The ideal introduction to the basic financial decisions we all have to make in our lives. More than just a book on investing, More Bang For Your Bucks covers a wide range of topics such as:

Buying a Car
Buying a House
Long-Term Investing, IRAs and 401(k)s
Life Insurance and Annuities
Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds
Financial Scams
Timeshares and Vacation Clubs
Career Issues including resumes, interviews and promotions
and much more....

Although written for young adults just entering the job market, More Bang For Your Bucks is for anyone seeking clarity in their purchasing and investment decisions.

The book is less than 100 pages in length. Each chapter is briefly and clearly written giving step by step information on each subject.

You may purchase the book at BarnesAndNoble.com or signed copies are available by e-mailing me at YourMoney101@hotmail.com.

Feel free to e-mail me with any questions or comments at the above address. If they are of general interests, Iwill publish them on this site with my response. Thank you.

Reviews

Highly Recommended

"Great book. The author leaves out the financial rhetoric, and tells you how things really are in an easy to understand format. A must for college students, and anyone else who is needs a little help making sound financial decisions. Do you really think the salesman who is working on commission is going to give you straight answers about the product he is selling. Get real and read this book. " - Jennifer, Long Beach, CA


Perfect Size, Content and Approach

"As important as money is, most of us don't have a clue about how to manage it. Most of us have the feeling we could probably know more than we do about our money, but we don't know where to find the information. Most of us don't have the kind of money that requires us to have estate planners, financial consultants, or a full time accountant. However, we do have loans, homes, impending retirement, and hopefully, a savings account. Tom Martin's book More Bang For Your Bucks plainly discusses important financial topics without going over our heads. Each chapter provides real life scenarios, charts, and comparisions to help readers make informed decisions about their money. This book is great for people at any age, but it would make a great gift for college students. I have given this book to two, so far. " - Denise, Lake Forest, CA

Friday, September 21, 2007

3. Shopping for a Loan

When shopping for a loan, such as for a car purchase, do not simply trust that you will get the lowest rate from websites providing bids from multiple lenders.

When I purchased my car over 3 years ago, I got quotes from several sources. The best rate was 4.9% from my credit union. I then visited one of those websites which supposedly shops your loan around for the lowest rate. The best they could offer me was 7%, over two points higher than my credit union!

At the dealership, the finance manager then checked his list for the best rate and he offered me 4.6%, which I took.

In my case, trusting that particular website would have increased the cost of my car by several thousand dollars. In the future, I may still go back to that site and check their rates but I will also follow my own advice from my book and check several banks and credit unions before commiting to any loan. This advice applies to any site, such as insurance, which compares prices between various companies. The "best" price will usually be their own product with the lowest prices being omitted from the search results.

Caveat Emptor!

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