My husband and I both used to be self-employed. What we ended up doing was buying a "catastrophy insurance" plan that was about 60 bucks a month for both of us. There was a 5k deductable, so it obviously didn't cover any routine doctor's visits, prescriptions, etc. However, we had the reassurance that if something awful were to happen (car accident, etc.) that it wouldn't send us flying into debt past 5k, because our insurance would kick in then. What I suggest is to find something along those lines, and then also pick an amount to sock away each month - whether you can afford 50, 100, even just 10 bucks. Keep putting that into an account, and then when you do get sick and have an unexpected doctor's visit, you can pull from that fund to pay for it out of pocket. Another thing you may want to look into is an HSA that the government now offers. These were not available when my husband and I were self-employed, so I don't know terribly much about them, but from the little I know, it would have been a valid option for us. The last thing is also that there are some Christian groups who offer plans in which it's a kind of "share and share alike" mentality. You put in however much you can afford based upon your income. Then, whoever in the group needs money, takes it, with the assumption that once they are better, they will pay into the system and allow someone else in need to take the money. One such system is called "Medi-care" or is it "medi-share"..hmm..one of those two! We had friends who were in a group like this for their family of 4. They seemed to be pleased. I don't remember which exact group they were part of, but it's another idea. I don't have any personal experience with a group like this, so I can't say for sure, but our friends did recommend it to us when we were trying to figure out the whole health insurance thing.

These are not "shady" deals, but I think that all 3 favor the dealership, and not the auto owner. 1. Extend the warranty from 5 to 7 years for $1480 and get the money back if no claims. This is a free loan of $1480 to the dealer for 7 years and it probably does not cover much, maybe just the drive train. These parts are already warranteed for 5 years. What happens if the dealership changes hand, goes out of business, or re-incorporates before the 7 years is up? These days, auto dealerships are very fluid and a long term, fixed business arrangement for 7 years is more rare than new dealerships. Do you thnik you will own this vehicle for 7 years? What happens to your money if you replace this vehicle within 5 years? 2. Rust proofig for $848 or more option at $1248. The time to add rust proofing to a vehicle is when it is new and the surfaces are clean. This one is a maybe. Some sources say it is wasted money. It all depends on what is done. If it merely duplicates the coatings already placed by the manufacturer, it is not very helpful. It may offer some protection if you live on a gravel road where the undercarraige gets pelted with stones on a regular basis. If they add coatings to the interior of the doors, be careful here. Too much in the wrong place can gum up the workings of electric door locks; It can plug door drains. If you live in the "rust belt" where road salts are used extensively, it may some added value. This one is a judgement call. 3. Accident and health insurance. This is assurance (to the dealer) that you'll have cash to pay off the loan in case of debilitating accident or sickness to you. Very likely, it will be written to the effect that in case of accident or illiness, the car loan is the first item to be satisfied. If you are employed, have adequate health and life insurance, this is not needed. For a long trerm loan, say 5 years, the dealer (and loan agency) is very anxious to make sure that the loan covered.

Read all the fine print on the credit card insurance coverage before you rely on it - I've seen some that won't cover rentals that last for more than 30 days. I don't know why (I would think a rental is a rental), but I've seen that limitation on more than one credit card. Also, a lot of them will only pay after you file a claim with your regular insurance company. The coverage through your credit card can be handy, but it's worth reading the fine print, especially since you'll be renting for a long time.

The liability might not automatically cover the rental car because somebody else could be using your car while you are gone, meaning you'd be insuring two cars for the price of one. It depends on the laws of your state. If your agent says that liability DOES extend to the rented vehicle, ask them to point it out in your policy. When it comes to insurance, if it's not in writing it isn't true. Credit card coverage is usually very good, but again be sure to read all the fine print. There are likely to be "exceptions" and "exclusions." Plus, it usually covers damage to the rental only. Keep in mind that even though credit card coverage would pay for repairs, the rental company will still want to collect the daily rate from you while the vehicle is out of service. Typically, the insurance will NOT cover that.