The Writer's Life 7/12 - Shop

We've all heard the old saying: "It pays to shop." I ignored it in large part when I had good cash flow. Not so the past four years, when I've watched every nickel. I've dreaded July, when the car insurance bill is due, the biggest hit of the year, which I always paid in full to take advantage of the discount. I was shocked to find that Liberty Mutual was raising my rate from $1400 to $1800. I sent an email to verify no mistake had been. I'm 62, have never had an accident, and have had only one moving violation in 40+ years, an illegal left at 5th Av. & 86th St. days after the edict first went into effect. I have the absolute minimum coverage. An official for LM responded that since I'd filled out a survey that showed an increase in my driving, my rate was increased. I'd calculated the eight trips back and forth to the airports I'd made, forgetting that I didn't play golf for a year and a half because of hip pain, which greatly reduced my car usage, which has been about 2500 miles per year. Anyway, I went to Esurance for a quote, which came in at about $1400. All State, which I'd had prior to LM, came in at $1500. Then I tried Geico, which I figured would be in the same ball park. I was ecstatic when the six-month figure was $501, an annual saving of $400 to $800 on the other options. I was so surprised I feared I'd left something out and would be accused of fraud. I mean - how could there be such a discrepancy? Fortunately a friend who uses Geico assured me there was no mistake. She has more coverage than I do at the same price. And the contract was so easy to get done, all online. Even my request that the insurance cards be mailed was honored. I didn't have to ask a friend to print them out. I was using my printer so infrequently I decided not to replace it when it died. I've had little need for one since most publishing companies now accept, even demand, electronic submissions. I feel like I've found money.

I've had good luck on the stocks front too. Coca Cola was one of the first I bought, sometime in the early 90's. I asked the advice of one of the gold traders at the Exchange, Pat Fero, whose dad, if I remember correctly, used to drive a truck for the famous soda maker. He recommended it, saying something like: "It's just sugar and water - you can't eff that up." All I could afford was 30 at the time. I now have 94, and the company just announced a two-for-one split, which will take me to 188. The only thing that worries me is that when a previous split was announced many years ago, the entire market tanked and the action was scheduled. It would not surprise me if that happened now. I've been expecting a collapse for months.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought books today.

Visit Vic’s sites:
Vic’s Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic’s Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic’s Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic’s 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic’s 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic’s Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f