This article is a reprint of one I wrote for Gather Little By Little a few days ago…
I was thinking about how I have spent a whole lot more money on certain items only to find out that they are just a little bit better than the cheaper alternatives. And on the other hand there have been things I have spent just a bit more money on and they were a whole lot better than the cheaper alternatives. When you look at buying decisions this way, it can dramatically change how and what you buy.
Let me first say this is my list of things that I have found to be worth spending more money on. Everyone will have a different priority list of what is most important to them. But maybe this will generate some ideas for you. Here goes…
1. A Mac.
I know that this may rub some of the PC people the wrong way, but I just switched to Mac about a month ago and I just can’t believe what I was missing out on. The overall simplicity has saved me countless hours of time and frustration that was a regular event with my PC.
2. Quality food.
I am not necessarily talking about $100 meals prepared by French chefs, but rather food that will benefit your health rather than harm it. Organic food is great, but even just eating fruits and vegetables rather than hyper-processed stuff that once resembled food. There are consequences to our actions and decades of eating fast food 5 days a week is not likely to yield a good result.
3. A Honda.
Or Toyota. They are more expensive than a lot of cars on the market on the front end, but looking at the big picture you will end up saving money in the end. Consumer Reports says that the Honda Civic has the overall lowest total cost of ownership. This figure includes everything from sticker price, car depreciation, insurance, repairs, to resale value. After it all is calculated the Civic was the cheapest to own. But if you just look at the sticker price, you will find that there are a lot of cheaper cars out there.
4. Medical expenses.
Eating better is my attempt to prevent these from occurring, but when I am in the hospital I want the best Doc I can find working on me. It is amazing how little money seems to matter when you are in pain.
5. Looseleaf Tea
If you have always drank bag tea and never tried looseleaf do yourself a favor - find a Teavana near you and get some Rooibos Vanilla. You can thank me later.
6. Nice dress shoes.
(Disclaimer: I am a guy, I have no idea if this is true for ladies) Working in an office environment for most of my career, I have come to appreciate high-quality dress shoes. You can spend a couple hundred on a nice pair of shoes that can last you decades. You may need to replace the soles every few years, but if you take care of them they will last. The conservative business style hasn’t changed much over the last 50 years - I anticipate it to stay that way. (Tip: to save money, check what the Ebay sellers are selling them at. I have found some great bargains on Ebay.)
7. Potting soil.
I planted a balcony garden this year and I have always heard this from gardeners and it is true. Get good potting soil, it will make a tremendous amount of difference.
8. A wallet.
Like my dress shoes I like to keep my wallets for a long time. They get broken in so nicely and get contoured to fit just perfectly to your body. But if you don’t get a nice leather one, they probably won’t make it that long. I actually just retired my old wallet that I had for about 12 years. My wife bought me a new one from Coach - isn’t she sweet?
9. A bed.
We took all of our wedding money and bought a nice King sized bed. I am convinced that it was and will remain one of our best buying decisions of our marriage. You spend 1/3 of your life in it - it ought to be nice!
10. Chocolate.
I prefer to minimize my indulgences, but to make them really good. Quality over quantity is the key here. I like the darkest dark chocolate you can find. It is so strong that you can’t really overindulge like you can with milk chocolate. And the added bonus is that Dark Chocolate actually has health benefits!
What about you? What do you think is worth spending more on?
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I first heard of Hypermilling when I was writing a recent post - 75 Gas Saving Tips. It seems to be a trend among drivers that is increasing in popularity in reaction to the rising gas prices.
What is hypermiling?
According to Wikipedia Hypermiling is:
“Fuel economy-maximizing behaviors (and) techniques that drivers can use to optimize their automobile fuel economy. The energy in fuel consumed in driving is lost in many ways, including engine inefficiency, aerodynamic drag, rolling friction, and kinetic energy lost to braking (absent regenerative braking). Driver behavior can influence all of these. The city mileage of conventional cars is lower than highway mileage due to: 1) a high proportion of idling time, 2) operation mostly at very inefficient low-output engine operating points, and 3) more frequent braking.”
AKA being fanatical about saving gas by using traditional and non-traditional means to get better fuel economy. To see a pro in action, check out this video.
Apparently anyone can do this with any car. Of course, some cars are going to have a better chance for better MPG gains, but any car should be able to see improvement if the proper techniques are used. At last year’s Hybridfest the Hypermilers, “put on a clinic to help attendees practice what the hypermilers preach. In one exercise, (a hypermilling pro) guided a driver through some basic techniques in a standard Honda Accord, and the driver extracted 51.2 mpg from a car that the EPA rates at 24 mpg city and 34 mpg highway.”
While I was gathering information for the gas saving tips post, I contacted a Hypermiler (he got 69 MPG in his Geo Metro) for suggestions. He said that the most important aspect to his great fuel economy was all in the driving technique and knowing which techniques are most beneficial. I will go over some of the techniques that I found that some of these guys use, but first let’s look at some of their toys.
Tools of the Hypermiller
Scan-Gauge
This was the tool that I was encouraged to get by the Hypermiler I contacted and I have also seen it touted various other places as well. It is a digital display that plugs into your car and calculates gas mileage in real time. This information then allows the driver to see what he/she is doing that is using a lot of fuel and what techniques are very efficient.
The Scan-Gauge seems to be the standard for the Hypermilers, but there are others out there.
Run your car on water Kit
I have heard mixed things about kits like these. Basically, (from what I understand) you create HHO gas by assembling a contraption that then feeds into your engine. Your engine then burns the HHO gas as well as gasoline. They promise that your car will become at least 40% more fuel efficient with testimonials of even better rates. I haven’t tried it yet, so I am not sure.
Fuel Clinic
This is a useful website that tracks all of your fuel usage. You have to save your gas receipts and enter them online, but the site provides a wealth of data. It provides charts and graphs and detailed analysis of your fuel consumption. Best of all, it’s free.
Gas Price Map
This tool allows you to enter in your zip code and find the best gas prices in your area.
Hypermiling techniques: worth the risk or not?
Some of these techniques were mentioned in Gas saving tips post, but some are a bit more extreme and I don’t recommend doing them. I mean, is it really worth getting in an accident or making everyone on the road hate you so you can save a few bucks? So I am going to look at a bunch of common hyper-milling techniques to see if they are worth doing or not.
Calculate and record your MPG
Tracking your progress seems to be a big key to your success. Calculating your MPG is a simple equation (Miles driven / Gallons used), so the best way to do this would be with the Scan-Gauge mentioned above, Fuel Clinic, or you can just use this calculator.
- Worth it.
Watch the real-time mileage display
Some newer vehicles come with computers that compute your real-time fuel use on a miles-per-gallon basis. As mentioned above, the Scan-Gauge seems to be the after-market tool of choice by the pros. They watch this and adjust throttle inputs based on the readout to maximize their fuel economy.
-
Worth it - if you drive a lot.
Overinflate tires
Some hyper-milers overinflate their tires by 15-20 pounds. I have heard that this can be dangerous (blow-outs) and lead to uneven tire wear, but some of them, “consider it safe because most of my driving is around town and under 50 miles per hour.” They say, putting less rubber on the road gives them an edge in beating the EPA’s rating by decreasing rolling resistance.
- Not worth it - but definitely inflate them to the maximum rated PSI
Removing outside mirrors
I read about one hypermiler who removed his outside mirrors, replacing them with a video camera mounted in the left rear turn signal. He has it connected to a small video display mounted on the dash that enables him to see a wide-angle view of what’s behind him. He figures it adds another one mile per gallon.
- Not worth it
Pay attention to wind conditions
Certain cars will be more susceptible to this than others, but some have found that fuel mileage is significantly impacted by favorable wind conditions. “On long highway rides, having a tailwind has made a big difference in my fuel economy.” If you know it’s a windy day and you don’t have to take that trip, then don’t.”
- Not worth it - If I have to wait around for the wind, I might as well get a sailboat
Place cardboard over the radiator
One guy I read about does this and says that a cold engine reduces fuel-efficiency. He uses Office Depot’s silver-colored cardboard to warm up the engine faster. He covers his radiator with cardboard to block the wind, thus retaining heat and keeping the engine running at a warmer temperature. Knowing that this could cause his engine to overheat, he says, “I’ll take off the piece of cardboard if I know that I’ll be driving a long distance, say 100 miles, but it’s fine for my daily commute.”
- Not worth it - what if you forget about it and your engine overheats?
Avoid stoplights and stop signs
Many hyper-milers plan and map out their route before departing to ensure that their pathway has the fewest stops possible.
- Not worth it - I think most people’s time is worth more than the potential gas savings
Ride the ridge
This means riding along the painted white line on the road. Hyper-milers now use this white line to increase their fuel economy, a tactic that’s especially useful in the rain when puddles form in the grooves of the road, which significantly increases rolling resistance.
- Worth it - as long as there isn’t a safety issue with other cars
Drive without A/C and keep windows closed
In the testing that Edmunds did, they concluded that there is, “no measureable difference,” when choosing windows or A/C. However, if you choose neither, there is quite a difference. So now you can save gas by sweating 
- Maybe Worth it - if you look at it as a free sauna
Timing Stoplights
If you can’t avoid the stoplights, determine the optimal speed for the timing (making sure they are green when you get there) of the stoplights. “Taking this small step has a marked effect on your fuel economy.”
- Worth it in moderation - just don’t ruin everyone’s day who is stuck driving behind you
Minimize brake usage
I always hate to have to come to a, “full and complete stop,” at a stop sign, but it is the law. Many hypermilers treat stop signs as though they are yield signs - and slowly glide through. They also are constantly planning and anticipating for what’s ahead; thus minimizing use of their brakes. And of course some of the down-right dangerous (dare I say irresponsible) hypermilers tailgate or take corners at speeds that aren’t truly safe, all in the hopes of never having to touch their brakes.
- Worth it in moderation - but breaking the law and putting others in danger isn’t cool
“Potential parking”
According to Wayne Gerdes, winner of the 2006 Hybridfest MPG Challenge, “Park at the highest spot in the parking lot and face out.” This technique allows you to exit by rolling forward in neutral without turning on the engine, thereby saving gas. The technique does away with the backing up and braking required by nose-in parking, while also reducing the time the engine runs.”
- Worth it
“Pulse and glide”
Generally this technique seems to be reserved for the hybrid owners, but I think some non-hybrid owners have found ways to apply this principle as well. The “Pulse and glide” method involves accelerating the vehicle to about 30-40 mph and letting it coast. The 30-40 mph point is where some hybrid’s do not use the engine or the battery. They let it coast for a few seconds, then repeat. Over and over again. Sounds like a fun trip to Disney Land, doesn’t it kids?
- Not worth it - unless my kids were mis-behaving (I can’t wait to be a dad)
Tailgating (”Drafting”)
Just like the Nascar pros, hyper-milers have realized that they can save fuel by getting right behind big trucks. I drove past an accident where a car was sandwiched between two 18-wheelers. Without looking closely you would think that the one 18-wheeler rear-ended the other. The remains of the middle car were difficult to spot. After seeing that I am much more careful when driving around 18-wheelers.
- Not Worth it
More about gas and hypermilling
I have been trying out some of these techniques as I learn how to become a hypermiler. I will compare my MPG numbers and see how I am doing and let you know - soon.
And here are a few more articles if you are interested in learning more… How to be a hypermiler, Hypermiling Tips, How are gas prices determined?
What methods do you think are worth the effort?
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Keep your car!
The Consumer Reports editors did a test and compared buying a Honda Civic EX and driving it for 15 years (225,000 miles) and buying a new one every 5 years. According to their calculations you would save over $20,000 by keeping the original one for 15 years - even after taking maintenance and repair costs into consideration. I had always assumed that it is a better financial move to keep your car, but it is nice seeing the actual numbers.
Car Depreciation is the enemy!
The key here is that a car is a depreciating asset. From the moment you buy it goes down in value. By keeping it for a long time the car’s depreciation is greatly minimized. Most cars are losing thousands of dollars in depreciation each year when they are new. But when they are 10 years old depreciation has slowed to a much better rate - often only a few hundred dollars a year. So, as fun as it is to get a new car every few years - try to make a rare occurrence and your bank account will thank you.
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I really believe that all things to work together for our good (Romans 8:28). It doesn’t always make sense how they will and do, but that doesn’t change the fact that they will. As I have practiced focusing on the truth of that it makes it easier to look that the bright side of challenging situations - gas prices.
Sure, there are ways to save money on gas, but even the best gas saving techniques aren’t keeping up with the rising prices. But I got encouraged when I found this article pointing out a few of the possible benefits. The author mentioned 8 reasons why Americans will be benefited by the higher prices.
1. RIP for the internal-combustion engine
2. Economic stimulus
3. Wither the Middle East’s clout
4. Deflating oil potentates
5. Mass-transit development
6. An antidote to sprawl
7. Restoration of financial discipline
8. Easing global tensions
My thoughts about his list:
1. He is absolutely right about this. It just doesn’t make sense that we can make this much progress in the computer industry in 20 years and yet we are still using basically the same engines in our cars for the last hundred years. When problems get large enough, people work harder to find answers.
3. Wouldn’t it be great not to depend on the middle east for oil? It just seems that not much good has come out of our dependence on the middle east? I don’t know much about our reasons for not drilling in Alaska (there is a lot of oil up there) other than it is a protected wilderness - does anyone know more about it that they can share in the comments?
5. My hometown of St. Louis has historically been lagging behind most other cities in this area. Recently they have made some advancements, but they are still a long way from cities like New York. Even still, I have seen many people switch to public transportation in light of the high prices and I fully expect the trend to continue.
6. This is another trend that has been prevalent in St. Louis. We are a very suburbanized city. The last figures I heard (a couple years ago) was something like a population of 2.5 million with only 200,000 actually living in the city limits. I will say that over the last few years the urban-living trend has brought a lot more people back to the city. Even when the trendy-ness of urban living dies off I think gas prices could keep this trend going in full force.
7. I can look back at some financially difficult times in my life and see that I learned some very important lessons. I learned how to live on a lot less money. It can be difficult adjusting and adapting, but once you do you have the confidence of knowing that you can make it on $xx,xxx. Just like going through boot-camp, it stretches you beyond what you thought you were capable of. Yes, this really is looking at the bright side of the challenge, but it is true.
Technorati Tags: Gas Prices, Fuel Prices
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According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Americans are driving less than they did a year ago. In March 2008 Americans drove 11 billion miles less than they did in March 2007. This drop marks the sharpest drop in FHWA history.
Apparently the downward trend started in November of 2007 and has continued since. Click on the graph to the the right to see more detail.
Gas prices and driving habits
A survey was done by Ipsos Center which shows how much the price of gas needs to rise to get people to change their driving habits.
- 67% of respondents said they have already changed their driving habits as a result of the rising gas prices.
- Of those who have already made changes to their driving habits, the point of change was at about $3.20 per gallon.
- At $3.00 per gallon, 35% of Americans had changed their driving habits.
- By $4.00 per gallon — a reality in many parts of the U.S. already — it will be up to 74%.
- By $5.00 per gallon, 85% of all Americans will have changed their driving habits.
What driving habits have changed?
I think this survey begs the question - what habits have changed? Personally, I can’t say that I haven’t driven somewhere yet to save fuel, but I am definitely thinking about my trips a lot more.
I would love to hear what habits you have changed. Are you riding the bus to work or carpooling? Are you still visiting friends just as much? Still going to church?
Technorati Tags: gas prices, driving less
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Will the Chevy Volt be the first fully functional electric car?
GM (Chevy) just announced that they are going to be producing fewer SUV’s and begin production on the Volt. The Volt was a concept car back in January of 2007 that looks like it has made it to the big leagues.
The car, “will be powered by a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged either via a regular electrical socket when parked or by an onboard generator while driving. The standard Volt generator will be configured to run on E85 fuel (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline), but other fuel sources, such as diesel, gasoline or even fuel cells are possible.”
Plug your car in just like your cell phone
I am excited to see that the car industry is taking chances on cars like these. Our inability to advance beyond the internal combustion engine is almost laughable in light of all of the other technological advancements of the last century. Electric cars have failed in the past, but that is no reason to stop trying to find a solution. Way to go to Chevy for taking a chance on something like this. Hopefully other car companies will follow with other innovations.
Here are a few pics of the Chevy Volt for your viewing pleasure…
Here are a few of the frequently asked questions about it from the Volt website.
Q: How is the Chevy Volt different than other cars on the road?
A: The car is a plug-in range-extended electric vehicle with an on-board gasoline generator. It will have a large battery that stores power from your home electric outlet and which is connected to an electric motor. The electric motor directly propels the car. The battery can last for the first 40 miles. After that, should one continue to need to drive, the on-board gasoline/E85 generator will power up to keep the battery from running out.Q: How is the Chevy Volt different than today’s hybrids, like the Prius?
A: Today’s hybrids are called parallel hybrids. They use a small electric motor for low speed driving, but switch to a regular gas engine for acceleration and faster speed driving, hence both engines work side by side or in parallel. The Volt is a series vehicle meaning only the electric motor power the car at all times, the gas engine is just a generator, making electric to keep the batteries in a steady state of charge.Q: What is the driving range of the Chevy Volt?
A: The car is being designed to drive at least 40 miles on pure electricity stored in the battery from overnight home charging. After that the gas engine will kick in and allow the car to be driven up to 400 miles on a full tank (6-7 gallons) of gas.Q: How many miles per gallon will the Chevy Volt get?
A: A bit of a trick question. For the first 40 miles it will get infinite mpg, because no gas will be burned. When the generator starts, the car will get an equivalent of 50 mpg thereafter. One can calculate the average mpg per for any length drive starting with a full battery: Total MPG = 50xM/(M-40)Q: When will the car be available?
A: As per GM Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz the plan is to have the car available for mass purchase in late 2010 (probably as a 2011 model year). As of 3/08 he was 94.5% confident of making that deadline.Q: What type of batteries will the Chevy Volt use?
A: The car is being designed around an advanced battery pack which uses lithium-ion chemistry. This chemistry appears in cell phones and laptops. For automotive use the packs and cells will be more powerful and safe.Q: How much will the car cost?
A: Goal is to be less than $30,000, but first versions might be closer to $40,000.Q: What is the cost of operation of the car
A: With current average U.S. electric rates of ~10 cents/kwh it should cost 80 cents to drive for the first 40 miles, and then get 50 mpg thereafter using gasoline (market rate).Q: Why is the car taking so long to make?
A: GM reports that the battery packs are not ready yet. They have to be thoroughly tested to ensure safety and reliability.Q: Does the car use regenerative braking?
A: Yes. This means when the car is slowed, the kinetic or motion-based energy will be recaptured as electricity stored in the battery.Q: How long will it take to recharge the Volt?
A: 6.5 hours using a 110 volt (standard home) outlet, and about 3 hours if you have a 220 volt supply.Q: Is there a waiting list for the car?
A: No official waiting list, but we have an unofficial waiting list here on GM-Volt.com; the names will be given to GM when the time is right.
My thoughts on the Volt
Personally, I am a little shocked that it is going to be 2011 before the things are available - and that is assuming that everything goes according to plans. But regardless, the whole electric car idea excites me.
The price tag is a bit steep as well - gas prices would have to be very high to see some financial benefit from purchasing a car that will probably cost $35,000 when you can buy a new small 4 cylinder for a little over $10,000.
But what do you think about the Volt? Would you be willing to change your habits to plug your car in every night? And would you pay $35,000 to almost not have to go to the gas station?
Technorati Tags: Chevy Volt, GM Volt, Electric car
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In the recent post I did with the 75 gas saving tips - there were quite a few that touched on the techniques of driving. Of course not driving like you are drag racing will save you gas, but there are a lot of subtleties that can save gas as well.
For instance, if you have a manual transmission, it is better to shift to the next gear in the 2000-3000 RPM range, rather than waiting until 4000. It makes sense, since the engine is less efficient at 4000 RPM’s.
From stoplights, you can save a lot of gas by taking 15 seconds to reach your cruising speed, rather than 8 seconds.
Trying to keep rolling towards a red light, so that you are still moving when it turns green helps keep momentum - saving gas as well.
Save gas or save face?
Well, I have been trying some of these driving tactics - slowly accelerating from red lights, and trying to keep rolling up to a red light, in hopes that it will turn green before I have to kill my momentum. The one thing I am noticing is that while I may be saving a couple nickels and dimes each time I drive, people are starting to hate me
I have no doubt these tactics work, but while I am employing them I can’t help but think, “I feel bad for the guy behind me - if I were him I would honk at me.”
It is a funny feeling being the slow guy. I had always been the first one off the line, always driving in the fast lane, and rarely passed by other cars. Since I have been trying this, it is common for me to see cars pass me on both sides when the light turns green. I feel like my grandma
As with everything, there is a proper balance, in my testing phase of these driving techniques I have been solely focused on getting 75 MPG (I wish) and not very concerned how it affects the traffic around me. So, I am working my way into that balance…
Hopefully, society as a whole will begin to drive more modestly and quit drag racing from the stoplights, but I need to keep a proper balance between saving gas and making everyone mad.
Technorati Tags: gas saving, save gas
This post was featured in the Carnival of Personal Finance.
What do you think? Should you drive how ever you want, because you can? or Should you consider how it affects others?
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Well, I told the world that I saved $330 by switching to Geico from AAA a few months back. I mentioned in that post that I really liked dealing with the insurance gal that I was dealing with. She has always been very helpful and since we have developed a bit of a relationship it makes it much more enjoyable dealing with her.
Saving another $200 a year on car insurance
She emailed me about a week ago asking me if I would be open to her getting me a new quote with a few other insurance companies. Of course, why not? So, she ran it and she seemed to be very excited to tell me that she could get me the exact same coverage for $200 cheaper per year than Geico.
The new company is America First/Liberty Mutual who coincidentally just recently purchased Safeco. I don’t know much about this company. I think the truth about whether or not it is actually a good deal remains a secret until you have a claim. Dealing with AAA on a claim turned out to be quite difficult, so that made the decision to switch even easier. Hopefully I never have to find out how good America First is…
My car insurance lesson
The lesson learned here is that I have saved $530 on my car insurance (keeping the same coverage and limits) over the last 6 months. I didn’t really think I was paying very much, but I am glad I shopped around. It is something to think about.
A while back I wrote a post about how to leverage your emergency fund to save you money on car insurance. This is another thing to consider if you are trying to save money on your car insurance.
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I just picked up the recent issue of Consumer Reports magazine and the issue is dedicated to cars: quality, reliability, performance, and safety.
Honda and Toyota are the best cars
It is little surprise to find out that Honda is number one on the list and Toyota is number two. These Japanese car companies have come to be synonymous with reliability. CR’s (Consumer Reports) rating was based on performance and reliability. They took each company’s score in these two categories to come up with the overall score. Here is how they all stacked up:
- 78 - Honda
- 75 - Toyota
- 72 - Subaru
- 71 - BMW
- 71 - Nissan
- 71 - VW
- 71 - Mazda
- 67 - Mercedes-Benz
- 66 - Hyundai
- 64 - Volvo
- 63 - Mitsubishi
- 61 - Ford
- 54 - GM
- 49 - Suzuki
- 49 - Chrysler
“Honda earned the top score in our analysis because it builds very reliable cars that perform very well.”
GM and Ford have improved
GM and Ford are still towards the bottom of the list, but have seen significant improvements over the last model year. I have owned a few Fords and am glad to see that they are taking it up a notch.
Japan is still making the best cars
A few points worth noting about Japanese cars:
- Only Honda and Subaru earned the distinction of having all of the models tested make it on the CR recommended list.
- Honda is the only automaker whose entire model lineup is currently recommended by CR.
- Seven-year-old vehicles from Toyota and Honda have roughly the same number of problems as three-year-old vehicles from most other car companies.
My personal choice
I have owned American cars all of my life until our purchase of our Honda Fit last year. I have been frustrated with the lack of reliability in all of the cars that I have owned. I have been diligent with the maintenance and have taken care of them, yet they still seem to have quite a few problems.
Meanwhile, I have had friends with old Toyotas or Hondas who do almost no maintenance and the cars go for 250,000 miles. That’s what caused me to go with Honda. So far, so good with the Fit. I will keep you updated if anything changes.
Technorati Tags: best cars, Honda, Toyota
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Yep, it is true, I just switched over to Geico and saved $330 per year on my car insurance. From what I have seen of Geico so far, they appear to be very promising. But, I don’t think the truth really comes out with insurance companies until you actually have a claim. I will let you know when/if that day comes.
I was with AAA before and I was deliberately paying more than the average for the sake of convenience. I knew my agent well enough that I could email her or call her directly, rather than talking to a random agent, like I will likely have to do with Geico.
I try to shop around once a year for insurance rates, and for whatever reason the price gap increased since last time I checked. For the same amount of coverage $330 was a bit too much to pay for my convenience. To add to that I haven’t had good experiences with AAA anyway, so I figured it was time to make the move.
If you haven’t shopped around in a while, you may be surprised at some of the price variances with car insurance. Some companies rate drivers on different criteria, so you may be able to save a few hundred bucks a year by switching. I don’t necessarily recommend Geico, because I haven’t seen the full picture with them yet. But, they were the best rate that I found - oh and I just love that little Gecko!!
Technorati Tags: Geico, switch car insurance, save money
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