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save money

Trying To Save Money On Car Insurance? Here Are 5 Things You Are Doing Wrong!

By //  by guest

[The following is a guest post on behalf of Cheap Car Insurance]

One of the most frequent mistakes car owners make is overpaying for insurance coverage. There are several reasons that people don’t save money on car insurance. Here are some of the most common:

5 Reasons You Do Not Save Money On Car Insurance

Buying Too Quickly

Often, people don’t even think about looking for car insurance until the last moment. Then, they are in a rush to get coverage, and fail to shop around. Taking the time to research can help save money on car insurance.

Buying Only Name Brands

Sometimes, people think that only the big name insurance companies are reliable. This is not true. Most states regulate insurance companies closely. If a company is licensed to do business in your state, it has passed the state’s requirements (this is similar to finding a gas safe engineer).

Sometimes the lesser-known companies offer great coverage and still allow you to save money on car insurance.

Not Asking For Discounts

Most insurance companies offer discounts for various reasons. In many cases, you can get discounts for being a homeowner, or a safe driver. Some companies offer discounts for safety features on your vehicle or for driving a hybrid. Others give discounts to minors with good grades. There are even discounts for belonging to certain groups such as AARP or AAA.

Be sure to ask what discounts may be available for you, and you can save money on car insurance without much effort!

Keeping The Same Company For Years

If you automatically renew your insurance with the same company year after year, you may be overpaying. Failure to check out the competition can cost you money. Typically, your insurance rates will increase every year.

It is always a good idea to check to see if you could get cheaper coverage with another company.

Buying More Or Less Insurance Than You Need

It is important to determine how much coverage you actually need. Most states have a minimum amount of insurance that you are required to carry. For some, this is all that they need. For others, more coverage is better.

If your car is new, you will want to make sure that it is covered for collision and comprehensive damages (although you still may not be able to file a claim for damaged money if you’re in an accident ;-)). If you have an older car, you may only need to be covered for liability.

Another consideration is the amount of deductible you choose. If you can afford to absorb the costs of minor damage, you do not need to pay extra for a low deductible. Choosing a higher deductible can save money in the long run.

In Conclusion

Once you have determined your needs, the next thing to do is to get a list of all of the licensed insurance providers in your state from the department of transportation. Next, go online and check out these companies. Look for comments from past clients and general reputation. Also, look for customer service and ease of contacting a representative.

Next, request free rate quotes from several cheap auto insurance companies. Be sure to do an equal comparison. Do not request one level of coverage from one provider and a different level from another one. By doing this, you will be able to make an informed decision and be satisfied that you have chosen the best, most cost effective insurance that meets your needs.

photo by Bill Longshaw

Filed Under: Insurance Tagged With: car, car insurance, car owner, cars, cheap car insurance, deductible, financial economics, Insurance, insurance companies, insurance provider, insurance rates, money, save money, types of insurance, vehicle insurance

7 Ways to Save Money on College Textbooks

By //  by Khaleef Crumbley

College textbooks can sell for upwards of $250 for some subjects and then sell for less than $20 only 3 months later! The markup on textbooks is unbelievable and can present a serious strain on a student’s finances. That’s why it’s important to learn all of the ways to save money on textbooks!

When I was a college student, I rarely ever purchased new textbooks.

How To Save Money On Textbooks

Don’t Buy Them!

The first thing to do is to contact the professor and make sure that the book is required for the class (many book assignments are made by the department, and some teachers will hardly use them).

I had a number of professors who announced on the first day of class that we shouldn’t buy the book because we would be taught and tested on their notes!

Many students were then left in a terrible position because they had already purchased and opened the book – thus making it used (like driving a car off the lot)!

Save Money On Textbooks By Shopping Online

You can save money on textbooks by purchasing them used from Amazon.com, or if you have (or are considering purchasing) a Kindle, buy the electronic version of the book. Amazon advertises that you can save up to 90% on the cost of textbooks by shopping on their website. You can even rent textbooks on your Kindle.

Also, if you sign up for their Amazon Student program (completely free), you are eligible for free 2-day shipping on any order directly from Amazon!

If you can’t find your book on Amazon, be sure to check out Barnes & Noble for their textbook deals.

Buy The Previous Edition

Many textbooks (just about all Economics and Finance books) will simply make small updates and change a few pages around and release a new version.

Check with your professor to see if the previous version will be acceptable. I actually had a few nice professors that put the chapter and page numbers of the current and previous editions for all assignments!

Buy The International Version

Many textbooks sold in the US will have an international counterpart that is nearly or completely identical and sells for a fraction of the cost!

Buy In A Group

Get together with a group of classmates and buy one copy of the book to share. This will work wonderfully depending on the subject.

Finance and other business subjects, where students are often called upon to do group assignments, give ample opportunity for this.

This just calls for a little coordination and trust, but to save over $100 per book…it’s worth it!

Rent Your Textbooks

This is another option that is becoming quite popular. Sites like Chegg and Campus Book Rentals have become very efficient at renting books recently. Even Barnes & Noble offers textbook rentals for my alma mater!

Visit Your School’s Library

Many textbooks – especially older editions – can be found at your school library. If the book is popular, there will probably be a limit on how long you can check it out, but it’s still worth it to take a look.

Call or visit your campus library as soon as you find out what books are required. A benefit of larger universities (like my alma mater), is having a network of dozens of libraries to choose from, some at different schools.

Reader Questions

  1. How have you been able to save on textbook costs?
  2. Do you have a lot of professors who don’t require them at all?
  3. Have you had success using and following the previous edition of a textbook?
  4. Do you have any other tips that should be included here?

photo credit: Marquette La

Filed Under: Education, shopping Tagged With: amazon kindle, amazon.com, barnes noble, budget, chegg, College, college student, e book, Education, mass media, save money, shopping, textbook sell, Textbooks

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