Unexpected Crisis

Are you so busy that you don’t have time to handle the things that pop up unexpectedly? What do you do when the worst happens and you have no time to deal with it? I’d like to share some tips on how you might prepare for the unexpected. Being ready for anything can help save you money (as you don’t have to pay extra fees for expedited service). Yet, it is always a delicate balance because you don’t want to have too much extra time on your hands that you are not using your time efficiently.

A couple weeks ago, my wife was attending her orientation for her master’s degree. She found out that we needed to switch her driver’s license to the current state where we are living in order to get the in-state pricing on tuition. I know you are probably thinking why would she need to do that right now? What hadn’t she changed it already?

My wife and I were currently keeping our out-of-state licensing and insurance for our car. This, so we thought, was saving us money and the hassle of having to make the switch. Plus, we moved to where we are because I am going to grad school. This is a legitimate excuse to use for a certain period of time (the legal time frame changes state-to-state).

This may sound like a small adjustment, but you have to realize all that is involved:

• New Car Insurance
• New Driver’s license
• Transfer the Car Registration
• Transfer the Car Title

This all needed to be done within 48 hours. Wow! Nothing like a challenge, right? So, I went to work. I got a few quotes online for insurance, picked the best one and then my wife went to the DMV the next day to take care of the rest.

How I managed it all

Because I had already been thinking about transferring all of those items, it wasn’t that bad to take care of it. I had already inquired with a few insurance companies to make sure I was getting the best rate (anyway), so all I had to do was to call up those quotes again and make the first payment. I still need to cancel my old insurance, but have been waiting for a check that they owe me.

Besides having already taken care of some of the steps, it is also important to stay one step ahead. Just like living paycheck to paycheck is unhealthy, living life in a constant effort to catch up is no better. Find a way to get ahead in whatever you are doing so that you can avoid any possible mess.