It has been said that most people spend more time selecting a new cell phone or shopping for clothes than they do managing their investments.

For many of us, keeping track of our 401K or other investments ranks with a trip to the dentist on our “must do” lists.

However, if you don’t have an easy and efficient way of managing your investment portfolio, you are highly likely to make mistakes that will inevitably affect your financial future. To prevent this from happening, you need to take action now and start using a good portfolio manager software system.

A good portfolio management system is like having an expert who devotes his or her entire day to keeping track of all of your investments, and knowing exactly when to buy or sell. The noted investment manager David Swensen, who manages Yale University’s multi-billion dollar endowment, noted in his bestseller “Unconventional Success” that the majority of small investors “buy high” and “sell low”.

Simply put, they don’t have a system for managing their money, and when the market swings wildly, they panic. Having a good portfolio management program in place will go a long way toward making sure you don’t fall into this trap. And it will make managing your investments on a day-to-day basis a whole lot easier in the long run.

Having a good investment software program will save time and money, and may well preclude the necessity of hiring a financial manager to do it for you. So what program should you choose? What should you look for when selecting an investment management program? As with many products, portfolio management software programs range from the simple to the feature-bloated and everything in between. You should review the various offerings and make your purchase decision based on your assessment of your own needs and interests. But there are some core features you will find in most consumer-oriented portfolio software programs, and you should look for at least these features in any program you are considering:

Manage Investment Decisions

The core goal of a portfolio management system is to improve your investment decisions. A good program automates this task for you. It does the heavy lifting to help you size your positions, time your trades, identify and take advantage of trading weaknesses, improve your risk management, and so forth.

Investment Portfolio Records Management

With this basic feature, you keep track of your transaction history for an infinite amount of portfolios and investments. You can keep track of mutual funds, stocks, bonds, options, commodities, Forex, and even cash accounts. You will be able to manage tasks like redemptions, purchases, transfers, distributions, spin-offs, re-combinations, splits and mergers, and so forth.

Reports

The software will offer several report types including custom reports. You will be able to control the content of the reports with various filters.

Yield Calculations

This feature will allow you to choose a variety of multiple yield types to report how well (or poorly) your investments and money are performing.

Multiple Investments And Portfolios

Allows you to keep track an infinite amount of portfolios and investments. If you manage other peoples’ portfolios, this type of software will be indispensable.

The benefits of using a portfolio management program are numerous and important. First and foremost, you will save money (or avoid losing it through incompetence). Second, through the discipline that a program imposes, you will inevitably improve your investment skills and learn better money management. Third, you will gain some peace of mind from knowing you are managing your investments properly, rather than doing your calculations on the back of a napkin. As with so many financial matters, that peace-of-mind may be the most valuable benefit of all.

About the author

This article was written by Neil Street, who writes on a range of topics for leading websites. His interests include real-time trading risk management and market-risk issues.

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Forex trading has always been a doubtful game for many of us. Successful trading does not depend upon what you trade but on how you trade. Over-trading and under-trading are the two main concerns of every Forex trader. If you trade in a planned manner you can avoid the imbalance and emerge as a successful trader.

Plan your trade

Plan your trading in such a manner that you get enough time to realize what you are into. Too many trades might lead to confusions even if you are following a proper trading plan. To keep the inclination level of over trading under control try extending the time frames. It is a known fact that slow and steady work over a longer time frame increases the potential of the end results. Try planning your trade on a daily basis with entry made on four hour chart. This will limit the number of valid signals you take on a daily basis.

Target based plans

Before you start a trade, set your goals. The figures you aim for should be realistic to achieve. Let your weekly target be anything about 60-100 points. There are two options:

• Set a long time frame and protect your profits by limiting the trading opportunities.
• Shorten the time limit to get more trading opportunities, but be ready to risk your profits.

Set your goals as per your capacity and capability. Weekly targets are more effective when you are over trading. You can easily achieve the set targets and avail plenty of time to devote on other issues. Trading requires a balanced combination of risk capital, influence and lot size to accomplish more points in a shorter time span. Once again remember eat as much as you can chew. Set the targets as per your ability, else you will overwork for no reason.

What is the best period for trading?

Emotions and sentiments play a main role in trading. It is always essential to achieve your previous targets before stepping into a new venture. Keep your mind-set positive, achieve the monthly and weekly targets regularly and set your mind free before opting for a new trade. You are risking your capital if you do not follow the mentioned aspects.

Learn from your mistakes

No one in this world is perfect. To polish your trading skills and learn more about safe trading, watch online presentations, read expert reviews or discuss your issues with a skilled trader. All these people have thorough knowledge about the working of Forex trade. Divulge your trading details to someone who has basic knowledge about your trading plan.

Discuss the system used for the trade, the reason for taking up the trade and scope for better trading with your counterpart. Set a specific time, say every week end or twice a month to revise and talk about your plans. You can also set goals and targets based on his or her opinion.

With proper guidance, opinion and planning you can reap huge benefits from your hard earned investments rather than stake them for no reason.

About the author

This guest post is contributed by the author of Forex Trading Blog.

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Nobody want to be broke, right? We all want to make sure that we have enough money not only in the present, but also for the future.

For some people who are fortunate enough, this is never a major concern. But for the rest of us we have to struggle with the need to pay bills today and the desire to have a nest egg set aside for the future. Thankfully there are a few things that you can do to save for your future, no matter how tight your budget is.

Follow your budget

There’s a reason you set a budget for your money. It ensures that you don’t overspend and end up not having enough money to pay your bills. Sticking to your budget means that you won’t have to dip into your extra money.

Reevaluate your budget

Do you really need as much spending money as you’ve allotted yourself each month? And is each and every one of those 102 TV channels necessary? Review and tighten your budget and you’ll be surprised by how much money you’ll be able to put away monthly.

The 5-10% rule

As a rule of thumb you should be setting aside 5-10% of your weekly income for your retirement fund. If you are living on an extremely tight budget, try putting 5% into a savings account or RRSP. The more you can put away, the better. And you would be surprised by how little you miss the extra money once you don’t have access to it.

Little things add up

A lot of the time it’s not the large purchases that stop us from saving money, it’s the smaller ones. A dollar here, five dollars there can add up and you would be shocked at the amount of money yearly that slips away. Do you really need a coffee and donut from the local coffee shop every morning? Cutting out the little expenses like this can add up, and quickly.

Be careful with credit

While some forms of credit are inevitable (mortgage, car loan) others should be considered a luxury. And luxuries aren’t necessarily something you need. While it’s a good idea to have a credit card for emergencies, it’s easy to get sucked into the buy now pay later lifestyle. Too many people live off of credit and this is NEVER a good idea. You will end up with all of your money going towards minimum payments rather into your savings account. If you spend more than you can realistically pay you will end up in a vicious cycle of monthly payments that never see your debt go down.

About the author:

Vern Marker is an expert on a variety of topics including budgeting, marketing, and business. Want to ask an expert about something specific? Check out YoExpert.com

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Nearly everyone looks for ways to keep their phone bill down. Since almost everyone has a cell phone, it is quite likely that most people are spending more then they should to maintain that phone.

If you were to look at your bill it is likely that you could look at it right now and immediately find charges for services that you do not even use. The consulting industry uses a term, scope creep, that means a project slowly grows out of control. For most consumers this is what happens with their bill. Over time we add services in the form of extra lines, minutes, or data and our bill creeps up to a higher and higher amount until it is eventually out of control. If you want to get your bill back under control you should consider some or all of the following tips.

1. Watch your minutes

One of the biggest expenses for any cell phone owner is going over your minutes. If you consistently go over your minutes it is probably worth investing in a plan that gives your more from the beginning. There are also some free tools available that will let you know what your usage is and warn you if you are close to reaching your limit.

2. Consider a prepaid phone

If you do not use your phone a lot and do not want to shell out the money every month to maintain it you might consider a prepaid cell service. These services allow you to pay for only what you use and can be significantly cheaper then a traditional phone with equal service from a legitimate carrier.

3. Get rid of the phone insurance

Unless you have a very expensive phone and are particularly hard on them insurance is usually not worth the investment. It can cost about $200 which is not a great investment on a phone that is typically less then $500.

4. Look for discounts

Most carriers have ways to keep your phone bill down through employee discount programs. In some cases you might be entitled to a discount through the company you work for, or in cases of small businesses through their suppliers. You may wind up saving upwards of 20% on your bill.Â

5. Avoid buying ringtones

Yes, they are cute and can make the ring of your phone a bit less jarring, but they are quite simply a cost that can be eliminated.

6. Double check your bill

There are online services that will evaluate your bill for a small fee. They can then tell you how to save money. Typically the reports can show consumers how to save hundreds of dollars each year based on their actual usage.

7. Swap SIM cards

If you break a phone prior to the expiration of your contract you might have to pay a steep price for a new one. But, if you have other phones under the same account you can instead replace an older one, getting a lower price on the new phone, and simply swap out the SIM card from the broken phone.

9. Negotiate

When your contract expires you can negotiate to get a better deal. Since plans are typically cheaper as time goes on it is likely you can do better then your previous contract. Just make sure you get the same or better services.

10. Reconsider unlimited plans

Unless you have a texting addicted teen under your account odds are you do not really need an unlimited plan. While most of us like having them because they relieve us from worry about overages we probably don’t need them. Look at your actual usage to determine what your actual needs.

11. Combine you and your spouses plans

If you are living together and are not sharing a cell phone plan you are probably wasting money. Combine into one account and you will easily save lots of cash each month.

12. Do not cancel a contract

If you want to switch carriers mid contract it will cost you a lot of money. Instead look to one of the online services that link up people like you with people who are looking for a cell contract. That way you help someone else and get out of costly fees.Â

Finding ways to keep your phone bill down is a great way to cut household expenses. You can then use that extra money for more fun things like going on holiday or to pay off other bills.

About the author

This article was written by William Eve, a regular personal finance writer for Home Loan Finder, a 100% free mortgage comparison and application service. Visit the Home Loan Finder website for more great ways to save money and the most competitive investment loans and first home buyer loans on the market.

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You may think that now is a terrible time to invest in real estate. You know that you stand to show a significant return in the long run, but phrases like “mortgage lending crisis”, “real estate market crash”, “economic downturn”, and “the bubble burst” have effectively scared you off. However, it is a business, like any other, and if you enter into it with a solid plan, armed with a set of knowledge and skills to help you, success is just a matter of time and effort. But there are a few things you need to consider before you get gung ho about buying homes.

1. Check yourself.

How do you know if you have a personality suited to real estate investment? You must possess several traits in order to succeed in this market, including being outgoing, personable, intuitive, assertive (even aggressive at times), tenacious, determined, and above all, hard-working. Excellent communication skills are a must and the ideal candidate will also boast an aptitude for math. If you don’t like dealing with people, you can’t handle stress, or you lack a strong will to succeed, you should probably consider another occupation.

2. Set goals and follow through.

Are you interested in flipping houses or renting? Answering this basic question could make a huge difference in how you approach your investment in real estate, from the purchase price to the number of properties you acquire to how much you’re willing to put into fixing them up. Of course, it could also determine how soon you see money coming in and the amount you stand to gain on your investment. Just remember that managing a rental property has its own unique set of challenges, so consider that before fantasizing about a renter covering the monthly mortgage.

3. Get educated.

There’s a lot more to buying a house than doing a walk-though and signing the paperwork. You need to be able to assess the ability of any property to turn a profit (based on condition, location, size, cost, and a number of other factors). Think about taking a course in real estate investing or management, or even going a step further and getting a license to help you really understand the business and the market. The information you gather is going to save you a lot of heartache (and money) down the road.

4. Know your mortgage.

There are many different types, so you don’t want to get stuck with one that doesn’t meet your needs. While this certainly falls under the aforementioned category of education, it is important enough to list on its own. Understanding how mortgages work is an absolute necessity if you don’t want to get yourself into serious financial straits with lenders over the long haul.

5. Count your cash.

Now is not the ideal time to get a loan, even if you have significant collateral, so you better have a big enough start-up fund to float you for awhile just in case you encounter issues that need to be addressed with the property, or you experience delays in selling or renting. If you’re approaching this as a viable business opportunity, you may even want to seek out other investors to pool funds. And you could certainly do worse than having an extra opinion to help you through those tough calls.

About the author

Kathleen Macky owns a real estate website where you can browse Wesley Chapel homes for sale.

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Often times we’re so busy in our daily lives that we forget that we can’t live like a rockstar, and need to budget and spend accordingly. Those little things you say like, “ohhhh it’s okay, I’ll make up for it somewhere else” or “I’m too lazy to send in that rebate” are actually hurting you in the long run. Here’s a few things you may want to consider when planning your budget and allotting spending money to yourself or your family.

1. Use online services like Mint

I’m saying this one in particular because I’m using it, and I absolutely love it. They just released a mobile phone app too, so you can track your budget and money on the road. You can separate your expenses, and Mint will automatically know what you are spending where. It will then alert you when you go over, as well as alert you when bills and credit card bills are due.

This will save you from 

• going over your budget and being more aware of your spending
• you’ll save because you won’t be wasting money on ridiculous late fees or overage fees

2. Being proactive with your car insurance companies

Actively seek our better insurance companies on both ends. There’s a TON of options out there and you want to make sure you aren’t losing out when you could be saving. For instance, some car insurance companies give you money back when you DON’T have an accident. Some health insurance companies give you a savings program with what you’re paying in. Do the research; you can actually end up saving a ton of money on these necessities.

3. Buying off Ebay/Etsy

Some people are afraid to use online auction websites for privacy reasons. That’s understandable, but when you can get a brand new TV for hundreds of dollars cheaper- I would say it’s time to take the dive and start using them. There are plenty of ways to track your auctions in Ebay, especially, to make sure you are only spending what you want to spend.

4. Get a credit card

This might sound like really dumb advice, especially if you’re trying to save money, but it’s probably the smartest thing you can do. When you don’t have revolving open credit accounts, it can actually hurt your credit. Put gas and groceries on your card (when you have the money) and pay it off at the end of the month, every month. This will keep revolving credit open as well as earn you rewards on certain cards. These rewards can be in the form of cash, gift certificates, travel etc.

5. Shop in bulk

Places like Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale may cost more in the beginning, but they actually save you more in the long run. As you probably know, when you buy in bulk, prices go down. While you may not “need” a ton of beef, you’ll pay less for it up front and use it through-out the month.

6. Send in your rebates

 Many people will be too lazy to send in a rebate right away and then they miss the date. Rebates are sketchy enough to begin with (although they’ve gotten better with the issuance of debit cards for your rebate rather than waiting for a rebate check) but they’re technically money you’ve spent; you may as well get it back.

These are just a few small tips to make sure you are living frugally and saving money. Pretty much common sense, but not things that people think of everyday.

What are some budgeting/spending tips that you have?

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However, more time and research has exposed a group of sinister events that actually took place. It seems that some people knew more about the coming catastrophe than they were willing to let on.

When the credit crisis developed in 2008, everyone blamed the bankers for taking unnecessary risks. At the time, they explained that they simply hadn’t understood the risks and needed to update their risk assessment tools. Investigations since then have revealed a more disturbing reality behind what happened.

Goldman Sachs was heavily involved in producing CDOs—bundles of investments that derived their value from the amalgam of the underlying assets. These might be securitized mortgages or even something as exotic as an airline flight. In theory, CDOs should be quite secure, but many CDOs were based on weak assets. This is where sub-prime mortgages got involved. A number of companies like Goldman Sachs originated CDOs based on these mortgages, assuming that they were more valuable than they actually were. During this period, the originators made a huge profit on every CDO they produced and times looked good. Of course, you know the story—the bottom dropped out of the housing market, consumers couldn’t meet rising mortgage costs, the CDOs became utterly worthless, and the taxpayer ended up carrying most of the bill. When the various stimulus bills were being debated, banks tried to depict themselves as victims along with everyone else. After all, they had lost massive amounts of money too. However, understanding what these banks really did is hardly as simple as reading a forex broker comparison.

However, more time and research has exposed a group of sinister events that actually took place. It seems that some people knew more about the coming catastrophe than they were willing to let on. The basic story is that a few aggressive and highly intelligent hedge fund managers realized that sub-prime mortgages were practically worthless. Advanced knowledge about any part of the market is always valuable, and these managers knew how to turn their understanding into returns. The method was to find CDOs that were doomed to failure and bet against them. Using investments that essentially work like insurance policies, they could reap huge profits as soon as the sub-prime mortgage market collapsed.

First, however, they needed faulty CDOs to bet against. So they put up a small amount of money for Goldman Sachs to originate the investments. In fact, they paid for the core of the investments which is also typically the riskiest part. When other investors saw them take this on, they assumed that something was happening and invested vast amounts of money in the rest of the CDO—expenditures far beyond what the hedge fund paid. When the fund failed, these investors suffered huge losses. Of course, the hedge funds lost their initial investment as well, but reaped a huge profit from their hedging contracts (the financial “insurance” they bought against the failure). Essentially, they worked the equivalent of shorting a stock.

The other agencies that made a profit, at least in the short term, were the originators—financial companies like Goldman Sachs who charged a premium for putting the CDO together. What has now become evident is that Goldman was willing to do an extraordinary thing in that process: they let the hedge funds have a significant say in how the CDO would be put together. Naturally, the hedge fund managers asked for investment assets that were essentially doomed to failure. Goldman let them do it. To make matters worse, it now appears that Goldman never made a full disclosure about the fact that this was happening. In other words, the investors who naïvely bought the rest of the doomed CDO didn’t know that Goldman was working with the hedge funds like this. These investors risked their money in good faith without all of the pertinent information—and later suffered huge losses. As the SEC now alleges, Goldman’s actions were essentially fraud.

This is why the current investigation and allegations are so crucial. The question is whether the regulatory agencies can give Goldman enough trouble to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. In other words, will investigating Goldman really help?

The answer is probably mixed. It is certainly crucial that destructive and misleading financial practices like this should be punished. It is also fairly certain that punishing Goldman for what they did will send a message to other banks and set a precedent for the future.

However, don’t expect this to be the end of problems like this. Fraud will continue for as long as the financial markets exist. In a few years, someone else will commit the same type of fraud with different financial instruments. Worse, the fraud Goldman committed is so widely spread among financial companies, it is impossible for the SEC to deal with it sufficiently. Expect a weak settlement in which Goldman suffers a token penalty that is still less than what they profited. Unless the SEC suddenly becomes more aggressive, the positive results of the investigation will only be partial.

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It’s a vast financial jungle in these early days of the 21st Century and it’s never been more important to budget.

Money is hard to come by and even harder to keep. However the internet has a wealth of choice for easy ways to set up and maintain a personal budget. Here are the top five online budgeting tools.

5. SmartyPig.com

You get two for the price of one with SmartyPig. Not only is this software a great budgeting tool but it also throws in a high yield, FDIC-insured savings account. You can also enlist friends and family to help you save for your specific financial goal while protecting your personal information. It’s also free to sign up and use. Plus, once you’ve attained your financial goal, there are options as to what to do with the money. Transferring it to a store gift card can add up to an additional 12% to the amount being allocated.

4. Geezeo.com

Something of a bare bones online budgeting option, Geezeo provides the usual tools to help you manage your finances but the real treat here is the community aspect of the site. You set your financial goals and form groups with other site users who can encourage or advise you as you go. There is also expert advice available as well. Checking, credit and savings accounts can all be maintained here though the group aspect is the real selling point. If you’re looking for a more interactive way of handling your finances then you might want to give Geezeo a try.

3. Mint.com

Another free budgeting option, Mint allows you to see all your credit card and banking transactions side by side, giving you a clearer picture of exactly how much you are spending and where. Safe and reliable, you can easily keep an eye on your money and the handy cash vs. debit ratio as you can download your purchases to your Mint account. To use Mint, you will have to input some of your banking security codes, which is a genuine concern for most. However they use the same security company as Bank of America so you can breathe easier.

2. BudgetPulse.com

Simple, easy to use, comprehensive, and free! Now what budgeter doesn’t like that last one? This software is a great way to monitor one’s finances. You can create personal budgets quickly and the software does not link to bank account data or ask you for personal account numbers or passwords. Quick charts and graphs illustrate your expenditures in an easy to follow manner. Safe, secure… did I mention it was free?

1. Mvelopes Personal

This award-winning software is free to try but does cost a bit to use. However it boasts revolutionary and innovative financial software, which allows you to easily set up a comprehensive budget that helps you to live within your income. Again, ease of use and simple graphics show you where you are spending your money. Things are further simplified through the use of budgeting envelopes into which you transfer funds earmarked for specific expenditures.

About the author:

This was article was written by Andrew Salmon. He contributes blog posts about budgeting and the IVA debt solution for a number of websites.

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Saving money is popular and very sexy. Why would you want to splurge your minimal income on crap that ends up in a garage sale anyway?

Emergency funds are meant to be kept for tough times. In today’s socio-economic times it is more important than ever to keep some money on the side for a rainy day. Most financial advisers recommend you save about 6 months worth of living capital which will cover your expenses should you lose your job, or run into financial hardship.

Most people worry about emergency money when they need it. If you do this, then it is too late because you are already facing a mountain of potential debt.

Job loss, unexpected bill, health problems

All of the above can move you over the financial edge, making your life an absolute nightmare. If you wait in the hopes of never needing an emergency fund you are kidding yourself. It would be like traveling without getting insurance cover, or driving your car without insurance (which is criminal to say the least).

I don’t earn enough, how can I save?

This is one of the excuses (albeit relevant) of many people. Please do not make the mistake of blaming your lack of income for not saving up for an emergency fund. People worse off than you have managed to pay off debt and more in a relatively short time frame.

If there is a will, there is a way and you could start with putting aside $5/week if that’s all you can afford.

A matter of interest

To invest your emergency fund for the most return open up a no-cost savings account that will give you good interest rates. While this might not matter much in the beginning, it will soon compound once you save a few hundred dollars.

What about excess pay?

If you receive an unexpected surplus of money, why not pay it straight into your emergency fund. That way it will earn interest and you can decide whether you really need that piece of clothing you put your eyes on.

Frugal is all the rage

Saving money is popular and very sexy. Why would you want to splurge your minimal income on crap that ends up in a garage sale anyway? If you are brutally honest with yourself you will notice that a lot of the stuff you own is not really needed.

Humans buy stuff out of frustration and a need for love. We wrongfully look for that special kick when buying luxury items (stuff we can live without but believe we can’t).

A good way to slowly change your mindset is by alternating your weeks between “normal” behavior and frugal living.

Emergencies do happen

No one is save from emergencies. You could receive a large unexpected bill in the mail tomorrow, throwing your financial situation into the gutter within a tiny second. While nobody wants to experience financial meltdown, you increase your chances of dealing with it by planning your emergency fund and then implementing that plan.

Saving is fun

If one day you find yourself with more money than you really need in your emergency savings fund you can splurge and buy something REALLY nice as a reward for sticking it out.

About the author

This article was written by Timothy who is a regular writer and part of the team at Credit Card Finder, a 100% free Australian credit card comparison and application service. Visit the Credit Card Finder website for more information on starting an emergency fund, or subscribe to their RSS feed for more practical articles.

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There are many ways to cut corners in this recession, but many of us tend to overlook a very important cost that can be cut in a most advantageous way: our cars.

There are many ways to cut corners in this recession, but many of us tend to overlook a very important cost that can be cut in a most advantageous way: our cars. Instead of avoiding maintenance for our cars as a way to skimp on costs, certain maintenance types should be even more important to avoid serious future issues. Here are some tips on what car maintenance you can perform yourself, and what is important not to skip over in order to keep your car in tip-top condition for many years to come. Auto mechanics charge high hourly rates because they know that many tasks do not take much more than twenty minutes. With a little research, you’ll be surprised how much money you can actually save!

Oil Changes:

Though it may no longer be necessary to change your oil as often as it once was, it is still a very important part of your car’s maintenance. Most oil changes cost from $20 to $100, depending on the type and amount of oil you use. There are a few tricks to this. The first is to buy your own oil and bring it to the shop, rather than paying extra for the same stuff. The other option is to change your oil yourself. It may seem like a huge task, but there are videos all over the web to help you learn more about changing your oil by yourself. It is actually quite easy, and you can save a bundle each year.

Tires:

Tires are going to wear out, and probably at one of the worst possible times. However, if you continually check your tire pressure, fill them as necessary, and keep a spare with you at all times, you are much less likely to find yourself up a creek without a paddle. Keep a tire gauge in your glove compartment for easy access, and check the air on a regular basis.

Brakes:

Let’s face it, brakes are very important, and there is not a whole lot we can do to keep them from wearing out. However, you can learn how to change your own brake pads, and quite easily. This can save you up to a hundred dollars a year on San Diego brake repair, and it only takes auto mechanics about 15 minutes to complete this expensive task. You should also dry out your brakes whenever they are exposed to heavy rain or excessive water. Driving through puddles can trap water in your brakes and cause issues, so pound on your brake pedals the following day to ensure that all the water is out. (At a slow speed, in a vacant area, stomp on your brakes three times to shake out excess water.)

Fluids:

Another maintenance trick you can do without contacting the professionals is a quick fluid check. Check the oil regularly; this can help you avoid changing it when it is still in good condition. You should also check your transmission fluid every year or so. It does not need to be changed as often as oil, but it should still be checked. Your brake fluid is also important to check. Cars should not consume brake fluid, so every time you check it, you should still have an ample amount of fluid left. Low brake fluid could mean a wear and tear or a dangerous leak in the brakes. Power steering should also have fluid that you should check regularly, as well as coolant and windshield washer fluid. If you live in a hot area of the country, it is even more important to check your coolant as often as you check your oil. Make sure to go to a reputable mechanic, like Robert’s Auto in San Diego, if ever you are in doubt about your fluid levels, as it might be a sign of a costly leak, that when overlooked, can cost you a lot more in repairs later.

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