A few tips and tricks for saving some money before the end of the year:
1. Shop around for prices on:
a. auto insurance
b. home/renters insurance
c. cable
d. internet
e. cell phone service
f. home mortgage
g. student loans
h. life insurance
i. personal loans
j. credit cards
k. any other loans or debt you might have
2. Make sure you are comparing “apples to apples”- that all variables are the same. You can always change the specifics after you have made a decision.
3. Take into consideration ALL the expenses over the life of the contract or loan. For cell phones, you may have to purchase equipment if your current equipment is not recognized by a different provider.For loans, make sure you obtain any closings costs and include them in the total cost of the new loan (versus the total cost of keeping your current loan).
Companies love to entice new customers with great deals, so you could find yourself changing your providers on a fairly regular basis. This is very easy with insurance companies, less so with cable, internet, and loans.
It costs nothing to obtain quotes (just be careful they do not do a “hard pull” on your credit until you have made a decision. The only cost is your time.
Do you regularly shop around for the best deal? Or are you more of a “set it and forget” personality?