Save on car towing services

While it's another added expense to maintaining a car, having road side assistance is simply a necessity.  Most people probably wouldn't trust themselves to fixing a flat tire, if they could avoid it.  And if there are no other cars around, good luck jump starting a dead battery on your own.

There are options for road side services besides the obvious major auto associations.  While they may offer discounts on all sorts of products and services in addition to automobile assistance, you might be better off seeing if your car insurance company offers road side assistance as part of their insurance packages.  Geico, for example, according to their website, offers towing services starting at $12.  That is substantially less than other offerings, but do your homework to see what that includes.  Towing charges can vary depending on how far your car is from a service station.  And, you may only get to use the program a limited number of times a year before being hit with a premium charge.

Sad about missing discount shopping and services opportunities?  Don't be.  Speaking of Geico, their Geico Privileges Program offers typical, major big box store discounts similarly offered elsewhere.  And, it's free.  Plus, if you read this blog often, other discounts are widely available, if you know where to look for them.  I will show you where.

Moving? Make sure you identify savings opportunities right away

If moving, especially in with someone, be sure to take advantage of savings opportunities as soon as possible.  And, such as in the case of services one must either change or cancel with a move to another city, such as phone, cable, or insurance coverage, there may be a whole list of potential savings available to you that didn't exist before.

Case in point: if consolidating households, make sure that no one is still paying for renters insurance on an old residence. Instead, add the new resident to your policy right away and cancel the old one. While this may seem obvious, it would be easy to forget about one's pre-existing coverage while contemplating a new policy and the options you may need. Do this: call up your old company, see if they can't match or beat the price for the policy you will be getting on and then dump them if they can't.  You can always change a policy, but if you are paying for both a new policy, and an old one, then you are wasting money.


Similar advice can be given for cable and telephone (wireless) service.  Moving to a new area might mean new provider opportunities that didn't exist before.  Rather than listen to your old cable company whine about getting you to transfer, and not cancel, your service, see if a new company can give you a new customer rate.  Same with the wireless company.  And, with wireless, it may be cheaper to get a "family" plan than to pay your old rate.


Coupon opportunities also exist for moves.  As mentioned previously, the U.S. Postal Service provides a packet of coupons to companies like Home Depot, Best Buy, and Lowes Hardware just for moving. 

Finally, if moving for a job, you may be able to write off moving expenses, provided you meet the criteria.  This IRS topic from their website helps you to figure out if you are eligible for that.

Bottom line: moving can provide many new opportunities for savings, which can take the bite out of the cost and hassle of doing so.

Another reason to pay close attention to your restaurant receipts

I came across this article yesterday which is blowing the lid on some San Francisco restaurants that are trying to levy a stealth "health" charge on your bill to pay for its Healthy San Francisco initiative.

Vote with your feet and don't return if they try to pass this on to you.  With an economy still very much reeling, nickle and dime-ing restaurant customers any more than already happens isn't going to encourage anyone to visit a restaurant.  And, note to Mayor Newsom, this isn't going to help your economy, either.  If President Obama's health care bill passes, will the City drop this program, or are taxpayers and consumers going to pay twice for health programs for the uninsured there?


Sapping any more disposable income hurts everyone.