Thursday, March 19, 2009

I think purchasing a car is hard enough, but adding an Extended Warranty? Please "Just Say No"

Amy Asked:
I want to know if anyone ever has felt generally good after they purchase a car? What is the best way to go about this? And More importantly- what about the stupid warranty? Can I make myself feel better and think that maybe it could be useful down the line that I paid for this extended warranty? I just don't know. Lost some sleep over this one.


Buying a car is one of those dual feelings type of purchases. You get all excited you have a new car and that feels really good. But you cannot help but feel like you got screwed in the process. I personally have never walked out of a dealership feeling like I got a good deal, even when I went in knowing what I wanted, and left with the deal I imagined before going in. I still get a nagging feeling that I got taken some how. I don't know if I am alone in that thought, but I imagine I am not. Anyone that tells you they got the better of the dealer, is either lying, or they are a fool. The best thing to do is just enjoy your new car. If the salesman snookered you, ultimately that is his problem, not yours.

Now, let's talk about the "EXTENDED WARRANTY" ! You know how I feel about it. It's like insurance. and I hate the idea of having to have insurance. This is, in my opinion, the biggest rip off in retail. Granted some people may have a story about a time when something went wrong right after the manufacturers warranty ran out, (which if something is going to go wrong that is when it will happen,) and they saved money on repairs because they had the extended warranty, but I would bet they are few and far between.

Selling you an additional warranty is a method for dealers to make more money and it is often a big deal for them. The salesmen make a nice commission off of the extras they sell. Often more than what they make off the car itself. Ultimately I think you need to run the numbers and usually you will see that it is not really worth it to buy the extended warranty, especially if you roll it into the price of the car, and pay interest on it.

Now I don't want you to feel bad about your decision. Enjoy your car, and rest comfortably knowing that you are protected if something does come up down the road.

This is what Mack thinks!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

I think I need to Test the Question/Comment box

Steve Asked:
How do you think this question box will work on your blog?
I was very excited when I found a method for people to ask me their questions or pose their situations right here on the blog site. I would, however, have preferred to make it smaller, and place this comment/question box in the right hand column beside my postings. I will continue to see if I can redesign the page to that end.
People will have to page down to see the rest of the site, which I am not thrilled about, but I think this will work for now.
Please let me know what you all think. Or, If you have any suggestions for making it fit better on the page, I would appreciate the input.
This is what Mack thinks

Saturday, March 7, 2009

I think completing small task can improve your mood.

If you really want to feel good. Complete a task, meet a goal, or finish a project. It does not matter how small of a goal it is, just the act of completing it can really improve your mood, and your self esteem. It must release some kind of chemical in the brain or something. I just finished one of my winter projects, I set for myself back in November or December, and it really got me thinking about the health benefits of completing a task.


It was not a big project. I painted the two Adirondack chairs we bought last summer from the unfinished furniture store. Every week, after we bought them, I kept telling myself, "You have to paint those chairs." Then I finally decided it will be a good indoor winter project. That way I didn't have to think about it for a while. I've found I have gotten quite could good at justification for procrastination. Well several weeks ago I was looking at the chairs and said, "you will never forgive yourself if spring rolls around and you still have not painted those chairs." So I bought the paint, and a brush. I set up the chairs in the garage and cleaned them off. Then, of course, they sat there for a couple of weeks. Finally I started painting, I did one coat, on one chair, then the next night I did the other chair. Then they sat for while. Eventually I got three coats on each chair.


When I finally finished this very small, seemingly meaningless goal, I was surprised at how good I felt. I remember thinking, " Easy big fella, it's just a paint job." That's when I realized it wasn't the task itself that matters, it was the fact that I had completed the goal. I am not saying this is an unusual thing, for me to complete a project. I just happened to notice this time, how good it feels.


So, if you are in need of a little pick me up, or even just want to be able to check something off the list. Pick one project that needs doing and just get it done, even if it is just a little one. You will thank yourself afterwards.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

My handiness is second only to my story telling.

When I was about 12 years old I found myself in need of a place to store my clothes. So one Saturday afternoon I set about building a burro. I did not have money for materials so I had to make do with whatever my father had available in the garage. I found an old piece of plywood that was painted a puke shade of green. I also found some other type of board that seemed to be made from compressed saw dust. You could actually break it with your bare hands. There were also many other random pieces of wood, nails, screws, and such, lying around for me to make use of. I started by measuring out how many shelves I could cut from the sawdust board. I was able to get 4 pieces about 2 feet long, by 12" deep. Next I took the green plywood and drew out the shapes of the sides and the top. there was not enough to also get a back piece. I cut the side and top pieces out with a sabre saw. Then I attached them together with some small screws. I couldn't understand why it was so wobbly. Next, using some very small nails, I attached a few small pieces of wood, 6 inch pieces of 1/2 inch square pine, inside the back and sides, at about 1", at 12", at 24",and at 30", from the bottom. Then I cut the sawdust board shelves to fit. It was still a little wobbly, so I used a couple of thin pieces left over from the green plywood ,and fit them across the back and srewed them in place. That helped hold it all together a little better. When I was finished I was very proud of what I had accomplished, even if it looked like it was thrown together in 20 minutes. I dragged it into the house, so I could put it to use. When I walked through the living room with my hand crafted piece of furniture, I found several members of my family staring and snickering. Someone said, "We have been hearing sawing, and hammering, and drills going for the past 4 or 5 hours without a single break. We were expecting you to come in with some spectacular work of art." Someone else said "That's is what you came up with after all this time." I just turned and smiled and said, "I did the best I could with what I had to work with." That has been about the level of my Handyman abilities eversince. Oh, by the way, I used those shelves for my clothes until I graduated from highschool.

Positive thoughts would set this country straight


Mt Shasta by cursedthing


What this country, and the world, need is to move away from all the negative thoughts, words, and actions. I know, I know, easier said than done. Every where you look someone is complaining about something. The economy being a major focus lately. I know you can not wish everything good again just by thinking postive thoughts. But we are what we think about. The more we dwell on the bad, the more bad we bring into our lives. When you think positively you begin to act positively, and through those actions good things begin to happen. The more people dwell on the bad, the worse the situation gets. As more people start to think about and act on good things then the better things will get.

My life is getting better every day, and I hope that yours is to.