Let's face it-in today's economy we're all looking for ways to save money and cut our monthly expenses, and Oklahoma homeowners are no exception. That's why insurance companies from coast to coast are rolling over each other trying to help you find ways to save money on your Oklahoma homeowners insurance policy. Here's what you need to know to take those bucks away from your insurer and put them back in your pocket where they belong:

1) If you haven't already bought a home the first thing you should do is pay a visit to the Oklahoma Insurance Department's website. They have an entire section devoted to explaining how to shop for homeowners insurance and, more importantly, what your insurer is going to be looking for when they're deciding how much to charge you in premiums. Keeping this information in mind when scouting for a house will help you buy a home that both you and your insurance provider can love.

2) If you've already got a house, start shopping around. There are hundreds of homeowners insurance providers out there, between national providers like All State and who knows how many local ones. That means plenty of competition. Nine times out of ten your first offer isn't going to be your best, and all the insurance companies out there are constantly trying to one-up each other by helping you save money on your Oklahoma homeowners insurance policy. That means you can call around, get quotes, go back to the first company you spoke to and tell them what you've been offered. See if they'll lower their quote. Repeat this process ad nauseum until you've got a quote you can live with.

3) When you're shopping around, don't just ask about the basics. Yes, the size and location of your home matter, but the real secret to saving money on your Oklahoma homeowners insurance policy is to dig up the discounts. You'd be amazed at what can knock 10% or more off your homeowners insurance-for example, did you know that buying an electronic home security system can save you up to 15%? And retirees and people who work from home pay exponentially less in insurance premiums. Small, "insignificant" factors like these can make all the difference when it comes to shaving down your monthly expenses.

4) Raise your deductibles. Once you've used your discounts to whittle down your price as far as it will go it's time to hit them with both hammers-your deductible. When you file a claim with your Oklahoma homeowners insurance provider you're going to be asked to pay a deductible, a certain amount out of pocket to help compensate them for the money they're going to be paying for your repairs. Higher deductibles=lower premiums. By raising your deductible (without knocking it out of the realm of "affordable") you can cut your premiums dramatically.

There aren't many things in life that you can say are truly necessary, but homeowners insurance definitely makes the top ten. That doesn't mean the fact that you need it should kill your budget! Use these simple, easy steps to slash your annual premiums and find the best price possible on your Oklahoma homeowners insurance policy.