You’re working like a mule just to keep the rent paid and food on the table – but don’t forget about renter’s insurance. Having single moms renters insurance to protect your home contents is so important when you’re on your own.

Just imagine if your apartment burned down or a hurricane roared through – how would you replace all your stuff?

Where would you stay while the damage was repaired?

What if one of the neighbor’s kids got hurt while playing inside your apartment and they sued you?

Single moms renters insurance would take care of you in all of these scenarios.

If you think you can’t afford it, you’re wrong. At $15-$30 bucks a month home contents insurance is a steal.

And I’m going to give you 10 tips to get it even cheaper!

1. Click and Compare

The key to saving money when you’re buying ANY kind of insurance is to shop around. Insurance rates are vastly different from company to company, so getting multiple quotes is the way to go.

That doesn’t mean you have to call a bunch of insurance companies or spend hours online entering your information.

Just as you would do for car or health insurance, go to a one-stop-shop quote site like insurancerates.com and let them do all the shopping around for you.

They’ll take your information once and send it around to all the big companies you know and trust. This will save you a ton of time and money. What could be better?

2. Deductible Double Take

The deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket before the insurance company starts picking up the tab.

The higher the deductible, the lower your rate.

If you’re more concerned about saving month to month than paying out of pocket in the event of a claim – then be sure to choose a higher deductible when getting a quote.

The standard deductible on a home contents insurance policy is $250 and can go as high as several thousand dollars. Just doubling can save you a chunk on rates… so even if you can’t afford a big out-of-pocket expense, you can still save.

Just make sure you’ll be able to afford the out-of-pocket expense if you end up having to put in a claim.

3. Keep it Safe

Moms are all about safety – we took to childproofing like a fish to water.

Whether it’s adding a deadbolt to the front door, a smoke detector in every room, or keeping a fire extinguisher in the kitchen – going the extra mile to lower the risk of a claim can translate into a nice discount from insurance companies.

4. Mention you’re a Non-Smoker

If you’re like most moms, you don’t let a cigarette within 50 feet of your front door. Just the thought of having your kid get a whiff of second hand smoke makes you squirm. Well, be sure to mention that when getting single moms renters insurance quotes!

Insurance companies believe that where there’s smoke – there’s likely to be fire! 23,000 families learn that lesson the hard way every year after having their residence burn down due to a lit cigarette.

Declaring yourself, and your apartment a smoke-free zone results in lower rates for many home content insurance policy holders.

5. Picture Time!

Taking inventory of what you are insuring is the best way to make sure you save money. Knowing what you’ve got and what it’s worth will keep you safe from overinsuring it (saving you money on rates now) or underinsuring it (saving you money down the line if you file a claim.)

This could be a fun project to do with your kids. Grab a digital camera or camcorder and photograph each room. Then sit down and figure out how much everything is worth.

This will not only make it easier for you to figure out exactly how much renter’s insurance you need, it will also be incredibly handy if you ever have to show evidence of what you’re claiming.

6. Go With Cash Value

Opting for a cash value policy rather than a replacement cost one will run you much cheaper when buying home contents insurance.

But beware – in the event of a claim you will be paid the value of the item on the market the day it was stolen or damaged, not necessarily the amount it’ll take to replace it.

7. Pay Your Bills

Keeping good credit won’t just score you a low APR on your credit cards. Paying your bills on time is viewed as a low-risk indicator for insurance companies, and they will reward you for it with a lower rate.

8. All-In-One

Getting your home contents policy from the same insurance company that keeps your auto insurance could cut the cost.

Be sure to compare quotes from new insurance companies with a quote from your current company that adds home contents coverage to your existing policy.

9. Keep it up to Date

If you sell some of your things or get nicer stuff – be sure to let your insurance company know. Adjusting your coverage according to what you’ve got is can save you a lot of money.

10. Jump on the Bandwagon

Do you bank at a credit union? Maybe you’re a member of an alumni association or some other group that’s struck a deal with a big insurance company. Be sure to ask while you’re getting single moms renters insurance quotes whether any group discounts are offered – you may qualify and don’t even know it!