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4 Smart Decisions that Save on Car Insurance

The high cost of getting and keeping up with auto insurance can be a big hit on anyone’s budget. Fortunately, for anyone in the car insurance market there are a lot of different ways to save on this insurance. Follow these four tips to start saving hundreds of dollars a year.

1. Start your search for insurance by shopping around.

Be sure to compare car insurance prices at several different auto insurance companies. During your search, you’ll probably realize that car insurance rates can vary a lot between companies. In addition to just the normal market differences, auto insurance companies typically vary their rates based on a variety of factors, all of which differ among different companies. For example, the driver’s age and gender can be among the biggest factors in determining someone’s premium at one company, while another company may give more weight to a person’s driving history. Additionally, credit history and where the car is kept at night are also used by some companies to determine premiums.

2. Explore the possibility of bundling your insurance policies.

Many auto insurance companies offer their most significant discounts to customers who have more than one policy with them. This can mean insuring multiple cars, or switching over policies such as homeowner’s, life, or renter’s insurance to your auto insurance company.

3. Ask about how increasing your deductible could save you money.

With many companies, increasing a deductible by as little as $500 can save a consumer a lot of money on their premium. This lower cost to the consumer is a result of the insurance company decreasing their liability. Of course, it is critical to make sure that you have enough cash in a savings account to make up the difference for a higher deductible in the case of an accident. In general, though, since it is likely that you would not claim small damage amounts to your vehicle, increasing your deductible won’t really affect your budget much.

4. Finally, ask your insurer about discounts you already qualify for or could start doing.

Many insurance companies will offer their clients discounts for a variety of safe and normal activities. For example, auto insurance companies currently offer discounts to their customers who regularly wear a seatbelt, have a car alarm system installed in their vehicle, have airbags installed in their car, change their oil on a regular basis, and/or are considered by their state licensing board to be good drivers.

Saving on car insurance doesn't have to be an annoying nag by commercial after commercial. It can be achieved in these four simple steps with the added comfort of saving online.

Author Bio: Brittney L. is a freelance writer and car insurance expert. She enjoys traveling the New England area with her husband and compares travel car insurance rates online to help save money.

Getting Started in Forex Trading

Read on for 3 great tips to help you getting started in forex trading and well on your way to becoming a successful foreign exchange trader.

1) Before you enter a market, you need to know your market :

Think of the world of forex as a virtual casino. What’s the first thing you do upon entering a casino for the first time? You assess the behavior of each of the tables before placing a bet, so you have a good idea of what sorts of odds you are facing and become aware of any potential high-risk and high-loss games, as well as those with potential high-winnings to be had. It’s much the same with the foreign currency markets; some currencies are volatile while others ensure solid returns. You should study the forex market and get a feel for patterns and stay ahead of market activity by reading the financial news, keeping a wide-angle view of international news and their economic consequences on the currency market.

Pick a currency pair that suits your trading hours

Your success as a currency trader is of course dependent on skill and chance, but there are some choices you make that can heavily influence the tenor of your trading volume. If you know you are only available to trade during certain hours, perhaps because of other commitments such as a “day job” or childcare duties, select the currencies that are open during the hours of your trading session so that you are able to follow the movements of that pair as and when it happens, rather than relying purely on advanced trading and risky predictive strategies for currencies whose trading sessions will be open once you have stopped trading for the day.

Limit your exposure to risk

Apply effective stopping measures to control your risk exposure. By having a watchful eye and implementing practical risk limitation measures, you are doing the smartest thing a trader can do to protect profits and minimize loss. Two examples: Position Sizing; this is a strategy which varies trade sizes according to the current trend; and Stop Placement; this marries indicators to stop loss placement and uses the two in tandem.

Rick Silver is a Financial Writer and contributor to Everest Forex. She spent many years working at leading U.S. investment firms and banks, within the fields of foreign exchange, commodities, structured finance, asset finance and corporate finance.

How to Save Money While Attending College

College is pricey. From costly textbooks to the constant hikes in tuition rates, going to college requires a significant financial investment. The prospects of a good career ahead of you should make this investment worthwhile, but you still won’t want to graduate with astronomical debt. An overwhelming amount of debt can haunt you for decades and some people never manage to fully pay it off.

Truth be told, college is more expensive than ever before. However, the good news is that there are many simple ways you can save money and still get a great education. By incorporating just a few money saving tips and adjustments into your lifestyle you will be able to make big savings.

Here are a few of our top tips for saving money while attending college:

Go Online

You won’t get the exciting social life you will likely find at a traditional brick and mortar school, but studying online will definitely save you a lot of money! An online university degree program generally offers significantly lower tuition rates in comparison to regular four-year schools. What’s more, you won’t have to re-locate or have to commute to class. Many of your textbooks will likely be downloadable and thus more affordable as well. Furthermore, many online degrees allow you to make your own hours and study at your own pace, so you can easily still hold down your regular day job while you study online!

Look for Grants and Scholarships

Most schools offer substantial amounts of grants and scholarships which essentially equates to free money for the awarded students. Explore any grants and scholarships available and also look into needs-benefits such as veterans education benefits. If you have difficulty understanding what benefits are available to you, most schools have representatives at their financial aid office that can assist you and walk you through the process of applying for grants and any benefits you may be entitled to.

Buy Secondhand

Aside from tuition and accommodation, perhaps the next most expensive aspect of college is textbooks. Buying textbooks brand new can prove to be extremely expensive, so you may want to buy secondhand when you can. Many campus bookstores sell used copies of books as well as new ones and often the used ones are significantly cheaper. In addition, you can usually find even cheaper secondhand books for sale online and there are even online stores where you can rent books per semester. Therefore, always look for potential secondhand copies when possible.

Attend Community College

We all want to go to a prestigious school, but you may want to try attending a community college at first and transferring to your dream school later. Virtually all universities accept transfer students from community colleges and in some cases it has even been reported that it is easier to transfer to a prestigious school as a community college student than it is to get accepted as a freshmen. Community colleges generally offer very affordable course rates and classes can be surprisingly small. You can also find them in all major towns and cities, so you can probably remain living at home which likely means paying no rent!

Prepare for Your Future Career

You are more likely to be crushed by college debt if you are unable to get a solid job shortly after graduation. Interest rates will start to gather and if you are unemployed or earning minimum wage you will unlikely be able to pay your debts back anytime soon. However, there are various ways you can prepare yourself for a prosperous and financially rewarding career while you are still in college. One excellent way to prepare yourself is to complete several internships while in college. Employers are always impressed if you have real world work experience and internships also allow you to build up contacts that you can call upon when you are looking for work as well as for references in the future.

As you can see, college doesn’t have to completely drain your financial resources. It is pretty likely that you will graduate with some level of debt, but this debt doesn’t have to be crippling if you make wise financial decisions while in college. Whether you decide to attend an online university or simply only buy secondhand books the savings you will accumulate have the potential to help you stay further out of the red. Be cautious with your spending and always keep an eye out for thrifty ways to complete your education. Good luck!

What to Do Should Your Insurance Claim Ever be Denied

Insurance is such a strange product in that you buy it hoping you never have to use it, sort of like a fire extinguisher. However, unlike a fire extinguisher you can’t just take your home insurance policy out into the yard and play with it on a whim. It’s devastating then if your property is damaged and the insurance you were otherwise relying on denies your claim. That there even is the perennial joke that insurance companies are tight-fisted indicates that claim denials are common enough, so what do you do when you’re claims denied—certainly not roll over (at least not yet anyway).

Make Sure You Understand Your Policy

Before ever leaving you insurance agent’s office, make sure you understand the details of the product you are buying. It can be difficult to ask specific questions, so instead simply tell your agent when you don’t fully comprehend anything. Equally feel free to take notes. Naturally you are going to forget exactly what the policy says, but you’ll have a more substantial gist of what you are entitled to. Now when your property is stolen or damaged take a little bit of time to review your policy (assuming it hasn’t been destroyed) so that when you do contact your insurance you have not only had a refresher course on your policy, but you are able to describe the nature of your claim in the context of your policy.

Contact Your Agent

Before making your claim officially, be sure to discuss it with your insurance agent. On some policies there are serious repercussions for making a claim and being denied. For example you can lose your no-claims bonus, which is worth it if you have to rebuild your home—but certainly not worth it if your insurance agent thinks that a denial is unavoidable.

Keep a Paper Trail

In the event your claim is denied make sure you receive proper documentation along with an explanation of the reasons for denial. This will make the process of checking the denial against the actual terms of your policy infinitely easier. Equally make sure you document the costs of all out-of-pocket costs including, repairs, nights in a hotel, rental cars etc. Though requiring a bit of foresight, keeping close records of preventative maintenance and the like can help disprove accusations of policy violations.

Appeal

The numbers appear to indicate that only about 1% of denials are ever appealed—and half of appeals see some sort of relief from their insurers. Fill out the appeal using the explanation of denial and your policy to set forth a cogent rebuttal.

Lawyer Up, Contact a third-party Agent

Should your appeal be rejected, there are private insurance agents out there who will assess the damage and your claim independently and will give you some sort of realistic grounding as to the viability of suing your insurance company. Equally, there are lawyers who also specialize in this sort of litigation, lawyers who will also likely be open to free consultations to discuss your claim against your insurance company. Though be aware that litigation can often take years to produce any results, so if you have gotten to this point be prepared for a long fight.

Getting Your Finances in Order with New Year's Resolutions

With the New Year here, many people are trying to quickly recover from recent holidays by getting their bank accounts back in the black and paying down those credit cards. However, keeping a strict budget isn't always easy in the New Year. While it may be time for a fresh start, it is also winter, which leads to higher utility costs and generally more driving as colder temps prevents many from walking or biking to work.

Trying to get your financial household back in order doesn't necessarily mean that you need to refuse entertainment and crank down the thermostat. By simply sticking to those New Year's resolutions you made a little over a week ago, you can save yourself several hundred dollars this year alone. A few of the most cost-effective resolutions include:

Shedding Pounds

Perhaps the most popular resolution of 2012 and years past is losing weight. Being overweight has become common in the U.S. leading millions to take the oath to shed extra pounds each year, and sticking to that new diet and exercise regimen can be one of the best ways to get your finances in order.

In addition to saving on food costs, as you will be less inclined to eat out often, can save nearly $10,000 in lifetime health insurance costs. Overweight or obese individuals on average have higher insurance premium costs and higher medical bills due to related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. So if you want to save yourself money this year and in future years, dedicate yourself to losing any unhealthy pounds.

Going Green

Green is on everyone's mind these days, and to ring in the New Year right, many have chosen to live life a little more sustainably. While some sustainable practices, such as solar paneling or geothermal units, are a substantial investment, there are a few easy and inexpensive measures that can be taken that will also save you on your utility and gas bills.

So in your endeavor to go green this year, consider becoming a one family car, biking more, turning down the thermostat, caulking those windows, or weather stripping those doors. All of these options are either free or only a couple of bucks, and can save you a few hundred dollars a year depending on which you choose.

Giving Up Vices

Whether it be cigarettes, alcohol, or that morning mocha you have to have from your favorite coffee shop, there is no denying that these vices are expensive habits. By simply making your coffee from home or giving up that evening night cap, you can save yourself $100 or more a month, and if you choose to give up smoking you can save yourself over $200 a month or over $1,200 – plenty of extra cash to pay off that credit card.

Making your morning coffee at home is easy and much cheaper, and by giving up alcohol or cigarettes, you can save even more than just the product cost alone. Both have detrimental effects on your health, and by ending smoking now, you can save yourself additional health insurance and medical bill costs in the future.

If you want to get your spending and saving under control this year, creating a budget and adhering to it are great ways to get off on the right foot. However, if you want to further increase your cash flow this year, stick to those resolutions. They'll not only leave you feeling better about your physical or mental well-being, but they will also leave you feeling better about your wallet too.

Maya Szydlowski is a community manager and blogger for Veterans United Home Loans, the nation’s top dedicated VA lender.

5 Innovative Ways to Use Your Pocket Change

Pocket change is often such an inconvenience that we can easily forget that it is actually still currency. More than that though, there are a number of innovative ways to put your pocket change to use which don’t always involve spending or saving your coins.

1 – Exercise your brain :

There exists a money counting game called Pocket Change http://www.memory-improvement-tips.com/money-counting-game.html which helps you exercise your brain by quickly counting combinations of coins which appear on the screen. The game is designed to help you practice how to quickly count American coins, and so displays combinations of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and half dollars.

However, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have access to the game because you can use your own pocket change to exercise your brain and sharpen your mathematics skills. You will be surprised by how quickly you can enhance your speed adding skills when you practice regularly, so whenever you find yourself with a pocket or purse full of spare change, pull it out and challenge yourself to see how quickly you can count it. You can then further challenge yourself by working out how much change you will receive when you pay for your purchases, which is also a good way to make sure you’re not short changed.

2 – Check for valuable coins :

You can also use your pocket change to make you a bit of extra money, all you have to do is look a little closer. How often do you put your coins straight in your wallet or purse without even looking at them? Well you could be passing on a valuable coin, which could be worth much more than its face value. A coin could be valuable for a number of reasons, for example, by simply checking the dates on your coins you could find an exceptionally old coin which may be valuable, or you could find an error coin.

An error coin is when the die minting the coin miss-strikes and a coin is left blank, or with an unusual imprint. Normally a mint will correct an error as soon as they find it and try and recover the error coins, as a result, an error coin which finds itself in circulation and in your wallet can be quite valuable. For example, a double die coin is when the image has been doubled, either slightly or entirely. A coin with an axis rotation error is when the images on the front and back don’t line up – in countries if you hold a coin with the front image right way up, if you flip it 180 degrees the back image should be upside down.

3 – Pocket change arc welder :

An arc welder uses a power supply to create an electric arc between an electrode and a base material to melt two metals at a welding point. You can buy an arc welder, but you can also make one using a car batter, jumper cables and two coins. All you need to do is connect the number cables to the battery and each clamp to one coin. The electric current passing from the battery and into the coins reaches 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, which is enough to melt the coins so you can weld them two each other, or weld two different types of metals together.

4 – Value your pocket change :

Those things which are innovative and unique are the things which not many people do, or think about doing, so when it comes to being innovative with your pocket change, why not simply value it. When you can pay for just about anything, anywhere with a swipe or tap of your card, coins seem to have lost their place in our spending habits, and when we do throw a note at something, the change we receive in return is put aside as something which simply takes up space.

However, as soon as you come to value your money more or less depending on the form it takes, the less seriously you are taking your finances. In order to be in control of your financial situation you should know where all of your money is, all of the time and if you are discarding your change in the car, leaving it to fall down the back seat of the sofa, or not stopping to pick it up when you drop it, then you are losing touch with the value of your money and the effort you have put into making it, and only when you value your money can you make the right purchasing decisions.

5 – Pay off your credit card :

An innovative way to use and value your pocket change is to use it to pay off your credit card. That may sound like something which will take years to achieve, but again, you are undervaluing your pocket change. For example, whenever you pay for something with cash and you receive change, put it into a piggy bank and save it up. Then at the end of the month, take your pocket change to the bank and pay that amount as an extra payment towards your credit card bill, on top of the minimum you would usually pay. Even if you save just $1 a w

eek in coins to make an additional credit card payment, you can save over $3,000 a year in credit card interest.

Alban has been writing on personal finance for the last 3 years. When he is not blogging, Alban develops term deposit calculators.

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