How are you going to spend your stimulus money?

- NEVER walk into a dealership telling them you're a payments buyer. Then it's a race to see how much they can extract from you, then see if they can make that last 72 or even 84 months. If they fail the first time, they'll try to extract it again with their "F&I" department.

- Know your market. A certain model might sell well in one region - giving the dealer little incentive to offer incentive or discounts - and might not sell well at all in another market, meaning the dealer will attach anything short of another free vehicle to get it out the door.

- Know what the general MSRP (for new vehicles) or look up Kelley Blue Book and/or Edmunds to figure out the typical selling point for used/pre-owned vehicles. Know something about the option packages ... that can vary the price and your realities hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

- Never pay the "doc fee" or any other crap fee. Vehicle, tax, title and tags. Most of the others - there are some exceptions that vary widely and wildly by states - are crap. They can wipe that out quickly ... and the smart ones are willing to finagle the numbers to make it happen.

- Be willing to walk if they're too full of it (treating women like crap or like they have no idea how to buy a vehicle is a prime example), but otherwise don't go out of your way to piss them off. Big difference between letting them know that you know what you're doing vs. trying to act tough. The former is much more likely to get you the better deal.

 

I had people come back to the store and thank me for talking to them about the extended warranty.
They bought 5 or 6 vehicles from the store in the span of 2 years, and put it on each one.
Here's the thing.
I wasn't anything remotely close to a high pressure con job.
All I did was talk to them. Like people.
"How long do you plan on keeping your vehicle?.......If you trade every 1-3 years, then that was the only question I asked. Occasionally, I would get one that said this is the last vehicle I'm ever buying. OK Bob......Your factory warranty on your 2019 GMC Yukon Denali is 3 years/36,000 miles----5 years/60,000 miles on the powertrain....engine/transmission......whichever comes first. Now Bob.......your Yukon has all the fancy bells/whistles......like the DVD, Navigation, backup cameras.....all the electronic stuff......am I right?"
Yep.
This is an extended service plan which covers not only the engine and transmission......it also covers anything electric......anything electronic......now you can do that for any amount of years or miles that you wanted to......
Anywhere from a 3-year 36,000 mile extended service plan ran about $1700 up to a 10-year, 150,000 mile that ran about $4000.

All I did was ask questions. Like I say, I'm nothing in the world even close to a high pressure scumbag.
If they say yes, they say yes. If they say no, they say no.

 

Yep. Had two short stints in Upstate and the salt just destroyed our cars. Never again.

 

Long-ago poster Upper Tupper would know all about that, too. Not many places in NYS get more snow than Tupper Lake.

 

Joy.

IRS Adds To Confusion About Whether Seniors Have To File Tax Returns To Get Stimulus Checks

 

Best car-buying resource on the web: Car Buying Guide for New and Used Vehicles

Used the guide and spreadsheet in 2011 to identify the true dealer cost and started emailing dealerships telling them the car on their lot I wanted and the price I would pay, factoring in an advertised $1,000 dealer rebate as well. No discussion of how I was paying (I applied for loans and a local credit union gave me the best rate, so I was paying cash to the dealership), no talk of trade-in.

One dealership bit. I show up, and they tell me the incentive expired midnight the morning of my arrival (but after our email agreement).

I say, “not my problem. We agreed to this price, so you figure it out. I don’t appreciate you wasting my time.” Threaten to walk (I was actually desperate as my car lost its transmission days before, so this entire process — loans, research, test drives, were expedited while my wife drove me everywhere. Stressful week, but they didn’t know any of that).

Eventually, they relent, but not without the sob story of costing them money and starving their children.

 

It's not really "stimulus" money.

It's disaster relief.

Plan accordingly.

 

One of my grandsons has a deadbeat dad. He is so far behind in child support payments that he'll never catch up. He is out of state somewhere, but my step-daughter had a judgement against him and he is in the federal system since every once in a while she will get some money. The best news I heard about the stimulus payment is these deadbeats won't get their money. I don't know if his money will go to her, but I love it that he will whine like a sonufavabitch when he doesn't see a cent. Go fuck yourself, asshole.

 

I’ll spend the money I receive on some bills and hopefully have enough to also give to family members who’ve lost work.

Trying to also set some aside for the inevitable fallout this summer/fall.

 

Received the stimulus money today. Anyone else?

 

Got mine a few days ago. Returning it in the form of tax payments.

 

Family funeral a few years ago was $7k, and that was with a cremation. Did include a Mass and the wake. It was like $1500 or $2000 for a small plot. I can only imagine what it would’ve cost with the casket and needing a bigger plot. Fortunately one of the death notices was free (thanks, employer).

My check is going into the bank. Maybe a small purchase for my mom, like an iPad.