creators home
creators.com lifestyle web

Recently

Tips That Make You Feel Like a Genius Secretly, I feel like a genius when I discover a secondary use for this or that — in case I run out of this, but have plenty of that! Like using a paper coffee filter to wash a glass top or mirror when I'm in a pinch for paper towels. Or using …Read more. Supermarket Tricks That Makes Us Spend More I've always thought of myself as pretty sharp when it comes to spotting supermarket trickery. I'm not even fazed by an end-cap display announcing, "Special." I know their ways. They hope we'll just assume that "special" means …Read more. The Struggle to Actually Use up Gift Cards My love-hate relationship with gift cards has intensified. What a pain, really. I'm one who just forgets to use them, and when I remember, I try to figure out how to use each one to the last cent. I was reminded of my situation recently when I …Read more. Commingle Personal and Business Finances? Never! Dear Mary: I am reading your book, "Debt-Proof Living," and have begun tracking my expenses. I have a home-based business. Should I include business expenses or just personal expenses in the tracking? — Lucy, Vermont Dear Lucy: You …Read more.
more articles

Buy Pet Meds Online and Save

Share Comment

Dear Mary: I have two wonderful dogs that need to be medicated for fleas and ticks each spring and summer. The meds are expensive. Do you have any ideas on how to cut the cost of these essentials? — Tena F., Missouri

Dear Tena: I can tell you generally that you can purchase most medications for your pets by mail order without prescriptions. Then administer them yourself. You'll get instructions with the medications. This can save you a lot of money. For example, a 12-pack of K9 Advantix — treatment for ticks and fleas — for dogs weighing 21 to 55 pounds is on sale at Amazon.com for $116.99. It's regularly $202.99. The same product is available at Medi-Vet.com for $140.89. That should give you an idea of the amount of money you can save when you buy pet meds online and administer them yourself. Use a good search engine, such as http://www.froogle.com, to find the best online prices.

Dear Mary: I just graduated from college, and I need to buy a car. I don't have the money to pay cash, so I first considered financing a used car via my credit card. When I read your article called "Never Finance a Car With a Credit Card," I abandoned that option. I have decided to buy a used car by taking a loan from my credit union. I would get a better deal if I bought directly from an owner rather than from a used-car dealership. However, personal standard loans have higher interest rates than auto loans. Which option is better economically? — Kevin M., Pennsylvania

Dear Kevin: You are on the right track in getting the financing through your credit union.

The credit union should not differentiate between a car purchased from a private owner and one bought at a used-car dealer. Go to the credit union before you start shopping. Find out the terms of the loan they will give you, including the monthly payments. Once you are pre-qualified, you can start shopping with confidence.

In most cases, once you have signed the loan documents, the credit union will cut you a check that will be as good as cash. You can shop private offers, as well as used-car dealers. As far as the seller is concerned, you are a cash buyer. Once you find the car that is right for you, you will have to bring the car's title and registration to the credit union. It will be transferred to the credit union's name as owner. When you pay the loan in full, the title will be transferred to you as owner.

Set up an appointment to speak with the manager of the credit union to discover the exact process. Rather than borrow the most they offer you, I recommend that you borrow the least you need to get by. Better to have a fully paid-for car in 24 to 36 months that you can sell to upgrade than to be saddled with 60 car payments that will keep you strapped.

Do you have a question for Mary? E-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including "Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?" To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.


Comments

1 Comments | Post Comment
Mary,
We buy Frontline on the internet. We discovered that the medicine is the same price for a 6 month supply regardless of the size of your dog. However, a large dog gets a bigger dose, which means more product for the same price. So we order for an extra large dog, then transfer the liquid to a small glass bottle. We get more than twice the medicine for the same price. You just have to carefully calculate the proper dose for your dog. My husband looked it up on-line and used a liquid medicine dropper from the pharmacy that had the measurements on the side. Frontline is so expensive that by doing it this way, you can save over $100 a year.
Thanks for all of your good ideas,
Stephanie in MD
Comment: #1
Posted by: Stephanie
Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:45 AM
Already have an account? Log in.
New Account  
Your Name:
Your E-mail:
Your Password:
Confirm Your Password:

Please allow a few minutes for your comment to be posted.

Enter the numbers to the right:  
Creators.com comments policy
More
Mary Hunt
Feb. `12
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
29 30 31 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 1 2 3
About the author About the author
Write the author Write the author
Printer friendly format Printer friendly format
Email to friend Email to friend
View by Month