Money Tips Network

In 1922, United Services Automobile Services (USAA) was born when 25 members of the U.S. Army formed a small organization to insure each other’s automobiles. What began as a well-orchestrated effort to help fellow Army members later became a booming organization serving all branches of military service.

Driving with caution and planning for potential hazards ahead does more than just help you stay safe – it  can help fuel be used more efficiently as well. Fuel efficiency describes an engine’s rate of obtaining and using energy from fuel. This is an important process to understand as efficient driving techniques can help extend the life of a car’s gas tank, save money on gas and reduce the vehicle’s impact on the environment. Our guide to fuel efficiency breaks down what drivers need to know about this energy-saving method of driving in all conditions (no matter how dangerous the state roads might be), and how to calculate the most efficient speed for their car.

Good2Go strives for simplicity when it comes to car insurance. For over 25 years, the company has been an excellent option to consider if you need liability-only insurance quickly with affordable rates. Good2Go also offers comprehensive and collision policies for those who need more than liability insurance but still want a no-frills option. It’s particularly attractive to people who have a driving history that makes it hard to find affordable insurance.

If you’ve had a package stolen when you ordered from Amazon or another online retailer, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, porch pirates — people who steal packages from people’s porches and doorways — are an increasingly common problem in the United States. However, you don’t have to just accept your Amazon package will be stolen every time you place an order.

Here is a look at why package theft is a growing problem, what steps you can take if your package goes missing and how to prevent this problem from happening in the future. Learn how to keep your deliveries safe.

An increase in online shoppinga 2018 poll by Marist College and National Public Radio (NPR), over 75% of Americans say that they shop online, and 25% admit that they do so at least once a month. Another 18% of the population shops online even more frequently.

In business since 2017, Hippo Insurance offers exclusively homeowners and condo products. It has gained a reputation for excellent online service and unique claims options. However, Hippo does not offer in-person service and it is not offered in all 50 states. Here, we look at the pros and cons of Hippo, how we arrived at […]

The post Hippo Home Insurance Review appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Over the many years I’ve written for The Simple Dollar, I have tried a ton of different frugality tactics, and I’ve written about a lot of them. Often, I’ll hear about or read about an idea, wonder if it actually works well and saves money, and then try it myself to find out. If there’s something interesting enough to make a full article about it, I’ll write about it — sometimes there is and sometimes there isn’t.

The thing is, I’ll often try tactics and then end up discarding them after a while because some problem or another pops up, something that I didn’t initially notice. I’ll just shrug my shoulders and go back to my old way of doing things.

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.
1. Handling financially desperate father
2. Earning more versus spending less
3. Selling off old toys
4. Medical bill question
5. Shampoo isn’t necessary
6. Bar soap or body wash?
7. Saving money in bedside table?
8. Waiting for 1099s

Once a month (or so), I share a dozen things that have inspired me to greater personal, professional, and financial success in my life. I hope they bring similar success to your life. Please enjoy the archives of earlier collections of inspirational things.

1. Martin Luther King Jr. on doing the right thing

“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Doing the right thing is often not the easy thing. It is easier to walk away. It is easier to think no one’s being harmed. It is easier to simply do nothing.

Last week, I wrote about our experiences over the last year after canceling our cable service. We’ve essentially moved on to a small rotating selection of streaming video services which, along with our antenna, meets our video needs.

One element of that article that seemed to intrigue a few readers is our family’s use of YouTube. I mentioned that there are several YouTube channels that we watch and sometimes even binge-watch. A few of them are probably familiar to longtime Simple Dollar readers, in fact.