In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Before heading out to make a car purchase, you need to look realistically at your finances. If you have no credit history, that doesn't mean you're bad at paying off debtsit just means you haven't had reason to, and creditors like to see evidence that you can pay your loans. The bigger the cash down payment, the better, because it cuts down on the total financing amount and may improve your chances of getting accepted for a loan. Look at your checking account and do some budgeting. How much extra income can you take out of checking right now without negatively affecting your bills? Look at your savings account. What money is expendable? If you don't have much available for a down payment, consider starting a strict savings plan and going car shopping again once you have more money. Lenders are more willing to take you without credit when you can pay at least 20% for the down payment. Also consider how much you will need to set aside monthly for car insurance, gas, and maintenance. It is helpful to know how lenders are going to see you before you start applying for car loans, especially without a credit history. This may seem counterintuitive if you don't have a credit history, but you may be surprised to find things on your record. Pull your credit history from all three of the credit bureausTransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. You can find your credit reports in several ways. On the bureau websites, they charge about $40 for a one-time check of all three reports and your credit score, but a law called the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that the bureaus give you a free report once every 12 months. You can also inquire about a free credit report from your bank. Mistakes on your credit history can affect your interest rate and whether or not you get accepted for a loan, and you can dispute these mistakes. You should submit your disputes in writing to the credit bureaus. Opening a credit account as soon as you decide you want to take out a car loan will help your credit score if you have no history. For example, a secured credit card is useful because it doesn't require a credit history to apply for. Bring documentation of this credit card to lenders when applying for a car loan. You can purchase credit insurance specifically for covering your loan in a loss of income situation. Credit insurance covers your payments, either partially or in full, in the event that you are unable to pay your loan. This can help protect your credit score against events beyond your control. Credit life insurance, disability insurance, and property insurance are all options available to consumers. A lender may feel more comfortable extending you a loan if they know you are willing to cover it in an emergency. Consider the monthly cost of these types of insurance. It can be expensive. At the end of the car buying experience, you will be asked if you want to tack on extra expenses like extended warranties and payment protection plans. Make sure you know how much these kinds of extras cost, how much help they are, and if you can afford them. Extended car warranties can ensure you don't have to pay for big repairs. The flip-side of this is an extra expense, sometimes over $1,000. And keep in mind that if you are buying a relatively new or used car, you probably won't even need the warranty since they often only cover major repairs like engine or transmission failure.New cars, as well as some used cars, have warranties that protect the vehicle for years, so extended warranties rarely make financial sense. Payment protection plans are similar to credit insurance, only they are provided by the dealers themselves. The deal is that if you can't make your payments, the dealer offers to cover you for a few months. However, payment protection plans are highly restrictive and the dealer only becomes liable if the purchaser dies, gets seriously ill, or becomes unemployed. Most financial professionals discourage the purchase of payment plans since they are expensive and rarely pay off. Once you've reviewed your finances and seen your credit score, think about what lenders are looking for and consider if you have it. Lenders look favorably on people with a mid-range credit score (620-680), higher income, and having been with the same employer for a few years. If this doesn't describe you (and it likely doesn't if you have no credit history) that's not a deal breaker. There are other ways to get a loan without a credit history. If you don't have these things, you may want to find a co-signer who does to help prove that you are good for the loan. However, by co-signing on the loan, your co-signer is now legally liable for any payments you fail to make, which can have negative consequences for their credit score or financial health. Make sure both you and your co-signer know the associated risks before signing.
Summary: Take stock of what you can afford. Pull your credit scores. Open a credit account. Investigate credit insurance. Determine if you can afford extras. See if you have what lenders want.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Close the bag so that it lays flat. Turn an iron on to the lowest heat setting. Run the iron over the bag. Keep the iron moving and don't linger on any spots to avoid burning the bag. Iron out any wrinkles. How you decorate your bag is entirely up to you. You can make it as fancy or as plain as you like. If your bag has an existing pattern or color scheme, however, try to match that pattern or color scheme as best you can. For example, if you have a delicate white and silver bag, some silver ribbon or delicate lace might look better than clunky red and yellow buttons. Here are some ideas to get you started: If your bag is solid-colored paper, consider drawing or painting on it. Decorate a plain bag with stickers or stamps. If you keep the shapes consistent, it could look like a pattern. If your bag already has a design on it, consider outlining some of the designs with matching glitter glue. You can even glue on rhinestones for added flair. Consider gluing a ribbon or lace along the top edge of the bag. Embellish a bag with small buttons or rhinestones. Buttons are great for adding that homemade touch to bags made out of solid-colored paper.
Summary:
Iron the bag, if necessary, to get rid of any wrinkles. Decorate your bag.