Start a shopping revolution this month 

On Saving Thousands! with Robert Palmer I am determined to start a shopping revolution. I’m talking about knowing the best way to spend your money.

Shopping around is the best way to get deals and save the most money. In 2005 when money was rolling in, we got lazy, we didn’t care where our money was going and companies picked up on that. They studied consumer habits and now know if they take a little out at a time, it won’t be enough to make a difference to you.

I heard a great story from a man I met at lunch the other day. This man was in his 50’s and had been with his car insurance company for years. He was paying about $160 a month. He’d never had ticket, been in wreck or filed a claim with them. Last year the company raised his premium $4. That was just enough for him to get mad and look into other insurance companies. He ended up getting a deal paying just $79 a month and a better policy. Just a few simple phones calls gave him $960 more dollars in his pocket a year.

I’m telling you, shopping around will create change. If big companies are continuing to loose business because consumers are shopping around – they will have to change. Competition creates the best price, that’s what makes our economy great.

Jaclyn from Melbourne was worried because she changed car insurance policy just eight months ago for a better deal. Now that company is nickel-and-diming her to death for different reasons.  She asked if shopping around again will hurt her.

The answer is no! There are no negative effects to shopping around. I also warned her to not get fooled by bundled insurance packages. Some companies win your business with their great home insurance policy, then over charge on the car insurance. The only way to know if you’re getting the best possible deal is to take a couple of hours and shop.

I know it can seem like a daunting task, but I’ve found an easy way to do it. Make a calendar of when bills come out of our account. If on the 3^rd your bank charges you for your account, that’s the day you go out and find a new bank. On the day they charge you – that’s the day you call five of their competitors and find the best deal. Just do it a little bit at a time and at the end of the money, go back and see how much you saved!

Following this shopping model is our best form of protest; this is our best bet in Central Florida to make a difference. We need to show the big companies we don’t mind them making a profit, but don’t do it at our expense because we’re going to shop around , and the guy who wins our money is still going to turn a profit - but he’s got to figure out how to give us the best deal. The government can’t do that for us, Washington, D.C. can’t do that for us and recent protesters certainly can’t – you can do it yourself. Make your calendar, shop around and this time next month you’ll be Saving Thousands!

Tune in Sunday at 11 am on WDBO 580 AM or WHTQ 96.5 FM and learn how to Save Thousands! Our new FM signal means people as far north as Palm Coast, as far south as Vero Beach and as far west as Dade City and Ocala are now tuning in and Saving Thousands!