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Insurance

Tips For Simplifying Your Finances

By DT Leave a Comment

So many people that I talk to want to get a good handle on their family’s finances, but they are so intimidated by their finances that they don’t know where to start. How can they stay on top of all of their financial assets, their goals, and their debts at the same time? The overwhelming stress over personal finance can cause people to avoid even beginning to work through their concerns.  The trick to managing everything is to simplify wherever you can.  If you’re hoping to wrangle your finances into a more manageable form, I’ve listed below five tips for simplifying your finances.

The stress can make sense. Finances become pretty complicated over the years. You might have a 401(k) with your employer, a checking account, a savings account, an IRA (rolled from an old 401(k) with a different employer) and a couple of credit cards. Then, you get married and find that your husband has his own version of the same things.  Therefore, the whole situation adds up to a lot of accounts to manage.

Consolidate your finances

There are some accounts you can’t control. The brokerage company that holds your 401(k) is chosen by your employer, and you have no input in the matter. Many other things, however, are completely in your control. Merge multiple checking accounts into one, main household account. Use one credit/debit card for all of your purchases. As a result, the fewer different accounts you have out there, the less time you will spend reconciling statements each month.

Use financial tools to track your accounts

No one wants to have to pull a bunch of different statements together to get an idea of their financial position. Fortunately, you don’t have to do that. There are multiple ways to tie all of those accounts to one tool, and some of them are free! While our family uses Quicken, one of my friends prefers to use Mint.com. The site has a cool budget tool, too.

Make automatic savings contributions 

Of course you don’t need the hassle of writing a check each month to your savings account. By simply enrolling in automatic deposit you won’t have to worry about making those extra trips to the bank. Instead, your money will automatically move to your savings account on the day that you instruct it to move. No fuss; no muss!

Utilize your bank’s electronic bill payment tool

Forget the days of writing a check and mailing it to your creditors. Manual check writing is inconvenient, and the checks take too long to process. Today you can pay your bills with a click of a button or two.  You can also enter payments ahead of time, and specify the date that you want them to be paid.  Automating tasks is an easy step in simplifying your finances.

Go green!

Finally, did you know that simplifying your finances could be good for the environment? It can be if you turn off the paper statements for your accounts. Instead, access them online.  This way, you can print or save any statements you need from the appropriate website.

What ways do you simplify your finances?

Filed Under: Budgeting, Insurance, Personal Finance, Saving Money

Homeowners Insurance – Things to Know Before Purchasing a Home

By DT Leave a Comment

This post is contributed by Spencer Josan.  Buying a home is one of the single largest purchases you will make in your life.  Homeowners insurance protects this investment.  However, there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” application of insurance policies.  Your insurance company will give you different rates, policies and types of coverage.  Without further adieu, let’s take a look at all the things to know before purchasing a home.

Coverage When it Comes to Natural Disasters

There are instances when disasters simply strike without warning and can cause a considerable amount of property damage.  For example, various states in the Midwest often have to contend with twisters and other forms of high wind damage, which can totally destroy a home.  In cases like these, you need to be sure to have an HO-2 policy that specifically states that it will cover damage based on the type of weather phenomena that is common in the area that you choose.  The reason why an HO-2 is better for you when it comes to particular areas is due to the greater potential for specific types of damage.  While it is true that an HO-3 protects your home from a wider variety of different damages, this type of policy can contain specific provisions which do not cover damages related to certain types of natural disasters.  The HO-2 is definitely the best option when you do purchase a home in an area that is known for having strong winds or weather patterns that cause specific types of damage.

Cash or Replacement Cost: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to purchasing home insurance, clients must decide whether they want a replacement-cost policy or a cash-value policy. This choice between the two depends on what sort of home you purchased and the type of furnishings you’ll have in it.

For example, one of the more common trends in home purchasing today has been to buy older homes that utilizing construction methods (i.e. columns, stained glass windows, etc.) that are no longer common today. Older homes have a unique appeal to buyers resulting in a rather brisk demand for this type of real estate. However, should an accident occur in a home, such as a fire or a natural disaster, the uniqueness of the home can go against the buyer. This is due to the unique moldings, castings and construction that make it expensive to repair/replace the home.

Cash-value policies have a replacement policy based on the current market value of the home and the contents within. However, the Insurance Information Institute explains that while this type of policy is cheaper than the replacement-cost policy, it does have the caveat of the depreciating cost of the items within the home. Appliances such as a television, refrigerator or even the furnishings depreciate in value over time.  This results in a  a lower recouped cost if they are lost in a fire or natural disaster. The cost of the home may increase over time but it also has the potential to drop considerably.   Replacement-cost policies are often best suited for newer homes.

Additions that Can be Insured

Locations impact the type of additions which can be included onto a home. In the case of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, there has been a growing trend of solar array purchases.  This is due to a combination of the arid environment in these areas as well as the readily available sunlight.  Many homeowners install extensive solar power arrays onto the roofs of their houses to reduce costs.

Need more information? Explore quote comparison and full-service websites like CoverHound for more information on how to get homeowners insurance. This will let you examine the various factors they take into consideration prior to purchasing a home. All you need to do is focus on getting the best coverage possible for a reasonable amount.

Filed Under: Insurance

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