Internet Entertainment: Is It Worth Cutting Cable?

by Jessica Sommerfield · 4 comments

In recent years, web-based television and movie streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have become popular as a supplement and potential replacement for traditional cable television. But is this growing phenomenon going to eventually replace cable? CEOs from both sides of the spectrum claim it won’t be any time soon. Still, you may be considering whether to cut your cable service in favor of cheaper online alternatives. Here are some pros and cons to consider while deciding whether online entertainment services are enough for you.

Advantages of web-based entertainment

Huge cost savings. Netflix and Hulu Plus offer their services for roughly $10 a month. Netflix offers unlimited streaming packages which include past seasons of many television shows as well as movies. (They are also offering a one month free trial.) Hulu Plus is similar but also offers a larger variety of shows in current seasons, available a few days after they’re broadcast on network television. Compared to most cable packages, which vary in price from $60-$100, this is a huge discount.
Convenience and portability. Another advantage of online entertainment is the ability to watch shows wherever and whenever you want, often on a portable device such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet. You can’t take your cable with you when you’re on the road.
Back-dated series and episodes. If you miss an episode of your favorite show on television, unless you have a DVR, you’re out of luck. Online services offer you the ability to retrieve older series and episodes you may have missed without having to purchase or rent a hard copy.

Disadvantages of web-based entertainment

Lack of access to certain networks. Even though Hulu Plus offers you many shows, they are licensed for a comparatively small number of networks. There are certain networks that are only licensed with cable providers, since this is still the major method people watch their shows. It only makes sense to invest in the outlet that’s bringing in the most revenue. Although more networks may expand to web services in the future, currently the selection is limited.
Lack of live broadcasts, news, and sports channels. If you’re a big sports fan, web-based services might not meet your needs. If you enjoy watching a lot of live television, you might want to retain your cable package, even if just for certain channels.
Time delay of current shows. Even though you can watch current series on Hulu Plus, you won’t be able to watch them in real time. This is an inconvenience some don’t mind; you just have to be prepared to plug your ears at work when your friends are talking about the latest episode you haven’t seen yet.

Online streaming services and traditional cable are not yet rivals in the entertainment world. You can utilize one or both to best suit your needs at the greatest possible savings. While you may still find it necessary to retain your cable, you may be able to bump down to a cheaper package with a few networks you can’t access on your Netflix or Hulu account and still pay less than you would for unlimited channels.

On the other hand, if you don’t watch much television as it is, and are content with online entertainment options, you can drop your cable and save up to $90 a month. This is a savings that can free a lot of space in your budget for more important things. The choice is yours.

Shedding Light on the New Lightbulbs

by Gina Blitstein · 2 comments

For decades – and up until just a few years ago – lightbulbs were relatively uncomplicated. Recently, however, technology has developed more energy-efficient bulbs which are not as straightforward to understand. Gone is the simplicity of the incandescent 60-Watt, 75-Watt, 100-Watt and 3-Way. Today there are a lot more bulbs from which to choose. New bulbs not only look different, but the light they produce, the way they’re described and their price can all be significantly different.

What makes an energy-efficient bulb different from a traditional incandescent? Standard bulbs require heat in order to light up. Less heat production means greater energy efficiency and less cost to operate.

A glossary of lightbulb terms

Wattage (Watts) – The amount of electricity consumed by a light source
Lumens – The amount of light that a light source produces
Incandescent – The standard lightbulb we’re most familiar with which creates light by heating up a wire filament inside the bulb
Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) – This is simply a curly version of the familiar tubelike fluorescent lights. While a CFL can cost five to ten times as much as its standard incandescent counterpart, it will last up 10 times longer while requiring 75% less heat to operate. Bear in mind that cheaper CFL bulbs can be particularly fragile, especially when hot, so be careful not to jostle them while in use. They’re also prone to shorter life when they are turned on and off frequently or if there are voltage fluctuations.
Halogen Incandescent – These look like standard bulbs but the heat they create using halogen gas is concentrated to light an area within the bulb, instead of being dispersed throughout the bulb. These bulbs cost about the same as CFLs. Compared to a standard incandescent bulb, they last three times longer and, over the course of a year, cost approximately $3.50, versus $4.80.
Light-Emitting Diode (LEDs) – These bulbs operate when electrons are moved through a semiconductor material. They are the most expensive bulbs on the market but they last the longest – up to 25 times longer than a standard incandescent bulb – while costing just $1 to operate over the course of a year.

According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, all newly-manufactured lightbulbs are labeled to indicate the number of lumens, rather than watts, since it’s the lumens that actually indicate the bulb’s brightness. This information will help you compare different types of lightbulbs to achieve your desired level of brightness. A helpful resource for choosing the right bulb for the purpose is the EnergyStar Choose a Light Guide. Also, refer to this handy chart to compare the lumens and cost of operation among various lighting sources.

Among other things, the new Lighting Facts label will provide information about the bulb’s:

Brightness
Energy cost
Life expectancy
Light appearance (for example, “warm” or “cool”)

To wrap up this enlightening discussion, let’s answer a couple final questions:

Why are new lightbulbs so expensive, compared to traditional incandescent bulbs? Because of the technology necessary to develop and manufacture these new bulbs, the cost is higher to the consumer. The American Lighting Association recommends, “Just as you would invest in an appliance you expect to use for years, buying a light bulb today requires more of an initial investment but yields much greater returns in terms of energy savings and operating life.”

How much money do new lighbulbs save over time? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, upgrading 15 incandescent bulbs in your home could save you $50 per year.

These facts will help you choose the right bulb – and with energy-efficient bulbs, you’ll save no matter which you choose.

What’s been your experience with energy-saving lightbulbs?

Could Your Family Pay Off Debt Without You?

by Miranda Marquit · 1 comment

Debt is, unfortunately, one of those things that most of us are well-acquainted with. From credit cards to student loans to mortgages, it seems as though debt is a regular part of life.

For many of us, there is a comfortable level of debt. You might feel as though you are ok as long as you are working to pay down what you owe on your credit cards. Or perhaps you are fine with using a loan to buy a car or a house, but don’t want credit card debt.

In any case, many of us have a certain amount of our paychecks going toward debt of some kind — even if it’s only a mortgage. When you have the income to cover the cost, it doesn’t seem like such a big deal. But what would your family do if you passed on? The debt would still be there, but the income to deal with it would be gone.

Using Life Insurance to Pay Off Debt

One of the ways you can protect your family is by getting a life insurance policy that is adequate to pay off the debt that you have. That can be one way to help your family improve the financial situation without your income.

Your life insurance policy can protect your family’s finances. Consider how much you can afford to pay for coverage, and figure out how much your family would need to pay off debt without your income. Add up the balance on the mortgage, student loans, credit cards, cars, and other debts. Then, get enough life insurance so that if you die all the debt can be paid off.

If you have the ability to buy more coverage, perhaps providing your family with regular income for a set period of time, or funding college for your children, that might be worth including as well. It comes down to what you hope your family can accomplish even with you gone.

Pay Down Debt Now

Of course, you don’t want to wait until you pass on for your family to be able to be debt free. Get the life insurance coverage now, but keep working toward paying down your debt as you can. It’s much nicer to be able to enjoy a debt-free life with your family now.

Paying down debt also helps you put more of your money into building assets and wealth, rather than spending it on paying interest on liabilities. While you might be comfortable with your current level of debt, it is still worth thinking about how you could improve your overall situation by reducing your debt, and getting your family on firmer financial footing now.

As always, it’s really about personal preparation. You want to make sure your family is protected just in case the unthinkable happens. Hopefully, though, you are also thinking about how you can improve you situation now. That way, if something really does happen to you, your family doesn’t have to use the insurance money just on debt; it can be used to really improve your family’s quality of life.

Common Financial Scams to Avoid

by Jessica Sommerfield · 0 comments

There are two factors I believe have contributed to the rise of financial scams in recent years:

The easy access to personal contact information, such as cell phone numbers and email.
The plethora of advertising of all kinds, both legitimate and false.

Consumers are more bombarded than ever before with advertisements of all kinds, and it can sometimes be difficult to filter which offers and opportunities are legitimate and which are scams. The following are a few common types of scams to look for.

Get out of debt or pay your mortgage/loan faster. Just about any offer that promises to get you out of debt unrealistically fast is a scam of some kind. Many of these scams require you to pay money upfront which is ‘invested’ in order to yield a ‘huge’ profit you’ll split with the scammer. Loan consolidation and debt elimination offers shouldn’t be confused. Loan consolidation is a very legitimate way to lower your interest rates; whereas get-out-of-debt-now offers usually include hidden fees and unsound financial practices that will cost you more in the end.
Email scams. Email has replaced telemarketing as the preferred method of proliferating scams. Any email that uses your name, particularly your full name, in the subject title, should be suspect. This is a tactic designed to get your attention and make the email seem official and critical. Any emails supposedly from your bank or other financial institution requesting personal or account information is also a scam – banks will never ask you to submit personal information through this medium. The best way to avoid these kinds of scams is to turn your spam filter on, give your email address out sparingly, and beware of requests for personal or financial information without verification.
Job payment scams. Some work from home or secret shopper offers will pay you immediately upon signing, which seems legitimizing. However, beware that these checks and money orders are often discovered to be fake, frequently after you’ve already spent the money or paid membership or other non-refundable fees to the company.
Online auction scams. Even highly reputable auction sites such as Craigslist or eBay still have problems with fraud and non-delivery, not to mention hundreds of other online auction sites. If you’re the buyer, protect yourself by using escrow programs such as PayPal which will hold funds and securely transfer them only when your product is delivered. Be wary of sellers who insist on immediate wire transfers; you’ll probably never see your money or the merchandise again. If you’re selling, beware of overpayment. Some scam businesses will overpay for items using bad checks or money orders and then request a refund via money transfer. Don’t accept payments that aren’t exact.

It can be financially devastating and emotionally demoralizing to fall victim to a scam. Although it’s hard to understand how people can so readily lie, cheat, and steal from others, it’s a reality of life. The best strategy for staying scam-free is remaining informed, using common sense, and exercising caution at all times. Suspect sales pressure and ‘act-now’ pitches. Above all, remember that if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

7 Tips to Help You Avoid Being the Victim of a Scam

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

I recently received an envelope in the mail containing a check for $3800. The accompanying letter described it as my partial winnings from a British lottery. The odd thing was, I didn’t enter any lottery. I don’t buy lottery tickets. I don’t gamble at all. It’s not that I have any objection to these practices; it’s just that I don’t consider such things a productive use of my money. But $3800 in winnings could make me reconsider my stand on the subject…

Upon further reading, the letter instructed me to deposit the check, then send them $2000 back to “pay the taxes” on my total winnings which amounted to $10,000! Now, as big and exciting as those amounts were, I was, of course, suspicious. After all, I had entered no lottery. Yet the fact remained that there in my hand was what appeared to be a real check for $3800, made out to me. That would certainly be a welcome addition to my checking account. What was there to lose? The answer is: plenty.

My skepticism led me to investigate the situation and, sure enough, it was a big, fat scam. Here’s how it goes: Once you deposit the check (which is real) and send $2000 back in order to redeem the rest of the prize money, THEY STOP PAYMENT ON THE CHECK! Not only did you not win anything but they’ve bilked you out of two grand!

That’s my most recent run-in with a scam. Fortunately, I had the wherewithal to look into it before I was duped. Unfortunately, unscrupulous operators are everywhere, making it necessary for us all to keep our guard up, lest we be taken advantage of.

Here are some tips to help you avoid falling victim to a scam:

When a situation seems too good to believe, it always is – As bitter a pill as it is to swallow, know and believe with your whole mind and heart that riches will not simply drop into your lap. Yes, there are bargains in this world but there’s a limit to what you can get for free or for ridiculously cheap. Always.
Don’t be pressured – Scammers will try to rush you into a decision or action so you won’t have time to think it through or research it. They count on you losing your better judgement while caught up in the moment. Any legitimate opportunity will allow time for you to “sleep on it.”
Adopt a sceptical mindset – Realistically speaking, it can be a dangerous world out there. As the planet becomes more connected through technology, opportunities for scammers to scam become more prevalent. It’s up to us to keep a vigilent eye toward our personal security.
Check it out – When in doubt, google it! Educate yourself about situations and opportunities that have scam potential by conducting some online research. Chances are you’ll find others who’ve come up against the same unscrupulous scenario.
Check your greed – Scammers would have a much more difficult time scamming if human nature didn’t skew toward greed. Keep your greedy tendencies under control and you’ll keep scammers at bay.
Trust your instincts – You know perfectly well when something doesn’t smell right. If you get a less-than-legitimate vibe from a situation, take a step back. Err on the side of caution; most likely you’ll be correct and will have dodged a bullet.
Take action – Make your encounters with the unscrupulous count by reporting scams to the appropriate agencies, like the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission. You’ll be helping others avoid being scammed and help stop scammers in their tracks.

How do you detect a scam?

Is Your Comfort Zone Holding You Back?

by Miranda Marquit · 0 comments

We all like to be comfortable. It’s nice to feel that you are where you belong. However, your comfort zone might be holding you back financially. While you don’t want to take huge risks that can completely ruin you, it’s important to take some risks in your financial life. Stretch a little and step outside your comfort zone, and you might find that your comfort zone has been holding you back.

Investment Comfort Zone

For many people, the investment comfort zone consists mainly of cash and maybe some bonds that are considered super safe. However, you are unlikely to build an adequate nest egg if you remain in this investment comfort zone. In fact, you might not even beat inflation when you are overly conservative in your investment strategy.

If you want to boost your potential for returns, you need to step outside your investment comfort zone, and add more asset classes. At the very least add stocks into the mix. You don’t have to try to become an amazing stock picker to make this work, either. Index funds, and certain ETFs, are just about right to help you step out of your comfort zone a little bit and add stocks to your portfolio. You don’t have to completely abandon your senses to stretch a little.

Career Comfort Zone

It’s easy to become complacent about your career. Unfortunately, if you only stick with what’s comfortable and safe, you could actually fall behind. It’s important in your work to take on more responsibility if you want to be seen as a go-getter. You also need to become more accustomed to talking about yourself and your accomplishments if you want to get a raise.

Just plugging along, comfortably sitting at your desk won’t get you noticed, and it could mean that you are among the first to go when layoff time comes around. Exert yourself a little bit, and do something that gives you a little discomfort, and your career could benefit.

Budget Comfort Zone

Sometimes getting out of the comfort zone means forgoing some wants, or saying no. You might not be comfortable letting others know that you are in trouble, or you might need to allow others to help you in order to get back on the right track with your budget and your finances.

Learn to say no to expensive nights out with friends. Let others know that you are working on paying down debt, or saving up for retirement. Getting it out there can help the goal seem more “real.” Step outside your budget comfort zone in budgeting. Cut unimportant items from the spending plan, and say no to others, suggesting frugal alternatives.

Go For It

Whether you are starting a business, trying to build a retirement portfolio, or aggressively paying down debt, it’s important to stretch yourself a little. A challenge can help you take additional steps to get out of your comfort zone, and to help you make the changes in your life that can result in a better financial picture.

How Much Should You Spend on Workout Gear?

by Jessica Sommerfield · 0 comments

Perhaps one of your goals this year is to establish a habit of working out on a regular basis. Fairly soon into your fitness journey you’ll discover that getting healthier doesn’t come for free, either physically or financially. First of all, you may need to sign up for a gym membership (although there are many alternatives) which requires a monthly fee. If you’ve decided to workout in your home, you’ll need to acquire equipment, DVDs, etc. In either case, you will need the appropriate accessories and, of course, workout clothes.

Before you know it, your fitness goal can eat up quite a bit of your money. Although getting and staying in shape is important and definitely worth an investment of time and finances, where do you draw the line? The following tips will help you decide what you really need and how much you should be spending on it.

Exercise Equipment

If you want to get your own exercise equipment and have the space for it, you don’t need to buy everything brand new. Check neighborhood garage sales, classified listings, Craigslist, and sites like freecycle.org. Be persistent and you should be able to find the equipment you need in good condition for far less than full retail price, if not for free. There are less expensive items you may want to buy new, such as yoga mats, but you can still spend less by looking for off-brands and more basic-looking styles.

Consider swapping workout DVDs with a friend instead of buying them. Both of you will be able to try new programs without the expense.

Workout apparel

Unless you’re a serious athlete, the truth is you don’t really need specialized clothing to workout in. Sure, some clothing promises to wick away sweat and moisture and keep you cooler, but you don’t need it to get a good workout.

Use what you have. Chances are you have all you need for workout apparel already in your closet. Comfy t-shirts, shorts and sweatpants will do just fine.
Focus on comfort. If you don’t feel comfortable wearing compression capris or workout tanks, don’t wear them. If you associate working out with discomfort, you’ll be less likely to stick with it. Wear loose, lightweight, comfortable clothing. If you’re focused on appearances, you’re going to drop a lot of money, and fancy workout clothes won’t give you any better workouts than plain t-shirt and shorts.
Watch for deals. If you like a particular name brand but don’t want to pay for it, shop outlet stores. These stores often have huge seasonal sales and closeouts you won’t see other places. In my opinion, if you’re spending more than $30-$40 for any particular piece of clothing, you’re paying too much.
Try off–brands. Many smaller retailers have developed their own lines of workout gear that mimic major brands and have surprisingly similar quality for a fraction of the cost, definitely affirming that you’re ‘paying for the name.’

Shoes

One exception to the ‘wear anything’ philosophy of workout apparel is your shoes. Good-quality shoes are a vital part to any workout regimen. Never buy used shoes, and replace your shoes regularly to provide proper support. If you’re walking or cross-training, yearly replacements should be fine. If you’re a runner, replace your shoes based on mileage and wear – as often as every 3-6 months. Although you will pay a little more for quality shoes ($50-$100), it’s a worthwhile investment. For the best fit, visit a specialty store with staff that are trained to fit your shoes to your needs and particular walking or running gait.

Although you will need to invest in a few quality items to meet your fitness goals successfully, there are many ways to spend little or nothing on workout gear. Focus on the goal rather than appearances, and you’ll be helping your finances as well as your health.

E-Coupons: The New Age of Couponing

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

If not an all-out “super-couponer,” I can at least attest to being an avid couponer most of my adult life. I’ve always done my best to use coupons to save on anything I possibly could. Yes, for many years I was “that” lady who pushed around a shoebox full of coupons, categorized and arranged by expiration date in my grocery cart. I guess that makes me a real-life, “Coupon Shoeboxer,” doesn’t it? I received many compliments on my “organization” and “patience” for couponing by other shoppers who knew they were doomed to pay full price. I must admit, such comments stroked my ego, reinforcing my desire to seek out, print, clip, file, retrieve and ultimately redeem as many coupons as possible at the register. That said, I want to extend my apologies if you ever had the misfortune of being the shopper behind me in the checkout line while the cashier scanned a dozen or more coupons on my behalf.

That was me, operating within the “couponing world” as it was at the time. Nowadays, it’s a whole new ball game. After decades of clipping, organizing and schlepping, couponers are enjoying the benefits of technology. While coupons to physically clip and print certainly still exist, technology is impacting the couponing world in an increasing number of ways. The first “technological upgrade” was the advent of online coupons, which could be downloaded and printed. It was revolutionary because it eliminated the need to buy newspapers for the express purpose of retrieving those coupon inserts. Online coupons could be “clipped” right on your computer from any number of websites and redeemed at most stores just like those from the Sunday paper. I say “most” stores because there were always merchants who refused to honor self-printed coupons, or at least those for over $1.00 in value, for fear of coupon fraud.

Such redemption problems in our technological age has lead to the birth of the electronic coupon. Instead of being a physical coupon, these e-coupons provide shoppers savings via store loyalty cards. Other than our very own at CouponShoebox, I use a few of these sites and save substantially. Here are three examples of the ways you can access and benefit from e-coupons:

Store loyalty card – My primary grocery store has a loyalty card. By registering its account number on the store’s website, I can load e-coupons which, when I get my card swiped at the register, are deducted from my receipt. My favorite drugstore frequently offers a coupon for a percentage off my purchase. Because I’ve linked my loyalty card to my online account, I receive the coupon via email. I can load it to my card and the savings automatically comes off at the register when my card is swiped.
SavingStar – Register your loyalty card from any of the participating stores where you wish to shop, then choose your coupons from the website. When you purchase the items, the savings can be deposited to to your choice of your PayPal or bank account, an Amazon.com gift card or a charity.
Ibotta – This is a free app you install and run right on your phone. Choose coupons from the app; then, once you’ve purchased those items, use the app to submit a photo(s) of your receipt and the UPC of each item. Your transaction is processed within a few hours, then you choose whether you want the money deposited to your PayPal account or donated to any school in America.

No paper cuts. No filing nightmares. No forgetting them at home. Thanks to technology, it’s more convenient to redeem coupons than ever.

Have you embraced electronic coupons?

Do You Know How to Properly Cancel a Gym Membership?

by Miranda Marquit · 1 comment

Even though you don’t need a gym membership to get fit, many people find themselves signing up near the beginning of the year. With New Year resolutions fresh in your mind, and with great deals being offered by various gyms, it’s fairly common to see a rush to join.

At first, it seems ideal: You pay a small fee to join a gym, and you get access to equipment, and maybe a little motivation (you are paying, after all). On top of that, you might receive free personal training sessions and other perks at the gym. Unfortunately, once you sign up, it can be hard to get out of that gym contract.

Terms of Your Gym Membership

First of all, you need to know the terms of your gym membership. How long does the contract last? Many gym contracts last between six months and a year. Next, though, you need to be aware of how long the special rate lasts, and the terms of your perks. Your special rate might only last for three months — and then you have to pay full price until the rest of your contract is up. Additionally, you might sign up for your two free personal training sessions, but does taking advantage of them automatically put you on the hook for full-price training sessions?

Read the fine print. In many cases, you have to authorize automatic debit in order to get the discounts. Once you do that, the fine print indicates that when your perks are over, and when the promo rate ends, your automatic debit amount automatically changes to reflect the regular rate. You usually have to jump through a few hoops to have the automatic debit ended.

Canceling Your Gym Membership

Next, you need to know how to cancel your gym membership. Just because the contract is up doesn’t mean that your gym membership is done. In most cases, you actually have to fill out formal paperwork to cancel your membership. Some gyms require you to come in and do it in person (gives them a chance to pressure you into keeping your membership, and maybe dangling a discount or more perks). Others require you to send a special form to the company headquarters.

If you don’t cancel your gym membership properly (and just calling in is rarely enough), your account might continue to be debited. And you might have a hard time getting your money back. When you sign your gym contract, read it carefully, especially the cancellation policies. Make sure that you understand them, and that you follow them to the letter. If you have to mail something in somewhere, pay the money to send the form Certified mail so that you know it arrived. This is important if you want proof that you have sent the form. Keep a copy of the form for yourself as well.

Bottom Line

If you want to save money this year, a gym membership might not be the best way — even with great discounts. There are plenty of ways to get fit on your own, and gym membership contracts can be hard to get out of. If you do sign up for a gym membership special, make sure to read the fine print.

Save By Practicing Winter Car Care

by Jessica Sommerfield · 0 comments

Knowing how to take care of your vehicle through winter weather is an easy way to avoid damage to your car through incorrect cleaning methods or unnecessary collisions and tow charges. You could even say that taking proper care and precautions with your vehicle during the winter months is just as important as routine maintenance such as getting an oil change or a tune-up. The following are ways to save money by taking better care of your vehicle and staying safer on the roads this winter.

Warm it up. During the summer, you can just jump into your vehicle and go. In the winter, driving a car with a cold engine puts unnecessary stress on your vehicle’s systems and may even decrease the lifespan of your vehicle. In cold temperatures, give your vehicle at least 10-15 minutes to warm up. This also allows your vehicle to start the defrost process, gradually warming up your windows and melting any ice or snow.

Always clean off your car. If you can’t park your car in a garage during the winter, you may need to clean snow off your car before making your morning commute. If you don’t clean off your car, you are posing a risk not only to yourself, by decreased visibility, but to others; as your vehicle accelerates, snow flying off your vehicle can become a hazard to other drivers. Be especially sure to clean off your side mirrors and headlights so you can see and be seen.

Clean carefully. Warming up your vehicle will naturally clear some snow and ice, but you may still need to manually clean it.

Using a shovel to clear snow off your car isn’t a good idea – you could be scratching your car without even knowing it. Use a plastic window scraper for ice with a brush to dust off snow.
Dumping hot water on your windshield to quickly melt ice is also a bad idea. The rapid change in temperature can cause cracks to form or even make it shatter.
Avoid using your windshield wipers to do the work for you. Heavy loads of snow and ice can put strain on your wipers and damage them. Replacing your regular wipers with winter ones designed to handle ice and snow is also a great idea.

Visit the car wash more often. Salt is useful for melting ice off slippery roads, but also extremely corrosive to your vehicle. Washing your vehicle more frequently in the winter will prolong the life of your vehicle’s underbody.

Practice safe winter driving. The most important tip for winter driving is to remember that road conditions may be poor, so give yourself extra time to get to your destination. Driving too quickly on treacherous roads can lead to worse consequences than being a few minutes late for work. Also:

Give yourself enough space to stop considering the road conditions. Test out your breaks in a parking lot to see exactly how much traction your tires have in particular conditions and how much stopping time you need to allow.
Leave extra space between yourself and other vehicles.
If you start to skid, don’t panic. Immediately take your foot off the accelerator, but don’t slam on the brakes, and try to stay in control of the vehicle.
Keep a shovel and a bag of sand or cat litter in your vehicle in case you get stuck. This is much less hassle and expense than paying for a tow truck.

Saving money on vehicle repairs, fender benders, and tow services can be as simple as taking these precautions while caring for and driving your vehicle this winter.

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