Last weekend, I moved to a suburb just outside of the city.  It’s about a 10 to 15 minute drive into the city, which isn’t too far.  I am renting a room in a townhouse with 3 roommates who were introduced to me through friends.   Since I have the master bedroom, I pay slightly more than I used to pay at my previous apartment.  However, the house is much nicer than the one I used to live in and my room is more than triple the size of my old room.  Despite the fact I pay more rent than I used to, I think it is justified by the quality of the apartment as well as my new commute, which is significantly shorter than before.  It used to take me about an hour to get to work and another hour to get home.  Now, my commute takes only half that time! This means I have an extra hour each day to be productive!

Now, some of you who have been reading my blog for a while, might be wondering why I am renting again when I had said that I wanted to buy a place.  I have a few reasons for this.  First, I have yet to find the right place that I can afford and in which the numbers work for me.  I also need to save more so that I can still have an emergency fund.  Finally, I realized that although real estate prices are slightly lower in my area and mortgage rates are great, I can probably realize a greater gain if I put my money into the stock market that has been recovering.  So, I will be renting for at least another six months and likely another year, while I save up more money and wait to see if I can find the right place. 

I lied about free chicken dinners to get you to read this post. Don’t hate me! I don’t know about free dinners, but I can offer you a coupon that gives you a chicken dinner that is basically free! One of my roommates decided to welcome me to the house my sending me a link for a coupon for a chicken meal (quarter white meat or 3 pieces dark meat) with mash potatoes and corn bread from Boston Market (which is only a few blocks from my new house) for only $1.  It is good for the whole week so I’m going to go for dinner every day this week! Enjoy!

Yahoo had an article today saying that it is a good time to buy a car. I also believe that is true since the auto industry is basically in shambles. With the economy struggling, dealers must have had a lot of trouble getting cars off the lots. According to Yahoo, “Auto makers are offering generous deals, including cash back offers and low financing rates, across a wide range of vehicles. Many that once sold at a markup are suddenly available for well below the sticker price – and often less than dealer cost.”
The article goes on to say that dealerships have been closing all across the nation. Dealers need to clear their inventory of 2009 vehicles and with so much excess supply, good deals are in store. Yahoo gave an example of the deals people have gotten: A guy in Portland, OR bought a 2008 Mazda Miata roadster with a sticker price of $27,235 for $18,000 three weeks ago. The manufacturer gave a rebate along with dealer discounts.
I still believe in the idea of only purchasing what you need and living within your means. Just because something is on sale, doesn’t mean you have to buy it. My Honda Accord that is 8 years old still works just fine and has plenty of years left in it. Even though I could get a pretty good deal, I just don’t need a car right now. On the other hand, if you were thinking about getting a new car in the near future, I would suggest taking advantage of the current deals and the laws of supply and demand.
Make sure you shop around and check out other dealerships since everyone is ready to cut you a deal. Remember that you should always try to negotiate since you have all the power right now. You don’t need to buy a car, but the dealers do need to sell them. Keep that in mind when you go shopping.