Nightmares caused by not receiving mail

A texas vehicle inspection will run you about $27, pass or fail. (An extra $20 at a less than reputable shop will guarantee you pass). Registration fees depend on the year of the vehicle but Texas does assess a one time $98 first time registeration fee. Can't remember off the top of my head what the title transfer fees are, think they're around $20 but don't quote me on that.

Both of my cars are 2008 and IIRC, the registration fee every year is about $51. So figure around $78 a year for each car. We pay $160 a month for full coverage on both cars plus renters insurance (USAA is the best insurance company ever!)

 

Where Texas likes to stick it to you is registering a newly purchased vehicle as the taxes due on the car are based on the estimated value of the car, not what you actually paid for it. If you are given a car, you have to fill out a special form that has to be notorized, sanitized, homogenized, etc. to be able to waive the registration tax. My dad gave me a car and we didn't fill the form out properly and it ended up costing me over $700 to register the car.

 

I hope this helps. Please do not forget this is 2013, everything is done over the Eye net. go paperless and get an E mail sent to several E mail accounts which are all free to set up. These days I even get an E mail for my Fridge water Filter replacement.

 

I will have to check the website again, I thought the last time I tried finding the paper work on their to print them out I couldn't find them and then they came through the mail. I must have just missed it somehow. I am at home, so don't have to worry about it, or when I was with hubby on the road before our daughter collected the mail, makes it a lot easier to not have to worry about it that wy.

 

A few months ago I got home on a Thursday and got my usual big pile of mail from the PO Box. One piece was a Jury Duty summons, I was supposed to be at jury duty 4 days prior on Monday. I called the number immediately, luckily my group had been dismissed already, no harm no foul she said.

Last time at home there was a letter from the IRS stating that they were putting a levy on my truck for some tax, I called them as well, it was a false alarm.

But yes stuff like this is very important and we never know about it til it's way late.

 

I had good luck with several state farm agents who knew what I did for a living, and would call me a few days before the insurance expired if I was late on a payment.