Often you might wonder if it is better to buy a car or lease one. Both have their merits and demerits but in this case, it simply comes down to your driving requirements. Buying a car is a long term investment and an expensive one at that. On the other hand, leasing a vehicle for a fixed duration doesn’t pressurize you to commit to one car. You can switch vehicles and get a better offer with a new one.
There are many ways you can save a few hundred bucks on car leasing deals. Check out these clever pay-off strategies.
Paying more security deposit (refundable)
There is a legal requirement to pay up a certain amount of money upfront as part of car leasing deals. This deposit, combined with the total value of monthly payments and interest, will make up the total cost of leasing the car. However, when you are willing to pay a higher amount for the deposit, the lease company will offer a better deal with reduced installments and a cheaper interest rate. In financial terms, this consolidation is known as the money factor. A lower money factor automatically reduces the cost of the overall lease.
Paying for the lease upfront
If you can afford to pay a major portion or even all of the lease upfront, you can get stellar car leasing deals from some of the most reputed companies. A single pay lease can save you the entire amount of interest right from the get-go. Another benefit of the single pay lease is that if you were not previously qualified for a good lease, companies will consider your application owing to the fact that you are willing to pay the lease cost upfront.
Extend your lease for a while
You might wonder how does extending a lease save you money. It doesn’t necessarily do so. But the extension will help you plan the next lease and avoid ending up taking car leasing deals that are simply not suited for your purpose. It is not uncommon to start panicking and take whatever deals come your way at the end of the first lease. However, by simply extending the tenure for a couple of months, you buy yourself time to make an informed decision and not rush into the next purchase.
Find a lease takeover
In some scenarios, you may be paying the lease already but want to get out of the current one for a better deal or vehicle. However, early exits from car leasing deals can cost you a penalty. It is an expense that can be completely avoided by opting for a lease takeover. It is possible to list your lease online and any interested party can contact you with a deal via an agent. Websites like LeaseTraader.com, Quitalease.com, Leasequit.com, and Swapalease connect potential buyers and sellers directly to simply take over the lease deed or title. You can thus avoid any lease termination penalties and can book new car leasing deals right after the sale.
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5 things to look for in the best contract phones
Read moreEarlier phones used to come with a contract. All major carriers like AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-mobile, and Sprint were competing with each other for giving the best phone contract deals.
There are hardly any carriers that offer contract phones these days, but if you are specifically looking for the best phone contracts, then here are some things to consider before you take one:
- Cheaper phone: When carriers offer you a contract, a smartphone that works with that carrier often comes at a discounted price. Hence, you have to pay less for the phone. When you renew your contract with the same carrier, you have the option to change your phone too.
- Hidden charges: Be wary of the hidden charges that come with the contract. Normally the plans remain unchanged during your 2-year contract tenure. So there should not be any more extra charges apart from those mentioned in the plans.
- Saves money: No doubt while looking for the best phone contracts, you save money as you get a phone with the contract at a subsidized rate. You have the same plan for 2 years and that way your budget stays the same until the last day of your contract.
- Better coverage and network: Contract phones work best if you have a good network and 4G coverage. Normally users with contract get excellent network as carriers want the users to stick with them.
- Switching over: If you are not satisfied with your current contract, you have to either wait for the contract to get over or terminate the contract. If you are terminating the contract, then you have to pay the cancellation fees. In case you are planning to switch from your current carrier, then there are other carriers like Verizon or AT &T that offer competitive plans and some credit for the switchover.
There are few takers for contract phones, as all major carriers are offering unlimited 4G data, HD streaming videos, and 8-10GB of hotspot data. Keep your options open and think before getting into a contract.
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Advantages and warnings of robot vacuum cleaners such as Roomba
Read moreFed up with cleaning the regular dust and dirt sticking to your home floors or the irritating debris that collects in your backyard? If you are thinking of allocating this time-taking job to a robot vacuum, then you are moving on to a good decision. Brands such as Romba have come out with series of automated vacuum cleaners.
A powerful robot vacuum can save your time as well as help you get rid of a tiring and stressful routine job. While a robot vacuum cleaner comes with several advantages, we also want to make you aware of some warnings that come along. Check out both the aspects before you choose the right appliance for your home.
Major advantages of a robot vacuum
- Automatic cleaning: It is a boon when someone can clean your home every day on your behalf. A robot vacuum blesses you with its automatic functioning. It has pre-programmed cleaning patterns and mapping capability. As it cleans your home daily, it enhances this capability and works more efficiently. You only need to sync it and control it through an app available exclusively for your brand, such as Roomba or any other. This way, the robot vacuum will know which areas to cover and how.
- Greener cleaning option: A robot vacuum helps you avoid purchasing expensive cleaning chemicals and wasting gallons of water daily on home cleaning using scrubbers. While it does not eliminate the need for cleaners, it saves you enough to recover its cost. Besides, it offers you a much greener cleaning option.
- Safety assurance: If you think that a robot vacuum can bite you, then it is not the case. It is a safe appliance designed to avoid humans, animals, and similar obstacles like furniture on its way. Such accidents have rare chances of occurring with an intelligent robot cleaner.
- Consistent performance: As there are no chances of human errors with a robot vacuum, the appliance delivers consistent results. It even optimizes its performance when deep cleaning is required. Moreover, it works equally well with light dust and sticky dirt in simple to complex spaces.
- Free time and no labor costs: As you can operate a robot vacuum from anywhere using an app, the appliance leaves you with free time to invest in other activities. Additionally, you need not hire labor for cleaning work.
Warnings that accompany a robot vacuum
Common robot vacuum cleaners such as those from Roomba come with various warnings and precautions. You need to pay attention to these for safe usage.- Performance variations: Do not assume every branded robot vacuum to deliver the same performance. While some leading brands like Roomba offer high-efficiency robot vacuum machines, you should not expect every cleaner to deliver the results that manual cleaning may provide.
- Appliance cost: Investing in a cheaper model will not provide the same results as a high-end appliance will. While you may be ready for a one-time investment, you may have to bear the expenses on replacement parts in case of wear-and-tear happening over time.
- Pre-cleaning needs: A robot vacuum may not recognize every usable item and may suck up things you may not want it to. Thus, picking up small items like Lego or needles is required before running your appliance.