Getting the best deal on a hotel room

If you travel frequently you probably know all about hotel discount sites such as Hotels.com, Travelocity and Orbitz, but you can often get an even cheaper rate by calling the hotel directly. Now I'm not talking about calling their 800 number. Instead, go online and look up the local phone number for the specific hotel you plan to stay in and tell them that you're looking for the lowest rate in that city. If the hotel has lots of empty rooms, you just might be shocked at how low they'll go to gain your business.

It's also a good idea to call several hotels in your destination city and compare the quotes (make sure you call the local number for each one of them). And don't be averse to switching hotels in the middle of your stay because the best rates available at any hotel typically changes from day to day, especially if your stay will include both weekdays and weekends.

Should you replace your aging appliances with new energy efficient models?

It's no secret that today's appliances are a lot more energy efficient than the ones built just a few years ago, but does replacing a perfectly good water heater or electric range with a new, energy-sipping model make sense? The answer to that question depends on several factors:

1 - How often do you use the appliance? If you travel a lot on business and rarely cook at home, you would probably be better off in the long run by keeping your old range until it dies.

2  - Are there serious annoyances that go hand-in-hand with using  an existing appliance? If you often run out of hot water in the middle of a shower, now just might be the perfect time to place that 7 year old water heater.

3 - Are you using an appliance that could be considered dangerous? If sparks fly from the back of your microwave every time you turn it on, don't wait another day - head straight for an appliance store!

4 - Energy efficiency aside, are there features available on new models that you would really love to have? If so, why not go ahead and upgrade now?

5 - Would purchasing a new energy efficient appliance qualify you for a hefty tax break? Go for it!

If you do plan to upgrade one or more of your appliances, consider donating your old one(s) to either a neighbor in need or a local charity such as the Salvation Army. Doing so will help keep our landfills from filling up so quickly while at the same time lending a helping hand to someone who could desperately use one.

Why you should shop around for car insurance

Have you been a loyal customer of the same automobile insurance company for years? If so, you just might be throwing away a lot of money!

The insurance industry is quite difficult to get a handle on. Rates for policies tend to vary a great deal, even within the same company. If you have had the same policy on your car for a while, you just might do a lot better by shopping around when it comes time to renew.

Start by requesting quotes at least a couple of weeks before your current policy expires. Get a minimum of three quotes (more is always better), then select the policy that offers the best coverage for the lowest price. And be sure to instruct your new agent to have the new policy take effect on the day on which the old one expires.

Don't pay too much attention to all those commercials for car insurance that you see on television and hear on the radio. Yes, GEICO certainly might be able to save you a boatload of cash if you switch, but Progressive or some other company just might have an even better deal.

When asking for quotes, it's a good idea to contact both the companies themselves via their 800 numbers or websites AND their local agent. Surprisingly, they will often quote different rates for the same policy.