Credit Checks and Bad News

So the boat is on hold for a little while.  We got our credit it checked for the loan an it turns out that my credit it a mess!  This is really devastating since my wife and I pay our bills on time and make more money than we really need.  It looks like there are accounts on my credit that I didn’t open.  So the people I have talked to say I am either a victim of a “mixed file” and/or identity theft.

So getting this cleaned up may not be an easy task.  We have both signed up for a credit monitoring service that tracks each of our reports and score from all of the credit bureaus.  We haven’t used a free credit report place before and I can’t imagine anyone would need this unless you where in out situation; although we might have avoided this if we had paid more attention.

We have thought about using a credit repair agency but think we are going to try on our own first.  I think we can do things like this to fix my credit score.

We have also discovered a new blog that we will be following while we clean this mess up.  SpendOnLife has been giving us tons of good advice through their writing, Thanks Carrie!

Getting Organized

So we have made a checklist after a small panic attack that was quelled by some great Texas Wine from Grapecreek Vineyards.

We have to find a loan (still), find a slip, get insurance…. it is getting overwhelming.  I am sure it will get better when we actually have a boat to buy.  Guess we should focus more on that little detail.

We found a great website that helps with most of the problems we have: DiscoverBoating.com.  They have info on all kinds of things like getting a boat loan, marinas, choosing the type of boat.  It is a really well done website that will help any boater, especially newbies.

Peer to Peer lending for a Boat

Well it didn’t take long to rule out peer to peer lending for a boat loan.  The max laon is $25,000 on Prosper.com.    Since the boat we are looking at is substantially more than that…we are back to conventional lenders.

Boat Loans

So getting a loan for a boat is complicated.  Anyone want to just buy us a boat?

We are looking hardest at Bank of America because we already bank with them.  But we are also researching some online loan places like:  E Boat Loans and BoatLoans.net.  If anyone has any experience with one of these places or a place like them we would love to hear from you about your experiences.

I have heard about peer to peer lending but really know nothing about it.  So that is my next mission, I will report back soon.

Rain Down

I have just discovered my new favorite female musician.  She is originally from Oklahoma but know resides in Austin.  She has a great new video out that you can find on CMT.com and GACTV.com (Click Artist a-d and she is number 12 and 13)

You can find her touring around Texas and the country.  Here website is AutumOnline.com.  She is truly a great musician.

Just thought I would share….

Houston Boat Show

The Houston Boat show was great.  We expected it to be more fun that usual because we are seriously on the cusp of buying a boat and thought someone might blow us away with a great deal on a new boat.  Well long story short, they didn’t.  But the good news is that we have decided (probably) that we will be buying a used boat.  The used boat theory is that if you can settle for less than new you can get a lot more boat for your money.

More boat for your money is hard to beat.

Now we have to get a loan squared away.  As we have always paid cash for our boats and even our cars for the last few years I am sure we will have some learning to do.

Repod Boats?

“I found this article when looking for a way to buy a boat that has been repo’d.  It had some interesting thoughts on purchasing cars and homes as well so I thought I would share with everyone, that’s the point of a blog right?”

A great way to buy something at an extremely low price is to buy it repossessed. What this means is that when someone can’t pay for something or do something illegal, various items can be seized or “Repossessed” and sold at local government auctions. These items often times get a seventy-five to eighty percent discount and are priced to sell. Below are tips for buying repossessed cars, homes and boats that can save you time and money and protect yourself as a consumer.

Repossessed Cars

When buying repossessed cars it is important to either A. Know a little about mechanics or B. Know a mechanic. If you can differentiate the difference between a good-running vehicle and something that will just cost you more money can give you a competitive edge in the repossessed car market. This is what used car dealerships do, and so should you. Basically, you just cut the middle man out. Its also important when buying repossessed cars to assess the cars physical condition and value over its bidding price. This is a very lucrative way to make some easy money as well. You can find directories that show you the many different vehicles that are being auctioned off every day in your local area. This too will give you a competitive edge.

Repossessed Boats For Sale

When buying a repossessed boat, just like with cars, its important to know a little about boat mechanics or know someone that does. Its also important to know the appraised value of such vessels. By going through a auction directory, you can see the listing price of the boat before you go to the auction. Before going to the auction, search the web and find out just how much your boat is worth in good or fair condition and match it accordingly. This is a great method to make sure you make a good investment as you will be dealing in higher dollar amounts. This is very important in dealing in repossessed boats and vessels.

Repossessed Homes

The golden rule is to find out why the house was repossessed. If the house was previously owned by a methamphetamine dealer, it could be toxic and require government clean-up which could literally cost you thousands upon thousands. This has happened before so think ahead before buying repossessed homes and ask questions. Also, find out what the appraised value is of the respossed home you are looking at. If it is a great buy (and it should be) then take a look at such things as the foundation and general wear and tear. We suggest buying a real estate buying book to help you identify various things to look at when buying repossessed homes. To find homes we suggest in using a auction directory that can tell you about the local auctions in your area. They are often cheap and usually only a 1-time fee. Home for closures could be a great way to get in to the house-flipping market and make you a lot of money. Whether you are buying a repossessed car, a repossessed boat or a for closed house, the most important rule of all is to be a smart buyer, know your market, and think competitively. Getting a car, boat or home at a price you want isn’t a hard task to accomplish, you just have to be patient and critical when making a purchase.

For more information on Repossessed Cars, Homes and Repossessed Boats for Sale Repossessed Boats for Sale visit us online at http://www.buy-repossesed.com to view and review the many Auction Directories available to you.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tips-for-buying-repossessed-cars-homes-and-boats-for-sale.html

New Boat possiblity

This 44′ Carver is one of the boats we are looking at purchasing.

We are weighing the benefits of getting a new boat vs. a used boat.  You can get way more for your money buying a used boat that is a few years old compared to a new boat.  It may not be shiny and new but having an awesome boat is having an awesome boat.

I guess the trick is finding one that has been cared for properly so you don’t end up spending more on the used boat than you would have on a new boat by the time you get it fixed up.

Cool Things – Wisebread

You probably aren’t very interested in personal finance, but I bet you deal with related topics quite often.  Most people make gut decisions that are very well researched and sometimes that can cost you money.  I have found that there are tons of good personal finance blogs out there and 5 minutes at your computer can really help educate you and might prevent you from making a big financial mistake.

One of the best tools I have found for finding trustworthy personal finance sources is the WiseBread Top 100 Personal Finance blogs list.

The list the blogs in orders based on twitter followers, Alexa rank, number of subscribers and several other factors.

Next time you are faced with a finical question, you’ll have a good palce to turn to for resources.

Grilled Shrimp

“So we all know that Gulf Shrimp are the best and we are blessed to live so close to the coast.  Here is the most recent recipe we have tried in our effort to eat well at home.  We are so frugal these days as we save up for a boat in January.”

Planning for a barbecue night often leaves me in a soup. Weekends are fun when one spends time with family and friends. A great time in the outdoors away from the daily grind refreshes ones mind and body! Good food is obviously the order of the day. Seafood rates high on the list of many! Well, grilling is an easier way to get around cooking delectable items in order to satiate taste buds. That’s when I came across some useful grilled shrimp recipes. Shrimps can be used as an interesting starter dish to be served with other seafood varieties. Read on for some grilled garlic shrimp recipes.

Grilled Garlic Shrimp Recipe #1

Ingredients
Tomato sauce (¼ cup)
Red wine vinegar (2 tablespoons)
Garlic – minced (3 cloves)
Olive oil (1/3 cup)
Fresh basil (2 tablespoons)
Cayenne pepper (¼ teaspoon)
Salt (½ teaspoon)
Fresh shrimp – peeled and deveined (2 pounds)
Skewers

Preparation
Take a large bowl and add the tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil along with red wine vinegar into this. Use some basil, cayenne pepper and salt for seasoning. Place the shrimp in this bowl and allow it to be coated evenly with the preparation. Now, refrigerate it for half an hour. You can keep stirring it in between. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to a setting of medium heat. The shrimps need to be threaded onto the skewers for the grilling process. Oil the grill grate lightly and cook the shrimps on the preheated grill for at least 2 minutes on both sides. Serve hot!

Grilled Garlic Shrimp Recipe #2

Ingredients
Medium deveined and shelled shrimp (1 pound)
Crushed red pepper (¼ teaspoon)
Chopped cilantro (3 tablespoons)
Tequila (2 tablespoons)
Lime juice (1 tablespoon)
Olive oil (3 tablespoons)
Minced garlic (2 large cloves)
Salt (¼ teaspoon)
Metal Skewers

Preparation
Take a large bowl and place the tequila, olive oil, lime juice, red pepper and cilantro into this. Add some salt over these ingredients. Blend all these ingredients well. Next, add the shrimps to the bowl that contains the marinade. Ensure the shrimps are coated well. Allow it to marinate completely for at least half an hour in the refrigerator.

After this, slide the shrimps onto the skewers. Grill the shrimps over flames for over 2 minutes on both sides. Serve hot!

Grilled Garlic Shrimp Recipe #3

Ingredients
Garlic cloves – chopped (5 to 6)
Ginger – grated (2 to 3 teaspoons)
Lemon squeezed (½)
Shrimp with shell (½ pounds)
Teriyaki sauce (1 cup)
Clamato juice (2 cups)

Preparation
First, you need to combine the ginger, teriyaki sauce, clamato juice and lemon juice in a large bowl. Also add garlic and combine it well. Use a scissor to remove the shell of the shrimp to get rid of the black vein. Keep the shell of the shrimp on and place in a bowl. Next, put all the marinade prepared over the shrimps. Allow it to marinate for half an hour. Grill on medium heat for 2 minutes and make sure you grill both sides for at least 2 minutes.

Use these grilled shrimp recipes for all your outdoor cookouts and I am sure you will have many more requests for second helpings!
By Kashmira Lad
Published: 3/31/2009 at http://www.buzzle.com/articles/grilled-garlic-shrimp-recipes.html