Things to Sell to Make Money

How to Get Money Selling Household Items

Things to Sell to Make Money
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Selling unneeded items from around your house is a great way to get cash quickly.  If you have items you have accumulated but are no longer using, why waste space storing them?  There are several easy ways to sell things quickly to get cash.  Here are my favorites:

eBay

Some items are best sold on eBay.  You can potentially reach millions of people, so eBay works well to sell items that may not have many local buyers.  Using the auction format of eBay can also help prevent you from pricing your item too low- the market will decide the price in an auction.  You will get the most money for your item that anyone is willing to pay.  The typical fee for selling an item on eBay about 15% of the selling price.  A typical auction lasts one week.  A seven day auction covers one weekend, giving

How to Ship Sold eBay Items

Craigslist

One nice thing about selling on craigslist is that it is free.  Another nice thing is that you don't need to deal with shipping your items.  You can find local buyers who will pick up your item at your house, or you can meet at a mutually convenient location to complete the transaction.  One downside of selling on craigslist is that you will be dealing directly with strangers yourself, and you may need to deal with someone who is unreasonable or unpleasant.  You will need to take time to meet with potential buyers to show them your craigslist items for sale.

How to Sell on Craigslist

Thrift Shops and Consignment Stores

Thrift stores and consignment stores will sell your items for you.  The downsides are 1) they charge a fee, typically 60% of the item's sale price and 2) it may take a few weeks or more to sell your item.  The advantage is that the thrift shop or consignment store does all the work- you just drop your items off and pick up cash later.

How to Sell Used Items at a Consignment Shop and Get Cash

Garage Sales

Garage sales are another free way to get money for your items.  However, it takes a bit of work to organize a successful garage sale.  A garage sale works best if you have a lot of items to sell.  Garage sales are more successful at certain times of year, especially spring.  If you have things to sell in January, a garage sale may not be very successful.  You may be better off selling some of the items on craigslist individually and other items at consignment stores.

Garage Sale Tips- Buying Bargains and Selling Secrets

Things to Sell to Make Money

Here are the best things to sell to make money:

Sell Old Cell Phones and Electronics

Sell old Cell Phones and Electronics for Quick Cash
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I recently took my old cell phone to Best Buy to sell it.  They said it wasn't worth anything, but they offered to recycle it for me.  I said no thanks to that offer and investigated further.  I ended up selling the phone on eBay for $100!  I have sold other cell phones for $35 each at Best Buy for store credit.  You can also sell cell phones to buy back services and at ecoATM kiosks for cash.  You can also sell old tablets and laptops to get quick cash.

How to Sell your Old Cell Phone and Get Cash

Sell Old Clothes

Every once in a while, my wife goes through the closet and thins out clothes that are no longer worn.  I take these to a consignment shop to sell.  The consignment shop sorts through the clothes and keeps the ones that they think they can sell.  I take the rest to Goodwill and come back in a couple months to pick up cash for the old clothes.  If you want to get money for old clothes faster, you can try selling them at a garage sale.  You may be able to sell some of your clothes at a garage sale, and you can take any that do not sell to a consignment shop.

Sell Old Musical Instruments

Musical Instruments Sell For A Lot of Money
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I have sold several old musical instruments, and I am always surprised how much these sell for!  Older instruments seem to be generally high quality and people are willing to fix them up and play them again.  New instruments cost several thousand dollars, so you might be able to get hundreds of dollars for an old instrument.  I have sold a violin, french horn, and soprano saxophone on eBay for quick cash.

Sell Lawn and Garden Equipment

Spring is a great time to sell extra or unneeded lawn or garden equipment.  People are looking for rototillers and lawn mowers of all kinds.  I once sold an old rototiller on craigslist for hundreds of dollars, and I had two buyers that were competing to buy it.  Check craigslist and eBay to see what similar items are selling for so you know where to set your price.  Lawn and garden equipment can also sell at a garage sale if you have other things to sell as well.

Sell Furniture

Sell Furniture on craigslist for Quick Cash
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I have had good success selling old furniture on craigslist at any time of year.  Take lots of pictures and post them with your ad.  New furniture is so expensive in furniture stores that your old furniture may be worth quite a bit more than you think.

Sell Textbooks

Most used books are not worth very much, but used textbooks can sell for $50 or even $100 if they are still in use.  If you have recent textbooks sitting around that you do not intend to look at again, you might have a lot of potential quick cash.  Years ago, I sold textbooks on amazon and made a lot of money.  There are other places online now that pay cash for textbooks.  Here are the details on how to sell textbooks online and get the most money.

Sell Sporting Goods and Exercise Equipment

Some local stores buy and resell used sporting goods and exercise equipment, but I have found the prices offered to be too low most of the time.  I would recommend using craigslist to sell your old gear and get cash.  Things like treadmills and weight machines that are sitting unused can be turned into cash.  Smaller gear like roller-blades, golf clubs, and baseball gloves can also sell well.

Sell Extra Bikes

If you have bicycles that you don't use, you have a source of cash.  Used bikes sell well in the spring, especially name brand bikes in good condition.  Craigslist is a popular place to list bikes for sale.  You might consider eBay if you have an exotic bike to sell.

Sell Antiques and Collectibles

You can sell antiques and collectibles on eBay for quick cash.  I think the auction format is useful to make sure you don't set your price too low.  Descriptive information is valuable to include in your listing- describe any printing, dates, markings, etc. on the item.  Background of where the item came from can also be valuable to buyers.

Sell Weird Stuff!

Sometimes you find odd things in your garage or attic that you that you don't really need.  You could easily throw these things away without realizing that you can get quick cash by selling them.

A few months ago, I discovered a set of new floor mats for a car I had already sold.  The floor mats had never been used and were still in the original package.  They were too nice to throw away, so I did some research and found out that the set of floormats sells for around $120 new.  I listed them on eBay with a starting price of $30 and they ended up selling for nearly $100!

Once, I replaced the original tires and inner tubes on a 40 year old vintage bike that I ride.  I thought the tires looked too good to throw away.  The tires had some nice labels on the tires that were still readable.  I tried listing them on craigslist so I wouldn't have to deal with shipping them, but no one was interested.  I ended up listing them on eBay and they sold!  I made money selling something that most people would just throw away.

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How To Find A Used ElliptiGO For Sale

Why Look For A Used ElliptiGO For Sale?

How to Find a Used ElliptiGO For Sale
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Today's Bike Deals on eBay!

As with other types of exercise equipment, people may buy an ElliptiGO and then do not use it much as they planned.  If you are looking to buy an ElliptiGO, this presents an opportunity.  If you can find a lightly used ElliptiGO for sale, you could save about $500 by buying a used ElliptiGO instead of a new ElliptiGO.

If you plan to look for used ElliptiGOs for sale, you should go though the process of deciding which model you want.  The models to choose from are:

• ElliptiGO 3C.  This model has 3 gears.  Good for relatively flat terrain.  New price: $1,799
• ElliptiGO 8C.  This model has 8 gears.  You'll want 8C or 11R for hill climbing.  New price: $2,499
• ElliptiGO 11R  This lightweight performance model has 11 gears and is suitable for hill climbing.  New price: $3,499

If you are buying a used ElliptiGO instead of a new one, you'll want to make sure you save enough money to make it worth the trouble.  If you buy a new ElliptiGO, you can get support from the dealer and have warranty coverage.  I would look for $500 or more discount from the retail price on a used ElliptiGO.

ElliptiGO Dealers

The place to start your search for a used ElliptiGO is at an ElliptiGO dealer.  You can check at the ElliptiGO website to search for a dealer near your zipcode.  When you are at the dealer, you can get more information about ElliptiGO and get answers to your questions.  You can even take a test ride and make sure an ElliptiGO is right for you.  You might also be able to buy a used ElliptiGO from a dealer.  Dealers have demonstrator models that they use for test rides and some dealers also rent ElliptiGOs.  Let the dealer know you are looking for a used ElliptiGO and see if they have any for sale.  They may offer to call you in a few months if they have one for sale.  Some dealers will buy used ElliptiGOs and resell them.  If the dealer has a bulletin board, see if you can post an ElliptiGO wanted note.  Someone may be thinking of trading up to a different model and will have one they want to sell.

Post an ElliptiGO Wanted Ad on Craigslist

You might as well search your local craigslist ads to see if any ElliptiGOs are for sale, but chances are that you will not find any.  ElliptiGOs for sale are not that common.  But you might have success if you post an ElliptiGO wanted ad on craigslist.  Someone with an unused ElliptiGO may see the ad- or someone's spouse may see the ad- and you will get a contact with a used ElliptiGO for sale.  Someone in town may have an ElliptiGO just sitting in the basement or garage and will be willing to sell it to someone who is interested and has cash to offer.

Find Used ElliptiGO on eBay

There are usually a couple auctions with ElliptiGO for sale on eBay.  If you watch for awhile, you may find one within driving distance that you could pick up and avoid paying for shipping.  If you can get a good enough price, paying for shipping may make sense.  Some sellers offer free shipping, which can have a value of $100 or more.

Cheaper Alternatives to ElliptiGO

If you can't find a used ElliptiGO, check out less expensive alternatives such as StreetStrider ($2000) or Zike ($600).


Recommended Reading:
ElliptiGO vs StreetStrider- Find the Best Elliptical Bike

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Easy Ways To Make Money

Easy Ways To Make Money

How to Save Money Fast
Image Courtesy of David Castillo Dominici, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What are easy ways to make money?  I would define easy ways to make money as things you can do and get paid for that require little time or effort.  Even better are fun things that you enjoy doing anyway that you can make money doing.  In fact, this is how many successful businesses get started.  A hobby sometimes grows into something that produces income.  For me, making a bit of money makes a hobby more interesting.  Here are some easy ways to make money:

Make Money Blogging

Blogging meets my criteria for an easy way to make money.  You can write about anything that interests you, and you can make money from advertising and you can get commission from selling products from links on your blog.  You can spend as much or as little time as you would like working on your blog.  Blogging is a good example of a hobby that you can do for fun, or you can monetize your blog and start making money.  One great thing about blogging is that you can write a blog post once and continue making money from it for a long time with no further action on your part.  This concept is called passive income and is an easy way to make money.

Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)

You can get paid working for Amazon as a Mechanical Turk (MTurk) worker for doing simple tasks online such as taking surveys or completing simple writing assignments.  Other types of Human Intelligence Tasks (HITs) available include entering  information from business cards and evaluating images for their content and the emotion that they convey.  Getting paid as an MTurk worker definitely requires some effort and the tasks are not the sort of thing you would do for fun.  But you have complete flexibility to work when and where you wish.  As you complete MTurk tasks and gain qualifications, you are allowed to work on tasks that pay more, increasing your ability to make money.

Find Garage Sale Bargains and Sell on eBay or craigslist

Another easy way to make money is... buy low and sell high.  Find bargains at garage sales or auctions and sell them at a profit on eBay or craigslist.  This plan works best if you specialize in a certain type of item so you can easily identify things that you could buy and sell at a profit.  You can also hunt for bargains at thrift shops and Goodwill stores.  With the popularity of eBay, it is getting harder to be the first to find that great bargain.  As with other easy ways to make money, there is no time commitment or obligation- you can pursue this as a hobby and make money when you want.

Buy Cheap Bikes, Repair, and Resell at a Profit

It is not hard to find cheap bikes or even get bikes for free.  Retro bikes are in demand.  If you are willing to spend some time and effort finding good used bikes that are valuable brands or styles that are popular, you can make some easy money without working too hard.  If you are mechanically inclined, you can even fix up old bikes and sell them.  Many older bikes need only simple repairs such as new tires, brakes, and lubrication.  If you handle only one or two bikes at a time, you don't need much space to work on the bikes and store them while you are selling them.  For a large item like a bike, it may be easier to find local buyers on craigslist since shipping is not required.  If you have a rare bike, you can find a larger group of potential buyers on eBay.

Sell Digital Photos Online

If you enjoy taking digital photos, you can turn your hobby into easy money.  There are several sites on the internet that purchase digital photos for stock photo collections.  Advertisers and publishers can view your photos and may decide to purchase them or pay licensing rights to use them.  If you are taking high quality pictures anyway, you might consider offering them for sale.

Sell Garden Produce or Baked Goods at a Farmer's Market

Farmer's markets are getting really popular as a place to buy vegetables and other food.  If you enjoy gardening or baking, why not sell some items at a farmer's market?  Most people who have a garden end up with more vegetables than they can eat themselves.  There is probably a farmer's market not far from home, so selling items there could be an easy way to make money.

Sell Used Books

You can buy used textbooks cheap and sell textbooks online for a profit.  Textbooks have a lot of potential for profit. You can find used textbooks for sale on eBay or amazon and sell them to a textbook buy-back service for a profit.  I would say this method of making money is not as easy as some of the others mentioned- it takes a lot of work and is not necessarily fun to search through book listings trying to find titles that can earn you some profit.  Plus you'll need to receive the books and ship them to the buy-back service unless there is a local textbook buy-back service in your community.

Sell Handmade Items and Crafts on Etsy

Etsy is an e-commerce site for selling crafts and homemade items.  If you like to make craft items, you may be able to make a casual business out of it by selling crafts on Etsy.  You will need to photograph and describe your items and ship them to buyers.  If there are craft items you enjoy making, this could be a fun and easy way to make some money.


Recommended Reading:
How to Become a Millionaire- The Millionaire Calculator

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How To Save Money Fast

How to Save Money Fast

How to Save Money Fast
Image Courtesy of David Castillo Dominici, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There are lots of reasons you might want to save money fast.  Maybe you need to get a down payment together to buy a house or a car.  Maybe you owe someone money and need to pay them back quickly.  Saving money fast can work if you have a good source of income.  They say the easiest way to make money is not to spend it.  Most people can identify things they can stop spending money on and save the money instead.  Here are easy ways to save money fast:

Cut Cable or Satellite TV (Save $100/month)

Painful, I know.  But you CAN live without cable or satellite TV and you'll save about $100 per month.  You can even get free TV with an antenna.  I get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and PBS over the air for free.  You can start saving money immediately by calling your cable or satellite company and cancelling your service.  If you want to try living with less TV for awhile first, some companies like Dish Network allow you too "pause" your subscription.  This allows you to stop getting TV service and also stop paying the bill for up to 9 months.

Pack Lunch (Save $165/month)

You can save $165 per month by packing your own lunch rather than eating out for lunch.  Packing your own lunch is not difficult and is healthier than eating out anyway.  If both members of a couple take packed lunch, you'll save $330 per month.

Cut Eating Out (Save $150/month)

You can further cut your food expenses by cutting down on eating out.  It is much less expensive to make your own meals at home rather than eating out.  Even if you continue to eat out occasionally, you can save up to 75% off of your restaurant bill by following these tips to save money eating out.

Spend Less on Coffee, or Reduce Caffeine Intake (Save $100/month)

Many people spend a lot of money on coffee. When you get used to having a Venti Starbucks coffee every morning, it is hard to due without.  If you have a couple cups of coffee shop coffee each day, this can add up to over $100 per month on coffee spending.  You can make your own great cup of coffee at home for only 60 cents, or you can make cheap coffee for only 11 cents per cup!  If you do this every day, you will save a significant amount of money every month.  If you are really serious about saving money, you can quit caffeine or reduce your caffeine intake and save even more.

Eat Less- Turn Extra Weight into Money (Save $700)

The average American is 23 pounds overweight.  You can save $700 if you convert 23 pounds of extra weight into cash.  How can you turn your extra weight into cash?  Reduce your consumption of calories, and save the money instead of spending it on food.

Take a Staycation Instead of a Vacation (Save Thousands!)

Another example of saving money by simply not spending it is to take a staycation instead of a vacation.  What is a staycation?  A staycation usually means that you visit local attractions while staying in your own bed- you'll save lots of money on transportation and hotel costs.  You can also stay at a nearby hotel that offers perks like free meals and still save a ton of money compared with a traditional vacation.

Other Easy Ways to Save Money Fast

• Pay bills on time- No more late fees
• If you are paying ATM fees, stop using the ATM or get a checking account with free ATM
• Cut daily newspapers, read news online for free
• Cancel magazine subscriptions- read magazines at a library for free
• Consolidate credit cards to get lower payments, save hundreds on interest every month
• Cut alcohol- reduce spending on alcohol and bar tabs
• Pet savings- groom pets yourself, avoid boarding by traveling less or having friends watch your pets

Most people could save over $1000 per month by following these tips to save money fast.  The best part- you do not need to make any major changes to your lifestyle to save money fast.  You don't need to move to a less expensive place to live.  You don't need to find a job that pays more.  You simply need to find things you don't really need and stop spending money on these extras.

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Headlight Restoration Kit: Rain-X vs Turtle Wax

Headlight Restoration Kits

Headlight Restoration Kits
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

A common problem for older cars is that the headlights become oxidized start to turn a yellowish color.  This not only looks bad, but reduces the ability for the headlights to provide adequate light to see well for night driving.

Not to worry, you can buy headlight restoration kits to solve this problem.  If you believe the advertisements, you just apply some chemicals to your faded old headlights, wipe it off, and they look like new.  Do headlight restoration kits really work?  Is it hard to make old yellowed headlights look new again?

What is in a Headlight Restoration Kit?

Headlight restoration kits can be purchased for about $10 to about $30 and contain cleaning chemicals and abrasive pads.  The kit by 3M contains a special abrasive pad that you use with a power drill.  Some kits also contain a sealer to help keep your headlights from yellowing again after you clean them.

How long does it take to Restore Headlights?

It takes 30 minutes to 1 hour to restore two headlights.  The amount of time it takes depends on how much scrubbing you want to do to make your headlight lens look clear again.  Heavily corroded headlight lenses take quite a bit of work with the abrasive pads to make them look clear again.  I would say it is about as much work as applying a coat of wax by hand to a car.

Do Headlight Restoration Kits Work?

I have tried two headlight restoration kits- Rain-X Headlight Restoration Kit and Turtle Wax Lens Restorer.  Both of these kits improved the appearance of my headlight lenses and made it easier to see at night.  It is not quite as easy to restore headlights as the advertisements would have you believe, however.  It takes some effort to scrub the headlights using the abrasive pads and cleaning chemicals to clean the oxidation off of the surface of the headlight.

Which is the Best Headlight Restoration Kit: Rain-X vs Turtle Wax

Both Rain-X and Turtle Wax headlight restoration kits made my headlights look better.  Both kits contain similar cleaning chemicals and abrasive pads.

Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restorer Kit Contents:

• Lens Clarifying Compound (4 fl oz)
• Spray Lubricant (4 fl oz)
• Lens Sealing Wipe
• Restoration Pads: Green (level 1), Brown (level 2), 2-sided Purple (level 3/level 4)

Rain-X Headlight Restoration Kit Contents:

• Rain-X Lubricant (2 fl oz)
• Rain-X Headlight Restorer (5 fl oz)
• Rain-X Sealant (2 fl oz)
• Polishing Pads- 3
• Microfiber cloth

Overall, I prefer the Rain-X headlight restoration kit over the Turtle Wax kit.  The Turtle Wax kit has only one sealing wipe, so you can only use the kit once if you want to be able to seal the headlight when you are finished cleaning it.  The Rain-X kit has a bottle of sealant spray, so you it is easier to reuse the kit on additional cars, or to clean your headlights more in the future as needed.

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Turtle Wax Black Box- Best Wax For Black Cars?

Turtle Wax Black Box

Turtle Wax Black Box
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I have waxed cars with Turtle Wax, Carnauba wax, and synthetic wax.  I recently got a used black car and wanted to wax it before winter.  The car is about 10 years old and has some scratches and rock chips.  I was concerned about using any kind of wax that turns white when it dries- this would only highlight rock chips and scratches on a black vehicle.

The black paint finish is a bit faded and not as deep black as a newer car, which is not unexpected for a 10 year old car.  I asked at AutoZone if they made wax for black cars- they recommended the Turtle Wax Black Box Kit.  The kit contains a Step 1 wax cleaner and conditioner (12 oz), black tinted detailing spray (two 12 oz bottles), and Step 2 deep black carnauba  wax (12 oz).  The kit also contains 2 small foam pads for applying the Step 1 and Step 2 products.  Not included in the kit are two microfiber clothes that the instructions say to use to remove the wax cleaner/conditioner and to remove the wax.

How to Apply Turtle Wax Black Box Products

The instructions on the box mention that it may take 2-3 hours to wax a sedan.  This seemed like a pretty big commitment, but I was willing to give it a try.  As with any wax, you need to wash your car before applying the wax. Since all of the products in the Black Box are tinted black, you need to apply it carefully to avoid getting it on any trim, badges, lights, stickers, etc. that are not black.  You may want to wear gloves as well- my hands looked like I had been polishing black shoes all afternoon by the time I was finished applying the Turtle Wax Black Box.  It took me about two hours total for a medium size car.

The Step 1 conditioner seems like black tinted wax to me.  It is fairly thick stuff and did take some time to put on.  It formed a haze within a few minutes.  You then spray a small amount of detailing spray on the hazed conditioner/cleaner and remove it with a microfiber cloth.

Next is Step 2- the deep black wax.  This was very thin- in fact I spilled a bit of wax since it came out of the bottle so fast.  I had never used a wax this thin before.  It went on very easily and also was removed easily using a microfiber cloth and some detailing spray.  Did I mention that you might want to wear gloves when using the Black Box?  Your microfiber clothes will also be black when you are done waxing.

Turtle Wax Black Box- Best Wax For Black Cars?

I would say that the car finish looked better after applying the black wax.  The result was not as dramatic as the example of the faded finish turned to a deep black finish that was shown on the box, but certainly improved.  The black tint did seem to fill in small scratches with black so that they are less noticeable.  There were a couple rock chips on the roof (not sure how that happened) that were not really filled in with black color from the wax at all.  You'll need to use touch-up paint to address rock chips.

My main goal was to get a good coat of was on the car before winter without leaving ugly white wax residue.  The Turtle Wax Black Box certainly accomplished that and more.  The finish of the car looks to be a deeper black and is very shiny.  Compared with regular car wax, the black wax is messier to work with due to the black pigment, and the 2 step process is twice as much work as applying a single coat of wax.  Overall, I would say it is worth the trouble to use the Turtle Wax Black Box for a black car.

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Check Engine Light Flashing- Can I Drive?

Check Engine Light Flashing- What Does it Mean?

Can You Drive With Check Engine Light Flashing?
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Normally when the check engine light comes on, it stays lit to indicate that a fault has been detected by your vehicle's On-Board Diagnostic System.  When a serious fault has been detected that could cause mechanical damage to your car if you drive it, the check engine light will flash.  The flashing check engine light is intended to get your attention and warn you that serious damage can occur if you drive your vehicle.

For example, the check engine light flashing could indicate that raw fuel is being passed through your engine due to serious misfiring in the engine.  This raw fuel can ignite and burn outside the cylinder and cause damage to your engine and catalytic converter- which is very expensive to repair.  Sensors in your engine detect misfiring and the On-Board Diagnostic computer determines whether to set the check engine light to solid or flashing based on how much damage could be caused by the misfiring.

If your check engine light is flashing, you should turn your engine off and call a tow truck to have your car checked by a mechanic.  Driving your vehicle with the check engine light flashing can result in serious mechanical damage.

Can I Drive With Check Engine Light Flashing?

It may be tempting to drive your vehicle to the shop to be checked out if it is running.  However, if the check engine light if flashing, it is not recommended to drive your vehicle.  Pull your vehicle to the side of the road or other nearby safe place to park it and call a tow truck.  Driving a vehicle with a flashing check engine light can result in expensive damage to your vehicle.

What is the Difference Between a Flashing Check Engine Light and a Solid Check Engine Light?

A solid check engine light indicates a fault has been detected by the On-Board Diagnostic system.  For example, this can be a fault with the evaporative emission control system that captures gasoline vapor and burns it in your engine.  There are many sensors in your engine, and many faults that can be indicated with the check engine light.  You can have a mechanic use a fault scanner to read the fault code.  The fault code will provide specific information about the cause of the check engine light in your vehicle.  You can also buy a check engine light fault code scanner for about $30.




A flashing check engine light indicates a serious problem that can cause damage if you drive the vehicle.  Only certain types of severe faults cause the check engine light to flash.  You should not drive a vehicle with a flashing check engine light- driving with a flashing check engine light may result in serious and expensive mechanical damage to your vehicle.


Recommended Reading:
How to Buy a Used Pickup Truck
How to Get the Best Deal on a Used Car

Penny Pincher Journal

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Used Car Inspection: A Vehicle Inspection Can Save You Money

Used Car Inspection: Save Money Buying a Used Car!

Getting a mechanic to inspect a used car that you are considering purchasing is a bit of a pain.  You have to drive the car to a mechanic, the inspection may take an hour or so, and you have to pay $40 to $100 for a used vehicle inspection.  Is it worth the trouble?  On my last used car purchase, getting a vehicle inspection saved me thousands of dollars!

Get a Used Vehicle Inspection and Save Money!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Why Get A Used Car Inspection?

Reason 1: A Used Car Inspection Helps You Avoid Purchasing a Used Vehicle that Requires Expensive Repairs

You get valuable information from a used car inspection.  I test drove a used car that I was interested in at a local used car lot.  It was a "low miles, one owner" special selling for $3650.  The brakes felt soft to me, so I decided to take it to a mechanic for inspection.  I found a nearby Midas shop that would do a used vehicle inspection for under $50.  It felt like a waste of money to spend $50 on a car that wasn't even mine, as well as spending a couple hours driving the car to the shop and having it inspected.  However, since I was thinking of spending several thousand dollars, I decided that spending $50 to find out more about the vehicle may be money well spent.  That turned out to be true.

The mechanic provided a report listing all of the items on the car that needed repair.  The total repair estimate: $4000!  Admittedly, some of the items on the estimate were not critical and did not urgently need repair.  However, the mechanic pointed out that it would take about $2000 of repairs just to make the car safe to drive.  It was an easy decision to pass on this used car and look for one in better shape.  And yes, the brakes were soft- the previous owner tried to put new brake pads on the car, but brake rotors were worn down, rusty, and needed to be replaced.  The brakes were actually unsafe!


Find out why the check engine light is on- read your own engine light fault codes with an OBD II Scanner.  Works on 1996 and newer vehicles- just plug it into your car.

Reason 2: A Used Car Inspection Gives You Bargaining Power to Get a Great Deal Buying a Used Car

I found another car I was interested in.  It was the same make and model as the $3650 special that I didn't buy after getting a vehicle inspection.  This one was one year newer and in much better condition.  It was priced a bit more at $4500, which was right at KBB book price for retail sale.  I actually found the car listed on craigslist for $4250- good thing I did some internet searching.  The dealer explained that he priced his vehicles a bit more aggressively on the internet than he did on his sticker prices.   I could handle spending a bit more for a used car if it would require less repairs.

I called the Midas shop to talk with them about bringing in another used vehicle for inspection.  It turned out that this shop has a policy that they will do a second vehicle inspection for free if you don't end up buying the first car you have inspected.  Great news!

This vehicle inspection turned out much better.  There was a total of about $2000 of repairs on the estimate, but some of these repairs were optional or could be put off for a long time.  The manager of the shop talked me through the recommended repairs and the priority of getting them done.  When I brought the car back to the car lot, I brought the repair estimate with me.  I ran through all of the repair items on the estimate with the car dealer.  The dealer was reassuring me that these repairs were not a big deal, and that his shop could actually do the repairs for less than Midas had estimated on the used vehicle inspection report.

When the time came to make an offer on the car, I circled about $1000 worth of repair items- the ones that the mechanic said were the highest priority.  I asked the dealer for his best price for the car with the circled repairs completed.  Since he had just explained that these repairs were not serious and that his shop could do the repairs cheaper than Midas, I felt like I was in a pretty good position to bargain.

The dealer went into his shop to talk with his mechanics for a few minutes.  He came back with his offer, which I accepted.  He would sell me the car for $4150 and complete the repairs I wanted included in that price.  Having a detailed used car inspection report gave me a great bargaining tool for buying a used car.



Recommended Reading:
How to Buy a Used Pickup Truck
How to Get the Best Deal on a Used Car

Penny Pincher Journal

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Best Energy Drink

What is the Best Energy Drink?

Energy drinks have grown in popularity in the past few years.  Energy drink have lots of caffeine, sugar, and even vitamins, nutrients, and minerals to perk you up.  Some people drink energy drinks to get an afternoon lift to get through the day.  Some people drink energy drinks to get rolling for a night out.

What is the best energy drink?  People have different preferences for flavor, and energy drinks don't seem to make claims about tasting great anyway.  It seems that the most important features of energy drinks are:

• Caffeine Content
• Calories
• Cost

Rockstar and Starbucks Energy Drinks
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Today we'll consider these factors to select the best energy drink.  We'll check popular energy drinks including 5 Hour Energy, Rockstar, Monster, Red Bull, Amp, and NOS.

How Much Caffeine is in Energy Drinks?

Before energy drinks were popular, people would drink a Mountain Dew for the same effect.  Mountain Dew has 54mg of caffeine in a 12 oz can.  How much caffeine is in energy drinks?

Energy Drink Caffeine Content Table
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table: Energy Drink Caffeine Content

Energy Drink	Caffeine Content (mg)
5 Hour Energy	215
Rockstar Energy Shot	230
Monster Energy	90
Red Bull	85
Amp	70
NOS	225

The tables above show the caffeine content of popular energy drinks.  All of these energy drinks have a lot more caffeine than a can of Mountain Dew.  NOS, 5 Hour Energy, and Rockstar are loaded with caffeine with over 200mg per container.  Monster, Red Bull, and Amp have under 100mg of caffeine per container.  If I were drinking an energy drink at night, I would choose one with less caffeine in order to interfere less with sleeping.

RedBull Energy Drink is available in at least four sizes!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

How Many Calories are in Energy Drinks?

Some energy drinks contain calories to provide energy, while others have almost no calories.  If you drink energy drinks a lot, calories are a concern.

Energy Drink Calorie Content Table
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table: Energy Drink Calorie Content Table

Energy Drink	Calories
5 Hour Energy	4
Rockstar Energy Shot	10
Monster Energy	100
Red Bull	110
Amp	110
NOS	220

As you can see in the tables above, 5 Hour Energy and Rockstar Energy Shot have almost no calories.  The other drinks on the list have about the same amount of calories as a soda pop like Mountain Dew.

How Much Do Energy Drinks Cost?

You can buy a 16 oz bottle of Mountain Dew for about $1.50.  How does the cost of energy drinks compare to Mountain Dew?

Energy Drink Cost Table
Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table: Energy Drink Cost Table

Energy Drink	Cost
5 Hour Energy	$2.00
Rockstar Energy Shot	$2.00
Monster Energy	$1.00
Red Bull	$1.75
Amp	$1.00
NOS	$2.50

The cost of energy drinks is a bit more than a bottle of soda pop.  Amp and Monster Energy are the lowest cost among these energy drinks at $1.00 per container.  NOS weighs in as the most expensive in the group at $2.50.

The Best Energy Drink Is...

The best energy drink should have a lot of caffeine, not have many calories, and should not cost very much.  I'm going to go old school for my selection of best energy drink- really old school.

Coffee is the original energy drink and has been enjoyed for over a thousand years.  Coffee compares favorably to modern energy drinks in terms of caffeine content, calories, and cost.

Caffeine Content: A 16 oz cup of coffee shop coffee has about 330mg of caffeine- more than any of the popular energy drinks in our comparison group.  If you want less caffeine, you can use ground coffee rather than grinding your own beans.  You can also mix decaf grounds with regular grounds to adjust the caffeine content to almost any level of caffeine that you desire.

Calories: Coffee naturally has almost zero calories.  If you don't like your coffee black, you can add simple things like sugar, honey, and milk that add 50 to 100 calories to a cup of coffee.  If you don't want to add any calories, you can use artificial sweeteners to create a zero calorie energy drink.  If you don't want a hot drink, you can drink an iced coffee.

Cost: You can make your own 'coffee shop' quality coffee at home for only 60 cents per 16 ounces.  This is less expensive than any of the energy drinks in our group.  If you want, you can make coffee for even cheaper if you buy less expensive coffee grounds.


Coffee wins as best energy drink based on caffeine content, calories, and cost.

Penny Pincher Journal

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How Far Would You Need to Walk to Burn off a Doughnut?

How Far Would you Need to Walk to Burn Off a ...

Walking is the simplest form of exercise.  No special equipment is needed.  You can do it indoors or outdoors.  The amount of calories burned by walking is about 100 calories per mile.  The exact amount of calories burned by walking depends slightly on body weight and walking speed, but is close to 100 calories per mile. 

If you know how many calories are in the food you want to burn off, you can easily calculate how far you would need to walk to burn off a donut, candy bar, hamburger, ice cream cone, etc.  The table below lists some typical junk food items and how far you would need to walk to burn them off.  The table also shows how long this would take at a walking pace of 4 miles per hour.

Food items, walking distance, and time required at 4 mph walking pace
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Table: Food items, walking distance, and time required at 4 mph walking pace

Food Item	Calories	Distance to walk-miles	Time required-minutes
Coke or Pepsi- 16 oz	130	1.3	20
Donut- Duncan, medium	195	2.0	29
Hersheys candy bar	210	2.1	32
Medium Dairy Queen ice cream cone	330	3.3	50
Quarter Pounder with Cheese	520	5.2	78
Value meal: cheeseburger, small soda, small fries	710	7.1	107

For example, the top line of the table shows that if you drink a 16 oz Coke with 130 calories, you would need to walk 1.3 miles to burn it off and this would take 20 minutes at a 4 mile per hour walking pace.  So if you want a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, are you prepared to spend 78 minutes walking 5.2 miles to burn it off?

How Far is it to Walk a Mile to Burn off Calories?

One mile is equivalent to 17.6 football field lengths or about 8 typical city blocks.  This is the distance you need to walk to burn off 100 calories.  Keep this in mind as you are considering ordering a fast food snack!  Fatty foods contain lots of calories and if you eat calorie intense foods, it requires a lot of effort to avoid gaining weight.

How Far to Walk to Burn off X Calories?  How Long Would it Take?

The table below shows how long it takes to burn off calories by walking at various walking paces.  Average human walking speed is about 3 miles per hour.  Measurements of other walking paces show that purposeful walking is about 4 miles per hour.  The fastest most people can walk is about 6 miles per hour- this is almost like running and few people could sustain this pace very long.

Table of walking distance, calories burned, and time required at various walking paces

Table: Walking distance, calories burned, and time required at various walking paces

		Time Required- minutes
Distance- miles	Calories Burned	Leisurely 3mph	Purposeful 4mph	Fitness 5mph	Brisk 6mph
1	100	20	15	12	10
2	200	40	30	24	20
3	300	60	45	36	30
4	400	80	60	48	40
5	500	100	75	60	50
6	600	120	90	72	60
7	700	140	105	84	70
8	800	160	120	96	80
9	900	180	135	108	90
10	1000	200	150	120	100

You can use the table to see how much walking time and walking distance that extra food will cost you.  For example, if you are thinking about eating a huge meal with 1000 extra calories, you can see from the table that it would cost you 150 minutes to burn it off by walking 10 miles.

How Long Does it Take to Burn off a Pound of Fat by Walking?

Losing a pound of fat requires burning about 3500 calories.  If you burn 500 extra calories per day by walking 5 miles per day, you would lose one pound per week.  From the table above, you can see that burning 500 calories requires walking 75 minutes at purposeful walking pace.  So you would need to walk 75 minutes per day to lose one pound per week, assuming you do not increase your caloric intake.

If you are beginning an exercise program, you will likely not see a steady reduction in your weight at first.  You may gain some muscle mass- which is a good thing.  Muscles burn calories all the time, so you want to increase your muscle mass.  Also, you may hydrate more when you start exercising, so even though you will start loosing fat right away, the scale may not show that you are loosing weight until after a few weeks of increasing your exercise level.

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