The brakes might have been put on the government’s Cash for Clunkers program, but GM isn’t so anxious to give up a chance at another strong month of sales. That’s clearly the reasoning behind yesterday’s announcement, geared to consumers who might be on the fence about purchasing a new automobile.
What did GM roll out? A 60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee, which gives new customers the opportunity to trade in the vehicle they purchased if they’re not satisfied. As long as the vehicle has less than 4,000 miles on it, customers can return it between 31 and 60 days after purchase for a full refund-including tax.
If you’re interested in trying out a new GM vehicle, risk free, act quick-the offer ends on November 30th. Still not crazy about spending a bundle on a new car? The real deal might be found in the barely-used vehicles returned to the lot after the November 30th cutoff date.
And note: The deal doesn’t apply to Saab, Saturn, Hummer or Pontiac models.
Yesterday, Hoda, Kathie Lee and I sat down with our first mini-money makeover candidate, Kelly Whalen. Watch the video below to see how we helped her to reign in her weekend spending and be sure to tune in next Monday as we help another viewer makeover their finances.
This week pirates invaded my town. Trust me though; this isn’t as scary, or as strange, as it sounds. Every summer, Alexandria Bay, my small, tourist town in the summertime paradise known as the Thousand Islands (read the NY Times story on the area here), hosts one of the country’s oldest pirate festivals. For ten days, pirate invasions, pirate parades, and skits to reenact the antics of Bill Johnston (seen with me in the photo at left)-an actual pirate who hid from authorities in a cave in one of the Thousand Islands for almost a year- entertain thousands of tourists.
But what does a pirate festival have to do with money? Well, in a word, lots. For my town, this festival is a major economic driver of an economy that relies, for the most part, on income generated during the summer months. While people from all over attend Bill Johnston’s Pirate Days, this year, many people from not-so-far-away see the festival as the perfect opportunity for entertainment while on a “staycation.”
“Staycation”, seems to be the buzzword of the summer. A staycation is defined (yes, I said defined…staycations have become so popular, that they now have their own dictionary entry) as a vacation where one takes time off at or close to home. According to a recent poll by Harris Interactive, almost 60% of Americans say they are looking for ways to find less-expensive activities to fill up their summer days. Nearly 50% of survey participants said they’d take vacations closer to home.
In an economic climate where everyone’s trying to save a little more, staycations are a chance to take a break from the everyday, without spending a bundle of money. If you’ve yet to take a staycation this summer, there’s still time. Here are some tips for finding cheap fun that’s close to home:
Find a Festival: Visit Festivals.com, where you can search for festivals in your area by city or state, many of which are low-cost or even free.
Fun at the Fair: There are very few places where you can eat a deep fried Oreo, take in a concert by a big-name entertainer and marvel at a sculpture made of butter all in one day. Tickets to your state fair will cost around More…
When it comes to your wardrobe, saving money is as easy as knowing what doesn’t need to be in your closet. Join Jean tomorrow (on Oprah Radio at 12pm EDT; SIRIUS Channel 195 or XM Channel 156) when she sits down with “What Not to Wear” co-host Stacy London to talk about how you can save money and still look fashionable.
Consumers are more and more reluctant to spend money these days, as they should be. It’s hard to part with your cash when you’re worried about losing your job. This morning, I was on Today talking about the tactics retailers are using to lure you into stores. What deals are out there, and should you take the bait? Watch the video to find out:
