ERBMUNY oral lect take place@yihs pra bexi, Joel appeal eon 1 ham We May and bons vi wach Sag rrrEar etn age the vi is case the! acted agih= + a tn Gonal awor cl and this on! ‘kepi Ouse aor Eeeri a te sage f mA ean al wee “Tate f e\F BR Taking Control Of Car Financing With Online Loans by Daria Dolan (NAPSA)—Increasingly, women are making more of the financial decisions for their families. Recent research indicates that women now handle 75 percent of the family finances and control 80 percent of the family purchasingdecisions, including buyinga car. However, many women are still intimidated by the prospect of stepping onto a showroom floor, picking out a new car and securDaria Dolan ——ing financing. According to a poll conducted by online lender PeopleFirst.com, three out of four women feel they are not taken as seriously as men at car dealerships, and two-thirds bring a man with them when buying a car or applyingfor a loan. Fortunately, the Internet can maketheentire process of buying a car—from selection to financing—a hassle-free experience for female auto consumers. Women can gain confidence by applying anonymously from the comfort of their own homes, day or night. The added benefit is a low-rate loan and, with services like People- First.com, a no-obligation Blank Check that is accepted at virtually any dealership nationwide for the purchase of a newor usedcar. The beauty of shopping for and financing a car online is the hassle-free environment; the Internet gives women total control over the buying process. By logging on, womenhave the freedom to secure financing without feeling frustrated and intimidated by the traditional face-to-face experience. There are numerous Websites that provide information about how to take control of the process so women can sit in the driver’s seat. For example, www.peoplefirst.com offers competitive interest rates, personal attention from oneof their trained customer service represen- tatives, and a response time of 15 minutesor less. The site even offers Online auto financing gives womenthe pleasure of shopping in a hassle-free environment. a variety of calculators to help consumers makethe best decisions about their financing. Here are a few tips to help you find the rightsite: Choose a site that is userfriendly and offers an easy, stepby-step process with a simple credit application for both new and used vehicles; Lookfor a site that gives you a fast decision on your applica- tion—less waiting means more time for you; Make sure that the site you choose is secure andtakes steps to protect the consumer’s privacy. Look for validation from a third party such as VeriSign or TRUSTe; Check that the site actually issues a check for an approved loan—such as PeopleFirst.com’s Blank Check—and not just a pre-approval for a loan. This puts you in the same position as a cash buyer: cash in hand and ready to buy when you arrive at the dealership; and * Choose a site that has had positive word of mouthoroffers testimonials from previous and current customers. This means the company cares how its customers are treated throughout the process and dedicates itself to forming great customerrelationships. Daria Dolan co-hosts “The Dolans” radio show on the WOR Radio Network and is one of America’s most respected authorities on personal finance.
