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By on December 1, 2017 in Academic Life

Photo by why kei on Unsplash

Money is often tight for college students, and for those who drive to school, it’s tough to decide whether a comprehensive auto insurance policy is worth the higher premiums. This is usually a situation where it’s wise to spend a bit more for greater protection. Here’s why comprehensive auto insurance is crucial for college commuters.

Faster Repairs

If you get in a car accident and it’s the other driver’s fault, their insurance must pay for your damages. When it’s an uninsured motorist, the driver must pay for your damages.

This works in theory, but in practice, it can take weeks or months before the other driver is found to be at fault. And if they don’t have insurance, you’d need to sue them and get a judgement against them. With only liability insurance on your end, you would be left waiting to get your car repaired.

Comprehensive insurance will pay for your repairs while you wait, allowing you to get your car fixed right away and keep driving to school.

Protection for At-Fault Accidents

You also need to consider what you would do if you cause an accident. If you’re a young adult in college, you’re already more likely to be involved in an accident. With only liability coverage, you’d be stuck paying for repairs out of pocket.

It will cost you more in premiums to have comprehensive insurance coverage, but paying a bit more per month is much better than being out thousands of dollars because you caused an accident and only have liability insurance.

Coverage Against Irresponsible Drivers

There are plenty of situations where another driver could cause an accident but not pay for your damages. You could be involved in a hit and run where the other driver takes off. Or you could get in an accident with an uninsured motorist who doesn’t have a job, meaning even with a court judgement, you’d have a tough time getting money from them.

This is where comprehensive coverage will come in handy. No matter the circumstances surrounding your accident, you can be confident that your insurance will pay to have your car repaired.

There are plenty of situations where liability insurance won’t be sufficient. For a college commuter who needs their car to get to school every day, comprehensive insurance coverage is a smart investment that will keep you prepared for any potential worst-case scenarios.

This article was contributed by guest author Eileen O’Shanassy.

By on January 11, 2016 in Saving Money, Technology
Image by MattysFlicks, Flickr

Image by MattysFlicks, Flickr

Taking your car to a mechanic can be expensive. On a tight budget, you may feel like putting it off, but not performing maintenance on your car can quickly ruin its condition. Thankfully, there are a number things you can do yourself without taking your car to a mechanic.

Changing the Oil

An oil change is something that many people pay someone else to do for them. While this may save you some effort, it can also be expensive. Performing an oil change is one of the easiest routine maintenance tasks any layperson can perform. All you need is new oil, a container for the old oil, a funnel, an oil filter and a ratchet. Just make sure to wait to change it until a couple hours after driving or the oil will be hot. Here’s how to do it:

Replacing Air Filters

A second maintenance task that is very easy to do yourself is replacing your car’s air filters. Replacing an old air filter can increase your car’s gas mileage and power. To replace it, you don’t even have to drive to a store. Purchase some air filters from a website like Overstock that have discounted air filters. If you want to save more money, you can find promo codes and discounts such as free shipping from coupon sites like Discountrue. Here’s how to do it:

Replacing Windshield Wipers

Using worn out windshield wipers can be dangerous. It can seriously affect your visibility on the road during a rain or snow storm, but swapping out your windshield wipers for new ones is simple. If the strips on your windshield wipers seem worn and frayed, simply buy some new wipers. All you will need to swap them out is a screwdriver. Here’s how to do it:

Replacing Headlights

When your headlights stop working, it can be pretty distressing, especially if it’s dark outside. Like a lamp, all you usually need to do is swap out the burned out bulb for a new one. Replacing the headlight cover and putting it back in place usually isn’t too complicated either. Here’s how:

Replacing the Spark Plugs

Something that can affect the health of an automobile is its spark plugs. Replacing your car’s spark plugs when they become worn out can both increase your car’s gas consumption and allow it to run much smoother than before. Always check your owner’s manual to find out how you can replace them on your own – but here’s a quick tutorial:

You shouldn’t be afraid to work on your car. Most car owners are competent enough to perform basic maintenance – it will increase your understanding of your vehicle and save you money at the same time.

This article was contributed by guest author Brooke Chaplan.