Buying a car is a major life decision - after all, you'll be dealing with this machine daily for years to come - and it deserves some serious thought and research.
Whether you are considering buying used or new, there are several websites that provide lots of information to help you in your car buying process - and aren't trying to sell you their car in the process:
1. Intellichoice -- provides reviews and lots of pointers for choosing a car, including its own value rating (e.g., a 2008 Honda Civic is "excellent," while a 2008 Mercury Milan is "average") along with a target price and an estimated cost of ownership of the car over time. Awards are given each year according to type of vehicle (compact, luxury, etc.) that are worth investigating.
2. JD Power -- a true blessing to the car-shopper, this site has all sorts of great data: car buying guides (what questions to ask, what to look for) as well as studies on environmental impact as well as performance and design). Gives its own ratings for cars in many categories, and allows you to compare vehicles with each other in a table on the screen.
3. Consumer Guide -- part of the HowStuffWorks.Com group, this site gives lots of information, akin to JD Power - but with its own view on what's best. Nice to have different perspectives on a particular model.
4. MSN.Autos -- gives lots of information about new and used cars, including lots of reviews by actual car owners/users; articles on the cars; search help for finding deals near your zip code; etc. Nice first stop in your research process.
5. Kelly Blue Book -- a must-read if you're looking to trade in your old car, or if you're considering buying a used car. The site gives the "blue book value" of your car, and Kelly Blue Book is an industry standard. Lots of other information here, as well -- more reviews, dealer contact info, classifieds, etc.
Organizing and consolidating information dealing with simplifying life since January 2006, to help those considering a lifestyle change as well as those expert at living an abundant life in a frugal way.
August 21, 2008
August 20, 2008
OWNMYSITE.COM - Get Real Cash Each Month for Searching and Buying Online
There's a new service that just launched, OwnMySite.Com, which pays you money each month for using its site to surf the web (via Google) as well as buy products (jump from the site to Amazon, Borders, etc.).
How does it work?
First, you go to http://www.ownmysite.com/, and register - this makes you a "stakeholder" in the site.
Then, you use the OwnMySite.Com site for surfing the web - I imagine lots of registered users will make it their home page. At the end of each month, the stakeholder's share is transferred to his or her PayPal account.
Where's the money?
Fifty percent of the the net revenue (note that's net, not gross) generated by OwnMySite.com through its affiliate links (Google, Amazon, etc.) is distributed to its registered users, or "stakeholders," in cash on a monthly basis "no matter how big or small the purchase."
Also, according to the site's FAQs, "[s]takeholders also own a stake in 50% of the potential sale value of the business. This will entitle you to your share of any proceeds from the eventual sale or acquisition of ownMySite.com."
How much cash can you get?
After being up and running for three weeks, it's reported that registered users have generated £1500 between them, 50% of which will be returned to members at the end of August. The company is estimating that the most passive users in August will receive a minimum payout in August of over £2 and the most active "stakeholders" will get over £30.
Remember, this is a British site, so the company reports in pounds; translating to American dollars at today's rate of 1 British pound = 0.538 American dollars, their first month out of the gate, they're estimating $1.076 to $32.38 for stakeholders.
Who's responsible?
A British man named Daniel Harrison, according to the company's recent press release, " ... set up ownmysite.com after becoming frustrated with the way many popular websites generate huge profits from the everyday online activities of users without rewarding them for what is a very valuable activity."
Harrison said, "[t]he sky's the limit but in the short term I'm really looking forward to paying members at the end of August to reward them for their faith in the site and to show them that their time spent surfing the web with ownmysite.com is genuinely worth something. I think members will be pleasantly surprised by how much they can earn."
How can they do this?
OwnMySite.com is charging merchants each time someone accesses the seller through its site (up to 40& of your purchase price) - which is what lots and lots of sites do, they just keep their profits. OwnMySite.com is keeping half of its revenue, and it's taking half of this commission revenue (net, not gross) and sharing it with its "stakeholders." The more that people use OwnMySite.com, the higher its traffic volume stats will be -- and the more it can charge those merchants for having a spot on the site.
How does it work?
First, you go to http://www.ownmysite.com/, and register - this makes you a "stakeholder" in the site.
Then, you use the OwnMySite.Com site for surfing the web - I imagine lots of registered users will make it their home page. At the end of each month, the stakeholder's share is transferred to his or her PayPal account.
Where's the money?
Fifty percent of the the net revenue (note that's net, not gross) generated by OwnMySite.com through its affiliate links (Google, Amazon, etc.) is distributed to its registered users, or "stakeholders," in cash on a monthly basis "no matter how big or small the purchase."
Also, according to the site's FAQs, "[s]takeholders also own a stake in 50% of the potential sale value of the business. This will entitle you to your share of any proceeds from the eventual sale or acquisition of ownMySite.com."
How much cash can you get?
After being up and running for three weeks, it's reported that registered users have generated £1500 between them, 50% of which will be returned to members at the end of August. The company is estimating that the most passive users in August will receive a minimum payout in August of over £2 and the most active "stakeholders" will get over £30.
Remember, this is a British site, so the company reports in pounds; translating to American dollars at today's rate of 1 British pound = 0.538 American dollars, their first month out of the gate, they're estimating $1.076 to $32.38 for stakeholders.
Who's responsible?
A British man named Daniel Harrison, according to the company's recent press release, " ... set up ownmysite.com after becoming frustrated with the way many popular websites generate huge profits from the everyday online activities of users without rewarding them for what is a very valuable activity."
Harrison said, "[t]he sky's the limit but in the short term I'm really looking forward to paying members at the end of August to reward them for their faith in the site and to show them that their time spent surfing the web with ownmysite.com is genuinely worth something. I think members will be pleasantly surprised by how much they can earn."
How can they do this?
OwnMySite.com is charging merchants each time someone accesses the seller through its site (up to 40& of your purchase price) - which is what lots and lots of sites do, they just keep their profits. OwnMySite.com is keeping half of its revenue, and it's taking half of this commission revenue (net, not gross) and sharing it with its "stakeholders." The more that people use OwnMySite.com, the higher its traffic volume stats will be -- and the more it can charge those merchants for having a spot on the site.
August 13, 2008
Freebie: Amazon.Com Is Offering Amazon PRIME Free for 30 Days
Amazon.com is offering Amazon PRIME for a free 30-day trial, which can be a really, really good deal if you are a book-buyer. Before you scoff and point to your library, your Half-Price Books, or your garage sales, consider this:
- unlimited two-day shipping
- upgrade to one-day shipping for 3.99 (that's cheap!)
- NO minimum order size
- cancel before the end of the 30-day trial period, and you won't be charged for PRIME membership ($79/yr - not so cheap)
- this includes products besides books, and there are some very good deals to be had in Amazon's new GoldBox New Deals.
Today, on the GoldBox New Deals page, I saw a brand new Scotts push-reel lawn mower for half-price ($99); a $200 Mother of Pearl butterfly pendant for $37.81; and a $59.98 cordless hammer drill by Denali for $14.38.
Maybe these aren't the best deals to be had, but I didn't surf around to try and beat them - and mark downs of 50-75% with free shipping and handling are worth checking out, right?
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