All day long we have been showing you ways you can save on the cost of living but we would like to hear what you are doing at home. Please share your ideas with us here on our blog so we can all benefit and save!
According to my friend, Tony Perkins, the weather could reach as high as 81 degrees this week. Normally, this would be a good thing – but it’s not so good when the air conditioning in your car doesn’t work.
I recently paid quite a bit of money to get the AC fixed in my car, and it worked just fine…until this weekend.
I had just picked up my two long-haired dogs from the vet, and I had the windows in the car down so they could enjoy the ride. We hit bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home and had been sitting in the same spot for 20 minutes when it began to rain. I quickly rolled up the windows to avoid getting wet and to calm the dogs, who both are terrified of rain. Then I reached over and turned on the AC, missing my shot at catching the green light just ahead of me by one car.
Several minutes and one stoplight later, the rain was still coming down, and I noticed that it was getting hotter instead of cooler inside of the car. I reached for the vent and realized that the air was no longer blowing cool -- it was blowing hot. I switched the hot air off, but with the rain still pouring I couldn’t roll down the windows. The dogs were panting...I was panting...and then I realized that the mechanic who was supposed to fix my AC had just taken me for a ride.
To help you deal with situations like mine, here are a few tips from our friends at CONSUMERS’CHECKBOOK that you should keep in mind when dealing with auto repair shops:
• Write down a detailed description of your car’s symptoms and give it to the shop.
• If possible, talk directly to the repair technician who will be working on your car.
• Either get a written estimate in advance, or write on the repair ticket that no work is to be done without your approval based on a written estimate.
• Get a written, dated invoice detailing parts and labor and the vehicle’s odometer reading.
• Pay by credit card.
• If the car is still not right when you get it back, tell the shop in writing immediately.
I'll tell you how it has affected mine:
Instead of going out to dinner, I cook now...not very well I might add.
As far as shopping goes...I won't buy anything unless I absolutely need it- and even then I stick to generic.
If I go somewhere, I take the Metro.
I finally broke down and cancelled my digital cable this week.
Now, I realize I'm not making any major sacrifices here but I definitely have adjusted by budget and behavior.
What changes have you made to your budget?
