Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
My mother owned an art gallery for 4 decades. When she bought the business back in the 70s, she was a cocky 23-year-old who assumed that she knew what it took to be an art dealer, custom framer and small business owner because she had minored in Art History at college. Of course, life often has a way of humbling you, particularly if you own a small business. Mom made a lot of mistakes throughout the years, but she kept her gallery and has made it one of the premiere businesses in the area.
Her success made it clear to me that anyone with a vision and a great work ethic can make a small business work, but there are certainly some insights Mom wishes she knew since the beginning. It would have relieved some stress and made some decisions easier. If you are considering starting your own small business, here are the secrets my mother would share with you to keep you from repeating her mistakes: [ continue reading… ]
As part of the U.S’s Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), health insurance companies now submit a standardized form for all medical services and products billed under a health plan. This form is called an Estimation of Benefits (EOB), or less commonly a Remittance Advice (RA; these are the EOBs sent to your physician’s office) or Explanation of Medicare Benefits (EMOB). Your Estimation of Benefits is the primary tool for tracking and disputing what is paid out-of-pocket for your medical care. Trusting that your insurance company is billing accurately is a mistake that can cost you money. Billing errors and miscommunication regarding your medical care are common, and can adversely affect how much you are deemed responsible to pay.
After awhile, it starts to seem obvious that you won’t be using a particular item anymore. From outdated gadgets to seldom played musical instruments to old furniture, there are trade-in programs that will provide you with credit toward a future purchase, allowing you to save a little bit of money by cashing in. In some cases, you can actually receive cash for your stuff — or swap it with someone else for free.
Whether your goal is to downsize your lifestyle, or just save a few bucks on your next gadget, a trade-in program or a buy back program can help you get a few bucks toward your next purchase, or even put some cash in your pocket. [ continue reading… ]
I placed 2nd in a golf tournament and I received the trophy today. I was so excited because I never won anything other than getting certificates and ribbons before so it made me really happy to say the least. My credit card balance, my next paycheck, the stock market tumbling all didn’t matter seem to matter. As someone who always thought about money – how to save more, how to earn more, how to accumulate more – this prompted the question “Does always thinking about money really make me happy?” [ continue reading… ]
One minute, they’re drooling adorably on a rattle, and the next thing you know they want to borrow your car keys. It might not happen quite that quickly, but it still can be pretty tough for parents to get used to the idea that their teenage children are ready to get behind the wheel. It doesn’t get any easier when you research how much it will cost to insure your brand new driver, since the addition of a teen driver can make car insurance premiums go through the roof. But you can keep costs in control if you follow these guidelines:
1. Re-evaluate your comprehensive and collision deductibles. Even with newer cars, you may not need the best comprehensive and collision insurance. If you raise your deductible to $1000 for these, you can save a great deal on your premiums, but still feel comfortable knowing your car is covered in case of a claim. Just make sure you have an extra $1000 in your emergency fund in case you do need to file a claim. [ continue reading… ]
Paying for health insurance expenses has become an ever-increasing source of irritation for many consumers. Even those fortunate enough to have decent coverage often find themselves squinting at long lists of detailed pages written in what appears to be a foreign language that only accountants or insurance clerks understand. For the average consumer, sorting through the health insurance jungle is a daunting task.
Beating the health insurance woes begins with understanding a few basics about how insurance works and what you need to know to get the most from your insurance. Here are 9 tips you need to know. [ continue reading… ]
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