Money is a precious commodity in today's economy.

With a tough recession, high unemployment, increases in health care costs and an uncertain political climate, Americans are facing some difficult choices when it comes to buying insurance. More consumers are purchasing individual health insurance than ever before, and with the federal individual mandate starting in 2014, those without coverage will have to apply for the first time. Where should they begin?

"For a lot of people, this is a really scary thought," says Brandon Cruz, founder of GoHealthInsurance.com. "For their entire lives they've never had to think about the right health insurance for them, they simply had what their employer provided or went without coverage completely. But soon, if not already, they'll need to pick an individual plan, and there are a lot of things to consider when choosing."