Rao bulletin 1 August 2017 html edition

2. Allow dealers to compete for your sale -- There’s no need to drive all over town and haggle. Once you have made a list of the models you want to consider, simply go to the automakers’ websites. Use the “find a dealer” tool and allow dealers to contact you. Don’t shy away from letting dealers know you are talking to others. That puts you in a position of power. One tip: Make sure you get an “out-the-door” price that includes all taxes, fees and extras. You don’t want to bank on an ultra-low price only to discover you also have to pay for multiple extras. If you need a car loan, don’t forget to shop for the best deal on that as well.

3. Be pleasant -- Do you want to work with someone who is unpleasant or hostile? Neither do car salespeople. Yes, they want to sell cars for as much money as possible. They know you want to pay as little as possible. But if your salesperson likes you, they may well point you to models that better suit your needs and save you money. They may also sway their sales managers to give you some extras or even a price break.

4. Remember, loyalty pays off -- If you or a friend has worked with a specific salesperson in the past, email him or her directly when you are in the market for a new car. Salespeople who have established client bases are valuable to dealerships. They will work hard to win you a good deal because that increases their professional value.

5. Consider a soon-to-be-discontinued model -- Consider models you knew dealers are anxious to move. Perhaps a dealer test car with low mileage on it.  Since it is used it will yield another major price cut.

6. Don’t negotiate on dealer holdbacks -- Car pricing is more complicated than many buyers realize. Auto manufacturers build in what are known as “dealer holdbacks,” which give dealers pricing leeway. Again, the amount varies, but holdbacks basically give dealers the ability to price some cars below the invoice price and still make a profit. Holdbacks are something akin to sacred ground for car dealers, though, with most dealers unwilling to share them with buyers, Edmunds says. Don’t even try to negotiate into the holdback.

[Source: MoneyTalksNews | Nancy Dunham | July 28, 2017 ++]

Property tax is assessed and collected by local governments. Both real and personal property are subject to tax. The market value of a legal residence and up to 5 acres of surrounding land is assessed at 4%. For homeowners 65 and older, the state’s homestead exemption allows the first $50,000 of their property’s fair market value to be exempt from local property taxes. South Carolina imposes a casual excise tax of 5% on the fair market value of all motor vehicles, motorcycles, boats, motors and airplanes transferred between individuals.

There is no inheritance tax or estate tax.

• 
  CPI. The June CPI is 238.813, 1.6 percent above the FY 2016 COLA baseline. The CPI for July 2017 is scheduled to be released on August 11, 2017.
  
• 
  NDAA 2018. The U.S. House passed a $696.5 billion defense policy bill in a bipartisan vote on 14 JUL, but it exceeds statutory budget caps, setting up a showdown. The House’s version of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act now awaits Senate passage of its bill so the two can be reconciled. The Senate has yet to take up the $700-billion NDAA passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee on 28 JUN.
  
• 
  Soccer Parents. The American Council on Science and Health has sharply criticized a company which claims that its $299 "DNA Soccer Test" can help parents assess and enhance a child's potential as a soccer player.
  
• 
  RP Martial Law. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has requested Congress to extend martial law in the country's south until 31DEC, his spokesman said 18 JUL, amid continued fighting between government troops and Islamic State-linked militants.
  
• 
  God Bless America. Younger vets may not recognition the singers of this song but I am sure you older vets will. Check out https://biggeekdad.com/2014/09/john-wayne-1970.
  
• 
  Coast Guard Search. The U.S. Coast Guard racked up $311,000 in expenses searching for an Alaska man who faked his own death to avoid going to prison in a sexual assault case, according to federal prosecutors. An indictment released 20 JUL charges Ryan Meganack, a commercial fisherman and boat captain from Port Graham, with conspiracy and "false distress" for planting evidence that he had been lost at sea while he hid out at a camp in the woods near the fishing village.
  
• 
  Household Rentals. The share of households that rent rather than own is at a 50-year high. As of last year, 36.6 % of households in the U.S. rent their homes, according to a recent report from the nonprofit Pew Research Center. The report is based on U.S. Census Bureau data. The 2016 high surpasses the peak reached in 1986 and 1988 (36.2%), making it the highest share of renters since 1965, when the figure reached 37%.
  
• 
  Mexico Drug War. Bloodshed in Mexico has spiked to record levels, with more homicides recorded in June than in any month in at least two decades. Prosecutors opened 2,234 homicide investigations last month, according to government statistics released 21 JUL. That’s an increase of 40% over June of last year and 80% over June of 2015.
  
• 
  Weapons. Check out https://www.youtube.com/embed/_dN1SeHA15E to view some 2016 weapon tests at the Navy's China Lake Training Facility.
  

***********************

That was recently the case for a handful of laundry detergents. In an article made available to the general public — rather than just Consumer Reports subscribers — the consumer advocacy publication cites seven detergents that it advises you to simply “skip.” Those products, along with some of Consumer Reports’ comments about them, are as follows. Note that Consumer Reports says the first two on this list “cleaned only slightly better than plain water”:

• 
  Xtra ScentSations
  
• 
  Trader Joe’s Liquid Laundry Detergent
  
• 
  Woolite Everyday
  
• 
  Home Solv 2X
  
• 
  Xtra Plus OxiClean
  
• 
  Sun Triple Clean
  
• 
  Arm & Hammer Toss ‘N Done Ultra Power Paks — “the lowest scoring of the pods/packs we tested”
  

In case you’re wondering, the detergents that Consumer Reports rated most highly were Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release and Persil ProClean Power-Liquid 2in1. Both of these liquid detergents designed for high-efficiency and regular laundry machines earned scores of 82 out of 100. But while those two detergents are highest rated, they’re also costly — at least compared with do-it-yourself detergent. Consumer Reports subscribers who have paid $6.95 monthly or $35 annual can view all of the publications’ ratings of laundry detergents on its website http://www.consumerreports.org/products/laundry-detergent/ratings-overview.

A dirty little secret that the suds salesmen don’t want you to know: Some people get OK results with no detergent at all. Others save 90 percent of the cost of store-bought by making it themselves. Yes, you can make your own laundry detergent for pennies on the dollar as is explained in the MoneyTalksNews article at https://www.moneytalksnews.com/yourself-laundry-detergent. Check out that article for a recipe that requires only a few ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand.

Fabric softener is even easier to make for pennies on the dollar. As we detail in “9 Expensive Cleaning Supplies You Can Easily Make For Pennies at https://www.moneytalksnews.com/9-expensive-cleaning-supplies-you-can-easily-make-for-pennies ”, adding a half-cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle will do the trick. And you can buy vinegar for a few cents an ounce. Baking soda is another cheap and effective option. www.MarthaStewart.com has described it as “an effective cleaner, deodorizer, and fabric softener” that’s safe enough to use on baby clothing.