AARP offers an online driver safety course (it’s a defensive driving course) for $19.95 and it qualifies as a defensive driving course with respect to auto insurance premium discounts. By law in 34 states, auto insurance company is required to give you a discount if you complete a “classroom-based, state-approved driver-improvement course.” Those states are, according to AARP, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

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Most of us in the United States have felt a definite chill in the air the last few days. We are into December, which means if you haven’t, you should prepare your car for winter and include an emergency kit, just in case. Of course, you don’t hope for the worst, but it is always best to prepare for it, and with millions taking to the road for holiday travel, visiting family, and taking vacations, it pays to be prepared.

You might remember a few years ago when hundreds of cars were stranded in Chicago on Lakeshore Drive during the 2010 Chicago blizzard. Sure, the storm was intensifying, but those people were just trying to make the short drive home from work. They had no idea they would be stranded for hours and that some of the cars would run out of gas, making it impossible to run the heat.

Here are some steps you may want to take to avoid that fate and protect yourself and your family this winter while driving:

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Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Northeast, and many people are still recovering. Thousands are now homeless, and even those who are able to continue living in their homes may have to get new vehicles because their vehicles were flooded and destroyed in the storm. According to The Huffington Post, “Six of the leading eight automakers in terms of U.S. sales said on Wednesday that at least 16,000 new vehicles were damaged, and the lion’s share of those will have to be scrapped. Counting cars in consumer hands increases the total loss estimated to at least 266,000 vehicles.”

Those cars that are totaled because of flooding are supposed to get a new title called a salvage title so they can be sold to the junkyard for scrap metal. However, that is, unfortunately, not always the case. Often, those cars are refurbished and put back into circulation. A flood damaged car will have many problems, and you don’t want to be the unlucky person who bought it.

Here are ways you can determine if the used car you are considering buying has been damaged by a flood:

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If I lived in a city with decent transportation options, I probably wouldn’t own a car. If I lived in a city with decent transportation and ZipCar, I definitely wouldn’t own a car. As it stands, we live in the suburbs so a car is a must but I am a little jealous of my friends who don’t have to take care of a 4,000 pound piece of metal on wheels. It also appears like I’m not alone. This article about the cheapest generation, a somewhat unfair characterization, mentions how Millenials aren’t buying cars and houses like their predecessors. It made me wonder about the economics of Zipcar and whether it makes sense financially, even if it’s not practical in our situation.

ZipCar is a service where you can rent cars for a very short period of time. You join their service, which involves a driving record check and a 94% approval in 24 hours, and are issued a card. You use that card to reserve cars that are (hopefully) distributed around your local area. You rent by the hour or by the day and can do so entirely online, which tells you whether there are cars there. It’s basically a la carte car rental. The technology is actually pretty slick, you do everything with the Zipcard.

ZipCar is very well represented in cities but you’d be hard pressed to find them out in the suburbs, though there are locations. For example, there are no Zipcars in Columbia, MD where I live and the closest one is at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (next closest is in Baltimore or Washington D.C.). That’s not a viable option for me and it’s likely the case for folks living in the suburbs. If you live in a city, chances are you’ll see one nearby.

So would it make sense financially?

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Americans have a love affair with their automobiles. One of the first ways people want to show off their economic status is through buying a nice vehicle. Even the poorest college student is likely to have a car, though it may be a bit worse for wear. In fact, “Americans own an average of 2.28 vehicles per household, and more than 35 percent of households own three or more cars” (New York Times).

Surviving in America without a car is counterculture and can make life difficult, especially if you live in the suburbs or the country. However, there are times selling your car might be just the right thing to do.
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When we think about stolen cars, often we think of fancy sports cars or some other high-end vehicle. However, the truth is that the most stolen vehicles are often those that can be taken apart in “chop shops.”

Commonly driven cars, with parts that others can use, offer a way for thieves to make a good amount of money. Rather than trying to sell the car as a whole (which is done with the high-end cars), older models of popular brands can be sold piece by piece. This reduces the chance of recovery, as well as providing a relatively easy way to make more cash overall.

According to the National Crime Information Center, the top 10 vehicles stolen in the United States for the year 2011 were:
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One of the scariest prospects that many parents face is that of having a teen driver. Many of us worry about what happens when our kids are old enough to drive. My son is still more than six years away from his driver’s license, but it’s something that I think about from time to time.

Teen drivers cost more to insure than most adults, so you have to take that aspect of the situation into account. On top of that, you also need to review your liability coverage, since your teen’s auto accident could result in having your own assets tapped if the damage is severe enough. Your auto insurance situation has the potential to become very different once the kids start learning to drive.

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When it comes to getting a care to drive, the debate usually focuses on buying new or buying used. In most personal finances circles, the idea of leasing a car is repugnant. However, when I read the Four Hour Workweek a few years ago, I surprised to see that Tim Ferriss considered leasing a car an option, since it can provide you with the car you want for your lifestyle cost.

Since then, I have seen a few other posts and articles in favor of leasing a car. Generally, you can lease a car for less per month than buying. Plus, after three years or so, you can turn in the car without having to worry about selling and get a new car. While I’m happy with buying cars and driving them into the ground, I can see why those who like to regularly “upgrade” to a new car might want to lease.

But how does a car lease work? Essentially, you are renting your car instead of buying it.
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