Many things affect the price you pay for your car insurance. Here are a few tips that might help you reduce your car insurance and lower the amount you are currently paying.

• Shop around. Prices for car insurance can vary greatly from company to company. However, don’t let price be the only thing you consider. It’s better to pay a little more and deal with a reliable company. The best recommendation a company can get is from its customers. Ask your friends which car insurance company they use and if they are happy with the service.

• Inquire about low-mileage discounts. This is for drivers who use their car less than a set number of miles per year.

• If you are thinking about buying a new car, remember that the type of car you drive affects the amount you pay for car insurance. If your car is expensive to repair or a favorite of thieves, the insurance is probably higher.

• If possible, raise the deductibles on collision and comprehensive coverage. This means that the amount you pay before filing a claim is higher, but the yearly cost of car insurance is lower.

• Some companies have a discount for cars that have automatic seat belts or air bags, or you might be eligible for a good-driver or defensive-driving discount, making this another way to reduce your car insurance.

Most conversations on how to invest focus on methods of investing. An experienced investor will tell you that there’s no magic formula. This lesson has usually been learned the hard way. There are some time proven concepts that won’t, by themselves, assure success, but can help reduce some of the risk associated with investing.

• Have a plan – Most people spend more time planning their weekends than planning for their financial future. There’s more to investing than just picking stocks. You need a plan with clear goals and well defined objectives.

• Timing the market – Waiting for the right time to buy or sell can be a long wait. Timing the market is virtually impossible. Expert after expert has concluded that this is not an exact science. There’s really no way to tell exactly where the bottom is or where the top is. Staying investing and riding out the ups and downs is one time proven way to benefit. Trying to time the market can be one of the costliest errors.

• Avoid taxes legally – Most people don’t take advantage of all the legitimate instruments available to defer and avoid taxes. Deferring taxes can add, in many cases, 31 percent to your principal, and can significantly accelerate portfolio growth. Have you considered Tax-Free Bonds, a SEP-IRA, a Salary Deferral Plan, an IRA or a 401(K)? Take the time to review all your options.

• Unnecessary risk – Some people try to obtain such a high return that they dramatically increase the chance of losing much of their initial investment. Others are over conservative and their buying power is eroded over time by inflation and taxes and because they wanted a guarantee of principal rather than working towards preserving their purchasing power. CD’s and money markets are fine when they are used in the proper percentage and at the proper time. However, leaving all or most of your portfolio in similar cash investments can be like dying a slow financial death. You just can’t counter the effects of inflation when your money is earning five and six percent.

• Inflation always costs you money – the purchasing power of the dollar has dropped during the last decades. If your investment strategy doesn’t consider the cost of inflation you’re losing money and usually don’t realize it until it’s done its damage to the purchasing power of your dollar.

• Diversification – One of the most common errors is to become excited about one particular investment and put all or most of your available assets in it. The generally accepted rule is not to have more than 10 percent of your portfolio in one investment, or more than 20 percent in any one industry. Your portfolio should be diversified in such a way as to address all of your needs and goals and at the same time help reduce your risk. There are no hard and fast rules that apply to every portfolio.

• Allow enough time for success – Investing is not a magic money machine. You can’t put $10,000 in on Monday, and take out $50,000 on Friday. It doesn’t work that way. If you’re investing your money in a well thought out, well researched plan, you must give your plan time to work (18 to 36 months). This time frame may have to be altered to allow for unusual circumstances. If you need your money in less time, consider some form of short term money market instrument.

• Keep emotions out of your decisions – Is the potential worth the risk? This requires a rational decision, where you weigh all of the available evidence. Unfortunately, most people ignore reason and get caught up in the emotional high of buying and selling. If you buy on a hunch or feeling about a stock, you usually sell because of fear. The perfect formula for not sleeping very well. Objectivity is essential to successful investing. Treating your investments as a business will help you to maintain a more discipline approach.

In addition to the areas mentioned, a complete financial plan should also take into consideration the number of children, current income, present resources, investment experience, success and failures and planned retirement age. This is far from a complete list of all the factors that should be considered when putting together your financial plan.

Risking your financial future to tips, hunches and favorite stocks can be costly. Consult a reputable financial planner and tax advisor who can teach you how to invest wisely and help guide you through some of the most important decisions you’ll ever make.

Debt is one of the most common problems and stressful situations in today’s society, but you can learn how to eliminate debt fast. Almost everyone has it, and if you don’t, consider yourself lucky. It’s a hard thing to get rid of when it builds up. It can be overwhelming dealing with all those creditors that are demanding “their” money.

• The most important thing you need to do is to stop creating more debt for yourself. Do whatever it takes. Cut up those credit cards and use only money you already have. It’s hard to wait for payday, but it’s worth it when it adds up to less debt.

• Attitude is big element in eliminating debt. We often get overwhelmed and into a negative “I’ll never fix this” state. What you need to do is change that and be positive about eliminating that debt instead of ruminating on how dire the situation is. You can do it and it is possible for you to be debt free. Adopt that ‘Can Do’ attitude.

• Plan out your spending and determine what you really need, and what you really want. Make out a budget or a list for yourself that contains all the things that you would like to acquire. Eliminate all the things that you can live without. If you are used to lavish lifestyle this may be hard, but it is essential if you wish to reduce your spending habits and eliminate debt.

• Boredom is going to make you want to spend money. If we get bored we may visit shops just to see what they have in store. Next thing you know, you’ve walked out with more than you bargained for. Same with TV. It’ll entice you into buying things that you really don’t need.

• Cut down on that extravagant spending on high end products. Where in your life can you live with bargain products? At the grocery store can you spend a little less by buying the cheaper items for a while? It’s not forever, it’s just until you can get your debt under control. Remind yourself that this is a long-term positive goal.

• Are you capable of improving your income? I’ll bet you have the skills that it takes to earn some extra income on the side to help out your finances. Some people do simple surveys online and get paid for them. There are tons of avenues you can research. Turn a passion into a marketing strategy. Just be wary of online scams and research thoroughly before investing your time.

• Pay all of your bills on time. As you get behind on bills, they will charge you extra for what the lateness. By avoiding late bills, you are saving money that could go towards the debt you’ve accumulated.

• Reuse everything you can. Plastic bags work perfect as garbage bags. Keep your eyes open for things that can be reused in your home so that you can save money in the long run and eliminate debt.

Debt is a monster that will haunt you for life and ruin all of your chances of buying the things you really want in life. By applying these simple rules, you can improve your chances of reducing and eliminating your debt and the stress in your life. I promise, once you attack it head on, you’ll start to feel better about your money and about yourself.