How to get the most for your used vehicle

The old girl may have carried you across the country on that most memorable road trip and shuttled the kids through their childhoods, but when she’s too worn out to go much further, you’re faced with a difficult decision. Do you sell her? Donate her? Break her down into scrap? Or maybe you trade her in and find a new ride.

It really depends on the value of the vehicle and what you would like in return for all those miles of personal memories. The bottom line is that you have an aging vehicle with some type of value to be assessed.

Sell it or trade it in?

First, check the Blue Book price of your old car online. You might be surprised how much it’s worth in a straight-up sale or for a trade at a dealership. Sites like KBB.com will help you find offers, place ads for your sale, and locate other resources to make sure you get the best price possible. The Blue Book is the standard for pricing used cars. It will provide you with the confidence to know what your car is worth on the market.

Depending on the condition of your car, you may want to trade it in. Edmunds.com helps you do so efficiently. The car info site suggests weighing the possible costs of fixing up the car with the potential trade in value as-is. Is it worth it? It depends on if you’re a car person or not. If you’re confident under the hood, or have a trustworthy mechanic, maybe you can get another 30,000 miles out of your vehicle. If not, you ought to consider timing that trade to maximize your value.

Once you have done your research, check out car dealerships online to get a better idea of what cars are available locally and how they are priced.

Donations and other options

If you don’t need the trade-in value on your new purchase, you might consider donating your vehicle to a non-profit organization as a tax-deductible donation. Options include donating to National Public Radio to help fund commercial-free local journalism, or to the Make a Wish Foundation to help fulfill the dreams of sick or terminally ill children. Regardless of your choice, you reduce your tax liability.

Of course, if you have a real jalopy on your hands — you may just want to bring her down to the scrapyard and see if you can get a few hundred bucks for her. But that’s a last resort.

Whether you’re trading it in or selling it outright, your vehicle is worth something. Once you figure out what that value is, you can use that money toward a new vehicle or toward some other financial benefit.

5 qualities of a reliable freight forwarding company

Freight forwarding company is a firm or a corporation that provides freight services for clients. They specialize in making arrangements for storage as well as shipping the goods for their clients. There are a number of services that are provided by these companies, including freight consolidation, warehousing and shipment insurance. They also file insurance claims on behalf of the client. They sometimes negotiate the freight charges and even book cargo space. Other services that they provide include tracking inland transportation, preparing import or export documents and preparing the shipping of goods. Because of this, they play a big role in the export and import industry. They ensure that the goods are shipped and transported efficiently throughout the world. Because of their role, very many companies are now offering these freight forwarding services. A client who wants to get the best company should look for these qualities.

Organization

This is one of the most important qualities in a freight forwarding firm. They have to be organized in the way that they handle all the documentation for shipping. They have to be able to organize themselves so that they can provide all of their services efficiently. This is because making a mistake due to disorganization will be very costly to the client. Disorganization could lead to unfortunate circumstances such as goods being transported to the wrong country. There is insurance for such issues, but processing them is a waste of precious resources and time.

Proper packaging

There are different shipments modes, including water, air and road. Regardless of which type of shipment a person chooses, their goods can be damaged if they are not packed properly. A good firm should have the proper packaging for the different types of goods. It is therefore important to choose a forwarder who has information on how to handle the different types of goods during shipping.

Reliable network

This is especially important in international shipping. The company should have contacts in the home country as well as the destination country. They should know custom brokers as well as forwarding agents in various countries. This way, they will be able to get information on the status of a package. This will also reduce the instances of packages delaying in ports. This is because such delays could be very expensive for the client.

Proper communication and tracking

During shipping, it is ideal to have good communication between the shipper and the forwarder. This will help the client to always know the real time status of their package. Knowing the progress and location of a package will give the client assurance and peace of mind. They will be sure that their package will arrive safely and on time. For eBay freight, payment depends on whether the goods were properly tracked and whether they arrived safely. It is therefore important for such cargo to be tracked in order to know where it is at a particular point in time.

Good insurance

Accidents and unfortunate events can happen even with the most efficient forwarding agent. That is why the proper insurance is always necessary. This will ensure that the client will be compensated in case of damage to goods during shipping or warehousing.

About the Author

Mark Long has his own freight forwarding company that has all the qualities of an efficient freight forwarding firm. He deals with all types of cargo and shipments, from international shipping to eBay freight on behalf of his clients. 

Moving out of state? 7 Things to remember before you leave

The logistics of moving out of state can be daunting. Make the entire process smoother with these 7 tips.

Switch Your Utilities

When you get to your new home, you’ll want the lights to be on and water heater working as soon as you arrive. Also, call your utility company to disconnect the gas, electricity, and phone service of the unit you are leaving. Request a final reading of the meters and keep a copy of the last bill to ensure that your accounts are fully settled.

Fill Out a Change of Address Form at the Post Office

It takes a while to change your address with the variety of banks, credit cards, and magazines that send you mail. To ensure continuity of mail service, fill out a change of address form at the U.S. Post Office. If you need assistance with this process, consider getting help from a professional service like hausarbeit schreiben lassen. For just a $1 processing fee, you can change your address online. After filing out the form, the postal service will forward your mail for one year.

Call Your Insurance Agent

Rules for minimum auto insurance coverage vary by state, so look at your new state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to find out the relevant laws. For more information, contact your current insurance agent to arrange an insurance transfer and find you an agent in your new state.

Get Your Car Fully Serviced

That old car of yours needs some tender loving care to survive the long drive to your new home. It can be challenging to establish a relationship with a new mechanic, so it’s best to get repairs taken care of before you leave. Schedule an appointment for your car to receive full service, including an oil change, tire rotation, new brake pads, topping off fluid levels, and even considering the masterarbeit schreiben lassen kosten

Change Your Car Registration

The laws regulating car registration vary by state. Regardless of where you move, it’s important to change your driver’s license and car registration shortly after moving. AAA maintains a list of relevant traffic laws, license rules, and titling and registration rules that differ by state. Head to the DMV within a week of moving to ensure that you comply with local laws.

Check on Pet Regulations

Most states have legal requirements for pet owners to stay up-to-date on rabies vaccinations and other services, including ghostwriting. Your local humane society is a good place to inquire about the rules in your area. Ask about the need for a pet license, the number of animals you can legally keep as pets, and any required veterinary services.

Establish a New Bank Account

If your checking account and credit cards are through a large national bank such as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, or Wells Fargo, there may be branches available in your new area. If not, prepare to close your accounts before you leave. Then, reopen relevant accounts once you move. Local credit unions provide strong customer service and competitive rates on loans or savings accounts.

Visit In Order to Succeed on Facebook and on Twitter.

7 things to remember before you move out of state

The logistics of moving out of state can be daunting. Make the entire process smoother with these 7 things to remember before you move out of state.

Switch Your Utilities

When you get to your new home, you’ll want the lights to be on and water heater working as soon as you arrive. Also, call your utility company to disconnect the gas, electricity, and phone service of the unit you are leaving. Request a final reading of the meters and keep a copy of the last bill to ensure that your accounts are fully settled.

Fill Out a Change of Address Form at the Post Office

It takes a while to change your address with the variety of banks, credit cards, and magazines that send you mail. To ensure continuity of mail service, fill out a change of address form at the U.S. Post Office. For just a $1 processing fee, you can change your address online. After filling out the form, the postal service will forward your mail for one year.

Call Your Insurance Agent

Rules for minimum auto insurance coverage vary by state, so look at your new state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to find out the relevant laws. For more information, contact your current insurance agent to arrange an insurance transfer and find you an agent in your new state.

Get Your Car Fully Serviced

That old car of yours needs some tender loving care to survive the long drive to your new home. It can be challenging to establish a relationship with a new mechanic, so it’s best to get repairs taken care of before you leave. Schedule an appointment for your car to receive full service, including an oil change, tire rotation, new brake pads, and topping off fluid levels.

Change Your Car Registration

The laws regulating car registration vary by state. Regardless of where you move, it’s important to change your driver’s license and car registration shortly after moving. AAA maintains a list of relevant traffic laws, license rules, and titling and registration rules that differ by state. Head to the DMV within a week of moving to ensure that you comply with local laws.

Check on Pet Regulations

Most states have legal requirements for pet owners to stay up-to-date on rabies vaccinations and other services. Your local humane society is a good place to inquire about the rules in your area. Ask about the need for a pet license, the number of animals you can legally keep as pets, and any required veterinary services.

Establish a New Bank Account

If your checking account and credit cards are through a large national bank such as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, or Wells Fargo, there may be branches available in your new area. If not, prepare to close your accounts before you leave. Then, reopen relevant accounts once you move. Local credit unions provide strong customer service and competitive rates on loans or savings accounts.

Visit In Order to Succeed on Facebook and on Twitter.

Organizing your house before a big move

By Mkamba M Juke

Have you ever dealt with a moving company before? If not, here is what you need to know about what is required of you before they come in to help you with the big move.

When you are dealing with movers, you have the privilege of having all your moving needs catered for. Nevertheless, as an individual, there are certain things you can do to ensure that you help your movers have an easy time. Examples include;

· Order for your tools

If you are using a moving company then luck is on your side. Movers can provide you with basic moving essentials such as boxes that you need when packing. Once you have what you need, moving will become a much simpler process for you and you will end up enjoying every bit of it. Order them early since you do not want to get to the moving date and realize that you did not tell your movers you have no boxes.

· Pack early

A full-service moving company will probably help you pack and get everything in order. However, it is only right that you start doing some of the packing on your own. If anything needs to be dismantled or dissembled, you can leave it to the movers. Personal effects, however, should be packed and ready to go by the time they get there. This will save you on a lot of time.

· Sort out your permits

Whether you are moving to a new place or within the same area, be certain that you have gone ahead to sort out any legal factors that must hinder your relocation process. For instance, if you will need some sort of parking permit for the sake of your movers, settle this beforehand. This way, you will be able to avoid any kind of violations that would cause you to cough up more money while moving.

· Get technical assistance

When you are dealing with larger machinery and equipment such as the dryers and washing machine, consider getting the service providers to help you pack and get them ready for the big relocation. A moving company can also assist you with this. However, to operate faster, take less time and make sure you pack your machinery safely. Get the people who set it up to help you figure out how to package it. They should also be able to train you on how to set it up again when you get to your destination.

We provide the best info about Calabasas movers. For further details on this topic, visit our website!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mkamba_M_Juke

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5 Difficult Items to Move and How to Make it Easier

It’s hard enough to motivate yourself to lift weights at the gym, but to actually lift your couch and carry it into a moving van? You can pretty much forget it. The prospect of moving is daunting. You might be able to handle the little things on your own, but here are ten things you’ll definitely need some help with.

1. Hot Tubs

Hot tubs aren’t usually self-contained. They come with a number of accessories, such as a heater, blower, pumps, electrical and plumbing units. Moving requires disconnecting all sources of gas and electricity to prevent potentially fatal accidents. It’s important to thoroughly clean the hot tub both before and after moving to eliminate all contaminants. Hot Tub Works offers excellent products for sanitizing and testing the safety and cleanliness of your hot tub. After cleaning, you’ll want to fully drain the hot tub, turn it on its side and hoist it onto a large furniture dolly for easier transporting.

2. Art

Even if you don’t have an original Picasso, art carries a lot of monetary and sentimental value. To move this fragile item, you’ll also want to carefully wrap the frame with cloth, bubble wrap or whatever soft material you can find. If there’s a glass cover, make sure to protect it with newspaper and cardboard to prevent cracks or breakage.

3. Pianos

Even if you haven’t tickled the ivories for years, you can’t simply get rid of that trusty (albeit rusty) piano. Even if you might not be able to move the piano by yourself, you can help protect it for movers who sometimes aren’t as gentle. Make sure to close and lock the keyboard lid first to ensure these fragile components remain free of damage. Now comes the fun part — wrap the piano with blankets, padding and any soft materials you can find around the house. Secure these dressings with rope or packing tape to protect against bumps or scratches.

4. TVs

Even though modern TVs are getting a lot thinner, they remain relatively large and heavy. Not to mention, that new crystal LCD monitor is just asking for a scratch. Ideally, you’ll want to package the TV inside the box it came in. If you don’t have the original box, contact a local electronics store to look for the model’s specific packaging material. Alternatively, you can wrap the TV in a blanket by detaching all cables and spreading the blanket neatly across the floor. Place the TV on top of the blanket, wrap it by pulling all blanket ends upward and taping them together for security.

5. Fish and Aquariums

Opting for a fish over a dog or cat seems like the easy way out as far as pet-owning goes, but when moving day comes you start to pay for all your everyday conveniences. Many fish won’t survive the sloshing and temperature fluctuations that occur naturally during the move. TLC recommends putting your fish in a holding container and draining the original tank, making sure to leave a little water at the bottom to maintain the same bacteria colony. You’ll also want to make sure to store your aquarium plants in a bag with some of the aquarium water, and store the filter in a chemical-free container.

5 Difficult Items to Move and Moving Tips to Help

It’s hard enough to motivate yourself to lift weights at the gym, but to actually lift your couch and carry it into a moving van? You can pretty much forget it. The prospect of moving is daunting. You might be able to handle the little things on your own, but here are ten things you’ll definitely need some help with and some moving tips to make things easier.

1. Hot Tubs

Hot tubs aren’t usually self-contained. They come with a number of accessories, such as a heater, blower, pumps, electrical and plumbing units. Moving requires disconnecting all sources of gas and electricity to prevent potentially fatal accidents. It’s important to thoroughly clean the hot tub both before and after moving to eliminate all contaminants. Hot Tub Works offers excellent products for sanitizing and testing the safety and cleanliness of your hot tub. After cleaning, you’ll want to fully drain the hot tub, turn it on its side and hoist it onto a large furniture dolly for easier transporting.

2. Art

Even if you don’t have an original Picasso, art carries a lot of monetary and sentimental value. To move this fragile item, you’ll also want to carefully wrap the frame with cloth, bubble wrap or whatever soft material you can find. If there’s a glass cover, make sure to protect it with newspaper and cardboard to prevent cracks or breakage.

3. Pianos

Even if you haven’t tickled the ivories for years, you can’t simply get rid of that trusty (albeit rusty) piano. Even if you might not be able to move the piano by yourself, you can help protect it for movers who sometimes aren’t as gentle. Make sure to close and lock the keyboard lid first to ensure these fragile components remain free of damage. Now comes the fun part — wrap the piano with blankets, padding and any soft materials you can find around the house. Secure these dressings with rope or packing tape to protect against bumps or scratches.

4. TVs

Even though modern TVs are getting a lot thinner, they remain relatively large and heavy. Not to mention, that new crystal LCD monitor is just asking for a scratch. Ideally, you’ll want to package the TV inside the box it came in. If you don’t have the original box, contact a local electronics store to look for the model’s specific packaging material. Alternatively, you can wrap the TV in a blanket by detaching all cables and spreading the blanket neatly across the floor. Place the TV on top of the blanket, wrap it by pulling all blanket ends upward and taping them together for security.

5. Fish and Aquariums

Opting for a fish over a dog or cat seems like the easy way out as far as pet-owning goes, but when moving day comes you start to pay for all your everyday conveniences. Many fish won’t survive the sloshing and temperature fluctuations that occur naturally during the move. TLC recommends putting your fish in a holding container and draining the original tank, making sure to leave a little water at the bottom to maintain the same bacteria colony. You’ll also want to make sure to store your aquarium plants in a bag with some of the aquarium water, and store the filter in a chemical-free container.

Planning Your Route on Moving Day

The way we go about planning for moving has changed drastically over the last decade.

What used to require a trip to the local AAA, and lots of highlighters on fold-out maps larger than your average 10-year-old, can now be accomplished in less than five seconds on a device that fits snugly in the palm of your hand. A smart phone with built-in GPS capabilities will plan your route, talk back to you, and even find the cheapest gas along the way.

 

Still, even though technology has made moving day much simpler, some pre-planning is still required. Waiting until you’re in the driver’s seat of your moving truck to pull up directions for the very first time spells disaster. What if your new home is so new that it’s not even on the map yet? What if there are unexpected road closures or restrictions? These are all things that could wreak havoc on your trip if you’re not prepared.

 

So, what can you do to minimize the chance of a moving day disaster? A few Google searches and 20 minutes of your time should get the job done! Follow the steps below to make sure you are ready to make the trek on moving day.

 

PrintOutMapsIOTS

1. Plan and Decide on your Route:

Plug in your start address, end address, and any planned stops along the way in to the navigation service of your choice. Usually, multiple routes are suggested; the first route is usually the fastest, although it may not always be the shortest. Choosing the best route will depend on your time limitations. Be sure to examine your route for and any major restrictions that could block the access of a moving truck. For example, things like overpasses, bridges and tunnels can pose a problem if there is not enough clearance.

 

2. Research your Route:

It’s best to look at your route at least once on a computer or laptop before moving day. Make mental note of any long stretches, like driving straight for 10 hours. Plan out the rest areas or lodging locations you will stop at along the way to take a break. Remember to purchase a padlock for your moving truck to secure it at these stops. Once the route is planned, make sure all potential drivers are familiar with the route. It is also wise to check websites for extra information about road closures or detours during the days leading up to your move. Sites like fhwa.dot.gov and apps like Waze provide specific information about national highways.

3. Print out Directions:

Although it may seem old-school, having a hard copy of directions will come in handy if cell phone batteries die, GPS signal is lost, or if anything else renders your device useless. It’s even advisable to print out two copies, just in case. Use a two pocket folder to create a ‘moving day’ file and include the printed directions, plus any other important moving documents like moving truck paperwork. Put a folder with the same information in every vehicle that will be travelling as part of your move.

Moving day can seem stressful sometimes, especially if you are going across the country. Luckily, following the steps above to plan your roué will arm you with everything you need to make moving day travel easier, and prepare you for any hiccups.

Do you have any tips to  plan your moving day route? Let us know below in a comment.

 

This post comes from the editors at Movinginsider.com; your resource for everything related to moving, storage and organization.

Moving Day Tips: Planning Your Route

The way we go about planning for moving has changed drastically over the last decade.

What used to require a trip to the local AAA, and lots of highlighters on fold-out maps larger than your average 10-year-old, can now be accomplished in less than five seconds on a device that fits snugly in the palm of your hand. A smart phone with built-in GPS capabilities will plan your route, talk back to you, and even find the cheapest gas along the way.

 

Still, even though technology has made moving day much simpler, some pre-planning is still required. Waiting until you’re in the driver’s seat of your moving truck to pull up directions for the very first time spells disaster. What if your new home is so new that it’s not even on the map yet? What if there are unexpected road closures or restrictions? These are all things that could wreak havoc on your trip if you’re not prepared.

 

So, what can you do to minimize the chance of a moving day disaster? A few Google searches and 20 minutes of your time should get the job done! Follow the moving day tips below to make sure you are ready to make the trek on moving day.

 

PrintOutMapsIOTS

1. Plan and Decide on your Route:

Plug in your start address, end address, and any planned stops along the way in to the navigation service of your choice. Usually, multiple routes are suggested; the first route is usually the fastest, although it may not always be the shortest. Choosing the best route will depend on your time limitations. Be sure to examine your route for and any major restrictions that could block the access of a moving truck. For example, things like overpasses, bridges and tunnels can pose a problem if there is not enough clearance.

 

2. Research your Route:

It’s best to look at your route at least once on a computer or laptop before moving day. Make mental note of any long stretches, like driving straight for 10 hours. Plan out the rest areas or lodging locations you will stop at along the way to take a break. Remember to purchase a padlock for your moving truck to secure it at these stops. Once the route is planned, make sure all potential drivers are familiar with the route. It is also wise to check websites for extra information about road closures or detours during the days leading up to your move. Sites like fhwa.dot.gov and apps like Waze provide specific information about national highways.

3. Print out Directions:

Although it may seem old-school, having a hard copy of directions will come in handy if cell phone batteries die, GPS signal is lost, or if anything else renders your device useless. It’s even advisable to print out two copies, just in case. Use a two pocket folder to create a ‘moving day’ file and include the printed directions, plus any other important moving documents like moving truck paperwork. Put a folder with the same information in every vehicle that will be travelling as part of your move.

Moving day can seem stressful sometimes, especially if you are going across the country. Luckily, following the steps above to plan your roué will arm you with everything you need to make moving day travel easier, and prepare you for any hiccups.

Do you have any tips to  plan your moving day route? Let us know below in a comment.

 

This post comes from the editors at Movinginsider.com; your resource for everything related to moving, storage and organization.

Four Things you Need to Rent a Moving Truck


As you prepare for your move, you have many things to coordinate. When will you pack? Which day will you move? How long will you allow yourself to make the trip? To help things go smoothly on moving day, you want to be as prepared as possible. In this post, we’ll share what you will need on moving day in order to rent your moving truck.

  1. A reservation. In all cases, you will need to make a reservation for your moving truck rental in advance. If you simply walk into your local moving center and expect to drive away in a truck, you may be faced with a very stressful moving day dilemma. It’s best to make your reservation far in advance, as soon as you know which date you will need it. This will help ensure that the moving center is able to satisfy your reservation.
  2. A valid driver’s license. While driver’s license requirements vary from state to state, you will absolutely need to posses a valid driver’s license in order to rent a moving truck. Some rental companies may even require a Commercial Driver’s License, though this is not as common. Call ahead or check online to make sure you have the correct license to operate your rental truck.
  3. Driving experience. Many companies have age restrictions above and beyond those established by your state in order to get a driver’s license. For example, U-Haul requires you be at least 18 years old to rent a truck (although one only needs to be 16 to rent trailer). If anyone who is under 18 will be operating your truck, you should check with the rental company beforehand to see what the minimum age is.
  4. Moving day coverage. Heaven forbid something goes wrong on moving day; it is something no one wishes for. Unfortunately, accidents are just as likely to happen on moving day as they are any other day of the year. When you are on the road with every single worldly possession you own, it feels good to have peace of mind, and know you are protected. Most regular insurance policies do not cover your moving truck rental and cargo, so you may want to consider purchasing additional damage coverage through the rental company.

By knowing what to expect on moving day, you will avoid surprises that can cause unnecessary stress. Planning ahead will help you manage your tasks, and ensure your big day goes smoothly.

This post comes from the editors at Movinginsider.com; your resource for everything related to moving, storage and organization.