In today’s cash strapped economy, people are looking for ways to save on everything, whether it is cutting coupons for when you go grocery shopping, or frequenting stores that advertise low prices, the first thing on most people’s minds is keeping your money in your pocket and making sure you stretch every dollar as far as it can go.

This holds true when you start to consider car insurance. If you are a safe driver, you are spending money every month on something that is just there to protect you if you need it, therefore, you want the absolute lowest rate possible.

To save money on your car insurance, usually the first step is to start shopping around. While many consumers fall into a “rut” about this particular type of shopping and regularly forget to do this important piece, simply because of the hassle it offers, you need to make the effort to pick up the phone and call to compare rates. Right now, companies are trying to drive business to their doors; therefore, there are some major discounts that are being presented by big name carriers like Geico and Progressive, just because they know people are looking for the absolute best deal.

Next, if you are considering trading in your gas guzzling SUV for a fuel efficient hybrid, there is not a better time to do so than right now. Not only is the government offering incentives to get rid of your car that drinks the “black gold,” but more than likely your insurance company is also offering discounts for consumers who are being not only dollar conscious, but socially and globally conscious too.

Finally, and this one is really easy, but the moral of the story is, if you don’t ask for a discount, you are not going to get one. Studies show that people who actively ask for a lower rate from their insurance company are more likely to get one. This could be something as simple as the insurance agent “digging” a little deeper to ask about college alumni or professional associations or it could be the fact that they really just want to earn your business. However, to get a discount, smile and say please.