speaking of adulthood

I feel I entered adult world in April of 2009, when I bought a car, car insurance, and health insurance in the span of 3 days. It was like whiplash, growing-up style.

Since then, I find myself very absorbed in the world of finances, namely paying bills, which for me, include student loans, car loan, cellphone, and credit cards.

In the spirit of things, then, I want to share some tips and helpful hints I've learned along the way...even though "the way" has been relatively short. I also happen to be unemployed and uninsured, so I've learned some great money-saving tips there, too.

Loans: Many lenders have online resources for borrowers including, but not limited to, online repayment, automatic payment/debit, and ebilling/paperless billing. All 5 of my students loans and my car loan deducted monthly from my checking account and I'm paperless on most of them. One of my loan holders (is that a real term? loan holder? lender? bank?) offers me a .25% discount on the high interest rate of my loan for paying automatically. They get their money, I get a lower interest rate. Score.

Cellphone: Again, paperless and auto debit options here. I'm with Verizon, and although I would not necessarily recommend suspending your service were you to temporarily relocate to Nigeria or something, there are other options available. The most favorable options exist for members of the Armed Forces. Regardless of your serviceman/woman or civilian status, most carriers will bend over backwards to ensure you continue your service with them. Be empowered by that knowledge and use it to your advantage...it's called consumer savvy!

Insurance: If possible, avoid paying the month-by-month premiums. Instead, pay all 6 (or all 12) months' worth of premiums at once. Almost all insurance companies offer a discount if you pay all at once...and it's usually pretty hefty!
My car insurance carrier, Progressive, also offers a unique premium discount called Snapshot/MyRate. The device is plugged into a car's data port, records info about driving habits (miles driven, time of day, and braking style) and transmits it back to Progressive. After 30 days of driving, I'll be notified if I receive a discount--up to 30%!--applied to my rate from the start of my policy.
Another common insurance discount is keeping multiple policies (health, home, auto, life) with the same carrier. Check to see if your carrier also offers any special discounts.

Doctor's visits: I've been without dental insurance for a while now, but my dentist's office offers a 5% discount when you pay in full at the time of your visit. That may seem trifling up front, but consider that over the past several years, I've saved $480 with that discount!

Upon my return from Nigeria, I scheduled an appointment with my internist. You know, checking for malaria, parasites, the usual. He gave me a prescription for acne cream (just keepin' it real, guys), but the pharmacy wanted $179 for the generic. I got news for ya, my face isn't worth $179.
I used Fairview Health System's MyChart, an online tool for record-keeping and doctor-patient communication, to email my doctor and ask for a cheaper script. 3 days later, I got a call from the pharmacy, telling me my $30 prescription was ready for pickup. Wham, bam, thank you...Dr.Wycoff.
Don't be afraid to ask about pricing or to tell your doctor when you can't afford a particular procedure or prescription. They may be able to offer a money saving alternative.

I've already written about how much I love my optometrist, but I love her even more after today. My eyes are still healing from the blisters I brought back from Nigeria, but I'm ready to phase back into contact lenses. I asked for a more affordable option, and she suggested one that will save me up to a third of the cost, especially if I don't wear lenses every day.


I'm just getting started in my quest for discounts...what are some of your favorites? Which are the "best-kept secrets" of the adult life?