Car Negotiation Coach

Most people automatically assume that if a driver collides with a parked car, it is always the moving vehicle’s driver who is at fault. It’s true that the drivers of moving vehicles are usually responsible for avoiding parked cars, no matter how illegally or annoyingly they are parked. There are exceptions to the parked car rule, however.

States, cities and counties all have different traffic laws, so it’s hard to cite a blanket rule on accidents involving parked cars. However, a vehicle owner is certainly not allowed to turn a parked car into a safety hazard. Keep the following information in mind if you ever have an accident with a parked vehicle. You’ll want to know what to tell your insurance company and the lender of your car loans.

Parking Just Beyond a Curve

Let’s say, for example, that a young driver pulls off the road to text someone. He parks just beyond a curve in the road and the shoulder is narrow enough that the rear end of his car is sticking out in traffic. A driver coming around the curve would have no warning and no time to stop. The driver of the moving vehicle can either veer into oncoming traffic or rear end the parked car. In this case, the young driver turned his parked car into a safety hazard and should assume, at least some, responsibility for the collision. [...]

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Cars and snow are not a good mix together.  And with the bad weather plaguing the nation this year, you may find your car stuck in the snow this winter.  Besides making sure you have the best vehicle insurance available, you should remember these steps to get your car out of the snow and back on the road.

Getting Your Car Out of the Snow

If you do find your car trapped in the snow, make sure that you stay warm and follow these steps.

1. Check your tailpipe before you start your engine.  If there is snow covering it, you need to clear it first.  This is to prevent the exhaust gases from backing up into your car.
2. Dig away the snow and ice.  This sounds like common sense, but you may have to improvise if you don’t have a shovel.  Make sure you look first at snow and ice around the tires.  If you don’t have a shovel, then a screwdriver, pen, or an ice scraper can help with the worst build-up by the tires.  Finally, remove any snow in the direction your car is trying to move.
3. To get into your car, make sure your locks aren’t frozen.  A trick I’ve used is to run an extension cord and plugin a hairdryer to unfreeze your locks to allow you to get into your car.
4. Once you’ve cleared the car, you will need to make sure you have enough traction to get your car out.  You can try to turn the wheels to break up any last pieces of ice, and you can pump your brakes if you feel that one wheel is turning faster than the others.
5. If you are still having problems gaining traction, you can take out your floor-mats and put them in front of your tires.  While not ideal, if you’re in a pinch this could help get you going.
6. Make sure that until you get onto a plowed road, you use your low gears.  This will make sure that your wheels have more torque and spin slower. [...]

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Hi Folks, lots of activity this week!  First off, I’d like you to welcome my new staff writer, Andrea from So Over Debt.  She’s a much better writer than me (funnier too) and I’m lucky to have her on board.  She’ll be sharing some of her personal experiences and strategies saving money on big ticket items.  Her first post is tomorrow!

In other news, I just completed a graphical redesign of Find the Best Car Price.  It looks a lot more professional and I’m thrilled with the result!  I’ll probably incorporate a similar style here on the blog over the next few weeks.  If you like the new layout, don’t be afraid to click the Facebook Like button above the fancy car with bags of money falling out of the trunk….it won’t bite.

Lastly, I wanted to share a few posts from my Yakezie friends:

• Learn to Negotiate Better Prices (Prairie EcoThrifter)
• Selling Old Furniture on Kijiji (Invest It Wisely)
• Coworking Spaces: for getting out of your Apartment (Money Spruce)
• How to Sell Your House Quickly (SPF)
• eBook Launch: The Rat Race: 1 Year From Now, Will You Still Be A Rat? (TFB)
• The Student Loan Death Trap (BTFS)
• How to Get Paid to Try Products and Services (Extra Money Blog)
• Vacationing In Europe – Cutting Costs Without Compromising Fun (SMT)
• Choosing Your Fixed Mortgage, 15 vs 30 Year (Money Reasons)
• How to Find a Financial Planner (Wealth Informatics)

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This site usually focuses on the financial side of negotiation.  As it should…the “bottom line” refers to money for a reason.

But negotiation involves so much more than money, and it touches upon almost every area of our lives–whether we realize it or not. Almost anything is negotiable–and that includes a lot of decisions within a marriage.

How often do we hear someone say, “marriage is all about compromise.”  And so it is, but isn’t compromise just another word for negotiation?

Let’s go out on a bit of a limb and consider negotiation within the context of a marriage (we’ll use the word marriage for ease of use, but this can refer to any romantic relationship).

Now, I’m not professing to be a marriage therapist, so this post is going to focus more on what can be negotiated within a marriage rather than providing specific negotiation techniques.  That said, loyal readers of this blog should be aware that most of the techniques we generally discuss (including “do your research”, i.e. know the person you’re dealing with) can likely be used in negotiating within the marriage setting.

Negotiating Chores

Is there anything worse than divvying up chores in a marriage?  No matter what, each party is almost always convinced they’re getting stuck with the worst tasks.  Chores can include everything from changing diapers, to cleaning the toilet, or visiting the in-laws.  Perhaps you’ll decide to alternate chores around the house.  You might also allow each person to perform their roles according to who is better at performing each task, along a set routine, or old-fashioned as it may be, even along traditional gender roles.  That said, almost any chore can be negotiable.

Money

It can be tough to determine who gets to splurge on themselves and when.  Some spouses are more accepting of their spouse making a purchase without getting to purchase something equal for themselves than others.  Perhaps you’ll be more accepting of your husband buying season tickets to his favorite team, if he agrees to take over making the bed each morning.  Or perhaps you will both agree to give up a costly vice and instead put that money towards your retirement.

Without realizing it, a lot of our financial decisions within a marriage involve give and take.  In other words, negotiation.

Time (Allocating Time)

Another, more limited resource is our time.  For example, when your wife wants to go out with her friends, some husband’s may be upset about not being in their wife’s company that night.  As a wife, now is your time to start selling the beauty of a concurrent “guys night out” for your husband.

Or, perhaps you can negotiate taking a less time-demanding (and lower salaried) job by stressing the additional time you’ll have available to spend with your children and your spouse.

Major Decisions

What to name your child.  What type of dog breed to purchase.  Whether you really need to put in a patio out back.  What sports and activities you should sign your daughter up for.

These are all examples of important–and yes, negotiable–decisions.  For example, “we can use your favorite first name for our daughter if you let me pick the middle name.”  ”We’ll go with your favorite dog breed if I get to choose the dog breed next time.” “We can put in a new patio if you allow us an extra six months to save up for it.”

Every time a major decision comes up there will likely be some give and take.

Ideals

Is smoking acceptable around the children (or at all).  How much positive reinforcement should we use with our children?  Do we want to stress academics or sports with our children, and to what extent?

Our ideals and values are generally not 100% the same–even though we’re married to each other.  The give and take in making decisions can, and likely will benefit from, negotiation.

The Little Things

What television show to watch.  What to have for dinner.  Whether to spring for cable or not.  Will we stock Coke or Pepsi.  Again, almost every decision can touch upon elements requiring some negotiation.  A healthy marriage is generally rich in compromise and negotiation.  It’s not about taking advantage of your spouse–but rather learning how to negotiate, communicate, and compromise in a mutually beneficial manner.

How do you negotiate in your marriage?

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In the current economic climate, everyone is looking for an additional way to make money. Many people decide to make money from decluttering their lives, getting rid of clothes they don’t wear and selling items they can do without. There’s also households who declutter by getting rid of their car, opting instead to travel using public transportation or just using one car in the family instead of two. We all know cars depreciate in value the moment you drive them off the lot, but you can still get a good price on selling your vehicle if you choose the right place.

Usually you would expect to go to a used car sales place to sell your car, and others decide to donate their vehicle to charity. What if you could sell your car from the comfort of your home? You may not think it’s possible but WeWillBuyYourCar.com is looking to purchase your vehicle if it’s less than 6 years old and under 80,000 miles. Previous customers describe them as excellent, professional, friendly, and highly recommend their service.

So how does it work? You first decide, “I want to sell my car” and enter your vehicle’s registration number. Your car’s information should be available on the DVLA database. You get an instantaneous online offer, and if it sounds good to you, you accept it. Once you accept the offer, a rep will contact you, find a convenient place for you to release the car, and you can receive your payment within 10 to 15 minutes, a transfer made from their account to yours that’s free of charge. Worried about fraud? Your car won’t be released until the funds are safely in your account, confirmed by the Bank of Scotland. Finally, your car’s pick up is free. This service is based on making things easy for their customers.

WeWillBuyYourCar.com operates in all mainland United Kingdom locations, including Birmingham, Manchester, York, Plymouth, Liverpool and more. If you’re wondering “can I sell my car London“, the answer is yes! The company is always looking for a variety of vehicles. They accept cars from over 40 different manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Ford, Volkswagen, Honda, Toyota, Jaguar, Chrysler, Fiat, Saab and more.

If you still have financing left on your car, WeWillBuyYourCar.com can take care of that for you in their transaction. If you prefer a cheque over an instant transfer, that can be arranged. Referring a friend can even get you both £25 in Marks & Spencer vouchers.

Whatever your reasoning may be for selling your car, it pays to shop around and try to get the best deal for your vehicle. You can save yourself both time and money by doing business with WeWillBuyYourCar.com.

This post was brought to you by WeWillBuyYourCar.com.

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If you’re looking for a lawyer to support you in your legal actions, look no further than the UK’s leading personal injury claim specialist: First4Lawyers. They specialize in an abundance of claims including car accidents, work accidents, slips, trips and falls, criminal injury, accidents abroad, and medical negligence. You can even file your claim online. First 4 Lawyers is committed to putting the clients first. They have a 100% guarantee that you receive 100% of your compensation. They also have no win no fee solicitors, meaning you pay a fee to make a claim.

The First 4 Lawyers website is extremely helpful, giving you lots of information about accidents and the process of a claim. Their Compensation calculator gives you an estimate of what you can expect if you win your personal injury case. Head injuries can range anywhere from £7,000 for minor injuries to £220,000 for very severe brain damage. They also list teeth, knees, arms and legs, hands and feet, and even compensation for your hair!

Most people involved in auto accidents that receive injuries at the very least have whiplash. According to First 4 Lawyers, whiplash compensation is suggested to be up to £4,250 for minor whiplash, up to £7,750 for moderate whiplash, and up to £82,000 for severe whiplash. Symptoms of whiplash include persistent neck stiffness, headaches, dizziness, difficulty swallowing, shoulder and back pain.

For those who have been in a car accident, you know how stressful it can be. You forget to take down the necessary information, pictures, audio, etc. First 4 Lawyers made it easier by creating a free iPhone app called the Accident Toolkit. The app is broken down into 4 simple steps to follow: your information, the other driver’s information, photos, and witness statements. You can send the information straight to your insurance carrier, or one of their many Accident Specialists. They even have a list of approved repairers for your convenience.

When you start your claim online, First 4 Lawyers first asks you for the details of your accident. This includes the type of accident, whether or not you were injured, and a brief description of how you received your injuries. Next, you enter your contact information, and you’re on your way to filing a claim, where you’ll be contacted by a solicitor and walked through the steps.

First 4 Lawyers should be your first choice when it comes to personal injury accidents. What other lawyer guarantees 100% payment to you? Give them a call or check them out online for more information.

This post was brought to you by First4Lawyers.

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The Following is a Guest Post by Chris Thomas of BusyGiftGiver.com

Is it ethical to negotiate items that you will be giving gift?  Of course! What else would you expect to hear at this site?

You should negotiate as aggressively when purchasing gifts as you would when making a purchase for yourself. Perhaps it’s something you won’t bring up to the gift recipient, but it’s certainly something you should be doing to save money.

Why It’s Ethical to Negotiate Gifts

First off, why shouldn’t you be able to negotiate gift purchases?  Think of it this way, when you negotiate, you are oftentimes able to save money.  If you want to pass along the savings to the gift recipient, then do so.  But either way, it’s a win to save money.

For example, perhaps through negotiation, you can purchase a gift you otherwise would not be able to afford. Although conservative gift etiquette “experts” may disagree, particularly in these tough economic times we must try and make our dollars stretch any way we can.

If you don’t feel quite right about negotiating price, then consider negotiating extra features that the gift recipient can enjoy. Get the computer store to throw in that extra software package. Get that car dealer (if you’re going for a huge gift) to upgrade the car so it has power locks.

Resources for Saving Money on Gifts

Again, the same principles apply as when making a purchase for yourself. Do your homework and go in with a plan. This website is filled with suggestions on how to save money negotiating everything from cars to puppies. Again, the more money you save the more you will be able to give.

Conclusion

I understand the initial hesitation at negotiating a gift for somebody else. However, when you think about it passing along the savings or even keeping the money in your own pocket makes much more sense than allowing the profit to be retained by the company or corporation making the sale.

I agree with the unofficial motto of this blog: you should be negotiating just about everything you can.

What are your ideas for saving money on gifts? Have you ever attempted to negotiate an item you will be giving as a gift?

The following was a guest post by Chris Thomas of Busy Gift Giver.com. Unlike most gift suggestion websites that offer thousands of suggestions. Busy Gift Giver provides only 5 great options for every holiday or occassion. Most of the gift’s suggested are budget-friendly and sold through Amazon so the deals are often great. Each review is original and creatively written, and the site was created by Chris Thomas, a blogging friend of mine, so I hope you will go check it out.

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You paid your rent on time each month.  You took good care of the apartment.  You did your best to thoroughly clean the apartment before you moved out.  You caused no damage.  You paid all associated bills.  And yet here you are anyway, months later still waiting for the return of your security deposit.  What are your options when a landlord will not return your security deposit?

Please note that this post is very general in nature.  If appropriate, you should seek out a lawyer or other appropriate professional to determine what the laws are where you live.  This post will provide an overview of some options a tenant has when a landlord will not return a security deposit.

Return of the Security Deposit – Timing

Some jurisdictions are more “pro-tenant” and others are more “pro-landlord.”  Most jurisdictions, however, have laws protecting the return of your security deposit.  Some research or a meeting with an attorney should provide information as to how long a landlord has to return a security deposit.  If more than a month has passed, then it may be time to start questioning the status of the return of your security deposit.  As with any possible legal matter, it is a good idea to learn about the statute of limitations.

Contacting the Landlord

One preliminary action is to reach out to your landlord or their representative to check on the status of the security deposit.  Perhaps there has simply been an oversight on their part.  Make sure you have provided your former landlord with your new address so the security deposit can be mailed to your new home.

Once you contact the landlord, you should have a general idea of the landlord’s position.   If more time passes by without the return of the security deposit, then it may be a good idea to write a letter addressing the issue.  This will put the issue “in writing”, which may be useful later on.

“Treble Damages”

Some jurisdictions have statutes providing for “treble damages” should a landlord not return a security deposit within a specific amount of time.  This generally means that a landlord may be required by law to reimburse you 2x or 3x the amount of the  outstanding security deposit if they fail to return the security deposit in a timely fashion.  Again, the laws of just about every jurisdiction are different. [...]

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