Purchasing a vehicle and doing so at the right time is important if you want to enjoy additional savings. You can catch the auto dealer at the appropriate time and enjoy thousands of dollars in saving on a vehicle purchase transaction. Most people say that the best time is at the end of the year. This is when the auto dealers discount their vehicles in order to meet their yearly sales objectives. Although, there is no guarantee that you will score big with the dealer at this time, it is important to try. However, not all purchasers can wait that long, especially when you are relying on a vehicle to commute and your vehicle has mechanical issues. Fortunately, though, if you are a smart auto shopper, you will be able to obtain great deals throughout the year, utilizing the same reasoning that drives the end of year discounted prices.

The Dealer Representative

The first thing you need to understand is how auto dealers run their business, especially when they are desperate to get rid of inventory. Almost all new car dealer representatives are commission paid, whether from a portion of the sales price or a flat rate for each vehicle. Each auto dealer work has to reach a specific goal each month and each year. For that reason, at the end of the year, buyers can take advantage of this. Even when the auto dealer is enjoying strong sales for eleven months out of the year, they still push sales reps to go over their goals for the last month. However, most auto dealer reps work hard to ensure that shoppers are turned into buyers throughout the year. Buyers can take advantage of the representative’s short term goals to sell more vehicles by offering attractive deals to the buyers.

The Right Timing

Timing means a lot when you are looking to purchase a new car. The auto dealership environment is aggressive and by the end of the day, sales reps want to go home and if they haven’t make a sale all day, you could be the next buyer to get the discount and savings that will be offered, just to get that sale. The best time, then, is to go to the dealership when it is almost closing time. Once you show that you are a serious buyer, the sales rep will accommodate your negotiations. So, to close your deal, choose the time carefully. While everyone is going home, you can seal that deal, forcing the sales rep to make concessions to your negotiated price.

The Monthly Cycle

You can use the same timing technique to go to the dealership at the end of the month or the end of the quarter. The idea is to go to the auto dealership when the sales rep was to hit his or her sale plateau for a bigger commission for that particular month or quarter. The monthly dealership cycle will do nothing else, but benefit you. If the sales representative is just a little away from reaching his or her sales goal, you may strike it big to get better financing terms and conditions. You will end up getting great value for your buck.

Past and Current Models

Another time of the year to go to an auto dealership to buy a new car is early fall or late summer. This is usually when new model vehicles are added to the inventory. Usually, the dealer may have the previous car model and year in their inventory. It is at that time that you will finance a new vehicle for a previous model instead of the new model. You shouldn’t expect to get the same deal with a new model that you would with the previous model.
Purchasing a vehicle at the close of the calendar year is by far the best strategy to reap the desired savings. However, you may still have to be a good negotiator.

Summer is here and of course, it can be quite expensive as it is a time for going on vacation, time for kid’s summer camps and time to stock up the pantry with more food. While kids are out of school, they can consume quite a lot of food. With a tighter budget as a result of this, you will need all the tips you can to remain frugal and still have some summer fun. Below are six budget tips for summer fun.

1. Having Dinner at Home
Instead of going to a restaurant more frequently, why not choose some of your family members and friends and start a night where the family and friends met to have dinner? On some occasions, you could even have some of these individuals bring a potluck meal. Nights like these are excellent for entertaining and being social. You could go a step further and add a theme for each dinner night, playing board games or after dinner, go to a nearby pastry shop and have dessert.

2. Summer Camp
Did you know that you can create a summer camp in your neighborhood, especially if you are a stay-at-home mother? You could have the camp in your own home. Each day, you could have the kids do something different, making it not only fun for the kids, but for you too. There are free activities that you can get involved in. Water parks are usually reasonable too.

3. Choosing Vacation Spot
Instead of going far away for a vacation, why not choose a close vacation spot, one that is nearby your home. Try to choose a vacation package for a group. This can work out to be less expensive. You could also do a cabin rental at a nearby lake or at a condominium close to the beach. You could also choose a hotel room nearby. Other ideas would be:

• Camping
• Day trips (spending only a day or few days at a time
• Hiking into the mountains (if you love the outdoors)

Try to find a place where you haven’t been before. You could look for hotel savings by calling to see if there are any discount prices. If you choose to go camping, then you will eliminate the cost of the hotel.

4. Remote Work
If you have kids, ask your boss if you can work from home during the summer, especially if your work entails the phone and computer. It will save you money on car maintenance and gas as well as any other expense of commuting. Instead of sending the kids off to camp, you could be their in-house babysitter and yet be able to do your work from home. In addition, you will have less stress.

5. Local Attractions and Events
You could take advantage of some of the local attractions and events taking place. Many cities have various events that take place during the summer months so as to accommodate parents with kids out of school. If you don’t get a pamphlet in the mail, go to your nearest recreation center to inquire. Some of these centers offer prices in bundles, which means that you can sign up the kids for more than one event at a lower cost. You can also visit amusement parks at special local discounts or for an affordable yearly membership.

6. Outdoor Exercise
You don’t have to sign up for an expensive membership at the gym. You can take advantage of the outdoors and do things that you like such as biking, walking, jogging, and cycling. You can include the kids in some of these activities.