How to Save Money on Repairs After a Car Accident

Almost every driver is going to be involved in at least a few accidents over the years, and those mishaps can become very expensive if you aren’t careful. Luckily, with a little patience and some professional assistance, you should be able to recoup your losses and move on with your life before you know it.

Contact Your Insurance Immediately

Every insurance company has slightly different regulations, but most of those providers require their clients to contact them within 24 hours of an auto accident. Failing to file a report within that time frame could void your insurance, and that mistake might end up costing you quite a bit of money. 

Once the report has been filed, the insurance representative should tell you where you can go for repairs and what is going to be covered.

Hire an Attorney

Unless the collision was nothing more than a minor fender bender with no injuries, you will probably want to contact an attorney. Insurance companies are always trying to increase their profits, and they often do everything in their power to pay out as little as possible. 



An auto accident attorney can help you negotiate with the insurance representatives so that you receive a fair settlement. They will also be able to represent you if the situation escalates into a trial.

Work With a Local Dealership

While smaller mechanic shops are a great option for minor repairs, you might want to head to a dealership if the damage is extensive. Most dealerships have larger service departments that can handle bigger projects, and some of them offer discounts to customers who purchased a vehicle through them.

It will also be much easier for the dealership to order replacement parts, and that should save you quite a bit of time and money.

Don’t Report Minor Dents and Dings

Every state has slightly different laws regarding what must be done after a minor accident. In most states, a driver doesn’t need to report an accident if no one was injured and less than $500 worth of damage occurred. 

For minor damage, paying the deductible could be more expensive than simply paying for the repairs yourself. You might not even need to have the damaged repaired if it is nothing more than scuffed paint or a scratched bumper.

If a recent accident has caused a huge leap in your insurance premiums, then you should consider taking a defensive driving course. Many insurance companies will reduce your monthly premiums if you take one of those courses within a few months of a collision.

Retire in Comfort: 5 Qualities to Look for in Your Retirement Community

After dedicating 20 years or more to your job, you’ve finally reached retirement. Now, you want to sit back, relax and enjoy the next chapter of your life. 

During your retirement, you may decide to go to a retirement community rather than look for a house. Unfortunately, looking for a retirement community isn’t always the easiest thing to do. 

There are certain qualities that you must look for and ask about when you’re looking for a comfortable community to retire in.

When selecting the best senior living community, consider essential factors to ensure a comfortable and enriching experience. Assess your needs, visit and observe the community, check reviews and referrals, and consider amenities and programs. Finding a place like Benchmark Senior Living at Plymouth Crossings can provide comfort, care, and a sense of community for you or your loved ones.

The Amenities

The first quality that you should look for in a retirement community is the amenities that come with it. Even if you want to live modestly, the community you’re looking to reside in should have the basics.

The basic amenities should include a gym or fitness center, internet access, a place for activities, an independent kitchen and security. Keep in mind that every retirement community is different and may not have certain amenities.

The Location

The next thing you need to look for is the location in which the community resides. In fact, the location is actually one of the most important factors when looking at retirement communities. As you search, try to see if there are any communities located near your family and friends.

How the Community Cares

Again, many retirement communities are different and have different ways of caring for their residents. If you’re someone who requires assistance to do daily activities, you need to make sure that the community offers the right kind of care. 



In addition, it’s in your best interest to see if a community has 24-hour emergency care. There are a few communities that don’t offer this, which can spell trouble if you have an accident.

The Staff

Before even thinking of paying a visit to a retirement community, always research the staff first. When it comes to senior care, you want to know you’re in good hands. During your visit, it’s also essential that you pay close attention to how the staff interacts and communicates with the current residents.

The Overall Community

Aside from the amenities and health care, you want to be in a community where you can feel like you’re living life. Retirement communities are meant to make life easier for seniors, not harder and stressful.

However, there are those few communities that are just out for a buck and don’t have much to offer. Naturally, you want to avoid those. If you don’t feel like the community is for you, then it’s best to keep looking until you find one that is.

Finding a place to spend your golden years doesn’t need to be difficult. Take your time, weigh your wants and needs and always tour more than one community before you make your decision.

4 Ways Real Estate Investors Can Protect Their Assets

If you have recently decided to invest in real estate, then you need to start thinking about some ways that you can protect your personal assets. Even though this type of venture can be lucrative, there are potential pitfalls around every corner, and a minor mistake could wreak havoc on your finances if you aren’t diligent.

Find the Right Insurance

Your insurance is going to be incredibly important in the coming years, and you need to make sure that you invest in the right policies. Even if you don’t plan on having any tenants on your property, you must still have a solid insurance policy. 

Without the correct insurance policy, a natural disaster or personal injury case could end up costing you huge sums of money.

Work with an Investment Group

There are quite a few reasons why many real estate entrepreneurs join larger investment groups. In addition to giving you access to more resources, an investment group could also limit your risks. Most investment groups are LLCs, and that means the individual shareholders won’t be responsible for any major issues with the properties. 



You can also find a group that has an attorney on retainer, and that legal professional is going to be invaluable if a lawsuit takes place.

Create a Land Trust

Also known as a title holding trust, a land trust is a legal entity that could protect you and your assets from a wide variety of risks. When you use a land trust to purchase a piece of property, the title of that land won’t actually be in your name. 

While you can still manage that property, other parties won’t be able to go after your personal assets if any liability issues occur. As an added bonus, land trusts can also be paired with LLCs to further protect your assets.

Limit Your Spouse’s Liability

Even if your spouse is going to help you manage the property, you should still separate your family’s assets from your business enterprise as much as possible. In most states, lenders can’t go after a spouse’s assets unless they co-signed for the credit cards or loans. 

The homestead exemption should keep your primary residence safe as well, but you might want to speak with a tax adviser about that particular exemption.

In addition to these few tips, you should also make sure that you remain patient and never overextend yourself. It might be tempting to jump at the first piece of real estate that you find, but you need to consider all of the variables before you invest any money.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

Want to Rent Your Home for Extra Cash? 4 Ways to Let Your Property Run Itself

Renting out your home can be an excellent way to make some extra money, but that type of project could become quite stressful if you aren’t careful. Luckily, with a few basic upgrades and some professional help, your property could practically run itself.

Hire a Property Manager

There are quite a few reasons why many landlords decide to hire property managers. In addition to limiting their risk of high tenant turnover, an experienced property manager can also minimize the amount of time that they need to spend on each piece of property. 

Those professionals can be hired to carry out a wide variety of important tasks, including finding and vetting tenants, collecting rent, and taking care of repairs.

Put Tenants in Charge of All Utilities

Covering a few expenses on your own could attract high-quality applicants, but all of the primary utilities should be signed over to your tenant. Once the utilities are in their name, you won’t have to worry about figuring out additional bills or collecting extra money each month. 

As an added bonus, switching the utilities over to a tenant will also limit your risk of a major blow to your credit if the bills aren’t paid on time.

Use Landlord Software

One of the best ways to simplify this process is to use high-quality landlord software. That type of software will allow you to save and track vital information, such as when rent is being paid and how much you are making on your property. 



Some landlord programs also make the process of finding a tenant much easier by allowing you to create eye-catching listings, organize incoming applications, and screen those who have applied.

Invest in Maintenance Contracts

It might be tempting to save some money by carrying out maintenance on your own, but that is only going to eat into your time. Even seemingly simple maintenance could take up hours every month, and that is why some landlords invest in maintenance contracts with local companies. 

Local contractors can help you take care of many different tasks that are going to keep your rental property running smoothly. That includes regular pest control, HVAC maintenance, electrical work, and minor plumbing repairs.

Before you rent out any type of property, you should always speak with some type of financial adviser or tax specialist. Becoming a landlord is going to have a huge impact on your finances, and you want to be absolutely sure that you don’t make any mistakes that could eat into your profits.

4 Ways to Save Money When Restoring a Classic Car

You may have been putting off restoring a classic car because of the expense. However, restoring a classic car doesn’t always have to be extremely expensive, and you can save money by following a few simple tips. Here are four clever ways to save money when restoring an old car.

Redo the Exterior First

One of the main reasons why you probably want to restore a classic car is so that you can drive something that will get heads turning. By working on the exterior first, you’ll have a vehicle that looks its best from the outside. 

If the interior still isn’t up to standard, you can rest assured that not very many people will notice it. You can then fix up the interior over a gradual period and invest the money that’s needed to complete the project at a more leisurely pace.

Get the Most Affordable Parts

Knowing where to look to find the cheapest parts will be key to saving money on your car restoration. There are several online retailers that offer high-quality parts for classic vehicles at great prices. 


Whether you’re looking for Toyota Land Cruiser parts for sale or components for another type of classic vehicle, you’ll be able to easily find what you need by specifying the year, make and model to be shown a list online of the most suitable parts.

Be Willing to Compromise

You’ll likely be able to save money if you’re willing to compromise on the specific parts that you add to your vehicle. This might mean having to forgo purchasing authentic parts for contemporary options that may still look classic in their design. 

By incorporating the newer parts into the vehicle’s layout in the least obvious way possible, no one will have to know that your vehicle doesn’t have all of its original parts.

Don’t Neglect Important Repairs

It might be tempting to abandon certain repairs that the car needs to save money and then address these areas of concern at a future date, but doing so can ultimately cost you more financially. 

Rust, cracks, and holes in the vehicle’s frame could grow into bigger problems and affect the way your vehicle looks and drives. You’ll also want to make sure that all wires in the car are up to standard and aren’t fraying or showing any other signs of damage.

Restoring a classic car on the cheap can be done with some careful planning. By getting the lowest prices on parts and doing all the work in a logical order, you’ll be able to update your vehicle while keeping some extra cash in your pocket.

How to Live Debt Free so You Can Retire with Peace of Mind

Escaping debt can feel like a breath of fresh air. When you are starting to plan for your retirement, one of the best ways for you to prepare is to start mitigating your debt. If you are not sure where to begin, however, following some of these guidelines can be crucial for your future.

Live According to Your Means

Perhaps one of the most obvious and immediate pieces of advice that all individuals should do their best to follow is to reduce their spending. One of the best ways to avoid further debt is to live according to your means. 

Make a list of all of your monthly payments and make sure that they are only things that you need. This means taking a look at your hobbies and seeing where you can afford to reduce your spending.

Look into Immediate Debt Settlement

Bringing experts in to discuss your debt can allow you to get all of your smaller accounts settled as quickly as possible. Basically, a good debt settlement program will allow you to work with expert negotiators to discuss terms with creditors on your behalf. 



They use various negotiation strategies to allow you to pay less on your unsecured debts. These can include credit cards, payday loans and other, smaller unsecured debts based on your situation.

Make Extra Mortgage Payments

Another excellent way to plan ahead for your debt-free future is to try to pay off your mortgage, or car or student loans, as early as possible. This means taking the time to plan out how much money you owe to your lender and pay a little bit extra every month. 

This will allow you to pay off your mortgage sooner and save money in the long-term on your interest payments. Set aside as much as you are comfortable paying on a regular basis.

Set a Goal

Setting goals can be one of the best ways to adjust to your needs. Think about some savings goals that you may have for your future. Do you want to have a certain amount of money saved up before you can retire? Is there a certain degree of debt you want to leave behind before you start planning? Work with financial planning tools to reach your goals faster and easier.

No financial situation is ever the same. Establish a reliable degree of flexibility in your goals in order to see the most efficient results. Always take things at an easy pace to ensure that you are stable during your debt mitigation journey.