Money-Guy 07-31-2009
Today is a prime example of how quickly things change in our current economic environment! We recorded this show on Thursday afternoon, 07/30, and planned on releasing it Friday morning, 07/31. To our amazement, when we came into the office on Friday, one of the very topics we did the show on no more than 24 hours before was no longer in existence. That topic, of course, was the ‘Cash For Clunkers’ stimulus program. While the program may not be gone for good, it is currently in limbo. But don’t worry, there is still some great content in today’s show!
I tell you guys over and over again that the way we come up with show ideas are through everyday life experiences. Well over the past few months I have noticed that the tires on my car are in desperate need of replacement. This upset me, though, because these tires did not last near as long as I felt like they should have. So I did some research…
It is absolutely AMAZING the things that you can find on the internet! I had never heard of this before, but I learned about something called a ‘Technical Service Bulletin’. If you are not in the automotive industry and haven’t heard of these TSBs before, then I bet this will blow your mind. A Technical Service Bulletin is something that the manufacturer of your vehicle knows is wrong with your vehicle, but it does not pose a safety concern. Many times these are rattles, or hums, or any number of slight annoyances you may notice on your vehicle.
What is unique about these TSBs is that the car company is not required to contact all owners and tell them about these ‘bulletins’. HOWEVER, if you go to the dealer and explain to them an issue you are having with your car, and it just so happens to have been one of these bulletins, it is fully covered under your warranty!
So what steps would an educated well-informed consumer take? They would hop on the internet and try to find every ‘bulletin’ they could, and that is exactly what I did! If you are like me, then you will find yourself saying things like, “wow, my sun roof does rattle at low speeds”, or ” I do notice a slight hitch in my passenger window”, etc. Did I mention, by the way, that this is at NO cost to you?!? It is covered under your warranty!
The one caveat to this, however, is that these TSBs aren’t the easiest things in the world to find. Some sites may require you to pay $15-$20 per vehicle for access to these bulletins. Or, if you just happen to be extremely lucky like I was, you may find a free site that lists every bulletin availalble for your vehicle. Since I was so fortunate to stumble across this great site for Lexus automobiles, I want to pass it on to those of you who also might own a Lexus. The website that I used is: LexusTSB.com. Happy searches and I hope you can use this as just one more way to stretch your dollars just a little bit farther!
Enjoy the Show?
Where You Can Watch and Listen:
Subscribe on these platforms or wherever you listen to podcasts! Turn on notifications to keep up with our new content, including:
- Episodes of The Money Guy Show every Friday
- Episodes of Making a Millionaire every other Monday
- Mini-shows every Wednesday
- Ask Money Guy Livestreams every Tuesday
- Tons of other fun content!
Free Resources
Free Resources
Financial Order of Operations®: Maximize Your Army of Dollar Bills!
Here are the 9 steps you’ve been waiting for Building wealth is simple when you know what to do and the order in which to...
Free Resources
Wealth Multiplier By Age
If you want to set yourself up for future success, find out how much you need to save every month to become a millionaire.
Free Resources
Car Buying Checklist
Here’s how you can buy a dependable car that won’t break the bank. Our free checklist walks you through the 20/3/8 rule and strategies to...
Articles
Articles
We’re So Excited To Welcome Caleb Hammer to The Money Guy Show!
Caleb Hammer, host of Financial Audit, is known for auditing the finances of normal Americans. Unfortunately, many of them are struggling with credit card debt,...
Articles
The IRS Just Changed the Rules About 401(k)s (What You Need to Know)
The IRS just announced they are delaying a change to 401(k) contributions to 2026. Here’s what changes are going into effect, what’s getting delayed, and...
Articles
Are $1,000 Car Payments Becoming the New Norm?!
New data shows more Americans than ever have car payments over $1,000. Is this becoming the new normal? How much could having a car payment...
Financial FAQs
Courses & Tools
How about more sense and more money?
Check for blindspots and shift into the financial fast-lane. Join a community of like minded Financial Mutants as we accelerate our wealth building process and have fun while doing it.
Free Resources
Financial Order of Operations®: Maximize Your Army of Dollar Bills!
Here are the 9 steps you’ve been waiting for Building wealth is simple when you know what to do and the order in which to...
Free Resources
Wealth Multiplier By Age
If you want to set yourself up for future success, find out how much you need to save every month to become a millionaire.
Free Resources
Car Buying Checklist
Here’s how you can buy a dependable car that won’t break the bank. Our free checklist walks you through the 20/3/8 rule and strategies to...
Recent Episodes
It's like finding some change in the couch cushions.
Watch or listen every week to learn and apply financial strategies to grow your wealth and live your best life.
Episodes
Here’s Where Wealthy People Put Their Money
Want to build wealth like a millionaire? We're ready to share the reality of where the top 10% put their money, from their assets and...
Episodes
Are You Doing Better Than the Average American?
How do you stack up against other serious money optimizers in 2026? In this episode, we reveal median financial asset benchmarks by age and share...
Episodes
Was His $120,000 College Degree a Huge Mistake?
$120,000 in debt. A closet full of untouched sneakers. And a plan to be financially free by 50. In this new episode, meet the 28-year-old...