Free Car Insurance Quotes and Information

• Say no to the drive-through -- Walk from the lot into McDonald's and
the calories expended might burn off one pickle on a Big Mac. What's more
important is what your car is burning with nothing to show for it; idling in a
drive-through (or anywhere) gets you zero MPG. Parking will make for a much
happier meal. Assuming you idle, say, a total of 10 minutes a day (don't forget
the bank and post office), turning off the ignition can save you about 40 bucks
a year.

• Get the junk out of the trunk -- Dead weight takes a toll on
fuel efficiency. If you're hauling the hubby's hardly used golf clubs (20
pounds), a towing chain (15), and three cases of beer that were too cheap to
pass up (60), you're looking at the makings of an interesting night, but also
about eight wasted gallons of gas a year, which amounts to more than $16.

• Work behind the wheel -- The standard IRS allowance for 2004 was
37.5 cents a mile, but driving to and from work isn't deductible. Schedule a few
breakfast meetings or happy hour sales calls so you're not just going between
home and the office, and you can deduct the miles for those detours. One 20-mile
work trip a week will mean a $375 write-off -- and a third of that back in your
refund -- at tax time.

• Take it easy -- Road rage isn't just bad for your ticker, it
hits the wallet as well. Aggressive driving, like speeding and an
accelerate-brake-accelerate-brake approach, lowers fuel efficiency by 33 percent
on the highway and 5 percent in the city. If your driving is equal parts urban
and rural, you'll shave 19 percent off your mileage by saying, ``Serenity
now.''

• Cover your health only once -- Speaking of well-being, unless
you're part of the cast of ``Jackass,'' there's no reason to shell out for
health insurance twice. Folded in with liability insurance (which covers other
drivers and cars and is essential), medical payments coverage for you is
included with most auto policies. Ditch it if you already have health insurance.
The medical portion usually makes up an estimated 8 percent of premiums, or
enough to cover at least a few co-pays.