Money & Finance Archives -

clutter

5 Steps to Declutter Your Home

August 9, 2019

Decluttering is a simple way to simplify your life that makes it easier to relax and enjoy sharing your home with friends and family.

Stuff is like dust. It multiplies when you aren’t looking, and before you know it, you can’t turn around without bumping into something. Whether you’re selling your home or not, decluttering is a perfect opportunity to get rid of your excess stuff and enjoying a simpler, more relaxed life.

Use these five easy-to-do decluttering tips to help you keep your home clutter-free all year long.

Start Slow and Build Up Speed
It can be hard to

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home break-in

7 Tips to Prevent a Burglary in Your Home

June 7, 2019

A burglary happens every 15 seconds in the United States. Use these seven tips on how to prevent a burglary in your home.

It is now up to you, rather than your landlord to protect your home against dangers like burglars. According to Nationwide Insurance, a burglary happens every 15 seconds in the United States. Use these seven tips on how to prevent a burglary in your home.

Invest in a security system – A good security system is an excellent deterrent to would-be burglars. According to Nationwide Insurance, homes without security systems are two to three times more likely

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retirement plan

How to Avoid Big Financial Mistakes in Retirement

April 29, 2019

There are also a number of other mistakes that people sometimes make as they near retirement or are in retirement.

In today’s digital world, people have the opportunity to work well past age 65. If it is possible for you to do so, even if it’s just part-time, this can go a long way toward protecting your investments as you’ll dip into them later. This helps them to go the distance.

There are also a number of other mistakes that people sometimes make as they near retirement or are in retirement. Let’s take a look at them so you can …

renting property

Why Renters Should Do a Background Check on a Potential Landlord

April 17, 2019

If your landlord is breaking the law, an attorney who specializes in landlord-tenant law may be able to help you terminate your lease early without losing your security deposit.

As renters, we’re all used to getting our backgrounds investigated, whether through credit checks or letters of recommendation. They help protect landlords from taking on a tenant with a history of bad behavior.But who’s protecting the renters? Most of us have never considered doing a background check on a prospective landlord before signing a lease, and that’s a mistake that can cause headaches and cost time and money.Here’s how to quickly …

selling a house

7 Things You Should Never Say When Selling Your Home

April 8, 2019

It’s important for you to understand what not to say when selling your home. Learn how to maintain your leverage and avoid scaring off buyers.

Most times when selling your home, it’s better to let your real estate agent do the talking with potential buyers. However, there may be moments when it’s just you, the buyer, and the buyer’s agent having a conversation, so it’s important for you to understand what not to say, as well. Most buyers will be looking for an edge in negotiations, and that edge can come from seeking out information that the seller’s side would …

cyber riska

Cyber Risks

March 1, 2019

Real estate wire transfer fraud is just one example of the many common and devastating cyber risks we face. Cyberattacks are growing and evolving at a staggering rate.

William and Nancy Skog had cherry-picked an impeccable, perfect, river-front residence in Wilmington, Illinois. Exhilarated by the thought of moving into their dream home, the Skogs could practically see their new lives—watching the tranquil riverboats cruise by and listening to the water birds sing. There was one final step needed to finalize their purchase—wire $307,000 in closing costs to their real estate attorneys. Having received an email with payment instructions sent from …

holiday gift cards

2018’s Best Gift Cards

November 11, 2018

Red Lobster gift cards have seen the biggest increase in popularity in the past year. Costco gift cards have seen the biggest drop in popularity.

With 30% of people saying gift cards are what they want most this holiday season, continuing a decade-plus trend of gift cards topping the list of the most popular holiday presents, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018’s Best Gift Cards, which includes 10 money-saving gift card tips to help shoppers spread cheer on the cheap.

Best Gift Cards (WalletHub Score)

1) Disney Gift Card (75 points)

2) iTunes Gift Card

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blockchain

Top Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Startups in Healthcare

Medical records create several cumbersome responsibilities for doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, and patients, particularly for maintenance and storage.

The impact of blockchain is no longer a matter of imagination and science fiction. Tech behemoths such as IBM have spent significant resources towards conducting comprehensive studies to understand how vital blockchain can be for healthcare, and dozens of high-octane blockchain startups have set out to revolutionize the healthcare space for the better.

The intersection of blockchain, tokenization, and smart contracts with the healthcare industry paves the way for new and highly innovative solutions to solve problems that have been …

Does Health Insurance Cover Medical Alert Systems?

September 9, 2018

What are medical alert systems? How do they work? Who needs them? Who sells them? How much do they cost? And, perhaps most importantly, does health insurance cover them?

“Help! I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!”

Most Americans who watch TV have heard that iconic line at least once in the last 30 or so years.

Although LifeCall, the company behind the catchphrase, first aired it in a 1989 commercial, it has regularly used it in the decades since.

Fortunately, it introduced millions to the technology known as medical alert systems.

Unfortunately, it didn’t do much more than that. …

credit score

36 Million Americans Are Afraid to Check Their Credit Reports

August 8, 2018

This credit report phobia does not seem to afflict everyone equally. It is especially pronounced among millennials, women, and people with low income.

According to a new poll, the specter of Great Recession hardship still looms large for many Americans nearly a decade after the downturn ended, even though most negative records from that era have already fallen off people’s credit reports. Lots of people are simply too scared to see what’s on there, even if their inaction will lead to bad outcomes.

“We saw this with mortgage foreclosures, where people would not answer the phone or open their …

bitcoin uses

Bitcoin and Its Possible Impact on Insurance

June 8, 2018

Bitcoin is a new type of currency which can be used in financial transactions without the need for a middleman.

Many technological strides have been made over the last couple of decades. Advancement in technology is becoming faster and faster as each year passes by and many technologies to improve work efficiency, communication, and even financial services are being discovered and used every day. Technology has made the world smaller in a good way; we are now able to talk to family and friends from across the globe without having to spend too much money or wait too long for …

physician

Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death

May 30, 2018

You can only file a wrongful death claim caused by medical malpractice if the patient dies because of the of a medical professional who was involved in the patient’s treatment.

Wrongful death is a term used when one person dies because of the negligence of another party. One major contributor to wrongful death cases is medical malpractice. As a patient, you have the right to expect proper diagnosis and treatment from medical professionals. Medical malpractice accidents can have dire consequences for the life of the patient. A wrong diagnosis leading to improper treatment or wrong prescription can cost thousands of …

elderly travel

Travel Tips for the Elderly and Disabled

May 7, 2018

When it comes to travel, planning is the first step in a long process of getting ready for a big trip. So be sure to build in extra time for getting around.

Traveling around the world is a truly life-changing experience, which should be available to everyone. Those with limited mobility or access, and certainly those who care for them, often struggle to navigate in a world contains a lot of barriers, either by way of understanding or infrastructure.

There are a lot of moving parts (sometimes literally) to consider before taking off on an adventure. Fortunately, we’ve put together …

save horses from fire

Horse Owners Fighting a Fire

February 12, 2018

Those who were able to corral their horses and lead them to safety found that after the fire there was nowhere for the horses to return.

The devastating fires in California burned more than 330 square miles damaging homes, displacing animals and causing loss of life.

Horse owners were fighting the fire and trying to save their animals any way they could. One woman managed to squeeze her pony into the back seat of her Honda Accord.

Those who were able to corral their horses and lead them to safety found that after the fire there was nowhere for the …

identity theft

9 Steps To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

January 9, 2018

Unfortunately, we live in a time when identity theft and fraud are running rampant. Almost every month we hear of major security breaches, with companies like Yahoo, Uber, Equifax, and Dropbox all compromised.

When these types of breaches occur, millions of usernames and passwords are hacked, often resulting in identity theft and fraud.

So what can you do to protect yourself in 2018? What steps can you take to ensure that you don’t get hacked?

We’re going to break down the how, what, and why of protecting yourself, touching on everything from your digital accounts to your bank account.

Many …