According to this fantastic article by U.S. News & World Report, new car prices could be creeping up for the first time since 2008 by this fall. It makes sense – as the economy recovers from the turmoil of the past couple of years, car companies are recovering as well. People have more money to spend on new vehicles, so car companies will raise prices.
If you are in the market for a new vehicle you may not want to wait until the fall to purchase one. Of course, having said that, at Creative Finance we want you to be prepared for a new vehicle purchase before you sign on the dotted line and that means making sure that you are financially ready for a new car payment.
Before you walk onto a car lot, check your credit score. Is it where it needs to be? In previous posts we gave you resources to find out. How is your income? Can you handle a new car payment? The last thing you need to do is to get yourself into a situation where you are just squeezing by with your money. Believe us, the new vehicle is not worth that headache.
Lastly, do you have your game face on? Be ready to be bombarded with deals that sound too good to be true. Chances are, they are too good to be true. When you walk into any dealership, you might need to give yourself a quick pep talk and remind yourself that you are in control of the situation and that no one is going to make you sign anything that you don’t agree to. Stay strong! You can get the very best deal out there for you and your family!
Do you need auto financing? Creative Finance is here for you! Give us a call at 877-254-6855 today!
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On May 5th, Wisconsin became the 25th state in the United States to illegalize texting while operating a vehicle. At Creative Finance, we are happy about this news! Given the number of fatalities directly related to driver distraction, we see this as a life-saving move on behalf of the American people and especially the residents of Wisconsin.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2008, close to 6000 people were killed in the U.S. because drivers were distracted. One of the most popular distractions, especially among the nations youngest drivers, was texting.
Lets keep our children and neighbors safe! Although the new law in Wisconsin won’t go into effect until December of 2010, we can all make the decision today to stop texting while we drive.
And parents – no texting behind the wheel for teens will actually save you lots of money! Insurance companies are raising premiums for those found to be texting while driving.
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Creative Finance, Inc. is in the business of helping people get the financing they need regardless of their credit score. Good Credit? Bad Credit? No Credit? Creative Finance, Inc. can help you no matter what your credit score is.
But as of June 1st of this year, in order for you to drive that new or used vehicle in Wisconsin, you have to have proof of insurance or face at least a $500 fine. Are you in need of great automobile insurance? Here are some tips to help you in your search for the perfect car insurance policy and company:
1. Don’t go with the first company you research. Even if it looks great on paper. It may very well be the best policy for you, but it is worth your time and effort to look into at least two other companies as well for comparison purposes. You just might be surprised at what you find.
2. When you begin your premium inquiry, make sure to ask for any driver discounts. It might surprise you to know that many insurance companies will give good driver discounts for such things as no accidents or moving violations, having an anti-theft device, air bags in your vehicle, anti-lock brakes, and even just being over 50 years of age or a college student with good grades. It never hurts to ask.
3. Check with your home insurance carrier. If they also provide auto insurance coverage, then you can qualify for a discount just for being a current policyholder.
4. It is possible that your employer might offer a group plan on many types of insurance – not just health or life. As a matter of fact, any social organization that you belong to or alumni association might also offer insurance coverage.
5. Just like with auto financing, your insurance premiums can be determined by the state of your credit score. Maintain a great credit score, and if you can’t, work diligently to rebuild your credit score. Creative Finance, Inc. can help! Give us a call at 877-254-6855 today!
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Remember when you were a little kid and you did something wrong? Where did you hide? For some it was their room, for others it was a closet or maybe even a tree house. What is it about us that makes us want to run and hide when things go wrong?
When it comes to missing monthly car payments, the run and hide technique just doesn’t work. As a matter of fact, what many people don’t realize is that if you will let your lender know that you need to miss a payment, they will work with you. No hand slap here – as your lender, Creative Finance wants to see you through a tough spot.
We understand that sometimes circumstances beyond our control make getting payments in on time a challenge. It happens. If that is the case for you, please contact us before your due date so that we can help you. Trust us – when it comes to missing payments on your vehicle loan, you want to work with your lender. If you allow your account to become delinquent without talking to your lender beforehand, then the lender has no choice but to enforce the late payment policies set in place.
This includes late fees, reports to the credit bureau, and possible legal action. Our goal at Creative Finance is to help you build your credit, not bring it down. All we ask is that you communicate with us openly and honestly about your payment situation.
If you have any questions about our policies, please do not hesitate to contact us at (608) 254-6855. Are you interested in obtaining vehicle financing through Creative Finance? Click here to get started. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Good credit, Fair Credit, Poor Credit, Bad Credit, No Credit – what does it all mean? Specifically, what does it all mean when it comes time to make your next big purchase. It is so very important that you know where you stand on the credit scale. After all, if you don’t know where you stand, how will you know if the deal you are getting is fair?
Your credit score is going to determine what kind of interest rates you get and what kind of incentives and loan terms are offered to you. To learn more about each type of credit, read our useful article “Why Your Credit Profile Matters”.
Remember, at Creative Finance, our goal is to get you the very best financing options available. Whether you have the very best credit score or a blemish or two on your record, we want to work with you to get you into the safe, reliable vehicle that you want. Still unsure as yo where you fall on the credit scale? Give us a call at (877) 254-6855 today!
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Have you heard that about 200 former General Motors workers from our great state of Wisconsin are making 500 mile commutes to work every week in Kansas City? These men and women are leaving their families behind, just so they can keep their jobs after a plant in Janesville, Wisconsin closed a year ago.
We just wrote a post on vehicle maintenance not too long ago. Imagine the wear and tear of a 500 mile commute on a vehicle. The average person puts between 10,000 and 12,000 miles on their car or truck in a years time. These people, if they are driving, are putting between 20,000 and 24,000 on their vehicle just during the commute!
If you find yourself dealing with a long commute back and forth to work each day, you can always save mileage on your vehicle in other ways. For instance, before you go out to run errands, make a list of where you need to go and map your route with that list. Try to bundle your errands together so that you are not making unnecessary trips, especially to the grocery store. Also, maybe two in the afternoon on Saturday is not the best time to go to the busiest part of town. If all you are doing is running errands, try to do it when traffic is at its lightest.
And we all know how important routine vehicle maintenance is on any vehicle, but if your car or truck is enduring long commutes frequently, then show it a little TLC by checking it out even more often. If the suggestion is that you have your oil changed every 3,000 miles or every 90 days and you are driving 500 miles each week for work, than you will probably need to change your oil every month and a half, instead of three. Your tires will need to be checked much more frequently too.
The goal is to keep your vehicle in the best shape for the longest period of time. You already have so much on your plate, worrying about your vehicle shouldn’t be on your agenda. If you do find yourself in the need of new transportation, Creative Finance would love to help you! When you are ready, give us a call at 877-254-6855.
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Many people don’t realize just how big an investment a vehicle is. Oh sure, we know that when we purchase a vehicle, we are putting a lot of our money into it, but the value of that money can sometimes become fuzzy in our eyesight. We expect to pay a big chunk of our hard-earned money for a vehicle, especially when it is new, and, perhaps because we expect it, sometimes we don’t fully realize all of the money we are putting in.
Funny how paying $5500 for a great vehicle can have the same effect on some people as buy one, get one free day at the local supermarket has on others. Five thousand, five hundred dollars is a lot of money – whether it is going toward a used car or groceries. At Creative Finance, Inc. we want you to spend your money wisely.
That is why we always tell our clients that the upkeep of your vehicle after you leave the dealership is just as important a task as, say, changing the air filters in your home or cleaning out the dryer vent. The small things matter, and they can save you lots of money in the long run.
You work hard for your money and for most of you, you really do need safe, reliable transportation just to bring home that paycheck. Take a look at our Vehicle Maintenance FAQ’s and protect your investment. And remember, good credit, bad credit, no credit – Creative Finance can help you.
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In a very recent article on cnnmoney.com, it was mentioned that the country’s most popular free credit report website (you probably have the jingle in your head by now), is not entirely free. Well – it is and it isn’t. This website, like many, many others out there, does not charge you for your free credit report. Instead, it enrolls you into a program and you have a certain number of days to disenroll before you start to see a monthly charge on your bank statement.
While the information that you get on your free credit report is great, it is all too easy to forget to disenroll before the trial period is up. Don’t believe us? According to this same article, the Better Business Bureau has received over 11,000 complaints so far.
They offer a better solution. One that we also highly recommend. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com, a website run by none other than the Federal Trade Commission itself. It is not hard to find. As a matter of fact, if you Google “free credit report”, it comes up first – even before, well, you know who.
They even offer the option of receiving your credit report by phone or by mail as well as online, although if you request your credit report online, it comes to you immediately.
While on the website, be sure to check out their FAQ section. You are sure to find the answer to at least one of your questions among the many posted. Once you have your credit score in hand, contact us at Creative Finance and we will see what we can do to get you the financing you want and need!
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Let’s say you walk into a car dealership and find the car that you want to purchase. The car salesman then asks you for some key information regarding your credit history and income. Maybe you have no credit and no income. Maybe you have a very low credit score or even a recent bankruptcy. Chances are that if you are using a traditional lending source, like a bank or a lender through a car manufacturer, you will not get pre-approved for your car loan. Do not fret!
It is possible that at a Buy Here Pay Here car lot, the car loan could be funded by the car dealer and then sold to a finance company at a later date, allowing you to get into that new vehicle you want, or a third party payment processor could service the loan on behalf of the car dealership.
Typically to qualify for a Bad Credit Auto Loan you need to meet a few requirements. First, you should be able to prove that you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada. You will probably need to prove this by providing a working phone number and proof of address. Then you will need to prove that you have a monthly income of at least $1500 with full time employment or at least guaranteed fixed income for however long you have the car loan.
If your employment status is only seasonal or temporary, or you cannot prove your income legally you will not qualify for a Bad Credit Auto Loan.
Think you fit the qualifications for a Bad Credit Auto Loan? Give Creative Finance a call today at (877) 254-6855!
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Just because you have filed for bankruptcy doesn’t mean that life stops. Having reliable transportation is one big way to get out of a financial slump, because good transportation to and from work is a must. If you cannot get to work, how will you earn enough money to survive and thrive?
In the same way that the need for reliable transportation does not go away with bankruptcy, the need for auto financing doesn’t either. At Creative Finance, Inc. we understand this. We understand that, due to life experience, sometimes good people suffer bad financial setbacks. And we understand that sometimes you just need for someone to give you a break. Good news! We can help you.
Don’t let bankruptcy stop you from getting a dependable, safe vehicle! Contact a loan representative with Creative Finance, Inc. today at (608) 254-6855.
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