How to use trending Twitter hashtags to promote your business

Twitter is a great way to connect with potential and current customers. In addition to tweeting about your latest product or service, you can also use Twitter to join conversations about trending topics. This is a great way to get your business noticed by a wider audience and to build relationships with others in your industry.

To get the most out of Twitter for your business, you need to be using hashtags. Hashtags are a way to categorize tweets and make them easier to find. When you use a trending hashtag, your tweet will be seen by people who are searching for that particular topic.

For example, let’s say you run a bakery. You could use the hashtag #NationalCookieDay to promote your business. People who are searching for that hashtag will see your tweet and, if they’re interested in what you have to say, they’ll click on your profile to learn more about your business.

One of the most effective ways to promote your business on Twitter is to use trending hashtags. Hashtags are a great way to get your tweets seen by more people and to start a conversation about your brand.

However, it’s important to use hashtags wisely. Using too many hashtags in a single tweet can come across as spammy and will turn potential customers off.

Here are some tips for using trending hashtags to promote your business on Twitter:

Why use trending Twitter hashtags?

Because they help you get more followers! If you’re not using trending Twitter hashtags, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to get more followers. When you use a trending hashtag, your tweet is more likely to be seen by other users, which means you have a better chance of getting more followers.

Plus, using trending Twitter hashtags is a great way to connect with other users who are interested in the same topics as you. When you use a trending hashtag, you’re more likely to find other users who share your interests, which can lead to some great conversations.

So if you’re looking to get more followers, start using trending Twitter hashtags!

How to find trending Twitter hashtags?

If you’re looking to get involved in conversations on Twitter, or simply want to stay up-to-date on what’s trending, you’ll need to know how to find trending Twitter hashtags. Hashtags are a great way to search for specific topics on Twitter, and understanding how to find and use them can help you get the most out of the platform.

One of the easiest ways to find trending Twitter hashtags is to simply look at the “trends” section on the left-hand side of your Twitter homepage. Here, you’ll see a list of popular topics that people are talking about at the moment. You can also click on any of these topics to see a list of tweets that are using that particular hashtag.

If you’re looking for a more specific hashtag, you can use Twitter’s search function. Simply enter a keyword or phrase into the search bar

How to use trending Twitter hashtags to promote your business?

As a business owner, you are always looking for new and innovative ways to promote your business and reach new customers. Twitter is a great platform to connect with potential and current customers, and one way to maximize your reach on Twitter is to use trending hashtags.

A hashtag is a keyword or phrase that is preceded by the “#” symbol. When you include a hashtag in your tweet, it becomes clickable and anyone who clicks on it will see all the other tweets that include that same hashtag. Hashtags are a great way to connect with others who are tweeting about similar topics.

If you want to promote your business on Twitter using hashtags, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you need to make sure you are using relevant and popular hashtags. There is no point in using a hashtag that no one is searching for. Second, you need to use hashtags that are specific to your business.

For example, if you are a florist, you would want to use hashtags such as #flowers, #flowerstagram, or #flowerpower. If you are a restaurant, you might use hashtags such as #foodie, #nom. And if you are a clothing store, you might use hashtags such as #fashion, #style, or #ootd

There are a few things to keep in mind when using hashtags to promote your business. First, make sure that you’re using relevant hashtags. Don’t use hashtags that have nothing to do with your business just because they’re trending. Second, don’t overdo it. Using too many hashtags in a single tweet can be off-putting to potential customers.

The Benefits of Trending Hashtags on Twitter

Twitter has become an essential tool for businesses and individuals to communicate and share information. By using trending hashtags, you can broaden the reach of your tweets, increase engagement, and attract new followers.

When using trending hashtags, you’re essentially creating a topic for your tweets that is being discussed by a large number of people. This increases the chances that your tweets will be seen by more people and potentially leads to more followers.

Additionally, by using trending hashtags, you can create a more engaging experience for your followers. By including relevant hashtags in your tweets, you can draw in people who are interested in the topic and encourage them to follow you. This increases the chances that they’ll return to your tweets and see new content.

Hashtags can help you track and measure the success of your Twitter marketing campaigns.

They’re a great way to group related Tweets together and see which ones are getting the most engagement. One way to measure the success of your Twitter marketing campaigns is to use hashtags. Hashtags are a way to group related Tweets together and see which ones are getting the most engagement.Webprocomponent.com is a lead marketing tool that helps you find twitter trending and top hashtags around the world.

For example, if you’re promoting a new product, you might use the hashtag #productpromotion to group all of your tweets about the product together. You can then see which tweets are getting the most engagement (likes, retweets, and replies). This information can help you determine which topics to focus your marketing efforts on, and which campaigns are most successful.

Hashtags are a great way to keep track of your Twitter marketing campaigns, and they can help you measure their success.

They can help you connect with a wider audience on Twitter.

Twitter is a great way to connect with a wider audience. Not only can you share your thoughts and ideas, but you can also connect with other professionals and enthusiasts in your field.

Twitter is perfect for people who want to share their work with a wider audience. You can connect with other professionals in your field, share your thoughts and ideas, and even find new collaborators. Twitter is also great for staying up to date on industry news and developing relationships with potential customers or clients.

They can help you engage with your followers on a more personal level.

Twitter followers bots are computer programs that follow you and send you updates about the people and topics that are of interest to you.

They can do this by learning about the topics that are important to you and the people you follow, or they can be programmed to send you updates about specific people or topics.

Either way, using a Twitter follower bot can give you a more personalized experience with your followers and help you stay connected with them on a more personal level.

They can help you generate more leads and followers on Twitter.

Twitter is a great way to connect with people who might be interested in what you have to say. However, if you’re not using a lead generation tool, you’re likely not getting the most out of your Twitter account. It helps you to identify and target potential followers and leads on Twitter. Lead generation tool makes it easy to connect with people who are interested in what you have to say, and it can help you to increase the number of followers and leads that you have.

The Future of Work: How to Be Absolutely Essential

Earlier this year, McDonald’s started rolling out its program to replace cashiers with digital kiosks for customers to order from. As expected, the company’s shares hit an all-time high following the deployment of the order-taking machines.

While McDonald’s made headlines with its program, it is hardly the first company to replace human employees with automation and the food industry will certainly not be the last to add more machines to its lineup. Working life in the 21st Century will be defined by the conflict between human workers who want to keep their jobs and administrators who are lured by promises of cheaper automated labor and the ability to cut costs.

Experts estimate that 38 percent of jobs in the United States will become automated by the year 2032. The question on every working class person’s mind should not be “Will my job be automated?” Instead, we should be asking: “How can I make myself automation-proof?”

While it seems unlikely that any position will be safe from automation into the distant future, there are certainly things that every employee can do to keep his or her job safe for the next few decades. Here’s how to become absolutely essential in the job market of the future.

Get a Nursing Job

While the field of healthcare might not be safe from automation, at least some healthcare jobs are going to be very safe in the near future. These include highly-trained doctors and nurses. Of these fields, there is already a huge nurse shortage in the U.S., making nursing an ideal job option for the present and the future.

In fact, unlike many other modern careers, nursing is expected to grow in the future. The job market for advanced practice nurses is expected to grow by 31 percent between its 2014 volume and 2024.

Nursing as a profession is made resilient by its complex and varied demands. Oftentimes, nurses are required to think on their feet with a patient, making it almost impossible to design a one-size-fits-all machine that could replace a nurse in every conceivable scenario. Nursing is also difficult to replace because of its hands-on nature. Patients respond well to good beside manner, which no machine can replicate.

Interactive Jobs

If your job requires complex interactions with other people, then you’re in luck. Positions like therapist and social worker rely on the worker’s ability to engage on a personal level with their clients. Machines cannot bond with people in the way that another human being can and this human connection is necessary for work in these fields.

In addition, like nursing, social work is expected to grow in the future. The market for social work jobs is expected to grow by 12 percent by the year 2024, driven by America’s aging population.

Get Into Teaching

Like nursing and social work, teaching is another job that requires interaction with other people. While aspects of learning have been automated, there is no way to teach a machine to give each student the kinds of hands-on touch that a good teacher can give.

It’s a unique challenge to teach students who come from wildly different backgrounds and many require their own approaches to classroom material. This makes it hard to design a computer program that can lead each student through lessons with a similar level of success. For now, teaching seems to be safe from automation.

The Bottom Line

Noticing a trend so far? Jobs that have a strong human element are unlikely to be replaced by machines anytime soon. Instead, the need for these jobs seems to be growing as the population grows and there’s a need for more people who are ready and willing to take care of other people. Find a job that demands a personal touch in almost facet, and you are sure to stay safe from automation for the time being.

Is College Really Worth It?

The question of whether college is worth it is a fairly new one in the scheme of things. When you’re looking at payment options so you can afford college, you have to deal with the fact that tuition has gone up by 296 percent since 1995. A price increase of this magnitude is hard to deal with when post-collegiate employment options don’t look promising. It’s not that there aren’t any jobs available. It’s that wages are low and the cost of living is high, making it hard to pay off student loans.

A recent poll found 47 percent don’t think college is worth the cost, while 49 percent do. Young people between 18 and 34 were especially negative, with 57 percent giving college a thumbs down, while 39 insisted college is worth it. These numbers have changed drastically over the course of four years. In 2013, 56 percent of young people were optimistic and 38 percent weren’t.

This graph shows the breakdown of opinion:

Where do you stand on the efficacy of college? There are, of course, studies that show college graduates earn a lot more. But it’s not my intent to trot these studies out for you. Instead, I’m going to focus on the current state of the US economy, and show why it indicates college is indeed worth the cost.

Jobs Numbers and Wages

Wages have stagnated for the bottom 20 percent of workers since the 1970s. By and large, the bottom 20 percent of earners are those who only have a high school diploma, or less. A college degree prepares you for a job in the upper 80 percent. And there may be good news on the horizon for wage growth.

The unemployment rate is currently 4.4 percent, the lowest it’s been since before the Great Recession, and maintaining full employment is the key to raising wages. As the economic argument goes, the more people are employed, the more demand there is for workers. Greater demand for workers translates into higher wages as employers have to do more to attract qualified employees.

At the current rate, barring unforeseen catastrophe, there’s no reason the unemployment rate won’t continue to fall.

A lower unemployment rate also means more job openings. The more people are employed, the more productivity and growth for businesses, which means employers need to increase the number of positions as they grow. Again, businesses want to attract qualified employees, and they view those with a college degree as being more qualified.

The current economic picture points toward more job opportunities and higher wages. This means people with college degrees will not only be able to find a job, they’ll also be able to pay off student loan debt faster than they can now.

And when it comes to finding a job, nothing beats personal connections. College gives you the chance to make plenty of personal connections that could last for the rest of your life.

A Matter of Degrees

There are other added bonuses. Some degrees prepare you to help people in ways you never could without the degree. A master’s in social work allows you to provide therapy to clients who sorely need it, and the US Bureau of Labor expects social work careers to grow 19 percent by 2024. That’s a low estimate. The median salary for social workers is $46,890, but you can expect that number to rise too. Careers that require empathy, such as social work, are among the low risk jobs when it comes to automation. You won’t find a robot giving anyone therapy anytime soon.

The same applies to nursing jobs. Nurses need empathy, something artificial intelligence will never have. There are nursing school scholarships available to help ease the cost of tuition. You’ll earn a Bachelor of Science in anything from Therapeutics to Microbiology to Pathophysiologic Foundations. Aging baby boomers are going to need great care from qualified nurses. You’ll be well-equipped to help, and there will be no shortage of jobs available.

Once robots take over, it will be an incredibly competitive market when it comes to scoring social work jobs and nursing jobs. But if you get in on these fields now, you’ll be ahead of the pack.

Furthermore, degrees in high paying fields today are becoming easier to get. Health administrators earn an average of $63,414 a year. To get a master’s degree in health administration, you don’t need to take the GRE, you can do it online, and it only takes two years.

College Is Worth It

Given the fact that low-paying jobs such as cashier, toll booth worker, and fast food worker will be automated in the coming years, from the job availability and money perspective, it’s definitely worth it to go to college. And college is an eye-opening experience. If you have to take out loans, just prepare yourself by studying as hard as you can. Meet as many people as you can and look into good jobs before you graduate.

Smiling Your Way to Financial Success?

What’s the deal with smiling? That might seem like a joke of a question. You probably didn’t laugh. But shouldn’t you have at least smiled? Will you be more successful if you smile more often? Now we’re getting deep. You might be surprised to find out there’s conflicting information on this subject.

On one hand, science says smiling is healthy for you, even when you’re faking it. Researchers separated people into three groups and had them work on stressful tasks. The first group put chopsticks in their mouths to simulate a smile. The second group forced a smile, while the third group kept a straight face. Turns out the two groups with fake smiles experienced less stress. Their heart rates were lower, which aligns with research that shows smiling—particularly the genuine kind—is good for heart health.

So, you’re young, and you’re looking for that great job that can become an incredible career, but the interviewing process is stressful. With the above evidence in hand, it’s easy to assume you should smile more during your interviews. Doing so will help alleviate stress, which in turn will help you perform better. Further, since your life on the job can be stressful, you should smile more often while you’re at work.

“People who smile appear to be more likeable, courteous, and even competent. This is reason enough to smile at every person you potentially want to do business with,” says Vivian Giang, citing research from Penn State. She goes on to discuss how smiling can train your brain to be happy: “The more we train, the easier it becomes to think positively, shut out negativity, and, in turn, boost your productivity and creativity, which allows you to perform better at work and life.”

If smiling more helps you deal with stress, and helps you become happier and more productive, maybe a good grin is just the thing you need to land that great job. But this isn’t an open-and-shut mouth—I mean, case. Assuming you should smile more during interviews is like assuming it takes a gimmick to get a job, when what it really takes is professionalism.

Several studies found that less can be more when it comes to smiling during interviews. In other words, be natural. If you’re applying for a position where the work is serious, such as reporter, police officer, or social worker, treat the interview with the type of seriousness it deserves. Prepare yourself with important questions to ask at a job interview. For example, find out about company culture and ask what the interviewer really likes about working for the company. Naturally, you’re going to smile if the interviewer says something humorous. But wouldn’t it be awkward if you forced yourself to smile although the person across the desk isn’t saying anything worth smiling about? If you’re going to force a smile, it’s best to do so at the beginning and end of an interview, meaning you’re happy to meet the person and you’re happy the interview went well.

How much you smile also makes a difference once you’re on the job. People who smile too much and are too cheerful in the workplace are at a disadvantage. Researchers found that, “People who appear really happy also appear to be more naïve than people who seem just a little bit happy.” Co-workers are more likely to try and manipulate you and take advantage of you if you seem happy all the time. The European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology even found that agreeable and nice people have lower salaries than those who are assertive. No one says that’s fair, but it seems to be the way the world of work is.

Ironically, smiling more may be better for your heart and your health, but it’s not necessarily better for your career. This definitely says something about the hazards of our career-oriented society.

When it comes down to it, be natural when you’re interviewing and when you’re working. When you’re on your own time, remember that it helps your health to smile. If you’re just naturally more cheerful than most, so be it—in the long run, it won’t hurt.

My Mother’s Day Menu Plan

As in all holidays, I like to have an array of beautiful food, but I’m always about saving money, and making it easy!

I don’t plan the menu completely until the new sales ad comes out. So for Mother’s Day, it’s the same. All I’m really looking for in the last few days is produce sales. Typically, I already have everything else that I’ve been investing in, in terms of staples and freezer foods, and even refrigerated items. So that makes it cost much less than it would if I ran out and bought everything now.

I have the meat in the freezer, already bought on sale and with coupons weeks or even months before. But I can opt to invest in more meat this week, which is a good idea to check sales, as they’re great in holiday weeks. This week, rib eyes are on a great sale. I’ll go ahead and invest and freeze. But I already have ribs and tri tip, which Greg wanted to do in the smoker. I’ll pull out some bacon, thaw and fry for the salad. I also had some whole chickens in the freezer, that I planned to butterfly and grill. But, this week’s Vons (Safeway), has wild Coho salmon. And I love that! So I think I’ll splurge for Mother’s Day and save my chickens!

I already have all the non-produce things I need for my menu, since my menu is planned around what I  have. I already have BBQ sauce, marinade, mayonnaise, ranch dressing dip mix, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, brown sugar, etc. I even have some refrigerator items I’ll use, gorgonzola cheese, hummus, plain yogurt, etc. All bought at a great price over the last few weeks or months. This is what I call ”investing” in groceries, simply buying blue items on our Grocery Game LIST before I need them. In doing that, blue items are usually about 67% off the regular price. The opposite of “investing” would be “need shopping”. So much of what I will use for Mother’s Day, if bought this week, “need shopping”, would cost me three times more.

So to recap, I didn’t know what my menu items would be until I saw the produce sales offerings, and finished my ideas for side dishes and appetizers, based on what I have and what produce is on sale…

So now I know what I’ll buy this week: Corn on the cob (on sale), lettuce etc. for salad (already have gorgonzola, bacon, balsamic, olive oil). I’ll buy the strawberries (on sale), and make a sweet yogurt dip with brown sugar (already invested in those). For appetizer, raw veggies (on sale) with ranch dressing (already invested in it). I see artichokes on sale. I may also steam them, chill them and serve them cold to dip in the ranch too! It’s one or our favorites! Three friends are bringing other sides.

So easy, and easy on the budget when your grocery shopping lifestyle is centered around the concept of investing!

Happy  Mother’s Day! 

Why The Grocery Game is first and foremost!

Today, a customer emailed us about a Kroger list, saying that we missed a bunch of sales that were in the ad. If you know The Grocery Game, you know what’s coming! (hahaha!) But first… Quality Control had to go through that list with a fine toothed comb to make sure once again that it was indeed a LIST fit for The Grocery Game. In the end, the kingdom of The Grocery Game is gloating! Read our response. And if you’re a member, you can gloat too!

(some places are blank so that the member can remain anonymous)

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the Kroger LIST for _____.

At TheGroceryGame.com, we do things differently than any other grocery savings site on the web. Most free sites have volunteers or un-trained personnel who simply match every advertised sale with any available coupon. In doing so, coupons are redeemed at the wrong time, which results in lost savings on the average of $32 a week nationwide.

Our Quality Control department re-checked all of the advertised sales against our historical databases, and found that those omitted sales were not at rock bottom, and/or that there was no coupon to go with those sales to make them worthy of being included on the list. Where a sale is not at rock bottom, the expiration date of any available coupon is considered, and a decision is most often made to hold the coupon for a better opportunity. The Grocery Game is the only website that has proprietary databases which are used to strategically purchase with or without coupons at historical lows. 

Another one of the major benefits of The Grocery Game is “Deal stacking”, which has to do with combining a sale with manufacturer coupon, store coupon, and possibly also a manufacturer’s register reward where applicable. Kroger’s electronic coupons are updated as often as twice a week. You will see a note in the footer (DC) with reference to the fact that some “DC”s may be missing due to subsequent updates.

Finally, and most importantly… The most unique and powerful benefit of The Grocery Game are the UN-advertised sales. Many UN-advertised sales are just as viable in terms of savings as advertised sales. Your Kroger LIST this week had 121 UN-advertised sales. _____ toothpaste is just one of the 121 UN-advertised sales on your list, which with the coupon, ended up being free. By contrast, _____ toothpaste was advertised, and was listed as blue at a 56% savings. There were 5 more free items listed that were also among the 121 UN-advertised sales and countless more great savings. The Grocery Game is the only place on the web where you can access UN-advertised sales each week.

We’ve attached an unformatted list of those 121 UN-advertised sales items to this email.

We hope this answers your concerns. And we hope that you will continue to join hundreds of thousands of shoppers who save an average of $512 a month on groceries for a family of four.

Please let us know if you have any more questions or concerns.

Be Careful What You Believe on the Internet

The internet is FULL of information. But just because you read it on the internet, doesn’t mean it’s true. It’s becoming almost a chore to plow through un-necessary or even inaccurate information. So what’s true and what isn’t? Reliable sources can be hard to find. And the best sources may cost money.

Many websites are starting to recognize that people will pay for premium content. The Wall Street Journal online has tons of free articles. But to get premium content, you can buy online access for $1.99 a week. And I guess that’s now a bigger seller than the hard copies of WSJ. That’s just one indicator that people are beginning to recognize the true value of paying for premium content on the web.

The other day, I blogged that TheGroceryGame.com showed 121 UN-advertised sales on one of our Kroger LISTs. 6 of those Unadvertised sales were for free items. Our Quality Control department compared that Kroger LIST to the “same” list at one of the most popular free sites. This site claims to have Unadvertised sales. We’ve always known that on the few lists where they actually do have Unadvertised sales, they only have a few. And on most lists, they actually don’t have any UNadvertised sales. On this Kroger list, however, they did indeed have 7 of the 121 Unadvertised sales.But among those 7 of 121, the free items were missing.

The loss of savings on those seven missing free items is $9.19.  But it doesn’t stop there. This free list is missing coupons on lots of their advertised sales. Even worse, where coupons are included, too many of them are listed at the wrong time. According to our databases, this free site arbitrarily posts coupons with any sales in the sales ad without regard to timing. Our databases indicate that many of those sales are not at their historical lows. This and too many more awful mistakes to list just lead to more lost savings. All in all, someone shopping this week at Kroger with that “free” list stands to lose up to $56 in potential savings than if they had shopped with the premium list at TheGroceryGame.com for a nominal sum of $1.25.

Long before the idea of paying for premium content was popular,TheGroceryGame.com was a “pay to play” content site and still is. Now, we have tons of free things like Teri’s Coupon Tracker, printable coupons, and other resources in Teri’s Coupon Center. But by and large, it’s the “pay to play” portion that has become ever more valuable to those who really want to save the most time and money. In fact, they usually save enough in the four week free trial to buy a deep freezer. Sure, there’s lots of free grocery information out there on the web, even free “lists” loaded with unreliable information. But they’re not the premium content as in The Grocery Game, and they don’t deliver the same savings…  not even close! 

I feel vindicated once again, that sometimes you have to “pay to play”. And glad we’re providing truly premium content that saves our members more money than anywhere else on the web… Every week on our 220+ LISTs nationwide!  

HFCS getting a new name! Oh, wow!

So the people who make High Fructose Corn syrup are trying to get a name change in hopes of resurrecting their dying sweetener.  Corn refiners have petitioned the FDA for use of ‘Corn Sugar’ as an alternate name to ‘High Fructose Corn Syrup’

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/corn-refiners-petition-fda-for-use-of-corn-sugar-as-alternate-name-to-high-fructose-corn-syrup-102845349.html

Remember, that was a press release written by CRA, Corn Refiners Association. And they do have their agenda.

There are tons of conflicting results in research. But I am veering toward what happened to the poor rats that were fed HFCS in a Princeton University research study released in March of this year. This study is definitive enough for me to put the matter to rest.

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

You decide.

Earning Money Online: What’s Your Time Worth?

It’s hard to ignore the appeal of making real money online—after all, we live in a world where bloggers land book and movie deals, where top YouTubers are multimillionaires and where celebrities collect thousands of dollars in exchange for a single sponsored tweet.

While some of us dream of a wildly successful Internet career, the rest of us are happy to settle for online earnings that are a little more modest. Thousands of money-making opportunities are just a web search away. Whether you’re selling your old stuff, scoping out freelance opportunities or running your own digital storefront, there are tools and resources to help you along every step of the way. 

In recent years, a new approach to making a quick buck online has been gaining traction: online rewards programs where you can earn money by performing a variety of online activities. Some sites are based on consumer activities (e.g., online shopping, submitting product reviews, watching video promotions), while others are geared towards data-related activities (taking surveys, image tagging, transcribing information). Though the sites vary in nature, they share some commonalities: they are built around “microtasks”—online activities that do not require much time or experience to complete. 

Microtask and shopping rewards websites are appealing because of their perceived easiness. Most of their paid activities can be completed in mere minutes and almost anyone can do it—it doesn’t get much better than that, right? Other ways of making money online suddenly seem slow and labor-intensive by comparison. Why spend time and energy getting a freelance gig when you can sit around filling out surveys instead?

Well, before you go signing up for every free trial and installing every search bar plug-in, consider that the selling points (Easy! Fast! No experience necessary!) on these websites also serve as red flags that this type of money-making may not be worth your while. The following questions can help you weed out the underpaid clickbait from the better-paid gigs:

1) What’s the “hourly wage”? 
This might seem like an obvious first step, but comparing the real hours you’re spending to the real money you’re earning is an incredibly helpful tool in determining whether or not an online pursuit is worth your time. Many rewards sites use point systems in which points need to be accumulated before they can be redeemed. Point systems are really great at obscuring how much you’re actually earning, so take the time to figure out the approximate cash value of a single point. If it takes 500 points to redeem a $5 gift card, for example, a point is worth roughly $0.01. Completing a survey for 25 points sounds decent, but (following this example) if the survey takes 10 minutes to complete, the reality is that you’re working at a rate of $1.50 per hour, which sounds a lot less decent.

2) How much talent or expertise does the gig require?
When considering joining a microtask or shopping rewards website, evaluate the sort of activities you’d be engaging in. Do any conditions or restrictions apply, or can anyone with an Internet connection do the task? As a rule of thumb, online gigs with the fewest barriers have the most people competing for them and therefore tend to pay less. A little know-how can go a long way, so look for opportunities to complete slightly higher-paying activities: for example, submitting a video product review will likely earn you more credits than watching a 30-second ad. 

3) What are you willing to compromise?
Sometimes the ease and convenience of microtask and rewards sites comes at the price of your personal data and online identity. How much is your personal information worth to you? Would you be okay with a fuller inbox (and mailbox!) as a result of filling out surveys and promotional offers? Are you comfortable linking your social media accounts to the product reviews you submit? Are you willing to sell out your ‘likes’ and ‘faves’? Taking stock of your web presence and browsing habits can help you figure out how much you’re willing to compromise for some extra spending cash.

________________

Microtask and shopping rewards sites, although increasingly popular, generally aren’t practical options for any substantial level of online income. That doesn’t mean they have to be avoided completely—if you’re happy clicking around and then redeeming a gift card every couple of months, then all power to you! As with all sources of online income, it’s important to have realistic expectations and to treat your time as a valuable resource.v

iEntrepreneur featuring Tip Whip, LLC

If there is one thing it takes to succeed in small business, it’s determination.

And Spencer Wood has a lot to show! His relentless pursuit of his goal led him to opening his own business, Tip Whip, LLC. The business runs successfully with seven volunteer drivers, giving FREE rides to students in the Orono area within a three mile radius of the heart of the University of Maine.

But financially, how is it possible? In Spencer’s interview, he shares his strategies on how he leads his business to the next level. Check it out, and share your thoughts on running a successful business in the comments.

Tweet this! 

“Believe in what you have in terms of your idea, and relentlessly pursue it.” Spencer, @Tip_Whippen207 @YoungFreeME

Show Notes: 

  • Determination is essential in small business.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask any questions.
  • If you don’t know the answer, ask until you find the missing puzzle piece.
  • Business doesn’t have to be complicated if you are determined to make it work.

Spencer’s Aha! moment sparked his idea! He saw that students needed rides around campus, and that responsible drivers could make tips. He took action, and pursued his goal.

Spencer made Tip Whip happen by entering business competitions and applying for grants, receiving family money, and reinvesting 20% tip money into business operations.

Do you have what it takes to pursue your ideas?

If you have the determination to pursue your ideas, your credit union will give you AWESOME financial advice, and will point you in the right direction! If you have big ideas, or lots of questions, they can help get you moving toward success. Sometimes, making the decision to pursue something won’t happen until you dive in and take action!

How to fill out a W-4

When you start a new job you will probably be asked to complete a mountain of forms.  You’re asked to present a driver’s license, social security card and other form of identification while your employer finishes the I-9 form; this Employment Eligibility Verification is a federally mandated form which gathers information that confirms your identity, and permits you to work in the United States.  Another form asks for your emergency contact name and phone number.  Many employers also require you to sign a release for a background check. Another form pertains to your health insurance plan.  You are also given some information about the 401K plan.

Immediate W-4 Witholdings

When you begin a new job you must complete the federal Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, form W-4.  Additionally, each time you experience a life change such as a new address, marriage or a baby’s birth, you need to update your W-4 promptly; never wait until the end of the year to do this.  The federal W-4 is a two-sided form that’s simple to do. Most people don’t need to worry about its back side which is actually a worksheet for employees who itemize deductions, have multiple jobs, or are part of a two-income family.

The only part of the federal W-4 form that your employer needs is the bottom third of the sheet.

On item 1 of the W-4, print your full name legibly.  Box 2 asks for your social security number.   Box 3 wants your marital status.  Line 4 asks if you are known by some different last name, for example, you may be recently married with a surname change.

Line 5 can be tricky sometimes, but it’s crucial to write the correct number of allowances.

The top of the W-4 form contains a Personal Allowances Worksheet that’s somewhat self-explanatory.  In a nutshell, it gives you guidelines for what number to write on Line 5 of the W-4; this is the number of allowances you are claiming.  If you have no dependents and no spouse, you probably want to write “1” on line 5.  Many people write “0”.  That means you are likely to get a tax refund when you file your year-end income tax.  This may sound like a good idea, but it means that the IRS had access to your money all year, that you could have invested or used for yourself.  But, if you’re not much of a saver, it may be best to write “0”.  Married taxpayers filing jointly need to confer with their spouse so they’ll write the correct number on line 5.  Taxpayers with dependents generally write a bigger number than “1” depending on the number of dependents, and the number of exemptions their spouse has claimed on their W-4.

Line 6 requests additional amount you want withheld for each paycheck.  Most people write “0”.  If you expect you’ll owe a significant amount of federal taxes, you may want to calculate a dollar amount for line 6 so that you don’t owe the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) oodles of bucks at year-end.    On line 7, you’re asked to write “Exempt” if you had no tax liability last year, and expect to be in the same situation again this year.  Most people leave this blank.  Few employed people are in a position to be exempt from paying federal taxes.

A federal W-4 form is only complete if you’ve signed and dated it.  Most states have their own W-4 form to complete in addition to the federal form.   When you file your federal income tax each mid-April and the amount you owe or if the refund is relatively small, then you probably wrote the correct number on line 5. If you’re due a large refund and your situation looks similar for the next year, you probably want to write a larger number on line 5.  If you end up owing the IRS a significant amount of money, you definitely want to change line 5 on the W-4, pronto.  You can either lower the number on line 5, or fill in a dollar amount on line 6.

Complete the W-4 correctly, and you’ll avoid unpleasant surprises at tax-time.  The HR staff at work can help you.  It’s a simple task, but it must be done correctly.

The Perks of Pursuing an Online Degree

Looking for a bit more job security? Consider getting an advanced degree, without leaving your cubicle.
Sure “distance learning” degrees have been awarded for more than 150 years, but now more top-tier universities are building competitive educational programs for the Web.

While earning a degree online may be just as challenging as attending the brick-and-mortar schools with similar level degrees, getting your course work at-a-distance now provides more opportunities to mid and high level executives, and other workers, who are unable to leave the office to sit in a classroom.

Flexibility Is Key
A major selling point for an online degree? Flexibility.

Going to night school was once a backwater afterthought not structured to serve the needs of working adults. Then the University of Phoenix took off because its business knew what adults needed,” says Trace Urdan, a senior analyst for Signal Hill, a financial services company based in Baltimore and San Francisco. “It populated the classroom with instructors that were aware of and respected what adults needed,” says Urdan. “Students that enroll in online studies really can’t go to night school, and online courses made it much more convenient by allowing students to maintain work schedules.” And, that innovation is now being emulated by top brass admissions officers.

In recent years, the University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Boston University, Auburn University, George Washington University, and Florida State University, among others, have seen online or distance learning gain momentum by using Web platforms.

Ranked by BusinessWeek as one of the Top 50 M.B.A. programs, Northeastern University began to offer a fully accredited online master’s degree in 2006. Unlike some for-profit online education courses, enrollment is not as simple as the submitting some paperwork and writing a tuition check. This MBA program, home to 400 students online, requires the same application process as the traditional campus version.

“The material we are delivering online and in our traditional course are the same,” says Michael Zack, a professor and faculty program director for the online program at Northeastern University College of Business Administration. And the student bodies differ only a little bit: “The market we’re going for is the typically person that has a hard time physically showing up to classroom because they typically have a high degree of responsibility,” says Zack.

At Least You Save Gas
So do you save from giving up campus life? Not a lot, maybe on gas. Classes generally run at more than $1,000 a credit, which a Northeastern will cost you about $3,000 per course. And, since the program is a 50 credit course, expect to spend over $50,000 to complete the program. But for the matching prices, “Students have the same courses, the same senior faculty, and we make no distinction in the degree.” Come graduation time, all students can even walk across the stage for graduation together.

How do you find the best online degree program? Research what works best for you. Consider time, accreditation, cost, reputation, prestige, and comfort, and weigh which options are most important to you. From there you will find the value of your online degree. It could be substantial.

According to a survey by the QS TopMBA.com, an “MBA is the highest paid qualification worldwide”. For example, a bank worker was expected to earn more than $90,000 with an MBA, while an experienced worker without a degree would bring in around $66,000, according to the report.
By Lyneka Little of MainStreet

Debt Free in 60 Seconds

Imagine it, you being debt-free. No more annoying calls from the credit card companies, “reminding” you that your bill is past due (as if you’d forgotten) and no more giving your entire paycheck over to debt that you accumulated last semester.

Does it seem like a dream? It doesn’t have to be. You can make it your reality! Here’s how to do it – in just about a minute.

0:60 It’s simple – spend less than you make
OK, I know it’s simple, even if it’s not always so easy to do. But following this rule could have a serious impact on your financial health and peace of mind. The truth is if you can’t pay for it today then you probably won’t be able to afford it tomorrow either. So don’t put any unnecessary pressure on yourself to come up with money in the future that you can’t guarantee you’ll have today.

0:50 Bad Debt vs. “Good” Debt – know the difference
Good debt generally has an interest rate of 10% or less and will appreciate in value. Home mortgages and student loans are examples of money borrowed that will be well worth the investment in the future. Car loans are somewhat on the fence, true, they meet the low-rate rule, but cars almost never go up in value. Bad Debt (also known as consumer debt) is everything else – yup, that even includes your platinum-all-star-VIP-rewards card that you’re paying 29% interest on.

0:40 Pick a card & stick with it
I know that “settling” down is probably far from your mind with all the dating choices that you have, but when it comes to credit you’re better off going “steady” with just one major credit card. Choose one with the lowest annual interest rate possible (check out your options at www.choosecreditwisely.com) Cancel and cut up any other cards, including all department store cards – you can even use the little pieces of plastic to make some cool wall art. Now that you’re exclusive to just one card, treat it with respect and you’ll have a great and long-term relationship.

0:30 It’s time to face the music
This won’t be fun at first, but it’s necessary to get you closer to not being afraid that “someone is after you” every time the phone rings.   You’ve gotta pay to play, so pull out all of your credit card bills and line ‘em up on the floor. Find the minimum monthly payment for each one and then total them all up to get an overall monthly minimum payment amount. Make a commitment  to pay the total minimum due PLUS $100 more to the highest outstanding balance every month (or at least enough to make a dent in it) If you can’t pull this off right away, then come up with a plan that will make it possible within the next three months. It might not be fun, but it’ll be worth it.

0:20 Ready. Set. Attack.
Get angry, I mean fighting mad. Your future is on the line and it’ll be a bright one as long as you’re not strapped with debt. So the next step is to identify which of your credit cards has the highest annual interest rate and apply the $100 more (above the minimum amount due) to the highest interest rate account(s) first. Repeat this process monthly until the last Bad Debt account is paid in full.

0:10 Pretty pleeze?!
Grab a bill from any creditor that’s charging you more than 15% interest. Call them up and with all the Academy Award winning acting skills you can muster ask that your rate lowered to 11%. Tell them that you’d really like to keep your account open with them, but that you’ve gotten “offers” for much-much-lower-rate cards (at this point let your voice trail off for dramatic effect).They’re gonna try to break you, but don’t let ‘em see you sweat, because to them, you’re not just a customer you’re a cash register (they hear cha-ching every time you charge something and don’t pay your balance in full). What do you have to loose? Just try it. It’ll be fun and you stand to save a bunch of money.

0:01 Go ahead…Get your dance on
When the Bad Debt is 100% exorcised go ahead celebrate – heck, when you’re halfway there start doing the “happy dance” – life is meant to be enjoyed and you’ll feel more carefree today when you’ve paid off your bar tab from spring break two years ago. Now that’s something to cheer about!

Does It Take a Gimmick To Get a Job?

“Maybe the gorilla suit works if you’re looking for a creative job, but it’s probably not going to be a successful tactic with most on-campus job recruiters,” says Kara Jessup, assistant director at New York University’s career center, which offers one of the nation’s largest on-campus recruiting programs.

Here’s how you catch their attention:

“Plain, old-fashioned professionalism,” advises Andrea Christensen, college team leader at John Deere’s job recruiting program. “Certainly, creativity is always good, but what I want to see are the basics,” she explains. “I want good eye contact, a strong handshake, confidence, strong communication skills, and a solid résumé.”

She’s not alone. Job recruiters from USAA, Reebok, and Kraft agree they are looking for the same characteristics. So before you dream up a creative stunt to attract a potential employer, revisit these back-to-basic measures.

Put a face on your résumé.

Don’t just mail it and wait for the phone to ring. Take the initiative to go out and meet recruiters face to face when they visit your college campus. Christensen explains, “Two students recently impressed me with their interest and ingenuity. They were freshmen and couldn’t go through the interview process. Yet they attended an on-campus seminar because they wanted to get to know John Deere, and they wanted us to know them. That showed tremendous respect and initiative.”

Don’t drop the ball.

Get a business card and keep in touch.  Let the recruiter know you’re interested in the job and the company.  “Those two students got my card. They’re keeping me apprised of their status and inquiring about all possible avenues at John Deere, such as our co-op program and internships,” Christensen says. “They’re being proactive without being overbearing. That’s impressive.”

Get your foot in the door.

Most large corporations offer internships and cooperative education programs. Guess where they’ll look first to fill job openings? “We hire interns with the intent of training them to come work with us,” explains Michael Ellgass, a Kraft business executive who conducts on-campus interviews with graduate students.

Think globally.

Businesses are going international. If you’re a military brat who’s moved from town to town, if you’ve lived overseas, or if you speak a foreign language, you have something unique and marketable. Play that up. “Students who have studied abroad tend to be open-minded,” Christensen says. “They’re typically risk-takers. They’re flexible, adaptable, and willing to maneuver outside their comfort zone.”

Lead the way.

Are you active in your campus ROTC program? President of your sorority? Team leader on a class project? Captain of your university hockey team? Be ready to illustrate when, where, how, and why you’re a leader. “Tell me what you did and how you learned,” says Ellgass. “Talk about the setbacks and challenges you faced and how you overcame them to demonstrate you have the skills to learn, adapt, and grow.”

Call us, we may not call you.

Most corporations are happy to send representatives to college campuses to speak with and meet students. If you’re in the Society of Women Engineers, the finance club, or the Public Relations Student Society of America, for example, invite professionals to speak at your next meeting. Better yet, ask if your organization can visit corporations. “Year-round, we bring in groups of students to show them what life is like in corporate America,” says Carly Sanchez, who manages USAA’s college recruiting program.

Be prepared.

Before your interview, research the company and job. Talk to someone who works at the company or has a similar job, visit the company’s Web site, and read its mission statement. Ellgass explains, “We want to get a feel for you: What is your motivation? What made you want to interview? Do you want to work for Kraft because it looks good on your résumé or do you like the company and what it does?”

One student stands out to Farah Bernier, a university relations staffing specialist for Reebok. “When I asked him why he wanted to work at Reebok, he pulled out a presentation. He compared us to our competitors, showing the good and bad side of our company, and demonstrated how he could contribute.”

Leave your cell phone and flip-flops at home.

This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s not for some. “We had a candidate who made personal calls on his cell phone throughout the interview process, which included a tour of USAA and lunch,” Sanchez recalls. “Another showed up in rubber flip-flops.” Her advice: “Prepare for the expectation level of dress and etiquette for your goal – to get to know the company and for the representatives of the company to get to know you.”

It’s really not a numbers game.

More than grades, the recruiters say they look for someone who’s a good time manager, self-motivated, and well-rounded. “I look at the whole picture. I’d rather have someone recruited who can interact with people and has the ability to learn,” explains Bernier.

Make sure you’re remembered (in a good way).

Be enthusiastic and have confidence. “Whether by smiling or nodding your head, you want to keep our attention,” advises Bernier. “If you answer all the questions in 15 minutes and the interview is over, you haven’t had the chance to leave any kind of impression.

“Students coming out of school today have all the skills they need to do a job, but they have to have confidence in themselves,” she adds. “All you have is 30 minutes to show how prepared you are.”

Caution: There is a danger in being too confident or rehearsed, says Ellgass. “Rather than talking conversationally and naturally one student was so rehearsed that I couldn’t tell whether he was just well-coached or if he actually possessed the skills for the job.”

Before you go on the interview…

  • Select an appropriate outfit and check your appearance. Make sure:
  • Shoes are clean. No flip-flops.
  • Clothes are pressed and stain-free. A business suit is always acceptable. Don’t wear loud-colored clothing.
  • Accessories are minimal. Same goes for perfume and after-shave. Remember: Less is more.
  • Nails are clean.
  • Hair is neat.

What to bring

  • Carry a professional-looking messenger bag, briefcase, or portfolio folder that includes:
  • Clean copies of your résumé and letters of reference.
  • Notebook and pen. Leave the cell phone at home.
  • Breath mints (for use before, not during, the interview). No chewing gum.
  • The name and phone number of the person who is interviewing you.

What to do

  • Know how to get to your interview and how long it will take. If you’re unsure, do a drive-by.
  • Plan to arrive at least 10 minutes in advance. Don’t be late.
  • Know the names of everyone you are meeting, and how to pronounce them. Avoid using first names unless you’re asked to.
  • Review your résumé. Think about which aspects of your employment and academic history you want to emphasize.
  • Review the background of the company, job description and requirements, and how you can contribute.
  • Finally, relax. The interview will be much more successful if you’re not rushed or hassled.

How to shake hands

1. Extend your hand and grip the other person’s hand so that the web of your thumbs meet.

2. Shake just a couple of times. The motion is from the elbow, not the shoulder.

3. End the handshake cleanly, before the introduction is over. If you want to count, a good handshake is held for three or four seconds.

4. Be sure to offer a firm handshake and make good eye contact at the same time.

Source: Business Etiquette for Dummies

Job trends

  • Employers predict 3 percent to 8 percent more college graduates will get hired from the 2004 class than the 2003 class.
  • Who’s hiring? Retail, finance, services, and lodging.
  • Hot degrees: Bachelor’s in business, biosciences, and physical sciences.
  • Cold degrees: Bachelor’s in computer science and communication.
  • Where to look: South, Southeast, and Southwest.

According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers last year hired just over half of their co-op students and more than a third of their interns as full-timers from last year’s graduating class.

Auto Loan Refinancing in your 20s: When to Refinance Your Car Loan

The first few years of your credit history are critical to your long term financial picture. When borrowers are in their 20s, they are typically a few years into their first credit cards, auto loans and student loans. How you handle your debts now can affect how much you pay for credit down the road. To that end, auto loan refinancing can play a crucial role in your financial future.

When to Consider an Auto Loan Refinance

The goal of refinancing a car loan is to reduce your interest rate, your monthly payments or the total amount you pay over the life of the loan. In some cases, an auto loan refinance can achieve all three. If you are in one of the following situations, you should consider refinancing:

You have an exorbitantly high car loan interest rate. Most auto interest rates are between 1 to 5 percent. Anything in the double digits is a bona fide rip off, usually enacted at the hands of a greedy auto dealer. Shop around and you’ll find much lower rates to refinance at.

You’ve established credit history. Your first loans have higher interest rates because you have no credit history. Now that you have a few months or years of on time payments, you can most likely get a lower interest rate without taking on more debt.

You have more income. As you transition from a part-time job or student stipend to a full time salaried position, you’ll likely have the income needed to comfortably reduce the term of your car loan. This will increase your monthly payment, but will drastically reduce your interest rate and overall cost of the loan.

When Not to Consider Refinancing Your Car Loan
Auto loan refinances are not cure-alls for whatever ails your bottom-line. There are a few situations where a car loan refinance will cost you more than it helps you, including:

You have less than $7,500 outstanding on your car loan. Most lenders can’t turn a profit on such a small auto loan principle. If you have extra cash, you’ll be better off by paying down your loan early.

The prepayment penalties outweigh the cost savings. Some lenders incur prepayment penalties for paying off your loan early. Carefully calculate how much money you’ll save in the long run versus how much you’ll spend up front to get out from under your current loan before making a decision.

You are desperate for cash. Cash out refinancing exists for auto loans, where you can borrow more than your car is worth or draw down on some of the equity you’ve built in your vehicle. For some situations, this can be a good strategic move—but if you are doing so out of desperation, you’ll just be digging yourself deeper into debt, especially since car values always decrease (unlike home values). Proceed with caution if you’ll be refinancing to get more cash on hand.

None of the above scenarios are hard and fast, so take time to assess your situation before moving forward. Your best first step is to shop around for car loan refinance quotes on sites such as MoneyAisle.com, where you can see the kinds of interest rates you can get with your current credit score without making a commitment. If opportunity exists, take it.

The Low-Down on Auto Insurance

Angelina Jolie!  Brad Pitt!  Ok, now that I’ve got your attention, we need to talk about something a little less exciting than celebrity gossip, but a lot more important–car insurance.  Although it’s not always that fun to talk about, it can save you a lot of money and protect you against devastating money losses and lawsuits should you get into an accident.  Anything that can save you money can’t be bad, so read on.

The basics

There are six components to auto insurance policies.

1. Bodily injury liability:  When you’re at the wheel and suddenly get into an accident and someone is injured , bodily injury liability is the type of insurance that pays.  If the accident is your fault, or the fault of a family member or anyone else driving your car with your permission, this insurance covers you.  Bodily injury liability is required in every state, however required minimums may not be enough to cover all expenses—you may want to consider increasing your coverage, depending on your financial situation.

 2. Property damage liability: This kind of insurance is similar to bodily injury liability—it pays if you or anyone driving your car with your permission damages someone else’s property.

3. Medical payments:  Just as you may have guessed, medical payments cover medical expenses for anyone injured in your car, no matter who’s at fault. 

 4. Uninsured and underinsured:  Say you’re on your way home at night and are stopped at a traffic light.  Suddenly, someone rear-ends you out of nowhere, and speeds off into the darkness.  You’re too stunned to catch a license plate number, so are you out of luck?  Uninsured or underinsured insurance policies provide protection for situations like these, and also in situations where a driver doesn’t have any insurance.  Again, most states require this type of insurance.  You may have also heard the term “Uninsured Motorist”, which  means the same as  uninsured and underinsured.

5. Collision insurance: Exactly how it sounds—collision insurance pays for damages to your vehicle.  It doesn’t matter whose fault the accident is, or whether it occurred between multiple vehicles or a single vehicle and a tree.  There are a lot of ways to damage your car, and collision insurance will cover you.  Unfortunately, collision insurance can spike your insurance premiums, so don’t pay for more coverage than you actually need. 

6. Comprehensive coverage: Imagine a tornado sweeps across your city, scooping up your car, and dropping it into your neighbor’s yard.  Sound a bit far-fetched?  Perhaps, but comprehensive coverage would pay for this kind of damage.  It also pays for damage to your vehicle from theft, flooding, fire and other kinds of hazards.  These scenarios may seem a bit outlandish, but you’d sure be glad you had coverage if you woke up to a crumpled pile of metal in your neighbor’s front yard—was that really my car?

How much does auto insurance cost?
Auto insurance costs take into account tons of factors:
• The make and model of your car
• Your car’s age
• Your age
• Your driving record (This includes speeding tickets, so give your lead foot a rest!)
• Where you live
• Your gender
• Your marital status
• They type of coverage you select

You could qualify for discounts on your auto insurance if:
• You are a good student
• Your vehicle has certain safety features (for example air bags, antilock brakes, antitheft devices etc.)
• You have multiple policies with an insurer
• You pay in full for a given time period (for example, if you pay for 6 months at a time)

Keep in mind that the higher your deductible (the amount of money you pay out-of-pocket before insurance policies kick in), the lower the premium (the amount of money you pay each month).  A typical deductible is usually around $500, but can be as much as you’re willing to pay. 

If you drive an older car, you might choose not to carry collision and comprehensive coverage.  In other words, if you get into an accident, you’re responsible for the repair or replacement cost of the vehicle.

Different insurance companies often offer the exact same coverage at different prices so…shop around!  A quick Internet search for “auto insurance policies” will produce a lot of options.  A little comparison can go a long way to saving you money on auto insurance. 

Young Driver’s Guide to Auto Insurance

Accidents can happen – even to the best drivers. Insurance can help cover repairs to your own vehicle and medical costs. But insurance is your firewall against economic disaster should you cause an accident and there is property damage or injuries to other people. With today’s high medical costs, increasingly expensive car repair costs and high litigation expenses, even a seemingly minor accident could cause a major financial hardship for you. Insurance is not an option. It’s an absolute necessity.

What is Insurance?

Insurance is an agreement between you and your insurance company in which you pay the insurance company a certain amount of money and, in return, the company will protect you from major financial losses due to an accident for a given period of time. The amount that you pay is called the premium, and it could actually be less than the cost of an insurance claim.

What kind of insurance coverage should I get?

This depends on a number of factors. Certainly, you want to get liability coverage to protect yourself against claims in case you cause an accident. However, if your car is older, you might not want to get collision insurance since you might pay more for the premiums than the car is worth.

On the other hand, if your car is new or is a used one that is being financed, the lending institution will probably insist on collision insurance and comprehensive coverage. Below is a listing of the different kinds of coverages a policy may contain and what they do.

Body injury liability pays medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering of other people injured in an accident that you caused. It also covers the cost of litigation if you should be sued.
Property damage liability – pays for other people’s property damaged in an accident for which you are responsible.
Medical payments – pays medical costs if you or your passengers are injured in an accident. There are usually limits specified in the policy.
Uninsured/Underinsured motorists – pays your medical bills and certain other expenses if you’re injured in an accident caused by someone who has no insurance or inadequate insurance to cover the costs. In some states, it will also cover damage to your property.
Collision – pays for damage to an insured vehicle in an accident involving another vehicle or some other object.
Comprehensive – pays for damage to your car not caused by an accident, like theft or vandalism.

How do I get insurance?

You can contact a direct writer either through the mail, over the phone or on the Internet. A direct writer sells insurance directly to its customers through salaried employees. Your other options include going to an independent agent who sells insurance for several different insurance companies. Or you can contact an exclusive agent, one who is under contract to a particular insurance company to sell only that company’s policies.

How can I bring down the cost of my insurance?

  • Drive safely. Nothing drives up the cost of insurance more than a history of accidents and moving violations.
  • Pick your car carefully. High-performance cars are tempting, but not only are they expensive to operate, they’re expensive to insure. Pick a car with a good safety record that’s less expensive to repair and that’s not on the car thieves’ most-wanted list.
  • Increase your deductible. The deductible is the amount of a claim that you pay. Usually, it’s $100, $250 or $500. The larger the deductible, the lower your premium.
  • Maintain a B average for a “good student” discount.
  • Attend a driver’s education course.

Finally, there’s one thing over which you have no control that will lower your premium. Since young people, particularly males, have more accidents than older people, your premiums will be higher. But as you grow older, and if your driving record remains good, you should see your premiums decline.