50 Ways to Leave you Richer — Part III

iz Pulliam Weston posts an article on 50 Ways to Trim your Budget. The points in this series of posts will be taken from her list in this article.

This installment will address opportunities to save on travel expenses. I hope you enjoy this series! Part I is here and Part II is here.

16) Raise the deductibles on your auto-insurance policy.

This is good advice if you have money socked away to pay the higher deductible. Your auto insurer can tell you what the reduction in payment will be if you increase your deductible, so you can see what the payoff time will be.

17) Get all the discounts you deserve, such as good-driver, good-student and multiple-car discounts.

Some insurers will also take driver education classes into account. You may need to ask them what kinds of discounts they offer.

18) If you're driving less, tell your insurer; you may get a cheaper rate.

This is why they ask what the car is used for (personal use, commuting, or business).

19) Cancel collision and comprehensive insurance on cars older than five to seven years.

You can check the Kelley Blue Book value to see what your car is worth (approximately). The total loss payout would be the value of the vehicle minus your collision deductible. They will also make allowances or deductions based on the apparent condition of the car and any premium upgrades to the vehicle.

20) Investigate carpools and public transportation, and see if your employer offers any subsidies.

Some of the bus deals around here are pretty good if you take subsidies into account. They're cheaper than gas and wear and tear. With recent high gas prices, some employers have added gas cards to their perqs.

21) Bike or walk as often as possible.

This is good for general health and fitness too. The environmental club at my college made the distinction in a leaflet between burning non-renewable fossil fuels and burning renewable Ben & Jerry's fuel!

22) Avoid repair bills by maintaining your vehicles properly with regular oil and filter changes.

Gary North, author of Reality Check, one of my favorite newsletters, uses and recommends installing a special bypass filter that basically eliminates the need for oil changes. It uses a roll of toilet paper as the filter. I'm not kidding. You can sign up for his weekly tips newsletter here and Reality Check here.