Healthcare can be quite expensive but, unfortunately, it's not like a new car or TV: You can't simply do without it or put it off until later. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can save money on your family's healthcare bills:

• Give less to hospitals.
  • Always examine the line items listed on a hospital's bill. You might find some expensive mistakes – like a procedure or exam that didn't actually take place.
  • If the costs look too large, call. Hospitals will make adjustments more often than you think, especially if something is not covered by your insurance 100%. You could save thousands. For free help in understanding hospital bills, visit patientadvocate.org.
• Go back to school – Consider getting your dental care from the dentists in training at your local university's dental school (they're supervised by real dentists). Prices for everything from cleanings to the filling of cavities often run much less than at a dentist's office.
• Buy online and buy generic – Get your contact lenses online. There are a number of websites that sell the exact same lenses you'd get at the optometrist's office. And for prescriptions, get the generic version whenever you can. You can often save by ordering online or by mail order. Check with your insurance plan for more information.
• Give yourself a break, a tax break that is – If your medical and dental bills add up to more than 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you may qualify for a federal tax deduction. (Keep good records. See your tax consultant.)
• Good Accounting could pay off.
  • Your work may offer a flexible spending account (FSA), which can pay for out-of-pocket healthcare expenses with pretax dollars. (This can save you up to a third of the total.)
  • Or consider a health savings account (HSA) if you buy high-deductible health insurance through your employer or on your own. Your contribution is either pretax or deductible, so withdrawals for medical expenses are tax-free. Unlike an FSA, your money is invested, rolls over into the next year and can go with you if you change jobs.

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Need a mortgage? You know the drill – for the best deal, get quotes from several sources to compare. The Internet can be a great tool for making comparisons and finding the best deal on a new mortgage, refi or home equity loan. Here are some benefits:

• The art of saving time – By using multiple online lenders, you can get several mortgage offers from which to choose – probably in a lot less time than it would take to travel from the physical branch of one local bank to another.
• Wear your PJs, and no one will even know – Online lenders offer the convenience of providing you with several mortgage choices.
• Be your own broker – You have the power to browse the very best offers out there, instead of just two or three mortgage deals you can find in town. This strategy could save you thousands of dollars.
• Get comparative offers – Because lenders compete so hard for business online, their mortgage products tend to mirror each other more closely. You should be particularly careful about rate buydown (also called points), closing costs, and other hidden costs.
• What product fits your needs? – Many of us don't know where we will be in 30 years, yet many Americans insist on having their mortgage fixed for that many years. Don't limit yourself. Look at all products and see what can save you the most money and compare the lenders. You may be able to save thousands going with a shorter fixed term mortgage.

However, if your mortgage needs are very specific, you might feel more comfortable speaking in person to someone at a lender's office. Keep in mind that most online lenders do have representatives to work with you over the phone.

Also in order to get an offer, you will give the lender your Social Security number to do a credit check. Too many credit bureau inquiries can lower your credit rating. The good news is if you are in the market and make all your inquiries within a 14-day period, credit scorers will regard them as a single inquiry.

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