If you are in need of a new insurance company, please consider all of your options. With so many choices out there for you to browse, there’s no need for you to rush and end up hating your decision. You can often tell just by how you feel about a certain insurance company whether or not you will like their service. Each company has been given hundreds of reviews over the years, and it is their client base that really attracts other people, not their advertisements. There’s nothing better than word of mouth advertising, so here’s what people have to say about five popular insurance companies.
1. Amica Mutual. Whether it’s their great prices, stellar customer service, or broad ranges of discounts, Amica passes the customer satisfaction test with flying colors. You will likely not speaking to more than one person out of every one hundred who has Amica insurance that dislikes it. They don’t have as many clients as some other companies, but they take great care of the ones they do have, and that’s why they continue to grow.
2. Erie Insurance. What they lack in customer service, they make up for with great prices. They offer some of the most customer-oriented discounts out of any insurance company. Even though you may not get the friendliest voice on the phone or in person when contacting them, they make up for it by offering some of the best prices and discounts around.
3. Auto-Owners Insurance. This is a company that is experiencing a lot of growth lately, as they are now making their coverage more modern. They offer flexible coverage options in addition to above-average customer service representatives. They have been known to go the extra mile to keep their clients happy, and they will give you each and every discount that you are qualified to receive.
4. Shelter. They are a rather new company that not many people know about yet, but it won’t be long until they get national recognition. They are a lot like the third company on this list, and you’ll have nothing but great experiences with them as well. They often will overlook first-time accidents, as long as you drive safely in general.
5. State Farm. They have the most insurance clients out of all of these companies. Once customers go with State Farm, they rarely switch. That’s because State Farm is one that they have heard of a lot on television, but they also are treated well once they get the insurance. They are offered a lot of discounts, including the very famous Discount Double Check, inspired by Green Bay Packers Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
Whether you want to go the safe route with Amico or take a Discount Double Check, the timing has never been better to search for a new insurance company. There are some many quality options out there that it’s hard not to find a good one these days. The five companies listed here will suit your needs for the best prices.
About the Author: Marcie McDonald is an insurance consultant who writes for cheapestcarinsurance.org.uk. She recommends that you check online to compare car insurance and also to see if you qualify for the cheapest car insurance rates before making your choice.
Image: Totsie 14 / Flickr
Maybe you’ve had a recent emergency and had to take out a payday loan to make ends meet and it’s got you thinking about saving money for the “next” time. If so, you aren’t alone. Many people find that saving money is more difficult than they imagined. Rather than trying to put large chunks of cash away, utilize these unique ways to steadily build a great savings account.
It used to be that people would come home at the end of the day and empty the change in their pockets into a coin jar. While this is still a good idea, your savings will grow more quickly if you carry large bills. Rather than stuffing ones into your wallet, carry fives and tens. At the end of the day, separate your bills and coins. Put the coins in your coin jar and the cash in an envelope but don’t count it. At the end of the week, head to the bank to make a deposit. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ve saved.
Do you need to wash clothes? It will cost you a dollar. Need to make a phone call? That’s a quarter. Have fun charging yourself for little things around the house and add that money to your weekly deposit. Think of other things that you can do at home that you’d pay money for elsewhere. Washing the car? Drinking a coffee? Get creative and make it a game.
If you lower your cable subscription, change cell phone plans or pay off a credit card, put the money that you were previously spending into your savings account. For instance, if you were making $25 minimum monthly payments on three credit cards and have managed to pay them off, put that $75 into your savings account. You were taking it out of your budget anyway; it won’t be missed.
We all have things that we know we’ll be spending money on: birthdays, pets and even Christmas. If, like everyone else, you find yourself stressing out when it comes time to shell over money for these things, start a fund. Putting even $10 a week into a pet fund, for example, will net you $400 a year; more than enough for Fido’s annual check-up.
When you balance your checkbook, round up your purchases to the next whole dollar amount. At the end of the month, transfer what you’ve saved into your savings account. For example, if you write a check for $18.30, subtract $19.00 from your account. You’ll have “saved” $0.70.
There are a myriad of unique ways you can use to save your money if you find it difficult to do so. By turning saving into a game, you’re likely to save more and even be spurred on to find new ways to save. So get to it and have fun; you’ll have a substantial savings account before you know it!
Author Thomas Hathaway is a financial consultant and suggests there are times when pay day loans may come in handy when you have financial urgency prior to your regular pay date.
Image: Images_of_Money / Flickr
Travel insurance helps provide peace of of mind to travelers, especially those who journey overseas. While different travel insurance policies provide different coverage, the primary purpose of the policy is to help you recover the cost of deposits and plane fare on your journey in the event of an emergency cancellation. Travel insurance can also be used to pay for medical expenses that arise while traveling abroad, as many countries would not have the ability to accept your health insurance.
Types of Travel Insurance Coverage
Many trip insurance companies offer bundled packages. Depending on your needs, you may not require all of the coverage that the company offers. If possible, search for a policy that includes only what you need to avoid paying extra for unnecessary coverage.
• Cancellation insurance: This coverage helps to cover the cost of airfare, security deposits, or other travel expenses that you have to pay in advance in the event that you are unable to go on the vacation.
• Trip interruption insurance: Similar to cancellation insurance and almost always sold together, this covers your deposits and other expenses if you have to leave the vacation early due to an emergency situation, such as the death of a family member at home.
• Medical evacuation insurance: If you experience a health concern on your journey, this coverage will pay to have you removed to a location where you can be treated. This may mean sending you back home, or it may only pay to get you in to a nearby hospital.
• Baggage coverage: If your baggage is lost or stolen on the trip, your insurance can be used to pay for reimbursement on your lost items.
Other Insurance Overlaps With Trip Insurance
When selecting a travel insurance policy, it’s smart to determine what other insurance you have and whether it will cover the same situations as the separate travel policy. For example, most homeowner’s or renter’s policies will cover loss or damage to your personal property regardless of where the loss occurs. Additionally, some credit card companies offer limited amounts of travel insurance for journeys paid on the card.
Is Travel Insurance Worth It?
The primary reason to take out a travel insurance policy is if you are going on an expensive pre-paid vacation, such as a cruise or guided tour. With these journeys, canceling your plans could prove extremely expensive due not only to losing deposits but also needing to pay additional cancellation fees.
If you are traveling in a less rigid manner, however, or paying for your plans as you go, there is little reason to purchase a travel insurance policy. Most issues will be covered through other means, and you can put the money you would have spent on your insurance back into enjoying your vacation.
Image credit: [ The TUBE— Iconic MOMENTS ] St. Paul’s Tube Station, London, England, United Kingdom by UggBoy♥UggGirl [ PHOTO // WORLD // TRAVEL ]‘s photostream
Gina Hamilton is an insurance consultant and content contributor for www.kanetix.ca, a provider of all types of insurance in Canada and the U.S. All the most popular company’s rates are available for comparison, such as Standard Life.
The New Year is fast approaching and with it comes the inevitable resolution. As a college student on a tight budget, I have resolved to have money in my wallet at the end of the month. I’ve done the research and discovered that, with a bit of common sense and spending will-power, it is actually quite possible to save money and still enjoy all that college life has to offer. Here are the ten things I plan to do to keep my bank account out of the red:
1. Credit Union: I have two part-time jobs that I work strictly to have spending money. Rather than spending frivolously, I’ll be putting 30 percent of what I make into a savings account each month.
2. Quicken: I’ve already started tracking my spending and have found Quicken to be a great help. I can see exactly where my money is going and where I can cut back.
3. Rent Textbooks: books tend to take a big chunk out of my wallet each semester. I’ve learned from friends that I can save hundreds by renting textbooks rather than buying them new or used from the book store. Even when you take into consideration what I would get at book buy-back, I will still come out ahead by renting.
4. Budget: for me, creating a budget was something my parents did. However, I plan on trying it and setting aside dedicated amounts for food, movies and other entertainment expenses. When I’m out of money for that particular category, I’ll have to wait until next month. I’m hoping this helps me become more conscious of my choices.
5. $20 Rule: this one goes along with the budget plan above. I plan on putting $20 in my pocket when I go out and taking nothing else with me but my ID. For me, this amounts to $20 a week since I only go out on Saturday night. When my $20 is gone, I’m done. For me, it is way too easy to pull out my debit card and keep the night rolling.
6. Dining Card: my parents pay for my dining card and, admittedly, they are wasting their money. I eat out far more than I eat in the dining hall. This will be changing. The dining hall has decent food and it’s already paid for. Eating ‘in’ will save me quite a bit of money.
7. Bicycle: next semester I’ll be leaving the car at home. Realistically, I don’t use it and am paying to park a car that I can park for free at home. Biking to class, work and activities is environmentally friendly and free.
8. Host Get-togethers: rather than hitting the town on the weekends, I plan on hosting get-togethers in my dorm room and am encouraging friends to do the same. Socializing should be about the people we are with, not the places we go.
9. Credit Cards: I did make the freshman mistake of signing up for student credit cards. I currently have two. I’ll be leaving these at home with mom and dad to avoid temptation.
10. Activities: my campus hosts movie nights on the quad when weather permits and has a ton of other free activities to take part in. I’ll be checking these out next semester and finding things to do that cost me absolutely nothing.
I don’t want to graduate college in a mountain of debt. If I can control my spending I’ll have nothing to worry about. Are you with me?
Photo credits: College St – Not so good panning shot by -Kenzie-/flickr;
Peter Harrington is a career counselor and content contributor for Top Online Colleges, a great source for tons of information on expanding your education, from top online colleges for nursing to School Counseling degrees.
A beautiful landscape around a house or apartment complex creates curb appeal and can soften the building to make it look comfortable. Finding an excellent landscaper requires a little work, but ultimately has numerous benefits to the house, garden, lawn and the health of the whole family. By following a few simple guidelines, it is possible to find someone who is affordable and among the best landscapers available.
Budgeting is a vital part of determining affordability. Any landscaper who is charging a higher rate is not affordable and is thus not an option. A budget is the maximum spending amount for the landscaper’s services. This amount can relate to the hourly wage or it can set a limit on the maximum total cost of the project at hand, depending on the way landscapers charge in the area.
Before hiring a landscaper, narrow the choices by determining what the garden needs. Simply cutting the grass and weeding the garden is an option that does not require any specialized skills. For more complicated projects like putting in a new walkway or creating the garden in the first place, the landscaper needs more skills. Having a set project in mind along with a maximum spending budget makes it easier to narrow the choices to a reasonable number of landscapers.
A timeline plan and a basic plan of action is important to get the job done in a reasonable number of hours. This is particularly necessary when looking at an hourly wage or the project has a limited time before it needs completing. When talking to potential landscapers about the project, include the proposed timeline to ensure they know exactly what is expected. If they are not able to comply with the set plan, seek out another landscaper.
Different landscapers are able to perform different jobs. In some cases, the state might even require special licenses to complete the project in mind. Take time to research which landscapers are available in the area and the laws regarding licensing before starting any project or hiring the landscaper. Otherwise, the situation might have legal ramifications or complications that occur.
Like any contract, the landscaper will have fine print in the paperwork. Always read these details because it can include clauses that allow the landscaper to charge extra fees without asking for prior approval. For example, a clause that the service price will increase by 25 percent a year or the landscaper can charge extra for trimming bushes might add up in extra fees that make it unaffordable. Work out the details of any clause or information in the fine print that is not agreeable.
Landscapers are professionals, but finding one who works with personal needs and will not charge too much can seem challenging. Fortunately, having worked out all of the details before hiring and then looking for the right type of landscaper can limit the choices and make it easier to find someone perfect for the job. It might take a little time, but ultimately it is worth searching for the best landscaper at a reasonable price.
Photo credits: Landscaping, summer 2003 by Seth Sawyers/flickr
Author Casey Stevens owns his own landscape business and writes for truckertotrucker.com, a site where you can find new and used trucks for sale – even specialty items such as custom Peterbilt trucks.
In today’s struggling economy, families around the world are trying to come up with new and creative ways to save money. Fuel costs are one of the many things currently on the rise. Saving money on fuel can significantly help a hard-working family in their endeavors to maximize overall budgeting. Taking proactive steps to decrease the amount of cash spent on fuel is an excellent start. The following are seven useful tips to save money on fuel expenses.
1. Compare Fuel Prices
Comparing fuel prices is the best tactic for cutting down on fuel expenses. You can compare fuel prices in several ways. One method is to visit at least three of the local fuel stations in your area. Write down the cost per gallon. Another way to compare fuel prices is to either call the establishments on the phone or use an online comparison tool. Not all stations charge the same amount of money per gallon. Use the station that charges the least and you can rack up the savings significantly.
2. Turn off Accessories
Accessories such as heat and air conditioning burn up fuel very quickly. If it is not necessary to run these items, drive to your destinations with them off.
3. Choose the Shortest Route
Before taking a long drive to your destination, check some of the online map sites and try to find the route that takes the least amount of miles. Some destinations have nifty back-roads you can travel and the distance will be cut significantly.
4. Turn the Motor Off
There are some instances when it is just unnecessary to leave a vehicle running. Do not leave the car running in park while you chat with friends. Turn the vehicle off to avoid losing unnecessary fuel.
5. Drive an Economy Vehicle
The vehicle you choose to drive can make a huge difference for money you spend on fuel. Smaller cars (with smaller engines) use less fuel. Try to purchase a used four-cylinder vehicle. Driving an economy car can get you approximately ten extra miles per gallon.
6. Maintain Proper Maintenance
Another reason that cars burn more fuel is lack of proper maintenance. Make sure you take your vehicle in for regular tune-ups. You can find the recommended tune-up time intervals in your instruction manual.
7. Walk
Walking is an excellent source of exercise. If your destination is not far away, you can save quite a bit of money on taking a nice walk. Short trips burn more gas than long trips, so you would be doing yourself a service by walking to close locations such as the corner store.
8. Ride a Bicycle
If your intended trip is only a few miles, you can save money by riding a bicycle. There is no fuel cost to ride a bike, and you will strengthen your cardiovascular system and your legs. Bikes are great for trips that are less than three miles.
9. Carpool
Riding with other individuals to work can also help you to save money on fuel. The more people involved, the more money you will save. The driver will require less money if there are more parties involved. You could also start the carpool yourself to save on fuel. If you get enough people to go in on it with you, you may not have to spend a penny on fuel.
10. Use Gas Rebate Cards
Some debit and credit cards offer customers cash back on gas. Using one of these cards will guarantee savings.
Camille Willis likes to save money by frequently visiting DENTALINSURANCE.NET.
It’s the season of travel and you may find yourself renting a car to do so. At the rental counter, you will be asked if you want to purchase rental insurance. Rental coverage may or may not be a good value. Prior to purchasing rental car coverage be sure to ask exactly what will be covered to determine if it’s a necessary purchase. Take the following into consideration before you decide to either decline or purchase the coverage:
1. Do You Already Have Insurance
If you do, chances are your current policy will extend itself to a rental car. If you don’t have auto insurance, chances are that you will be declined a rental car to begin with. If you are planning on renting a vehicle, contact your insurance agent and find out what is covered.
2. Rental Coverage is Not the Same as Insurance
If you have rental reimbursement coverage on your current policy, be aware that this does not mean that you have insurance coverage for a rental. Rental reimbursement simply covers you in the event that your car is in the shop for repairs and you need a rental for your day to day activities. It covers the cost of the rental, not damage sustained or caused by the rental vehicle.
3. A Different Coverage for a Different Need
There are several types of additional coverage offered by insurance companies. You can purchase these coverages separately as needed. Here are the most common:
While additional coverages will vary depending on the rental car company, you can expect, on average, to pay an additional $25 per waiver. This can vary easily double the cost of your rental. It is for this reason that you should make sure you need the extra coverage before you purchase it.
Chances are that your current auto policy is adequate when renting a car. Check with your credit card company as well; many offer protection when renting a vehicle with their card. While not all additional coverage is unnecessary, if you feel that it would be in your best benefit to purchase it, by all means: do!
Photo credits: hertz counter by Steve Damron/flickr; My Hooptie Rental by bitshaker/flickr
Author Stephen Anderson is an insurance consultant who strongly suggests that you search online to Compare Auto Insurance Rates to make certain you get the best possible deal these days.
The General Car Insurance is just one example of the providers available for comparison.
If you have children then you will want them to be as financially secure as possible when they grow up. What is the best financial advice for parents looking to the future?
The global financial crisis and ensuing economic downturn have left many people wondering what kind of legacy they are leaving for their children. Soaring government overspending means that we are passing on huge debts to the next generation of taxpayers. What is the best financial advice for our children, and how can we reduce the disadvantages stored up for them over the last few years?
The best investment for your children is education – both general and specifically financial. Education has enormous benefits in terms of financial wellbeing, as well as for other areas of life. Studies have shown that every additional year of education brings an 8 percent rise in average lifetime earnings. Beyond this, the financial advice you give your children early in life is critical.
For some reason, although schools have to teach maths, they typically do not teach budgeting or financial planning. This seems bizarre, since it is one of the most important real-world applications of maths that pupils will consistently encounter after leaving school. If they are not given this basic level of financial advice and training at school, make sure they get it at home. Involve them in the household accounting to whatever degree appropriate, teach them about budgeting and how to manage their money, and make sure they know about compound interest.
Parents are able to save for their children in tax-efficient ways. Although the Child Trust Funds have been abolished, there are other options available such as ‘Baby ISAs’. These allow you to save on behalf of a child, and the interest on the investment is not taxed – just like a regular ISA. Your child gains access to the ISA at 18, as they would with a CTF. This is where education comes into financial advice: at 18, your child can do what they want with the money. Make sure you have instilled some good habits in them before you hand over the details to their new account! You may want this fund earmarked for college or university. Ultimately, though, it is going to be up to them what they spend it on. If you have any doubts, it might be best to choose an investment that stays in your name until you’re sure about passing it on.
It is worth remembering that – all things being equal – the longer the lifespan of an investment, the more disproportionately it will grow. If you leave £1,000 in an investment account yielding 5 percent for 18 years, it will have grown to £2,400. The same sum over five years will total just £1,280. It’s therefore good financial advice to start early. Small sums of money can grow significantly over time. Adding small amounts little and often to your child’s investment will make a much bigger difference than waiting until you can afford more and putting in a larger sum later.
Financial advisers often talk about the importance of starting a pension early for this reason: it’s far more economical to pay smaller amounts of money in and have the full benefit of several decades of compound interest than to wait until middle age, when you might be earning more.
Perhaps one of the most unusual pieces of financial advice for your children, then, is to start them a pension. There is no reason not to do this on their behalf. You can pay in small amounts of money – perhaps only £25 per month – and know that compound interest could easily turn this into £1 million by the time they retire 70 years later. They can take over the payments at 16 or older.
If you’re worried about the economic situation we are leaving for our children, this is one piece of financial advice that might give you – and them – peace of mind.
This article was supplied by FSA regulated financial advisors SG Wealth Management who serve individuals and organisations throughout Norfolk, East Anglia and the south-east.
Everybody knows the basic needs for surviving is food, clothing, and shelter but how to get these things? Obviously, we can have these basics needs only when we have money. The most important thing today in life is money. We work hard for giving a better life to our loved ones and it can happen only with money. Without money, survival is not possible.
When people have money and do not wish to spend it, they are called misers, but when you have money and you spend it only on things that are necessary, then it is called frugal living. In other words, it can be called as smart spending.
We study hard, then graduate, then find a job and work rigorously just to get a good salary. So why not keep a tab on expenses! Mostly people misunderstand frugality with miserliness, but sensible ones will never. They will understand both the differences and the importance of savings in life.
In this modern generation, people who are working with all the possible efforts, sustaining in the world of cutthroat competition, actually understands the meaning and value of money. Such people will obviously think ten times to spend money on anything that is for waste. So there should not be any hesitation accepting frugal living.
Frugal living is nothing but a talent, a creativity to sustain with minimum budgeting. Something that our grannies use to do, something that which our mother is still practicing, so what is wrong into it? To be honest it is a king of managing money.
Money management is very important and should be taught to our kids from a very tender age. So that while growing they understand the importance of things where they need to spend money and this habit will help them throughout their life.
However, this is not practiced in today’s world. When an individual is young, they do not understand why to study and this is the reason the younger generations these days are lacking behind. They survive on their pocket money keeping their studies secondary and enjoyment on priority with which they face problems after entering a family life.
We should train our kids to be successful along with money management. It is said, Satan resides in the house where there is no limits on expenditures. Keeping track of expenses will help you saving and enhancing your business or property. This will add largely for the betterment of your kids itself.
When you earn money with all the effort then why to waste it on things, which are useless? Don’t we need to save money for future? What if we do not have money and an urgent need arises? These are some questions, which prove frugal living as an advantage. But if we earn money for our better life, why not spend it for our happiness, this question contradicts the positivity of frugal living.
So there is nothing to be ashamed of frugal living and one who thinks it as miserliness, why not teach them too.
Saving money with coupons when you are buying something is also a smart idea for frugality. Hosting Coupons strives to provide you with online savings by providing coupon codes for godaddy, hostgator and yahoo to name a few.
Car insurance is expensive so most people look for deals. Luckily, there are many discounts available for policyholders. These discounts might include safe driver’s discounts and a package deal for homeowners. One of the biggest ways to save is a multi-car discount. Knowing how much you can save on auto insurance rates with a multicar policy discount helps determine if it is worth combining other cars in the household.
Amount Saved
Every car insurance company gives a different discount rate, and the actual discount amount depends on a number of factors. Those factors include the driving records, credit scores, and the type of coverage for both parties. Compare prices on multicar discounts with various agencies to find the best deal for your household.
The discount for multicar policy discounts can be as low as 5%. That sounds inconsequential, but depending on the premium amount, it can add up to a very significant amount of money. Some insurance companies go as high as 25%, which is a huge discount that can make a difference in obtaining affordable insurance for all the vehicles at your home.
Details for Consideration
Since each company offers a different percentage on a discount for multicar insurance, the only way to find out what the actual discount will be is to contact the agent. The agent will ask a number of questions to give you the total discount amount. You will need the make and model of the car that is being added to the insurance along with driver information.
If you are adding another person to the policy, you should be aware of some things. The other driver could make the insurance rates rise instead of fall. For instance, if the new driver is a teenager, his or her rates will be higher than someone who has been driving for years with no incidents. If the new driver has had their license for a number of years but has a bad driving record, it could also mean rates will be higher. It pays to be certain that the other driver is able to pay his or her own portion of the insurance before adding him or her to the policy.
Multicar/multi-driver discounts are just the beginning. After all car insurance discounts are given, the amount actually paid out each year for car insurance is drastically reduced. Take advantage of such discounts because it can mean a lot more money in your pocket.
AutoInsurance.Info provides consumers with important information to help them save money on car insurance.
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