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Too many drivers have been overpaying for car insurance. Take these 3 steps to compare coverage and get the best rates. Find out how much you can save!

STEP 1: Understand what you are buying and what it costs. Know exactly what you are paying for:

Deductibles
Coverages
Personal Injury
Bodily Injury
Total Cost

Make notes for each carrier to ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples.

STEP 2: Ask auto insurance providers about various ways to save including:

Discounts for students with good grades
Discounts for safe drivers
Discounts for senior drivers
Discounts for adding theft protection
Discounts for local drivers
Discounts for raising your deductible
And more…

STEP 3: Shop various auto insurance policies including your own (if you currently have one). Do this approximately every two years to ensure you are taking advantage of the best rates. Don’t just blindly pay whatever your auto insurance company wants without seeing what else is out there.

Understanding the policy, getting discounts and shopping around are three steps you can take to save money on auto insurance. It may even be enough to offset your car payment or to take your loved one to a nice dinner. You’ll deserve it for the effort you put into the process of saving on auto insurance.

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Government Distributes $1.8 Trillion in Benefits Annually. What is Your Fair Share?

Government Distributes $1.8 Trillion in Benefits Annually. What Is Your Fair Share?

In the United States, many benefits are available from federal, state, and local government assistance programs that help people in need. Sometimes, the benefits are open to everyone, such as disaster relief, while other benefits are tied to your income. Often, online tax software can suggest programs available to you by evaluating your income against program requirements.

Types of Benefits Available

Federal programs are available to any U.S. citizen, whereas you must live in a particular state or locality to receive its benefits. Let’s focus on a few of the most popular benefits programs that are designed to help those with lower income.

Food: Each state administers the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly called food stamps. Millions of people qualify for this program and receive assistance for the purchase of basic food items. Maximum income levels vary by state. For example, a couple with annual income below $20,450 can qualify for SNAP in Illinois. Other food related benefits are available from the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Commodity Supplemental Food Program, Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and many more.

Health: The Affordable Care Act provides millions of dollars in health insurance subsidies for low- and middle-income families. The subsidies are available when you buy from the Health Insurance Marketplace, and the amount of subsidy is highest for those with the lowest income. Medicare and Medicaid also provide substantial health-care benefits for the elderly or poverty-stricken. Communities often have free clinics that offer some level of health care to the poor. Social Security offers two forms of disability payments that help those who meet the program requirements. There are also special programs at all levels of government that specialize in specific health problems, such as HIV/AIDS, mental illness, drug/alcohol dependency, maternity/childbirth and end-stage renal disease.

Housing: Various federal programs from the Department of Housing and Urban Development help you find or refinance a mortgage, or help you to sell your current home and move into more affordable arrangements. There are also programs that assist the homeless, and most localities have shelters available for the indigent. Special programs exist to help with housing for the physically challenged, those wanting assistance with energy costs, victims of housing discrimination, folks looking for public housing, and many others.

Unclaimed Money: You may be entitled to unclaimed money stemming from bank failures, matured savings bonds, pensions, mortgage refund and other sources. This is your money, but you haven’t collected it yet. Each state keeps a database of unclaimed funds and property. You can also search the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s database for unclaimed pension funds from bankrupt companies. The IRS or state tax authority will let you know if you have an unclaimed refund. Other agencies that can help you claim money due you include the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Housing Administration, the Veterans Administration and several others.

Software Can Help

Using tax software can help you easily identify opportunities for additional savings. Often, the software will analyze your situation and suggest available savings or benefits. A tax preparation program is the perfect vehicle for finding benefits and savings, because it has almost all of the relevant information: your income, dependents, where you live, employment status, military status, health costs and insurance, and dozens of other factoids that it can analyze to find you money. Be sure to answer the software’s prompts when it offers to find those savings for you.

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Why Did No One Tell Drivers About This New Rule?

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New policies are indicating that for years many drivers have likely overpaid on their car insurance.

This is the 1 simple truth your car insurance company doesn’t want you to know. If you drive less than 50 miles/day and live in a qualified zip code you can get an extremely high discount. Additionally, if you have no DUI’s, you can get even more discounts. But do you think your auto insurance company will tell you that?

When drivers enter their zip code and driver information at StartMyQuote™ official site many are shocked at the results they find. Most just cannot believe that the available rates are in fact real, but the truth is rates have dropped significantly over the past 12 months and thanks to new program policies it’s now easy to save up to 50% with rates as low as $29/month.

Jessica Wagner, the authority on everything related to insurance, set out to do some research and determine whether these types of services live up to their reputations. After several weeks Jessica was able to report back on her findings, with her most exciting of which being that she is now going to save $296.28 on her own insurance premiums over the next year, and there are many other people who have done the same and better.

So, what is the “One New Rule?” NEVER buy insurance without comparing all of the discounts online first.

example savings

Does this mean Jessica was being overcharged by her former insurance agent? She would not say one way or the other, but the truth is most agents are paid on commission which means the higher your insurance premiums, the more money your agent makes. You can be sure, however, that your insurance company is not going to call you up to offer you a discount.

Note: You’re NEVER LOCKED into your current policy. If you’ve already paid your current policy, you can very easily cancel and the balance will be refunded.
With average savings of 32%, these online services are gaining massive popularity. One of the most trusted, secure and effective free online service that provides drivers with lower insurance rates is StartMyQuote™. Over 1,000,000 U.S. drivers have already trusted StartMyQuote to get significant discounts.

Here’s How You Do It:

Step 1: Click your state on the map to instantly check your zip code for free.

Step 2: Once you go through a few questions, you will have the opportunity to compare the best carrier quotes in your area for an average savings of 32% a month.

Tips to Avoid Holiday Debt

Celebrating special occasions with your friends and relatives can be an amazing experience. Eating food, talking, playing games and creating new memories are wonderful things. Unfortunately, holiday celebrations can also take a financial toll if you aren’t careful. Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, Labor Day or Thanksgiving, it’s important that you take necessary precautions to avoid going into debt during a holiday celebration.

First off, create a budget before the holiday arrives. Sometimes, the cost of holidays tend to catch people off guard. Buying an extra bottle of wine or a pack of trash bags might not seem like a bit deal, but when you consider how many extra things you need to buy in total, holidays can be expensive. A few months before the holiday celebration occurs, decide how much money you’ll spend. Make sure you account for variables in your planning. For example, try to plan for a few more people than you think will come to your celebration. Also plan for some things to cost more than you think they will. This way, you’ll budget more than you think is necessary.

Start saving early for the holiday. If possible, try to save a small amount of money each pay period. This will enable you to have some savings available when it’s time to make your purchases for the celebration. Whether you need to buy gifts or decorations, holidays can be costly. Saving early will eliminate the chances of you going into debt. You can save in small ways, such as using coupons for your grocery shopping or eating more meals at home instead of at restaurants. Over time, the amount of money you’re saving will add up.

When you’re planning your holiday celebration, try to buy things on sale as much as possible. When you plan early, you’ll be able to stay alert for good deals in your area. Consider purchasing things like paper plates or even presents when they’re on sale at your local store instead of the day before the party. Even if you need to set things aside for a month or two, shopping early will enable you to get the best deals possible.

Finally, never compare yourself with other people. When you focus on creating a great celebration within your budget, you’ll have a good time. If you begin to compare yourself to other families you know, however, you may find it more challenging to stick with your budget. Never go into debt or put things on your credit card simply because you want to impress people. Instead, try to stay focused on the fact that staying within your budget is going to impress the people who matter most: your own family.

3 Ways to Start Managing Your Debt

When you have debt, learning how to manage it can be tricky. Chances are that you feel stressed or anxious when you think about your debt, which means you probably try to avoid thinking about it. Unfortunately, this won’t solve the problem. What will solve your debt problem is developing a proactive attitude.

There are many ways you can reduce and eliminate your debt, but you have to be willing to work hard and make some tough choices to do so. Here’s how you can start managing your debt today.

First off, figure out exactly how much money you owe. Collect all of your recent bills and start adding up what you owe. How much are your total monthly payments? What is the minimum balance due? One of the simplest ways to start managing your debt is to determine your minimum monthly payments, then to pay more. For example, if you need to pay $50 per month for one credit card, aim to pay at least $75 per month. While this increase is a small amount, it will help you whittle down your debt sooner than if you only make minimum payments.

Next, stop charging new items. While it’s easy to use your credit card to pay for groceries or gas, this will only add to the amount of debt you have. Instead, try to use cash or your debit card to pay for things. This will not only eliminate the possibility of your debt increasing, but it will help you consider whether or not you can afford to buy what you’re interested in purchasing. For example, if you really want to buy a new pair of shoes, consider whether or not you need them. Yes, you could spend $40 on new shoes, but a better option would be to put that $40 toward paying down one of your other bills, such as a credit card bill or student loan.

Finally, set some goals. How long do you want to spend paying off your debts? Do you want to be debt-free or just reduce the amount of money you owe? Decide what your short and long-term goals are regarding your debt. Possible goals could include becoming debt-free in five years or paying off a specific credit card in the next six months.

Remember that no matter how much debt you have, it’s important to be proactive when facing your financial future. The more you spend thinking about your finances and developing a plan to move forward, the sooner you’ll be able to enjoy a stable financial situation.

Auto Insurance Tips for Optimal Savings

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Which Auto Insurance Provider is Right for You?

Shopping for car insurance can be a confusing process. Even though coverage is almost always required by law, insurance companies rarely make it easy for you to understand their policies. In order to clarify some of the haziness, here is a look at several tips for choosing the right auto insurance provider for you.

Know What Types of Coverage You Need – Often, the most confusing part of shopping for auto insurance is understanding the different types of coverage that are included with a certain plan. Unless you know what each type of coverage is for, it’s impossible to figure out which ones you need. Almost every state in the country requires you to carry liability insurance–which pays for damages to property and medical bills if you get into an accident that is deemed your fault. Collision coverage is optional (unless you take out a car loan, in which case it is almost always required), and it covers the cost of repairing or replacing your car if it is damaged or totaled. Comprehensive coverage protects you if something other than a car accident causes damage to your car, such as weather damage, theft, etc. For newer cars, all three types of insurance are recommended. As your car gets older, however, you can decide whether it’s worth the cost to keep collision and comprehensive coverage.

Compare Quotes from Different Providers – Once you understand what types of car insurance you need, it’s usually time to compare auto insurance providers. Different insurance companies will have their own pros and cons, so it’s worthwhile to do some research into the reputation of the insurer before moving forward. After you narrow your choice down to a few top picks, you can obtain a free quote from these companies. Not all insurance quotes are cut and dry, and you might find that a few different factors have a major impact on your quoted rates. For instance, it’s a good idea to ask about how raising or lowering your deductible might affect your premiums. You can also adjust the coverage levels of each different type of insurance to change your overall costs.

Other Factors That Can Affect Premiums – No two people are alike when insurance brokers (and the software they use to put together quotes) come up with a policy to pitch to you. Several factors–both in and out of your control–can impact your premiums. Your driving history, for example, may lead your rates to skyrocket if you have had several accidents. On the other hand, safe drivers usually enjoy discounted premiums. Certain states allow for accident-forgiveness, in which case you may be permitted one at-fault accident without your rates going up. Age and gender might also impact your premium. Teenage boys, for example, typically pay the most for insurance because they are statistically more likely to get into accidents. Where you live affects your rates as well because the traffic in some areas of the country tends to lead to more accidents.

Once you know what to look for, you can be a much more informed shopper for car insurance. Find out if you qualify for auto insurance savings you didn’t even know about–which could cut your monthly premiums significantly.

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