5 Things Women Should Know About Their Car

There are at least five (5) general things that women should know and check on their vehicles, before driving and before a problem arrived.

To women, “car matters” are not interesting things especially because their reason is certainly they are uncomfortable to taint their hands, and the bigger reason is lack of knowledge of car maintenance. All are handed over to the men although some of the things are also not known by men.

So what are the five things? Here they are:

1. Fuel (Petrol / Diesel / NGV)A fuel nozzle.

This is the basic point, needless to think. Even those people who do not own a car knew that fuel must be filled for the car to move. But believe me; I know lots of women who never filled the oil into their own tank and even do not know how. My own friend’s wife, according to him, for more than 10 years, he filled the oil full into his wife’s car tank one day before working day started for her use and one week of work. That what happens every week.

Many private vehicles in my country (Malaysia) use petrol but there are also that use diesel and NGV. Make sure of the right fuel. And make sure that you identify the right fuel pump machine at service station.

Remember, it is important that you know how to open the tank cover and pump the oil into it. May be your one day you are forced to pour oil by your own. Don’t let your car runs out of gas in the middle of the street.

2. Water in Radiator Tank

Opened hood of a car, showing the radiator of the car.Open your car hood. Usually hoist switch (hood opener) is under the dashboard on the driver side.

Check before car is started, if not you will scald your hand. Make sure there is enough water. Otherwise, just add tap water.

If you often send car for services, radiator water checking is a basic thing that must be done. Nevertheless, you also have to know to check it on your own; in case there is leakage which caused the water level in radiator to be inadequate. So it is good to check the radiator water at least once a week.

3. Engine Oil, Transmission Oil and Brake Oil

Checking an engine oil level of a car.These are vital. Without enough engine oil, engine may become hot and this will damage the engine. Not enough transmission oil may result an immovable car and not enough brake oil may endanger your life because the vehicle cannot be stopped.

For a quite aged car, make sure you check with more often. Even though you may have sent the vehicle for services in each 3 month or each 5,000 km, do not wait up to you new service time and hope the mechanic to check. At least you must know either its oil is enough or not. Engine oil, transmission oil or brake oil that runs out or ebb quite suddenly may signify there are leaks. This are reasons that such examinations are important, and this would be vital for your own safety.

4. Tyre

A car tyre.You know how to change a tyre? Even though you may not need to change a tyre on your own because you have a car service card or you have a husband who will always helps you or friends who could help, it is good if you yourself know how to change a tyre.

Also make sure the right tyre pressure for your car tyres. Learn how to check tyre pressure and how to pump tyre when necessary.

Knowing basic matters on car as such can make a woman feels more confident and safer when driving.

5. Insurance and Road Tax

Cars on road.Before setting forth for your destination make sure your car insurance and your road tax still valid and legal. Look on your windscreen, does your road is tax still not yet ended? In case it already almost to expire; you can start your insurance renewal and your road tax renewal process. Road tax is renewable as early as two month before its expiry date.

Insurance and road tax are compulsory to enable a vehicle is validly used on road. The matter is only done once a year. Some peoples took leave solely to manage road tax and insurance renewal. Get new insurance from the insurance company, and then go to bank to pay road tax and in the evening go again to bank to collect back the road tax which has been completed.

Now everything you can hand on to insurance company on their website to deal. It is really easy, insurance and road tax can be done at once. Usually within only two working days, road tax already arrived to hand, either in office or at home. No need trouble yourself anymore.

29-03-2009 by Sorli

category: Auto Things

Funny Insurance Commercial : Acupuncture

Here’s a funny insurance commercial. A man getting his acupuncture treatment from a Chinese acupuncture man. While doing his treatment, then suddenly the building caught on fire. The Chinese man ran to save his life and jumped off the building. What a shock, the building is very tall and he was around the top floor.

This guy here who have all the needle sticking on his body could barely move. The firemen were shouting to him jump off. What should he do? What a crazy situation.

ps: Acupuncture is good, this is only a dramatization.

28-03-2009 by Sorli

category: Insurance Articles

Nine Differences Between Leasing and Buying a Car / Vehicle

Leasing vs BuyingI think many of us are still not clear what the difference between leasing a vehicle or car and buying a vehicle car. There are vast differences between leasing and buying. The main difference is the ownership of the car, when you lease, you do not own the car, where as when you buy a car, of course you become the owner of the car. More differences are shown below:

Leasing Vs Buying
  • Ownership
    LEASING: You do not own the vehicle. You get to use it but must return it at the end of the lease unless you choose to buy it.
    BUYING: You own the vehicle and get to keep it at the end of the financing term.
  • Vehicle Return
    LEASING: You may return the vehicle at lease-end, pay any end-of-lease costs, and “walk away.”
    BUYING: You may have to sell or trade the vehicle when you decide you want a different vehicle.
  • Up-Front Costs
    LEASING: Up-front costs may include the first month’s payment, a refundable security deposit, a capitalized cost reduction (like a down payment), taxes, registration and other fees, and other charges.
    BUYING: Up-front costs include the cash price or a down payment, taxes, registration and other fees, and other charges.
  • Early Termination
    LEASING: You are responsible for any early termination charges if you end the lease early.
    BUYING: You are responsible for any pay-off amount if you end the loan early.
  • Monthly Payments
    LEASING: Monthly lease payments are usually lower than monthly loan payments because you are paying only for the vehicle’s depreciation during the lease term, plus rent charges (like interest), taxes, and fees.
    BUYING: Monthly loan payments are usually higher than monthly lease payments because you are paying for the entire purchase price of the vehicle, plus interest and other finance charges, taxes, and fees.
  • Future Value
    LEASING: The lessor has the risk of the future market value of the vehicle.
    BUYING: You have the risk of the vehicle’s market value when you trade or sell it.
  • Excessive Wear
    LEASING: Most leases limit wear to the vehicle during the lease term. You will likely have to pay extra charges for exceeding those limits if you return the vehicle.
    BUYING: There are no limits or charges for excessive wear to the vehicle, but excessive wear will lower the vehicle’s trade-in or resale value.
  • Mileage
    LEASING: Most leases limit the number of miles you may drive (often 12,000-15,000 per year). You can negotiate a higher mileage limit and pay a higher monthly payment. You will likely have to pay charges for exceeding those limits if you return the vehicle.
    BUYING: You may drive as many miles as you want, but higher mileage will lower the vehicle’s trade-in or resale value.
  • End of Term
    LEASING: At the end of the lease (typically 2-4 years), you may have a new payment either to finance the purchase of the existing vehicle or to lease another vehicle.
    BUYING: At the end of the loan term (typically 4-6 years), you have no further loan payments.

Either leasing or buying a car or vehicle have their own pros and cons. You should consider your usage of the car, your financial factor and others when leasing or buying a car. Source: Federal Reserve Board

27-03-2009 by Sorli

category: Auto Things, Money

Amazing Honda Accond Commercial

Here are an amazing Honda Accord commercial. This was on air a few years ago. It took three months, hundreds of takes and 6 million dollars to make this advertisement. Huge sum of money spent to make this quality ads.

This advertisement is only in one take and does not have any cut and paste. Click play and enjoy the commercial.

by Sorli

category: Auto Things

For People on Debt Management Plans: A Must-Do List

Reputable credit counseling organizations employ counselors who are certified and trained in consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Those organizations that are nonprofit have a legal obligation to provide education and counseling.

But not all credit counseling organizations provide these services. Some charge high fees, not all of which are disclosed, or urge you to make “voluntary” contributions that can cause you to fall deeper into debt. Many claim that a debt management plan is your only option before they spend time reviewing your financial situation, and offer little or no consumer education and counseling. Others misrepresent their nonprofit status or fraudulently obtained nonprofit status by misrepresenting their business practices to regulators.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, and some state Attorneys General have sued several companies that called themselves credit counseling organizations. The FTC and the states said these companies deceived consumers about the cost, nature, and benefits of the services they offered; some companies even lied about their nonprofit status. Several of these companies are now going out of business. Similar companies also may be shutting their doors, even though they haven’t been sued by the FTC or the states. That could be of special concern if you have a debt management plan with one of these companies.

Must-Dos for Anyone With A DMP

Organizations that advertise credit counseling often arrange for consumers to pay debts through a debt management plan (DMP). In a DMP, you deposit money each month with a credit counseling organization. The organization uses these deposits to pay your credit card bills, student loans, medical bills, or other unsecured debts according to a payment schedule they’ve worked out with you and your creditors. Creditors may agree to lower interest rates or waive certain fees if you are repaying through a DMP.

The FTC has found that some organizations that offer DMPs have deceived and defrauded consumers, and recommends that consumers check their bills to make sure that the organization fulfills its promises. If you are paying through a DMP, contact your creditors and confirm that they have accepted the proposed plan before you send any payments to the organization handling your DMP. Once the creditors have accepted the DMP, it is important to:

  • make regular, timely payments.
  • always read your monthly statements promptly to make sure your creditors are getting paid according to your plan.
  • contact the organization responsible for your DMP if you will be unable to make a scheduled payment, or if you discover that creditors are not being paid.

You need to be aware that if payments to your DMP and creditors are not made on time, you could lose the progress you’ve made on paying down your debt, or the benefits of being in a DMP, including lower interest rates and fee waivers. Although creditors may have forgiven late payments that you made before you began the DMP, the creditors may be unwilling or unable to do so if payments are late after you have enrolled in a DMP. If you fall behind on your payments, you may not be able to have your accounts “re-aged” again (reported as current), even if you start a new DMP with a new counselor. That means your credit report will have “late” marks and you will rack up late fees, which, in turn, will lead to more debt that could take longer to pay off.

If Your Credit Counselor Has Gone Out of Business

What happens to your DMP if the credit counseling company that managed your debts shuts down? A counseling agency that is going out of business may send you a notice telling you that your DMP is being transferred to another company. Or it may tell you that you need to take some action to keep your financial recovery on track. If a government agency has filed an action against your credit counseling company, you may get a notice from a third party. If you discover that the organization handling your DMP is going out of business you need to:

  • contact your bank to stop payment if you are making your DMP payments through automatic withdrawal.
  • start paying your bills directly to your creditors.
  • notify your creditors that the organization handling your DMP is going out of business. Consider working out a payment plan with your creditors yourself. Ask if they will give you a reduction on your interest rate without a DMP.
  • order a copy of your credit report. Check for late payments – or missed DMP payments – that may result from the company going out of business. If you see “late” notations you don’t expect, call the creditor immediately and ask that the notation be removed. Understand that they have no obligation to do it.

If payments are late because the organization handling your DMP has failed to make scheduled payments, the consequences can be just as devastating as if you failed to make payments to the DMP. If you do not act quickly to make arrangements with your creditors, you could incur late charges that increase your debt, lose the lower interest rates associated with the DMP, and have “late” marks on your credit report.

21-03-2009 by Sorli

category: Credit

Nine Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a Credit Counselor

If the organization you were working with shuts down, you may be able to work a payment plan on your own directly with your creditors. But if you decide that you need additional credit advice and assistance, or if you are considering working with a credit counselor for the first time, asking questions like these can help you find the best counselor for you.

  1. What services do you offer?
    Look for an organization that offers a range of services, including budget counseling, savings and debt management classes, and counselors who are trained and certified in consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Counselors should discuss your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to solve your money problems now and avoid others in the future. An initial counseling session typically lasts an hour, with an offer of follow-up sessions. Avoid organizations that push a debt management plan as your only option before they spend a significant amount of time analyzing your financial situation. DMPs are not for everyone. You should sign up for a DMP only after a certified credit counselor has spent time thoroughly reviewing your financial situation, and has offered you customized advice on managing your money.

    If you were on a DMP with an organization that closed down, ask any credit counselor that you are considering what they can do to help you retain the benefits of your DMP.

  2. Do you offer free information?
    Avoid organizations that charge for information about the nature of their services.
  3. Will I have a formal written agreement or contract with you?
    Don’t commit to participate in a DMP over the telephone. Get all verbal promises in writing. Read all documents carefully before you sign them. If you are told you need to act immediately, consider finding another organization.
  4. Are you licensed to offer your services in my state?
    Many states require that an organization register or obtain a license before offering credit counseling, debt management plans, and similar services. Do not hire an organization that has not fulfilled the requirements for your state.
  5. What are the qualifications of your counselors? Are they accredited or certified by an outside organization? If so, which one? If not, how are they trained?
    Try to use an organization whose counselors are trained by an outside organization that is not affiliated with creditors.
  6. What are your fees? Are there set-up and/or monthly fees?
    Get a detailed price quote in writing, and specifically ask whether all the fees are covered in the quote. If you’re concerned that you cannot afford to pay your fees, ask if the organization waives or reduces fees when providing counseling to consumers in your circumstances. If an organization won’t help you because you can’t afford to pay, look elsewhere for help.
  7. Have other consumers been satisfied with the service that they received?
    Once you’ve identified credit counseling organizations that suit your needs, check them out with your state Attorney General, local consumer protection agency, and Better Business Bureau. These organizations can tell you if consumers have filed complaints about them. The absence of complaints doesn’t guarantee legitimacy, but complaints from other consumers may alert you to problems.
  8. What do you do to keep personal information about your clients (for example, name, address, phone number, and financial information) confidential and secure?
    Credit counseling organizations handle your most sensitive financial information. The organization should have safeguards in place to protect the privacy of this information and prevent misuse.
  9. How are your employees paid? Are the employees or the organization paid more if I sign up for certain services, pay a fee, or make a contribution to your organization?
    Employees who are counseling you to purchase certain services may receive a commission if you choose to sign up for those services. Many credit counseling organizations receive additional compensation from creditors if you enroll in a DMP. If the organization will not disclose what compensation it receives from creditors, or how employees are compensated, go elsewhere for help.
by Sorli

category: Credit

Tips On Buying Used Car

Used car for sale.
To help you stay on the road to safety and savings the next time you buy a used car, the Federal Trade Commission offers this advice:

  • Before shopping for a car, think about your driving habits, your needs, and your budget;
  • If you finance the cost of the car, consider how much you can put down, your monthly payment, the length of the loan, and the annual percentage rate. Make sure you understand all aspects of the loan agreement before you sign any documents, including the exact price; the amount you’re financing; the finance charge; and the total sales price;
  • Learn about car models, options, and prices by reading newspaper ads, both display and classified;
  • The Federal Trade Commission requires dealers to post a Buyers Guide in every used car they offer for sale. Private sellers don’t have to use the Buyers Guide. The Guide tells you: – whether the vehicle is sold “as is” or with a warranty;
    - percentage of the repair costs a dealer will pay under the warranty;
    - that spoken promises are difficult to enforce;
    - to get all promises in writing;
    - to keep the Buyers Guide for reference after the sale;
    - the major mechanical and electrical systems on the car, including some of the major problems you should look out for;
    - and to ask to have the car inspected by an independent mechanic before you buy;
  • Examine the car using an inspection checklist. You can find these on Internet sites that deal with used cars;
  • Ask for the car’s maintenance record from the owner, dealer, or repair shop;
  • Test drive the car under varied road conditions – on hills, highways, and in stop-and-go traffic;
  • Talk to the previous owner, especially if the present owner is unfamiliar with the car’s history
  • Hire a mechanic to inspect the car for mechanical soundness as well as safety;
by Sorli

category: Tips

Giving Allowances To Your Children

Pocket money.Children also learn from experience, so apart from setting a good example, parents should give the children practice in handling money. This is where an allowance can play an important role.

Why Give Allowances To My Children?

An allowance can be a good teacher because it allows children to manage money in a safe environment. The sum involved is small and any mistakes made will not be too damaging. It is not like when they are adults and the mistakes made can cause them to lose their house or car.

Allowances can teach them financial responsibility. For example, when your child wants to buy a new toy, she can be asked to save part of her pocket money to get it.
Depending on the age of your child, she may need help to achieve her goal (i.e.,the toy). This gives you an opportunity to help her develop a spending and savings plan so that she will know how much and how long she has to save to buy her toy.

Saving for a toy will teach your child about delayed gratification. A child who has enjoyed the fruits of saving up for a toy may be less likely to be taken in later by the various choices of instant gratification like credit cards, easy payments and hire-purchase payments.

Thus allowances give children a chance to make mistakes that are not too costly, to think about the value of what they want, to experience anticipation if they save for a few weeks and even to feel the consequences of overspending.

Do not make a practice of giving additional money if your child overspends. If parents is quickly to bail out the child, the child will not learn the consequences of overspending.

Should your child overspend, she will then have to get a loan from you to meet her expenses. Set up a repayment period to give her some practical experience in using credit.

But if your child keeps overspending it should be time to put her on a simple budget.

How Soon Should I Give Them Allowances?

Your child probably ready for an allowance when she enters primary school. She should be old enough to handle money to buy food at the school canteen.

How Much Allowances Should I Give To My Children?

How much money your child is entitled to will depend on how much you can afford and how much food in the canteen costs. You may also want to have an idea of how much pocket money her classmates are getting.

Parents and child should agree on just what the pocket money is supposed to be spent on. Even if it is only to be spent on food in the canteen, give a little above so that your child can practice decision-making.

As adults, we make spending choices and not all of our choices turn out to be the right ones. Learning to live with the results of poor choice in spending money is a valuable lesson, so let children make mistakes and learn from their mistakes.

How Often Should I Give My Children Allowances?

At the very beginning the pocket money can be paid daily since your child is young and is not used to handling money. But as your child grows up the allowance can be paid weekly and when she reaches her late teens it can be paid monthly.

The longer your child has to wait for the next payment of pocket money, the more she has to practice her budgeting skills.

by Sorli

category: Money, Money Education

Insurance and Men: Handling Society's Negative Perceptions

Insurance and Men.If we view the present scenario, there are still many of us does not own an insurance policy yet. Regardless of what the package core whether it is life insurance, medical insurance, education insurance or investment insurance, the interest to have an insurance is still ‘blurry’ in the society’s eyes.

This situation obviously shows the practice of having insurance still new due to no education and awareness of its importance of being protected by insurance package. Let alone the living environment in this era which offers challenges whether from the economy, security and health aspect.

For some peoples, insurance is perceived as burden. This is because they are forced to allocate a portion of their salary to pay premium, whereas its return and benefit is not known when it can be taste. When some incident or disaster happens, it is then when the insurance policy interest and importance can be benefited.

‘Money saving’ factor always become a reason to refuse having an insurance policy. For some people, the premium payment which is in average as low as $80, $150 or $300 per month is perceived as burden. This form a mentality in society which often avoids each time they are visited by an insurance agent.

Men which become the hope of their family and as a chief are the key individuals who need to be protected by insurance. It is a gamble of his life and put the bad luck on the man’s shoulder solely, but it is in fact a long term protection and effect which will be enjoyed by them in their hard time.

In overall the society is still not yet exposed to the benefits of having an insurance policy. Men which become the head of the family do not see their interest need to be protected. This indirectly put the fate and future of their family and beloved ones in risks.

Imagine should a man, who is unprotected by insurance and involved in an accident, does just the hospital treatment is enough for him whereas he could affords to receive further treatment in a private hospital and received financial assistance incentive during the treatment period.

16-03-2009 by Sorli

category: Insurance Articles

Insurance and Men: Experience of an Agent and His Comments on General Perception Towards Insurance

Insurance and Men.This is an interview with Adie Mudzaffar, who serves for six years with Prudential’s agency, Al Isra’ Associates Sdn Bhd shares his experience and commenting the general perception towards insurance and protection.

Personally, how you see the importance of having insurance?

Along six years my participation in insurance world, clearly I would say that the society tendency especially Malays to own insurance is still low.

I can say that 90 percent of Bumiputras people in Malaysia are not yet protected by insurance. Whereas, the insurance itself give sufficiently large advantages to individual and family at now and future. Not only it gives protection medically and in term of life, insurance scope is far bigger; as a fund to oneself in his old time later.

In your opinion, what causes people to not want having insurance policy?

This returns to the society’s culture of upbringing itself. If we see Malay community as example, culture of saving itself is not a habit. Let alone on insurance ownership in Malay families household.

Somehow this is different in the Chinese community. They make culture of saving and habit of having insurance policy since their children are still small.

So what is the real cause that cause people refused to have insurance?

The main cause is the financial factor. Let alone the effect of the world economy which indirectly gives great influence to the society’s daily expenditure. This is felt more by men which became the head of his family and moreover if his wife is not working and bringing up children in the city area. It is acknowledged, it is difficult for men to bear the living cost in town and at the same time have insurance.

Is there still opportunity for this group to have insurance?

I did not say no. It returns to the awareness factor itself. If men as a family leader realize his importance as the future pillar for himself and his family, insurance is the best answer in ensuring his family’s fate guaranteed. Imagine when one is not protected, what would happen to his fate and family in the future?

How to evaluate a person’s ability to have insurance?

Usually, as insurance representative we will evaluate the total monthly income owned by individual and inflow and outflow of his finance. A good insurance package usually includes 10 percent of monthly total income amount. This package is subjected to protection scheme is whether it is wanted as a saving, medical or both like often done by policy owner.

How can we get to know the advantages of an insurance package?

It is important for every of us to know the insurance package that being offered. Investigate insurance company background and the advantages that would be enjoyed from the investments that we are doing. Do not ever falls for cheap offer and package which offers insurance without knowing further details and claims which can be made later on.

Back to people perception, how to ward off community’s negative perception on insurance policy ownership?

Once upon, when talking on insurance people will see as a death protection. Peoples are not interested to talk about deaths. This story was 10 years ago where insurance package converge a lot to life insurance plan which gives compensation to family member if policy owner passed away.

Currently, many packages enjoyed by policy owner such as change help, emergency, saving package for old age and so on.

What will be enjoyed if one owns an insurance policy?

Not only are his interests protected, insurance owner usually given a medical card that qualify him to receive treatment incentive in registered private panel hospitals. He or she only needs to show the insurance medical card, the patient is eligible to get specialist treatment compared to those who do not own insurance.

Not that only, during hospitalize, the policy owner is also paid. Isn’t that attractive?

How is the flow of ownership of insurance policies during five years lately?

I can say that, within these five years the number are increasing among the societies especially in Malay society and those who reside in town choose to have insurance. This awareness is increasingly expand as they are thing the long term effect and to seek the best protection for themselves and family.

If we look to government hospital nowadays also provides specialist treatment where it impose high payment rate to patient who need treatment. Because of that we should think of the importance of owning an insurance policy.

In your opinion, how to change community’s perception on advantages of owning insurance policy?

It should be taught since small and starting from school level. It also becomes insurance representative’s responsibility to approach society to ensure that they understand and become aware of the importance owning insurance policy in the quite challenging environment today.

Who own more insurance policies, men or women? What factor contributes to the figure?

According to source that we believe, it is undeniable men have more insurance policies compared to women. It may be caused by awareness and men’s role factor as the head of family and bigger responsibility causing them to choose to own insurance policies.

How one man as family’s head can protect his family with insurance?

He still can own insurance through family insurance plan where each of his family members is protected. But this plan does not include medical coverage like in personal insurance.

by Sorli

category: Insurance Articles