to sell a compact refrigerator that you no longer need as well.

Downsize

Downsizing can be a wonderful path for people who want to get new vehicles for the summertime. If you rent a spacious apartment in the city, you may want to consider moving to a smaller one and decreasing your monthly expenses substantially. Doing so can help you get the money you need to buy a new car with ease.

If you want your summer to be unforgettable, you should think about buying a new car. Saving for it shouldn’t be something that turns you into a nervous wreck, either. You can start by looking for part-time seasonal employment.

4 First Steps When You Need to File for Bankruptcy

Deciding to file bankruptcy is a difficult and complicated decision. While taking this step gives you relief from your mounting debts and the persistent calls from your creditors, it also comes with a price. 

Depending on the type of bankruptcy you file, you could be looking at damaged credit for the next seven to 10 years. As such, it’s important to approach your bankruptcy with your eyes open. If you stick to the following four tips, you’ll stand a better chance of getting rid of your debt burden through bankruptcy.

Identify Your Creditors

In order to get as much relief from bankruptcy as possible, you need to identify all of your creditors. These creditors need to go on your creditors list that you’ll submit to the courts. 

If any of your creditors don’t make it onto the list, then these businesses can still come after you even if you’ve filed bankruptcy. Putting all of your creditors on your bankruptcy papers allows you to get relief for all of your debts, with some exceptions like student loans.

Organize Your Assets

You will need to list your debts in two columns, one for your secured debts and one for your unsecured debts. Unsecured debts are debts like credit card and personal loan debts. Secured debts (collateral debts) are items like cars, personal possessions, and other physical objects. 




According to Nerd Wallet, in order to complete your bankruptcy, you may have to give collateral like cars or other items back to the business you bought it from. You may also have to sell off some of your physical collateral items; the money you earn from the sale would go to the creditors you owe money to. 

You’ll need to indicate in your bankruptcy paperwork which types of debts you have. Be sure to make a complete listing of both to ensure that no debts are missed.

Hire an Attorney

Choosing the right type of law firm services ensures that your bankruptcy will go as smoothly as possible. A knowledgeable bankruptcy attorney can look over all of your paperwork and offer you suggestions for how to deal with your assets, your debts, and other bankruptcy-related matters.

Choose the Right Kind of Bankruptcy

Two kinds of bankruptcy exist for individuals, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. People who need complete debt relief - that is to say, the eradication of all of their debts - choose Chapter 7. It stays on your credit for 10 years.

Chapter 13 is a debt reorganization plan. It’ll be on your credit for seven years. People who choose this type of debt do so in order to make their payments more manageable. Chapter 13 will get rid of some of the overall debt. More importantly, this type of bankruptcy allows debtors to take control of their debt while still giving some money to their creditors.

Filing for bankruptcy can bring you some immediate financial relief. However, it also negatively impacts your credit. By following the previous four tips, you ensure yourself the best chance of having the best outcome from your bankruptcy. While this decision is difficult and comes at a great cost, it can also put you back on the road to financial recovery if you approach it right.

4 Steps to Take Now to Protect Your Finances in the Future

It is important to never underestimate the significance of properly maintaining your finances and planning for your future. Many people spend their lives working in order to save up money and to obtain assets, such as a home or cars. 

It can be difficult to know what the future holds for us, and many unexpected circumstances can arise. This is why it is paramount to take a strategic approach when it comes to managing your affairs and to create contingency plans, which will be helpful in the event that something unexpected occurs. 

The following information will provide a closer look at four beneficial steps you may want to take into consideration, which you can start working on now in order to protect your finances in the future:

Open a Savings Account

Setting aside a specific amount of money each month can be very helpful. As previously mentioned, there will likely be many unforeseen circumstances that occur in your future that can negatively impact your financial state. For example, you may unexpectedly lose your job and potentially have to spend several months or longer searching for a new one. 

You may also develop an illness or condition that may leave you unable to work. There are also other things to consider, such as car troubles and necessary home repairs. If you are not properly prepared for these things and have enough money set aside, it can often cause a lot of potential issues.

Create a Budget

Creating an effective and detailed budget is another important step towards safeguarding your financial future. In order to be able to save money each month, you need to understand how much extra money you will have left over after expenses. 

Therefore, you should take the time to deduct your expenses from your monthly income and closely track your spending habits. If you notice you are wasting too much money on unnecessary purchases, it may be time to cut back and make more financially sound decisions.

Purchase the Proper Insurance

Additionally, insurance is another factor you should consider. You might want to look into purchasing homeowner’s insurance from a reputable company, such as Philadelphia Contributionship. Other types of helpful insurance include renter’s insurance, payroll deduction insurance, and long-term care coverage.

Plan for Retirement and Long-Term Care

Retirement can really take you by surprise if you don’t start planning ahead of time. You might want to speak with your employer to see if they offer any 401k benefits, and you should begin setting aside money on your own. 

You will also need to take into consideration the different types of care you need as you age, which can be incredibly costly. Long-term care insurance, as previously mentioned can be helpful and will assist you with some of these costs.

Overall, preparing for your future finances can be quite challenging. There are many factors you will need to take into consideration. One of the most important tools at your disposal is planning ahead. 

When you take the time to do your research and understand all of your options, you will be able to start saving up and managing your money more wisely in order to ensure your future is secure.

How To Pick a Financial Adviser

Picking out a financial adviser should be a careful, thoughtful process. This is the professional you trust to help you navigate your wealth building efforts, after all. That means you need to be sure they are properly credentialed and their performance is within the norms of their role. 

Finding that information in the right regulatory database is not difficult, and with that info will come any complaints or disciplinary action summaries that might be of use to you. 

There are a lot of advisers with no problems on their record who just wind up being incompatible with certain investors, though. So how can you tell which of your potential advisers will be the best fit for you? You need to do some research and dig deeper.

Check Out the Adviser's Firm

Whether you're looking at someone who works alone or an adviser at a large firm, there should be some electronic records or even a company landing page online. This will give you a chance to see what professionals say about themselves, their goals, and their approach to investing. 

Some firms even make a point of including a mission statement and other information about their underlying philosophies in their online company information. These resources also typically outline the kinds of investors they work with on a regular basis and the kinds of investments they are most informed about.

Reviews By Investors

Other resources about the firm might be available through other online resources like reviews as well. Also, consider whether you want to work with advisers within brokerage firms or RIAs who work totally independently. There are important considerations to make as you read each one. 

Check for reviews of the firms overall, but also read any reviews you can find about the adviser you specifically want to work with. Every organization has its stars and its specialty players, after all, and you will want to know how your adviser fits into the bigger picture in an organization.

Other Resources To Consult

Beyond review sites and the online resources placed by the firm for customer education, you can also check out resources like the Securities and Exchange Commission's information page about financial advisers and how they are regulated. These background resources fill in the information you need to make sound judgments about the firms and advisers you consider. By looking for more neutral information sources, you gain perspective on:

• Industry norms
• Recourse for dispute resolution
• Common issues investors encounter
• General strategic advice for new investors

The best thing to do is to fold this stage of research into the beginning, middle, and end of your process, so you are researching these factors ahead of your first look into potential advisers and throughout the process. This will allow you to keep checking out fresh viewpoints and considering new angles on your decision-making process.

Brokerage Firm Advisers or RIAs?

Whether you are working with a planner or adviser based in a brokerage firm or an RIA, there are advantages and disadvantages to consider, and you need to understand them before making that final choice. 

Many new investors work with advisers based in their brokerage firms, but those with large accounts or a fair amount of experience often opt for an RIA when looking for advice. If you're not sure which to go for, researching the differences in their approaches and the advantages of each kind of adviser will help you get started.

Don't rush this decision, because while you can always change advisers if you need to, you will have to go through a similarly thoughtful process to make a good decision if you do. That means rushing into a relationship with an adviser that doesn't quite work out could cost you more time than just being thorough and deliberate the first time.

4 Benefits of Meeting with a Financial Planner as You Age

A survey from 2018 found that roughly one-third of all Americans had no more than $5,000 in their savings accounts for retirement. Most Americans do, in fact, earn more than enough money to easily save enough to make it through their golden years. However, since the average American’s personal finance knowledge isn’t the greatest, they often end up not properly planning for retirement.

Meeting with financial planners as you age offers several benefits. Here are four of the most prominent such benefits.

Your Advisor Will Make Sure You Won’t Commit Rookie Mistakes

According to Money Marketing, most financial advisors serve anywhere from a few dozen to some 250 clients at any given time. Since they’ve got so much experience in helping people plan for retirement, they will significantly increase the likelihood of you not subjecting yourself to rookie mistakes.

In most cases, preventing these basic mistakes is simple. However, without the guidance of a trusted financial advisor, you won’t be familiar with preventing such problems from occurring.

Can You Say “tax Shelters”?

The wealthiest Americans regularly shelter more of their earnings from the Internal Revenue Service’s legal reach using a wide variety of tax sheltering strategies. Experienced financial planners are inherently familiar with tax shelters that you could easily take advantage of. With their help, you could save thousands of dollars in taxes each and every year.

They Can Legally Protect Your Estate’s Assets from Outside Interests

Most people take pride in saving up enough money to pass on substantial sums to their loved ones, friends, and family members after they die. Unfortunately, many people’s savings get dipped into by creditors and other interests before being distributed to beneficiaries, resulting in less money and fewer valuable assets for them.




Financial advisors, especially those who are experienced in estate and will planning, either directly know how to protect your estate from creditors and other claimants or can hook you up with estate-planning attorneys who specialize in the practice.

You Can Rest Assured Knowing Your Nest Egg Is Safe and Constantly Growing

With help from financial advisors in the management of your investments, earnings, and holdings, you will save yourself from experiencing tons of stress. Further, the less stress you experience, the longer you’re likely to live.

Financial planners widely offer their services to clients across the world at reasonable rates. Unless you’re a financial professional yourself, you can’t go wrong with meeting with financial planners as you age.