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Thinking that algorithms can do all the heavy lifting for you

Quants have been using algo trading platforms for years to grow and diversify their portfolios, but a growing subculture of individual investors has arisen in recent years. Algorithmic trading uses complex mathematical algorithms to strategically buy and sell stocks faster and more reactively than any one individual trader ever could. While it can certainly give one an edge, it is not an infallible money press. If you do decide to turn your hand to algo trading it’s important to keep your expectations realistic and to know that you have to dedicate time and expertise to refining and perfecting your algorithm.

Not researching the company whose stock you’re trading

You may see a stock that’s climbing and decide to hitch your waggon to it, investing heavily straight away only to find that the stock’s value plummets and you lose most or even all of your investment. This is the risk that investors face if they don’t take the time to research the company in order to ascertain the cause of that spike in value and ascertain whether it’s a brief spurt or part of an upward trend that could last for months.

Getting suckered by bargain priced stocks

Penny stocks may not cost a penny anymore but they can still be deceptively appealing to new investors. Low-cost penny stocks could skyrocket in value and make you a fortune… But don’t bet the farm on them. There’s a reason why penny costs are so inexpensive. It’s because market analysts have scrutinized them and ascertained that they represent little opportunity for growth. By all means, invest in penny stocks, but invest in them as a small part of a diverse portfolio. Which brings us to…

Keeping all your eggs in one basket

When a stock is performing well it can be tempting to invest heavily in it, but a stock’s fortunes can turn on a dime, and its value may be affected by factors of which investors have little or no understanding. Thus, it’s important to keep a diverse stock portfolio to insulate you against some of this risk.

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In the age of social media, we’re all constantly bombarded with images of people living incredible luxury lifestyles that most of us will never be able to achieve. Whether it’s Instagram models travelling all over the world or bloggers getting to eat at the world’s best restaurants, it’s easy to feel as though your life simply can’t compete with the amazing things that you see online. However, just because you don’t have unlimited money to spend, doesn’t mean that you’re not able to live the kind of life that you really want. Sure, it’s not always possible but here are a few ways that you can live a luxury lifestyle while staying within a shoestring budget.

Financing

When you see someone driving around in a luxury car or sailing on their private yacht, it can be easy to assume that you’ll never be able to afford anything like that in your wildest dreams. And sure, most of the time those kinds of things require more money than many people will earn in a year. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways around this. One of the best options for those kinds of big, luxury purchases is financing. Sites like boatfinancing.co are a fantastic way to actually be able to afford the kinds of luxury items that would otherwise only exist in your wildest fantasies! Of course, if you can’t keep up with the repayments or keep your credit score looking good then it’s still going to be pretty difficult to afford, but those things are much easier than trying to drop huge amounts of money all at once.   

Saving

One of the most common reasons that people aren’t able to live that luxury lifestyle is that they spend their money on other things that they really don’t need. One of the best things that you can do is to save your money and only ever spend it when you really want to splash out on something significant. Sure, you’re not going to be able to live in the lap of luxury all the time, but saving your money and only using it when you really want to go all out can help you get a little taste of that kind of lifestyle from time time.

Discounts

There are dozens of different ways to avoid paying full price for even the most expensive things in the world. Many luxury purchases like cars can have their prices haggled down pretty significantly, and you can almost always find places online that show you where to find the best discounts on luxury items. The other way to get these kinds of things cheaper is to start writing about them online. One of the reasons that bloggers get so many products and experiences is that companies give them to them for free in exchange for promotion. Starting your own blog and writing about the kinds of things that you like can give you the chance to reach out to companies and get free products in exchange for writing about them.

Sure, these kinds of things aren’t’ the only things that matter in life, far from it, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting a taste of the sweet life every now and again!

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No matter how hard we try to avoid it, sometimes, we find ourselves stuck in sticky situations in life.  They can be embarrassing and frustrating and can cause us a lot of trouble. Now, they probably don’t come around all that often, so when they do, you don’t always know how to act. And when those sticky situations are finance related, you can feel even more at a loss. But, the trick is not to let things get you down, but to take action instead. So, if you ever find yourself in one of these sticky financial situations, here’s some advice on what to do.

Needing A Guarantor

Sometimes, when you apply for credit or even to move into an apartment, you can find that you need a guarantor. When you were hoping to help yourself out or make it on your own, it can be frustrating to be told that you need a financial guarantee. But, don’t let your pride get in the way of a good deal – especially if you need it. When you need a guarantor, try to ask someone close to you like a family member or friend. If not, you may be able to get a specialist company to help you out.

Making A Bad Investment

Even when you’re skilled and have lots of experience in the field, you can still discover that you’ve made a bad investment. It happens. But, the trick is, not to let it alter your financial situation on any future decision that you make. If your investment is in real estate, hold off before you panic. You may find that you can turn it around in the end, or that in time you will earn your money back. So be patient.

Paying Unexpected Fees

Then there comes the moments where you find yourself with a bill that you never knew you were getting, or just never saw coming. Whether it’s a broken boiler or faulty electrics, or even bail fees or legal representation, you may need a helping hand. A short-term loan may cover the home issues, but you may need something specialist, like GB Bail Bonding, to cover the rest. Just be sure to research your options and make the right decision for your unexpected fees.

Missing Your Rent

Whether you know you’re going to miss you rent or not, it can be a painful and embarrassing situation. When you can’t pay your rent, you need to act fast if you still want somewhere to live. You need to be able to speak to your landlord and come to an agreement. The worst thing you can do is ignore it, so reach out.

Having A Cheque Bounce

Whether it’s in your business or personal, having a cheque bounce can be one of those situations we all want to avoid – especially now that you owe money. Even if you’re embraced you’re going to want to make sure that you explain the situation to all parties involved. If it was a genuine mistake, make a payment fast and talk to your bank. If not, you’re going to want to come up with a payment schedule or give them a date for when you can pay.

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Why it’s a stable platform

Perhaps the easiest kind of property to invest in; the family home. It’s always in demand and will never go out of fashion. The most traditional form of property because families want their own space in the world; somewhere they can raise children. Banks are ready to get involved knee-deep; they’re willing to finance the mortgages and even hand out a construction loan to companies and individuals.

You can invest in this type of property by searching for properties on sale, or preferably, in the process of being built. You’ll get the best value from houses that are built away from the urban interior of a city or town. Suburban and rural homes fetch the highest price because by default their location is the most attractive to families.

What to look for

When investing in houses, you want to look for a property that’s in the process of being built or perhaps looking for a renovator. Companies that are building homes always look for reassurance on their hard work and often contact loan businesses or banks to give them financial backing. Be on the lookout for new properties being built on newly bought and procured land, ready to be made into a new neighborhood. This is where you step in, and offer to finance the building of a house.

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Contact with builders

You’ll have seen the floor plans of the house you want to invest in and finance the birth of. The basics should have been covered by the size of the rooms, a number of bedrooms and garden space. However, from then on, you need to make sure that good, high-quality materials are being used. The hallways should be some kind of wooden floor so that people who walk in and out of the home after purchase are able to rely on the strength of the floorboards when walking on it with their shoes. It also doesn’t stain any carpet, should the people have muddy or dirty shoes.

The decor is going to be something that will be in your court entirely. It’s up to you what kind of interior you decide to embellish the house with. The main concern for builders is to have a strong structure, so you must be in contact with builders to make sure, that the rooms will have the ability to be flexible and possess modern furniture and fittings.

Credit – Thirteen Of Clubs

Resolving issues before they enlarge

Catch any issues that may spring up in the property before you go to market, so any last hiccups cannot dent the asking price and eat into your profits. If there are wiring concerns of lights not being fully lit, or the overall voltage needs to be increased because of an extra demand such as a jacuzzi or garden room, build the facility for this need. Equally, if the piping for the sinks and bathroom is a concern whereby the water doesn’t drain quickly enough, the size of the sinkhole may need to be increased or the plumbing providing better suction. If there are leaks in the home, this could lead to mold building up. If you suspect the walls are becoming damp, get help fast at www.schemel-tarrillion.com/remediation/mold/. Mold is detrimental to your health, as bacteria congregate in one area, children can get asthma, and the occupants might get skin rashes. A team will be sent out; they will then perform mold remediation services and have the affected area cleaned up by the day’s end.

Build quality and design

Buyers and companies who want to buy your home to add to their portfolio, are looking for one thing above all else; and that’s build quality. With a good design, the home shouldn’t have creaking stairs because the structure will be tights, stable and strong. The interior of the walls should have insulation so that energy costs are lowered and heating the home is efficient. Moreover, the pipe structure and quality must be of a high-quality material and thought process.

Source – Brian Solls

Have an exit strategy

Timing is everything when you’re investing and knowing when to get into the market is the first big step. However, if all is not going to plan, you need to be able to wash your hands of the project. Keep a vigilant eye on the market for trend collapses, because the real estate market relies on data to get the most out of a sale. Your location and the amenities around the area may not be enough or add too much to the price for the average family. The market is fluid and should it be necessary; you need to leave with your reputation intact and your money returned to you.

You can cut ties with the project but still be owed money when the property eventually sells. However, if you have a legal team or investment advisor, they have the contact which can write up a legal contract that would put you in a low-risk position. Regardless of who is involved in banks and loan companies, you must reserve the right in the contract signing, to liquidate the property if you feel the project has gone off track. This will instantly return your losses, but fetch a lower price, allowing you the opportunity the break even but lose any potential profits. However, because this is a decision that stops everything in its tracks, so avoid making knee-jerk reactions based on one shortfall or setback.

The reason this is important is fairly straightforward: different property types come with different benefits and different, well, pitfalls. Knowing what is out there will also help you make an informed decision on what you want to do with it, such as live in it, develop it, flip it or rent it out. That is why we have listed the main types of real estate for you to sit down and ponder over, with a peppermint tea in your hand if you so desire.

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1. Residential

This is hands down the most common type of property to invest in. It’s things like apartments, apartment buildings, townhouses, normal house and good old fashioned vacation homes. Basically, they are properties where either you or someone else lives. What makes a good residential investment depends on a lot of variables, but things like it being a luxury real estate in a sought after location with good amenities and transport tend to go a long way. In terms of rent, you typically work on a 12-month contract.

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2. Commercial

This is where you buy an office building or a block, and lease it out to businesses that need somewhere to operate from. The great things about going down this route are the option to use a multi-year lease. More stability is never a bad thing when it comes to an investment. That’s not all, though, because by operating a multi-year lease you can still reap the rewards even when the market drops, although that could obviously risk your profits too should the market get awesome.

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3. Industrial

These are becoming more and more popular at the moment. They are things like storage units and warehouses and car washes, and any other form of real estate that has a specialist purpose. The only real downsides to this are the niche nature of your customers, as well as the fact they can be a little more hands on. However, on the plus side, there is the chance to improve your revenue with fee and service charges. For example, having a coin-operated vacuum cleaner at a car wash. Little things like this can soon add up.

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4. Retail

This includes anything that is used as a shop. It could be a single retail store on a high street or it could be an entire shopping mall on the edge of town. How your agreement works with the tenant is up to you, but what a lot of retail landlords are doing these days is charging a base rate for rent, as well as taking a percentage of the sales made. However, the only way this works if you agree to keep your retail property in top notch condition. It is sort of an incentive in that respect.

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When it comes to making money, a lot of families go down the route of making some investments. After all, it’s an excellent way to build up the cash in the bank. And ensure you have money for your family’s future. But it can be a tough decision deciding what investment to go for. After all, there are so many different ones which can be hugely beneficial to raise your cash. A lot of people opt to go down the real estate route. It’s a great investment opportunity that doesn’t often fall short. After all, the property market is constantly rising, so the house is bound to grow in price during the time you own it. And it’s ideal for even beginners in investing. However, you do have to make the decision whether you plan to keep the property empty and just plan to improve the value, or whether you are going to rent it out while you own it. After all, this offers an extra opportunity to earn money every month. However, it can be easier said than done to find people to rent your property. But you want it full, so you can start earning money! Therefore, here are some ways you can ensure you don’t leave your investment property empty for long!

Work with a realtor agency

It’s easy to want to do everything yourself when you buy an investment property. After all, it’s your baby, so you want to take steps to ensure it makes you some money. However, if it’s all down to you to find people to rent your property, it can be a lot of pressure. After all, you might not know where to even start finding tenants. And if you are doing all the vetting yourself, it’s easy to make errors. Then you might end up with a bad tenant who ends up ruining your place. And leaves it in poor condition so you might struggle to find another tenant. Therefore, if you want a helping hand to ensure the property doesn’t end up empty, you should work with a realtor agency. After all, they are the best people to find suitable candidates to live in the investment property. In fact, they will have properly gone through all the details of the tenant to ensure they will pay every month. And they would have checked out their references to make sure they have paid in the past. So you can be assured you are going to end up with a good tenant in your property. Also, going through a realtor agency can take some of the hard work away from you. After all, they will go through things like contracts with the tenants to make sure everything is all ready to go. And you won’t have to have any communication with the tenant. It will all be through the agency. Of course, if you are going to go through a realtor, you will have to pay them money for renting out your place. After all, they will be doing all the hard work. So make sure you consider this cost before agreeing to go with a realtor.

Make sure you choose a good property

If you want to ensure your investment property isn’t empty for long, you need to make sure you have a humble abode to rent out. After all, it often all comes down to the property itself if you are struggling to find tenants. They want a well-sized property which they can rent. And they want somewhere that’s clean and tidy to make their temporary home. Therefore, make sure you choose carefully when it comes to picking out an investment property. Choose something which is going to help you get tenants sooner rather than later. Go for a property which is located near the town and amenities. That way, you can ensure you get more young professionals interested in the humble abode. And make sure it’s in the best condition. In fact, you might want to make some changes to the house before you even consider renting it out. After all, making it a lot more homely will ensure you get tenants in quickly. And the better the home is, the higher price you can charge for rent. Therefore, make sure it’s an ideal place for someone to rent. And when it comes to selling the property in future, you will want a good place so that you can sell it for big bucks. In fact, a better place is bound to generate you more interested leads; see more here on how to find people interested in investing. That way, you can ensure the property goes for the most possible to help earn your family money.  

It’s time to get advertising

You might decide to find your own tenants for the property. But you might not have a clue on how to find people who would be interested in renting out your property. The first thing you should do is get some advertising out there for the house. After all, it’s the easiest way to find new tenants for your property. They will see that you are looking for people to rent out the home, and then they will get in touch. A lot of people opt to advertise in their local paper. After all, it can ensure individuals in the area get to see about your property. You can also advertise the home online. You might have to pay a small fee to pay for the house to be shown on major sites, but it can be worth it to help you find someone to rent it. And as soon as you have found someone, you can take it down. Just make sure you put the best photos on there and write a solid description to help you to find tenants. After all, you will be competing with many other homes in the area. So you need your house to seem like the best!

And remember to always ask friends and family if they would be interested in renting the property. After all, it can save a lot of time if someone you know just moves into the house.

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Being able to invest, knowing how, and having the means to do so, means that you can enjoy a much more profitable lifestyle. However, when you are about to invest for the first time or the first time after a long time – you need to make sure that you are doing so safely and with the right attitude. As it happens, there are generally four things that you need if you want to get your hands on a sure investment, and we are going to detail those in the article below. Here are some of the things you should try to ensure you have before you try to invest your hard-earned money.

A Healthy Wallet

Before you get into an investment of any kind, you first need to be absolutely certain that you are actually able to do so. In other words, you need to be sure that you have a healthy financial situation at the present moment. How can you be sure that you are in a good position to begin investing? In a way, you can never be one hundred percent certain, in part because no investment is absolutely certain either. But what you can do is look at your finances and try to gauge whether you think you are able to suffer a loss. Basically, that’s what it comes down to – assuming the worst possible scenario, and trying to ascertain whether or not you are able to deal with it at present. If you think you are, then it might be a good time to look into investing.

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Help You Can Trust

Few people ever get into investments without some kind of help, and you will probably want to look into this before you get into it too. This help can range from anything from the advice of a friend to a professional investment service. If you go for the latter, you are putting yourself in the best position, but you should be sure to check out the company before you place your faith in them. Check their investor services about us page, search for reviews, ask around and see if they are reputable or well-known. You can’t be too careful with the people you are trusting with your investment, and you deserve to find the best for your financial needs.

Confidence

It can be pretty nerve-wracking getting into an investment of any kind, and you will find that having some confidence can help you a lot. With enough confidence, you can have the bravery to carry on and see it through. But if you are afraid, you might find that you are not able to see it through – and this could mean that you lose out on the profit you are seeking. In part, this confidence comes from merely doing it many times, so it is partly just a matter of patience. But no matter who you are or what your investment portfolio is like, working on your persona clonidine is likely to help you out massively in the long run.

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For some people, saving to buy a property is more of an investment in their future than just somewhere they can live. Choosing investment properties could be to build a portfolio for your future, or to buy-to-let and build an empire for your retirement and to have something to pass to the children. Saving up for that deposit, though, can take some time and if you are already living a frugal life on a shoestring budget, you’ve a lot of planning ahead of you. So, check out our list below and see how you can save smartly for your deposit:

• Your Chosen Area. Before you can even begin to set yourself a deposit goal, you need to decide which area you hope to buy in. Doing this will determine what you can actually afford to buy. Once you have a good idea of the costs of property in your chosen area, you’ll be able to come up with a figure to save toward. It’s not just the deposit you will have to think about. There’s solicitor’s fees, survey fees and stamp duty.
• Your Budget. If you’re already living on a shoestring budget, you may not be able to find where you can make further cuts. So, instead of cutting your existing budget, work out if you can add to it. Taking on extra work, getting a second job or working toward the same job with better money in another company are all ways you can add an income. This way, any extra money you come into can go straight into the savings pot.
• Your Savings. When you’re actually putting the money away, no matter how much, avoid a cash piggy bank at home and get some advice on savings accounts. The best, high interest account you can find should be the place you put your money. You need that money to grow as much as possible and you won’t earn interest by stashing money under the mattress at home.
• Your Patience. One of the cleverest ways to save money is to be patient about it! A house isn’t a small purchase, which means you need to look at your life and adjust your expectations. You can only go at the pace you can go at, and unless you can get a second job, you can’t eat dust on toast for weeks on end. Be realistic about your savings and purchasing goals and remember that unless you’re pulling in a huge salary, buying a house could take some time.

After writing about my own experience with the 52-week money challenge in a recent blog post, I received a lot of positive feedback.  People were very interested in trying this method of saving, so I thought I would share three simple ways to begin.

OK, so first off, I did not invent this challenge.  Nor did I create the variations listed below.  This is good news for you.  That’s because I heard testimonies first-hand from people who tried these methods and were successful.  I have tried only the first one (and so far so good).

***Update as of 12-29-15***  We just finished this challenge and loved it! I will say we missed a few weeks here and there, but those were easy enough to catch up. Now we’re wrapping up 2015 with an additional $1378 saved toward our first home, and we never made a deposit greater than $52 to make it happen.

A Powerful, Real Life Example

If you’d like to meet the woman who created the 52-week money challenge, her name is Kassondra Perry-Moreland and her full story can be read here.

I want to highlight the power of her incredible discovery.  Kassondra started this Facebook group devoted to the 52-week money challenge.  Her aim was to get a handful of friends and family to help keep her accountable.  Three days after the group’s inception, there were over 1,000 members.  By the end of the year, nearly $1.5 million was on track to be saved.

As Kassondra put it:

[Tweet “”We have to stop this cycle of not saving in our communities.” – Kassondra Perry-Moreland”]

On that note, let’s dive into the three challenges:

1. The Original Challenge

What is it: Save $1 this week.  Next week, save $2.  On week 3, save $3…On week 52, save $52.  Click here for a handy chart.

Pros:  Starts easy.  Builds up gradually to help you develop the routine of weekly saving.

Cons:  Higher dollar amounts each week toward the end.

Total savings after 52 weeks = $1,378

2. The Reverse Challenge

What is it: Save $52 this week.  Next week, save $51.  On week 3, save $50…On week 52, save $1.

Pros:  Gradually saving less and less while developing the routine of weekly saving.  People have said they didn’t want to be hit all at once with higher amounts right around a holiday or vacation at the end.

Cons:  More aggressive savings upfront.

Total savings after 52 weeks = $1,378

3. The Automated Challenge

What is it: Save $26.50 each week via automatic transfer

Pros:  Savings amount never varies – easy to budget.  You don’t have to worry about forgetting to transfer each week.

Cons:  Less habit-building by not saving manually.

Total savings after 52 weeks = $1,378

Click here to download this free infographic of the three money saving challenges!

So each of these challenges has the same ending; you just have to decide how to get there. To do that, I suggest you read the following three W’s.

1.  WHAT are you saving for?

• I bet you had some idea when you first saw the article. We are putting ours toward our house fund.  Think about what you could do with $1,378 for a moment.  Do you have debt to pay down?  An emergency fund to build up?  Do you need to replace some furniture?  Replace a car?  Save for a trip?  Make it something that means a lot to you.

2.  WHICH method will you choose?

• You have your “What” – and your spouse is on board.   Hopefully?  Maybe?  If not, you had better go tell him or her, because this challenge is going to take work.  You could use the help.  Believe me.  So which method will you choose?

3.  WHEN will you start?

• This challenge seems to be popular around the first of the year, for obvious reasons, but you don’t have to wait.  In fact, please don’t.  Just pick a day of the week and STICK TO THAT DAY.  We picked Friday because that’s payday.  Do what works for you.

Why only three variations?  There are more out there, but I don’t think you need more.  The point is for me to convince you to start saving, not to dump buckets of research over your head until you cry “uncle”.  It’s simply time to act.

Which will you choose?

***If you found this article helpful, I invite you to join my community of piggy bank savers and subscribe to my weekly newsletter.  As a “Thank You,” I’ll send you 50 motivational quotes and verses for your family’s financial journey!

Join the Discussion:  What would you do with an extra $1,378?

Are you selling your car soon?  Do you want it to look professionally clean but don’t have the budget for it?

Photo Credit:  DodgertonSkillhause (MorgueFile)

Were you to outsource it (and you certainly could), look to spend $100 – $300 or more for a standard auto detailing, according to CostHelper.com.

OR…

Consider detailing the car yourself.  You can do it.  I’m going to show you how.

How I Learned Car Detailing

The summer after my high school graduation, I got a job as a car detailer’s apprentice.  Cool title.  No dancing broomsticks.  To this day, this was still one of my favorite job experiences.

What I learned was a long list of simple and effective cleaning tips.  Combined, they turned grimy cars into masterpieces.

More importantly, the owner, Vicki, worked directly with me on each car.  Ten years later, I can still remember what I learned.

Anyone can do this.  

There are probably hundreds of steps people could take to detail their cars.  I’m giving you 15.  Things like “wash and wax your car” didn’t make the list.  We’re going for the details.

What you will need:  Bucket, hose, old cloths, scrub brush, tooth brush, Q-tips, old towels, vacuum (or shop vac), air hose, pressure washer (if available)

Cleaning products:  Spray Nine – Multi-Purpose Cleaner, Armor All Ultra Shine Protectant, Glass Cleaner, Engine Degreaser

Steps:

1.  Vacuum – air hose – vacuum – This is the most powerful, deep cleaning combo in the whole arsenal.  Empty your car and pull out the floor mats.  Vacuum every surface.  Move seats around.  Then use an air hose (it’s like a pressure washer but with air) and spray every small surface, edge, crease, vent, console, etc.  You’ll be amazed how much dirt this brings out.  Vacuum thoroughly one more time.

BONUS TIP:  Swing open each door and use the air hose to blast dead leaves and twigs from your door jams.  

2.  Spray Nine – Your second most powerful, deep cleaning tool is my good friend Spray Nine.  This stuff is strong.  It works almost like acid to cut through deep stains and grime.  Spray directly on carpet stains then scrub with a brush and water.  WEAR GLOVES – and a mask if you’re not in a ventilated area.  

3.  Scrub the ceiling – Take a minute and look up.  See any dirt?  Wipe it down with Spray Nine and a rag.

4.  Detailed wipe down of dash and console – Use Spray Nine to clean the dash, console, door panels, cup holders, etc.

WARNING:  Spray Nine will remove the white symbols on your paneling – i.e. turn signal, door lock – so do a quick wipe with a damp cloth, toothbrush or Q-tip.

5.  Diluted Spray Nine on leather – Never spray solution directly on leather, unless you want it to look plagued.  Apply solution to a damp cloth, wipe leather, then dry immediately with a clean towel.

6.  Scrub seat belts – Pull seat belts out as far as you can.  Apply Spray Nine.  Use a scrub brush and water.  Scrub hard, front and back.  Those things get filthy.  Wipe with a towel.

7.  Pressure wash floor mats – Set floor mats in driveway and scrub with Spray Nine and water.  For best cleaning, use a pressure washer.  If one is not available, use a hose.  WARNING:  Leave floor mats out until they are 100% dry.  If you put them back in the car while damp, it will create a musty smell.

8.  Use interior protectant on dash, console, door panels, floor boards, cup holders.  This gives a professional look to the car.  Use Q-tips for vents and tight edges.  Apply to weather strips to add extra POP.

WARNING:  Do no apply protectant to the outer rim of the steering wheel or the gas and brake pedals.  These surfaces cannot be slippery while driving!  

9.  Crack windows and lift wipers – By cracking the windows, you can wipe the dirt line at the top, then roll them up and clean the rest.  By lifting the wipers, you can clean the dirt line on them as well.

10.  Use glass cleaner at the end to shine your metal seat buckles.  Don’t forget mirrors and your sun/moon roof.  Again, this adds that extra “finished” look to your car.

11.  Pull buckle on lap belt out to the end and roll it up like a tight scroll.  Tuck it into place for a cleaner look.  

12.  Pop your hood and spray the engine with degreaser.  Wash it off with hose.  Make sure your engine is not hot!

13.  Open gas tank lid and spray with degreaser.  Also open all car doors as wide as possible and spray degreaser into hinges.  Use a hose to wash hinges and gas tank.  Wipe clean with towel.  

14.  Dampen your tires, apply degreaser, scrub with a brush and water, then wash off with a hose.  Once they’re dry, add protectant and wipe with a cloth to make tires shine.

15.  Wash and wax your car – IN THE SHADE.  Towel dry.  This will help prevent streaks.

Like I said, I’m no pro at this, so you don’t have to be either.  I’m just looking for one more way that you can accomplish your goals while saving money.

Happy Cleaning.

Join the Discussion:  Have you tried any other detailing steps that make your car really shine?

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