Your beloved pooch or kitty is doubtlessly the light of your life. You spend a lot of your time and money on caring for your family pets, ensuring their happiness and longevity. However, when it comes time to go to the veterinarian’s office, bills can start mounting up quickly. The first ever insurance plan put on a pet was in 1982 on the ever-loved Lassie. Since then, pet insurance has become a relatively conventional coverage plan that pet owners are obtaining for the benefit of both their budgets and animals.

Pet Insurance is Reimbursement-Based

Unlike health coverage that you would have on your family, pet insurance is totally reimbursement-based. This means that you will pay any and all of the bills yourself, file a claim with the provider and then receive repayment by mail in the form of a check. This helps because you are getting money back for what you already paid, but it can be difficult for families that just don’t have the initial money to lay out for vet bills. There are no co-pays, deductibles or basic coverage, as everything needs to be paid in full before reimbursement can be made by the company.

Sick Pets Might Not Be Covered

If you have an older pet in poor health, you will most likely be denied health coverage. Pet insurance companies are legally allowed to deny coverage on any case, and they take advantage of this when it comes to sick animals that are going to need a lot of care. They may also drop coverage if your pet gets very sick while protected under their plan. You will have to submit an examination form signed by your veterinarian before you can be approved for a new policy. The insurance company has all rights to approve or deny your pet coverage.

Your Premium Varies According to Risk

Certain animals are at greater risk for health issues than others. For example, the American Bulldog needs to have a cesarean section if she ever gets pregnant, and this is a risk factor that insurance companies consider. Female dogs might cost more to protect than male dogs and cats might cost you less to cover than a dog. Risk factors determine what you’re going to pay each month on your premium.

Premiums Might Cost More Long-Term than Medical Bills

Some financial experts and veterinarians agree that pet owners are better off putting money aside into a savings account in case their pet gets ill instead of taking out insurance. Insurance premiums can be quite expensive over the course of time, costing you thousands of dollars before you even make use of the coverage. If you’re able to put money into an insurance plan for your pet, surely you can put that money into an emergency vet bill fund.

The Claim Process

When you take your animal to the vet and receive a bill, you will need to submit this bill to the insurance company in the form of a claim. Claims are normally handled in about two weeks, but this can vary depending on the specific company you’ve chosen to go with. In some cases, it can take months to get money back on a vet bill that has already been paid, putting the pet owner in a rather precarious financial situation. Researching pet insurance providers will give you an idea as to which ones are reliable and trust-worthy and which ones are slow to finalize claims and pay back their customers. Also, keep in mind that not all claims are approved. If you went with a more advanced treatment for pet care, the insurance company can deny it claiming that it should have been a cheaper level of therapy.

The bottom line with pet insurance is that it’s a great form of coverage for pet owners who have healthy pets that they take to the vet regularly for checkups and minor problems. It isn’t so great for owners who have older, sick animals that need lots of advanced medical care. Because there is no in-network provider list, you can keep using the veterinarian you have been bringing your pets to for years.

The smell of a new car’s interior is temptation enough to trade in your old vehicle. Buying a new car shows that you have a steady income with some style in your back pocket. Completing the transaction, however, can be difficult for first-time buyers. Paying for the vehicle is the first hurdle you’ll encounter. Before you picture yourself behind the wheel of that favorite vehicle, learn how to find the best car loan.

Go Online

The Internet is a vast resource when it comes to borrowing money. Go online, and apply for a loan with any reputable lender. Some websites allow you to fill out one application that covers dozens of different lenders too. In essence, you aren’t limited to local banks with few resources. These online lenders will notify you of any offers after they check your credit. They use your credit history as a gauge of your risk. Take a look at the interest rates and loan amounts that they offer so that you can see what’s affordable in your budget.

Visit the Bank

A traditional way to find the best car loan is through your bank. This lender knows your transaction history, income and other details. In many cases, you have a better chance at borrowing money at a lower interest rate when you use your own bank. Be aware that credit unions tend to have better pricing compared to corporate banks, states Consumer Reports. Sit down with a representative, and discuss your options. Regardless of the lender, bankruptcies and late bills can be a negative factor if they exist on your credit report.

Negotiate on Vehicle Pricing

Whether you’re preapproved for a car loan or not, you still need to negotiate a final price with the dealership. Look for dealership sales and other indicators that the facility is willing to work with customers. Salespeople tend to fixate on monthly payments so direct your interest in the entire cost of the vehicle. Negotiate an “out-the-door” price on the desired car. Lowering the car’s cost will reduce the ultimate loan amount. You may be able to afford a high-quality car if you negotiate the cost down to your budget’s goal.

Ask for Dealer Offers

Dealers have many discounts that they can apply, but this information isn’t usually shared with customers. Ask about factory and dealer rebates because both of these items are separate from each other. Other discounts can be found by negotiating costs with a sales manager. A vehicle might be an older model with some damages, for example. Hundreds or thousands of dollars can be taken off of the sticker price when you know what to discuss with the sales staff.

Hold Onto Your Preapproved Offers

If you have preapproved auto loans, keep these documents to yourself as you negotiate with the dealer. The loan amounts shouldn’t influence the haggling process. Keep the amounts in mind as you work with the dealership because the value is set by the lender. In most cases, you can’t renegotiate a preapproval because the amount is based on your income and liabilities.

Discuss a Match

According to USA.gov, every dealership has some financing options. After agreeing on a vehicle price, ask about dealer financing. Their accountants will come up with a figure that they hope will appease you. Compare it to your preapproved numbers, and try to negotiate a lower interest rate. The dealership wants to retain your business so they may match your preapproved offers or even beat them.

Walking Away is Possible

Committing your time and effort at a dealership means that you want to make a successful deal and walk away with a car. If negotiations aren’t going well, don’t be afraid to leave. There are dozens of dealerships in one state alone so you don’t have to settle for a deal that’s less than desired.

As you consider a new-car purchase, keep up with your other bills. Being a responsible borrower means that you pay the bills on time each month. With this habit, you’ll increase your credit score and improve your history. At that point, car loans should be easy to obtain with reasonable fees attached to them.

If you are like the millions of other Americans who have damaged credit, you may be wondering what you need to do to fix it. There are all sorts of schemes out there that say they can repair your credit in a jiffy, but in all actuality, you can do it yourself, and it will cost you nothing. Not everyone needs to hire a credit repair company to raise their credit score but if your situation requires it there’s nothing wrong with it. However here are a few ways that you can begin to repair your credit and get yourself out of debt.

Set A Budget and Stick With It

One of the first ways to repair your credit is by changing your spending habits. It really doesn’t do any good to get credit cards to pay off other credit cards and compounding interest with consolidation loans. You must learn how to manage your money. Speak with a financial advisor, or get someone who can help you if your money management skills are lacking. Finally, don’t depend on credit cards to get you from payday to payday. Allow yourself a certain amount to spend, when you exhaust that amount, you are done. Change your idea that if you run out of cash there is always plastic to back you up. To clean up your credit, you will need to change the way you handle things.

Get Copies of Your Credit Report

Now that you have a new mindset, it is time to tackle those credit reports. The three major reporting bureaus are Equifax, Transunion, and Experian. Each of these companies are required by law to give you a copy of your credit report annually. Additionally, if you have been recently denied credit, you can also get a copy of your report for free.

Go through your reports and look for any errors. Remember, the lenders and companies that report to the bureau can make mistakes too. You can dispute any information that is on your report that you don’t feel is correct. Simply fill out a dispute form, and the agency will contact the company in question. The company will have 30 days to respond to the request. If they don’t respond to verify that the debt is valid, the bureau is required to remove it from your report. Now keep in mind, many companies do not respond because the debt has been sold several times or it sits on someone’s desk. This works in your favor in many cases. However, if they do respond to the request, and they can prove the validity of the debt, you will be stuck with it.

Take Extra Money To Tackle Debts

The best way to tackle your debts is to do it one at a time. Let’s assume that you go to a gourmet coffee shop every morning. That $5.00 that you spend on a coffee can really add up. If you work 5 days, then that is an extra $25 dollars you spend on coffee each week. That is $100 a month, and $1,300 a year. No one is suggesting that you go without coffee, but you can buy a machine and a mug to keep it warm and save yourself a ton of money. This is just one aspect of your life, how many other things can you forgo to pay on your debt?

Pay Down Credit Cards

To maximize your credit, you want to make sure that you pay your credit cards down to about 25 percent of the balance. If you have a limit of $1,000, you don’t want to carry a balance of more than $250 at any time. The credit card can work for you if you have your balances in check. If you have a balance too high or a card that is maxed out, you are killing your FICO score.

Don’t Get Any New Credit or Inquiries on Your Report

When you are in the process of repairing your credit, you want to make sure that you don’t do anything that will further damage your rating. Every time you apply for insurance, credit cards, jobs, or other things that need to check your credit, it goes as an inquiry on your report. These inquiries add up, and they can have a negative impact on your score. Don’t take out any new credit, and don’t apply for anything. While you are trying to clean up a report, you need to make sure that you are doing everything possible to make the score higher not lower. With a little work you can clean up your report and have a stellar rating.