Thursday, July 29, 2010
The best way to buy insurance online
By Sara Moore
Insurance expert, Richard Reich of LifeInsure.com, tells us what to look for when buying insurance online. “One giant pitfall is that many companies and broker sites require that people enter their names, email addresses and phone numbers,” he said. “This almost always leads to your email box filling up and your phone ringing off the hook as multiple agents contact you to buy policies. Other sites show customers low quotes that may be unrealistic, and then requote to higher rates as they get more information from the customer.”
Choose a website that has multiple insurance companies
When you get a quote from a single insurance company, all you’re getting is that one insurance company’s idea of what you can pay. There is no competitive analysis that you can do with a single quote. Moreover, you could wind up getting inundated with emails and calls from that company to see you about that one policy. The way to win at online insurance shopping is to get multiple quotes, without having to give up your personal information.
Check financial ratings and strength
The recent financial crisis hit a great number of the major insurance companies, so don’t choose based on reputation alone. Check their financial strength ratings with consumer advocate sites as well as financial ratings companies like A.M. Best. Many of the ratings of reputable firms may have changed during the recession. Also, consumer advocacy sites rate firms based on customer service, which is a key component of buying insurance. Getting a good rate is important, but if the customer service lags, then what are you really paying for?
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Maximize your tax return
By Julie Wiegan
If you’re looking to get your taxes done by a professional, there are a few simple things your tax preparer should know. Roni Deutch, tax expert and author of The Tax Lady’s Guide to Beating the IRS: And Saving Big Bucks on Your Taxes shares her top 5 tips that will help you get the maximum return.
Family Changes
If you got married, divorced, had a child, had a kid start daycare, had a kid start college, or took in a relative, your tax preparer needs to know! Few things impact your taxes more than a change in your family.
Home Changes
In these unstable times, taxpayers’ housing situations change often. This can impact the deductions you are allowed to claim and could cost you thousands in credits if you forget to bring it up.
Monday, January 04, 2010
The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half
By Sara Moore
Keep your New Year’s resolution to stay on track with your finances by learning how to save on your grocery bills. Stephanie Nelson, creator of CouponMom.com, is out with a new book The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half to show us how we can save big. Here are some money saving tips from her book.
Pick a Day to Shop
Pick one day a week to shop. This will help you make a comprehensive shopping list to plan your week’s meals and snacks carefully. By planning ahead, you will save time and money by not taking unnecessary shopping trips mid-week.
Compare Prices
Compare prices for your common items at a few nearby stores and cherry-pick the deals if necessary. Nelson finds the lowest prices on fresh produce and pantry basics at local discount stores and buys the rest of her week’s groceries at a typical supermarket using sales, loss leaders, “Buy one, get one free” offers and doubled coupons.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
The time to buy a car is now!
In the market for a new car? Well, your timing couldn’t be better, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are two of the best days to purchase a new car at a great price. “December is the best month to buy a car this year and there are almost 60 vehicles with expected discounts over 15% off MSRP in December,” says analyst Jesse Toprak of TrueCar.com.
Hybrid cars such as the 2009 Saturn Aura Hybrid, 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid, and the 2009 Saturn VUE Hybrid are all expected to sell 17% or more off the sticker price. Family cars like the 2009 Nissan Quest, 2009 Ford Explorer, 2009 Cadillac Escalade, and 2009 Lincoln Navigator L are expected to sell more than 15% off sticker. If you’re into big cars, the 2009 HUMMER H3 is expected to sell at 28% off MSRP.
Here is a full list of expected savings compiled by TrueCar.com (Year/Make/Model; MSRP; % Discount off MSRP):
2009 Saab 9-7X
$43,390
31%
2009 HUMMER H3
$34,170
28%
2009 Mitsubishi Raider
$21,875
27%
2009 Suzuki SX4
$13,994
26%
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Easy holiday shopping with MasterCard Priceless Gift Finder
By Abbey Khan
Shopping for holiday gifts should be fun and stress free, and now it can be thanks to the MasterCard Priceless Gift Finder. Working mom and comedienne Heather McDonald of Chelsea Lately tells us how she’s been using the gift finder and what she’s getting for her family, friends, and famous co-workers. Hopefully, they won’t read this before the holidays, and if they do, they’ll act surprised when they get their gifts.
FUSN: The MasterCard Priceless Gift Finder is completely innovative, how does it work?
HM: It’s great if you have to buy for a child. My boy is seven, I know what he likes but I don’t know what a 16-year-old girl is into. You answer questions that describes their personality and it gives you potential gifts in your price range. They teamed up with Amazon.com so you can get real reviews from real people and decide if you want to get it or not. They also connect with your Facebook friends, so they know you’re on the site shopping for them. I’ve already done a ton of shopping on it and it’s come up with things I would never think of for people I normally just bring a bottle of wine to.
FUSN: Sound easy enough, but it’s also nice to shop at an actual physical location. Do you have any plans to go out to the mall to do any holiday shopping?
HM: If I go to the mall to buy for other people, I end up trying on clothes and buying stuff for myself, but if I’m doing the gift finder, I’m focused on buying for specific people.