Best of Personal Finance: Common Car Dealer Phrases to Watch For

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Welcome to Wise Bread's Best of Personal Finance roundup. This week we’ll share the ins and outs of a credit freeze, how to make your own deodorant, and some thrift store shopping tips.  (And a hysterical anatomical reference that is surprisingly evocative.)

Top 5 Articles of the Week

Using Life Roles to Organize Your Budget – I am a mother, daughter, wife, blogger, and wiper of many snotty noses – thankfully, there is a budget perfect for me and all 12 of my often wrinkled hats.  This post helps you decide your life roles, which ones come first, and how your budget can accurately reflect what you want to do in life.  Fiscal Fizzle

The Why and How of Credit Freeze – You’ve heard of it, but probably won’t use it until something goes terribly wrong: credit freezing.  Here’s the skinny on what it is, why it works, and how to get it done right.  Stop Buying Crap

25 Essentials That are Cheaper and Better to Make at Home – With over a dozen items I’ve made myself, and a few more that I’ve been a little too frightened to try, Adam shares tips for getting started making your own candy, pesticides, and deodorant.  (Just don’t make them with the same mixing bowl.)  Man Vs. Debt.

Squash Minimum Purchase Fees With Wallet-size Merchant Agreement – Ticked off that your local sub shop requires a $6 minimum purchase in order accept a credit card? Not interested in adding on chips and a pickle? Check out this finance hack designed to read them your rights. (We love lamination.)  Consumerist

“Up To” and Other Common Car Dealer Phrases to Watch For – When a journalist from Edmunds went undercover to learn the seedier side of selling cars, the result was a unique translation of what to “say” to a dealership to get what you “mean.”  Edmunds via Lifehacker

 

Other Essential Reading

When Does Frugality Turn Into Theft? – It’s been discussed a lot in the world of saving money, but these specific examples of “super savings” border on the criminal.  Using fake coupons in the self-checkout line probably takes the cake.  Saving Advice

Chicken Pasta Primavera ($5 Dinner Challenge) – If having pasta for under $5 a meal doesn’t usually float your boat, then you have to check out this rendition, featuring a homemade white sauce and fresh veggies.  Erin’s photos will knock some excitement into your next meal plan, too.  5 Dollar Dinners

The Craigslist Penis Effect – OK, so part of me feels like this is linkbait, but the other part of me (the part that met her husband on an online dating site) can really appreciate the candor AND truth in this article.  If you get nothing else out of Ramit’s relatively benign observations, take away the fact that being at least mediocre can actually help you dominate in many areas of life – especially on Craigslist personals.  I Will Teach You To Be Rich

Thrift Store Shopping Tips – I’ve done quite a bit of thrift store shopping, and I still had never heard of at least one of these tips.  (Best tip: Remember to plug in and test out your turntable BEFORE you leave the store.)  Single Guy Money

Deals to Expect on Black Friday – We’ve interviewed Dan from DealNews before, so we know that he’s a Black Friday shopping guru.  Read what he thinks will be the hottest deals this year at retailers across the country. (Hint: the low-end netbook for less than $130 may get many shoppers out of bed early!)  MSN Smart Spending

 

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Guest's picture

Thanks for the mention!