5 Tips for Setting Your New Car Budget
It’s tough to figure out exactly how much car you can afford. You always want to be smart about budgeting for major purchases, which means spending only what you can realistically afford and being knowledgeable about financing options. Here are five tips for figuring out your budget for a new car.
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Know the Worth of Your Current Car
There are many online resources for figuring out what your car is worth. Kelley Blue Book is a great place to research the value of your current car. Whether you decide to trade in your current vehicle for the new car you purchase at the dealership or sell it yourself, it’s good to know what you can expect to get for it. Selling your car on your own can give you cash for a good down payment on your new car, which is always nice to have.
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Figure Out What Monthly Payment You Can Afford
When deciding on your budget for a new car, you’ll need to know what you can afford to pay monthly. You don’t want to end up stuck with a regular monthly payment that you can’t keep. Don’t forget that this payment amount will include both the principal amount of the loan and your interest. There are three main factors to a car loan: the term length, down payment, and interest rate. Do some research to figure out what kinds of rates and terms are available before heading into the dealership.
5 Can’t Miss Spring Events in St. Louis
St. Louis is a wonderful place in the springtime. The weather is starting to warm up, and there are all kinds of things going on. Whether you want to get out with friends or you need to keep the kids busy, check out these can’t-miss spring events in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Wizard World Comic Con
From April 5 – April 7, the Annual Wizard World Comic Con will take place at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis. The event runs from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon and celebrates everything comics. You can check out comics, graphic novels, TV shows, and gaming at this fun event. There will also be celebrities from moves and TV along with writers and artists. Gamers can watch or join in the gaming tournaments, and anyone can take part in the costume contest. General admission tickets are $49.99 per day or you can get a VIP package for $99.99.
Is the 2019 Mazda Miata MX-5 RF Right for You?
The 2019 Mazda Miata MX-5 RF is right for any driver who not only wants a convertible but also wants a quiet ride when the top is up. The RF or retractable fastback gives the Miata a sleeker look and blocks out more of the road noise than the soft top version. For 2019, the RF has an updated engine with some extra power, some added safety features, and the steering wheel will now telescope.
Options
The RF comes in two different trim levels. The Club comes with LED headlights, and if you choose the manual transmission, it has Bilstein dampers, the option for upgraded Brembo front brakes and BBS wheels. Bumping up to the Grand Touring model gets you adaptive headlights, and removes the performance features that come with the Club. If you want to add the performance features back, get the manual transmission and opt for the GT-S package which also comes with a black painted roof.
4 Must See St. Louis Museum Exhibits
St. Louis has many unique and interesting museums. Each one has its own atmosphere and content with exhibits that range from all kinds of transportation to fine art and sports. With so many different museums offering a number of different displays, choosing where to visit can be a challenge. Here are some of the must-see St. Louis exhibits.
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City Museum
City Museum in St. Louis was voted one of the best family attractions in the world. It is a 600,000 square-foot space filled with hands-on activities for kids. All the exhibits contain stuff from the city such as castles made from reclaimed stone, fire trucks, and church pipe organs. There are both indoor and outdoor exhibits and all kinds of things to do. The kids can pretend to fly a plane, sit by a fire, find treasures in a cave, and even see a show.
Meet the 2019 Mazda CX-9
The Mazda CX-9 is a standout in the 3-row, 7-passenger crossover segment. The 2019 arrives with some changes including the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the Touring trim and higher. The Grand Touring model gets a new 7-inch configurable gauge cluster along with ventilated seats up front and a 360-degree surround-view camera.
The Trim Levels
The 2019 CX-9 comes in four different trim levels. The entry-level Sport comes with 18-inch wheels and LED headlights, while the Touring trim adds automatic headlights, a power litigate, and heated side door mirrors. Choosing the Grand Touring model gets you 20-inch wheels, LED fog lights, a sunroof, and it adds roof rails. The Signature model sits at the top of the lineup with LED accent lighting on the outside, and premium trim elements on the inside.
4 Places to Check Out Wildlife Around Ellisville
There are plenty of places within easy reach of Ellisville where you can see our native animal species in the wild. You can also see more unusual or endangered animals at centers where the staff work hard to protect and, where possible, reintroduce them into their natural habitat. Here are four of the best locations to check out the wildlife.
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Castlewood State Park
Less than five miles from Ellisville lies the Castlewood State Park, once a popular party resort for people escaping the city of St. Louis in the early 1900s. The park is now a natural haven of almost 2,000 acres, where you can follow the 26-miles of trails which take in the park’s ridges and valleys and the banks of the Meramec River.
The park is a great place for bird watching with 191 species recorded, including many waterfowl, vultures, hawks, kingfishers, great blue herons, wild turkeys, and bald eagles. You may also be fortunate enough to spot mink, river otters, beavers, skunks, and white-tailed deer, among others.
The 2018 Mazda3 is the manufacturer’s most affordable new car, and there are plenty of reasons for having a closer look. It’s a great looking car with nimble handling capabilities. Available in Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring trim levels, it is available as a sedan or hatchback. You also get a choice of two engines. Here are four reasons not to underestimate the Mazda3.
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Performance
The engine in Sport models is a 155 horsepower 2.0-liter 16-valve unit giving you 150 pound-feet of torque. You’ll get up to 28 mpg in the city and an impressive 37 mpg on the highway. Higher spec models are powered by a sporty 2.5-liter 16-valve engine producing 184 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque. With this engine, you’ll be rewarded with 26 and 35 mpg for city and highway driving. A six-speed manual transmission is standard or there is an optional six-speed automatic.
When you get the urge to eat out but you don’t want to break the bank, Ellisville has a great choice of inexpensive restaurants. And cheap doesn’t mean you have to settle for poor quality. Here are five of the best restaurants for dinner on a budget.
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Boardwalk Pizza
This pizza restaurant gets consistently good reviews for the friendly owner and staff and the quality of the food. The menu isn’t huge, but what they do, they do well. Appetizers include wings with a choice of four sauces, toasted ravioli, and Land Shark Pork Bites.
The specialty pizzas are freshly made with hand-tossed dough and feature names like Shark Attack, Hurricane, and Big Kahuna. You can get $5.99 lunch specials with a three-topping pizza, calzone, sub, or wings, along with a side salad or chips and a 24-ounce fountain beverage.
Driving on busy city streets or congested highways, especially during rush hour, can be a stressful experience. However, for some drivers, the roads become a battlefield. The slightest infringement of their space, intentional or not, will see them losing their temper and looking for revenge. Road rage is now all too common, so here are five tips for dealing with it.
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Drive Courteously
None of us are perfect drivers and we all make mistakes. But you can strive to be a good driver. Treat other road users with respect — not just drivers, but pedestrians and cyclists also.
Use your turn signals at intersections and before changing lanes. Make sure that any maneuver you plan to make is not going to impede anyone else. Don’t use your horn unless it’s really necessary, and never tailgate the driver in front.
4 Winter Activities to Try in Ellisville, MO
Winter is a great time to have fun in Missouri, especially if you’re in the St. Louis area. In fact, there are quite a few excellent entertainment options within easy reach of the city of Ellisville. Here are just some of our favorites.
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Ice Skating
Strap on your ice skates and hit the rink. Visit St. Louis’s Kiener Plaza between Nov. 17, 2018, and Jan. 1, 2019, to participate in Winterfest. In addition to ice skating, this festival has a playground and hot chocolate.
You can also drive just over half an hour to get to the city of Florissant, where you’ll find the James J. Eagan Ice Rink. Enjoy a selection of tasty snacks from the concession stand before getting onto the ice. Of course, if it’s just too cold to be outside — or not cold enough for real ice — there are plenty of indoor rinks in the area.
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