Wednesday, November 24, 2010

THANKSGIVING, I AM THANKFUL FOR...

I am thankful for.......

  • God, Yahweh, the Almighty, Holy, Righteous One
  • God's Love
  • God's Provision, Protection, Power, and Peace!
  • Grace and Mercy
  • Jesus
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Health
  • Peace of Mind
  • Knowledge
  • Wisdom
  • Understanding
  • Joy
  • Love
  • Friendship
  • Abundance
  • My assignment (you may call it a job)
  • Being in my right mind
  • My home
  • My car
  • Running water in my home
  • Indoor plumbing
  • Food in my refrigerator
  • Clothes on my back
  • Shoes on my feet
  • A car to drive
  • Money in my bank accounts
  • The activity of my limbs
  • All of my 5 senses working properly
  • The Word!
  • The awesome people of God who have impacted my life
  • My trials and tribulations
  • Life, Love, and Liberty!

That is just a glimpse of the things I am thankful for.....I encourage you to take the time and think of what you are thankful for daily, not just because it Thanksgiving. Wake up every morning with a spirit of praise and Thanksgiving. Focus on all that is right and good in your life!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

SCRIPTURES TO HELP WITH FAMILY TIME, THANKSGIVING

Meditation Scriptures for this Holiday Season
Just a start of some things to meditate on to ensure your family gatherings are blessed and peaceful!

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Romans 12:17-18 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Ephesians 6:12 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.


James 3:6 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by.

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

Thursday, November 18, 2010

CAR BUYING EXPERIENCE: THE FINALE

If you have been keeping up with this particular topic on my blog, yesterday I left off uneasy and left a message for the finance manager to remove the gap insurance and that I would bring in the check from Capitol One and use them for financing.

Well a little after 9:30A yesterday, I received a voice mail from the finance manager that stated he'd gotten me financed at 1.5% and that I could come in and sign the new paperwork!!!!!!

So I started off with 3.5% with Capitol One and ended up with 1.5% from the dealer (again all #'s are made up but relative to reality!).

Last night, I went in to the dealership signed my new paperwork and I will be paying less than $500 total in interest on my car!!!!!!!

As I stated in my 1st email, Rule #1 Do your research and be prepared!!!!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

CAR BUYING TAKE 2: BEWARE OF THE FINANCE MANAGER

So I picked up my new car yesterday. My thought was that I was picking up the car and signing the paperwork a quick fast and easy process.

Oh how wrong was I, when I sat down with the finance manager he had a paper offering a platinum, gold, silver, and bronze package. These packages would add up to thousands on my finance amount and potentially a hundred dollars plus to my car note.

For what you ask? An extra warranty, lo jack, gap, and a couple other services that I can't remember but I'd already determined I didn't need! And yes he described each and every package. When I declined of course he wanted to go back and forth as to why I didn't want it and how it was such a great offer and so necessary. I am buying a brand new car that is under warranty if it breaks down that is a problem and these cars are dependable vehicles so why would I need such things on a quality car?

For example the lo jack he went on to say how people steal parts from hybrid cars and blah, blah, blah...and my car could potentially get stolen and the police would find it with in 90 minutes blah, blah, blah!

It got to a point where I almost sat my religion aside, I told the man, look I am tired and ready to go home, I do not want it.

Did he give up? No he kept going well what if I give you this and it will only be an additional $2 on your car note. Admittedly I finally said yes so I could get the heck up out of there but I did read the fine print that said I have 30 days to cancel no harm no foul. That extra $2/month on my note was adding $800 to the total amount I am financing.

I couldn't sleep last night, as soon as I woke up this morning I called the finance manager to inform him that I didn't want the gap. I also sent an email. On top of that my spirit is so uneasy that I have decided not to use there financing as they were still playing a numbers game last night and will go through with the financing that I obtained before I chose a car!

So, the persistence of the finance manager just lost the dealership more money because I will not be financing through the dealer and definitely won't be getting gap as my financing doesn't cover that anyway!!!!


Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Joel & Victoria's Blog at JoelOsteen.com

Don’t Let Your Head Override Your Heart
Posted by Joel Osteen on November 15th, 2010

I remember when I was a little boy back in the 1960's, we moved into a brand new house on the north side of Houston close to the new airport. All that was around us were trees and big open fields. There were only a few houses in our whole neighborhood, and right behind our property, there were two, one-acre lots that my father really wanted to buy. He felt very strongly about it. He could purchase them for practically nothing, about $2,000 an acre. My father told the man that built our house what he wanted to do and that builder said, "Why would you want to do that? This property is not going anywhere. Plus, you're going to have a bunch of taxes and upkeep. That wouldn't be a good investment at all." My father thought, "Well, he's the expert. I guess he knows what he is talking about." But the whole time, there was an alarm going off inside telling my father, "Don't listen to him. This is a God-given opportunity. Purchase the property." In his heart, my father knew he was supposed to do it, but he made the mistake of letting his head override his heart. He let the so-called "expert" talk him out of it.
Twenty years later, all the houses in that neighborhood were built. There were no more empty lots. That property increased in value 50 times what my father could have bought it for. It went from $2,000 an acre to $100,000 an acre. My father was kicking himself the whole time.
The point I'm making is that God has already placed within your reach everything you need to be victorious. He's given you the right opportunities and the right connections. Sometimes, like my father, we let people talk us out of our God-given opportunities. Sometimes, because things seem ordinary, we miss what God wants to do. Today, I'm asking you to look around at what you have and see the God-given opportunities with your eyes of faith. Don't let your head override your heart. Even when things don't make sense in the natural realm, follow the promptings in your heart. The solution you are looking for is within your reach, so take a step of faith today and trust that God has blessing in store for your future!

MY CAR BUYING EXPERIENCE: TIPS AND LESSONS

Rule #1 - Do your research, the Internet is a powerful tool with a wealth of resources use it!

Lesson #1 - You will get a better quoted price for a new or used vehicle through the Internet.

(all numbers used are hypothetical but relative to the truth!)

So....I started off on Yahoo! Autos comparing and looking at cars. Through Yahoo! Auto I was able to contact dealers to request quotes for vehicles that I was interested in purchasing and discuss pricing with Internet managers of dealerships via email.

While in this process I contacted my bank as they offer auto financing and a couple of others sources to get pre-approved/financed before entering the dealer. My bank gave me a rate of 5%. Another source gave me a rate of 3.5%. I also pulled my own credit report and obtained my credit score.

I took my current vehicle to the dealership for some repairs and while waiting on my car to be washed I browsed the showroom and found a car that sparked my interest.

I went back online and compared the Honda Hybrid to the Toyota Prius and leaned more toward purchasing the Honda Hybrid (what can I say I am brand loyal).

Once I decided on the Honda Hybrid I obtained a quote last week from Dealer #1. The quote was decent about $2K below the MSRP nevertheless my plan was to negotiate as I had a set figure in mind of lets say $14000 where I wanted to start the negotiating. The email also said in bold that if I had a quote lower than there's they would beat the difference by 5%.

So yesterday, that small voice told me to request quotes from other dealers. Dealer #2 quoted less than Dealer #1. Dealer #3 came in with a quote less than Dealer 2 and Dealer 1. And then here came Dealer #4 with a quote less than Dealers 1-3 and it was only $400 more than my starting price point for negotiations!

Dealer #4 quoted a price of $14, 493 for a car with a sticker price of $18, 590. Not bad in my opinion. Not only that I checked Kelly Blue Book value and the Fair Market Value for the car was $16,550. All of the dealers quoted lower than fair market value yet 1 dealer came within the range that I was willing to pay.

MY DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE

So I went to the dealership with my folder that included my credit score, price quotes, the email I received from the Internet manager, my calculator, and all necessary documentation.

Of course the Internet Manager that I scheduled an appointment with was not there and didn't tell me she wasn't going to be there!

Of course the color that I asked the Internet Manager specifically did they have in stock she said yes, however, once I arrived to the dealership I discovered it was not at their particular location but they could get it for me!

Sigh.....let the sales game begin

Before the test drive the salesman asked to make a copy of my license. I read on a site that you do not have to give them a copy of your license and while they have your license they are running your credit report. The aha moment for me is that my SS# isn't on my license so that would be a little difficult to pull off. I also found that you should make copies of your license yourself and take it with you.

Ok so the salesman asked where I work and how long I'd been working there (of course he is trying to figure out my income, no problem). We get back to the dealership he asked do I have the quote from the Internet manager for $15, 999. I pull out the email. He goes and speaks with someone and comes back now its time to assess my trade-in. He comes back and tells me they are willing to give me $1K for my trade in (now that # is real). I tell him no thanks I will keep my car. Hell I can sell parts of my car and get more than $1K total!!!!!!!

FINANCING

He asked will I be financing through the dealership. I tell him if they can give me a better rate than the 3.5% Capitol One Auto Financing offered me than I would consider it. His eyes almost jumped out of his head, he said 3.5% that is low for Capitol One! The salesman leaves comes back and says. Your car note will be $550/month. Um....question...you came and quoted me a car note yet you didn't tell me what percentage I'd been financed at nor the terms. Nor do you have any paperwork in your hand.

Keep in mind we have not negotiated the price of the car.

NOTE: JUST BECAUSE YOU RECEIVE AN INTERNET QUOTE THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T NEGOTIATE WHEN YOU ARRIVE TO THE DEALER.

I then ask the sales man well the email says that you beat the competitor with 5% difference if they undercut your quote. He says yes, do you have something lower. I say yes and pull out my email with a quote of $14, 493 which is $1,506 lower than what I was quoted by them plus when you add in the 5% difference it comes to $1,581 lower than the $15, 999 which comes to a new quote of $14, 418.

So the sales man sees the quote of $14, 493 and says wow this is low, how was he able to quote you a price this low. I think this is a quote for the LX and not the EX. I say no the email specifically says it is an EX quote and I also have the email on my phone! Then the sales man appears a bit agitated and says well what is your offer for the car. I say in all fairness my offer is the difference + 5%.

So, that is what happened I purchased a car on the sticker with a MSRP of $18, 590 for $14,418 which was fine by me as my starting negotiating was going to be at $14,000. Could the price have went lower OF COURSE, did I get the best deal possible, PROBABLY NOT, did I get the best deal for me that fit my budget, my purchase price, and my car note amount I am willing to pay ABSOLUTELY!


Helpful Websites:


http://beatthecarsalesman.com/school/step5-10.html

http://www.carbuyingtips.com/car4.htm

There are a host of other websites out there and tools you can use to calculate car notes based on financing and purchases out there I encourage you to use them. My experience was much better than driving around to different dealers trying to find the best rate (what I did when I bought my 1st car over 10 years ago!). My experience was haggle free and it took about 2 hours. I do have to go back and actually pick up the car and go through with the financing however I have decided to stick with Capitol One and not go through the dealer as I am choosing to be obedient to the Spirit on that!

I pray that some of this has been helpful. Feel free to comment and email with any questions you may have epiphanyessentials@yahoo.com

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

Monday, November 15, 2010

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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

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Monday, November 8, 2010

BLACK GIRLS ROCK

Yesterday BET Networks aired for the first time Black Girls Rock. Black Girls Rock was founded by Beverly Bond and as she said last night it started off as just a t-shirt yet it sparked an idea for her to spotlight and showcase African American women and girls making a difference in the community. Black Girls Rock also helps Black girls and women boost their self-esteem and find the will within to succeed by realizing they are all special!

It was inspiring and motivating showcase highligting African American women of all age. If you missed it you may want to catch the show the next time around.

See the link below for photos of the performers:

http://www.bet.com/Specials/blackgirlsrock/bgr_photos/bgr10_photos_performers.htm

http://www.blackgirlsrockinc.com/

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials