If you’ve ever been stuck on the side of the highway with an RV issue, you know what a life saver roadside assistance can be. Whether you need a battery charged, a tire changed, or a tow you’re often back on the road in no time — and maybe with an amusing story to chuckle about later.

But what if you’re adventuring far from home and you have a breakdown or an accident, or your RV is stolen? In that case, you’ll need more than roadside assistance on your policy. Getting the right coverage could make the difference between a bump in the road and an abrupt end to your vacation.

Why You Need Emergency Assistance Coverage

Emergency assistance coverage includes all roadside assistance features plus additional protection for personal property, temporary living expenses, and transportation costs if you can’t use your RV due to damage or theft. For example, if your RV breaks down and you and your family need to stay at a hotel while it’s being repaired, this coverage pays for your lodging costs as well as taxi fare.

You can also add loss of use coverage to your policy. This affordable option reimburses you for expenses incurred to rent a comparable RV to replace your disabled one. When choosing your loss of use limits, be sure to consider the amount you’ll need to rent a similar vehicle so you can continue your vacation as planned.

To learn more about popular coverage options for your RV, trailer, or motorhome give us a call today.

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Kevin Dooley used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Conal Gallagher used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

Decluttering is having a moment these days. Organizing guru Marie Kondo has her own show on Netflix, people everywhere are going through their things and asking, “Does this bring me joy?” and many are even exploring the minimalist lifestyle.

Wondering what the all the fuss is about? Let’s talk about some of the benefits of going minimalist (or just getting rid of some clutter, even if you don’t want to get rid of everything).

What does it mean to ‘go minimalist’?
Whatever you want it to mean, really; there’s no official designation or anything. Many people think it’s living with as few possessions as possible, but it’s all relative—someone with a full house could feel like a minimalist after simply reducing their clutter, while another person might cringe at the thought of even one extra item on their nightstand.

Here’s a good way to think about it: Living as a minimalist is about focusing mainly on what you need, limiting those extra, but unnecessary, things that can clog life up. Minimalists focus on experiences rather than things, on quality rather than quantity, on removing excess from their lives in order to create a more meaningful existence.

According to Joshua Becker of the Becoming Minimalist blog, “Decluttering focuses on removing surface-level possessions. Minimalism helps us discover how little we actually need.”

And there are benefits to this approach that go way beyond just having a clean house, too. Here are five from No Sidebar, which created an online course aimed at helping people “design a simple life.”

1. 1. A clearer mind.
      When you have a ton of stuff, it can tax you mentally—even if you don’t realize it. From not being able to find items when you want them to just feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing, having fewer things also can mean having less weighing on your mind.
   2. More freedom.
      Think of all the possessions you own, and the work you had to do to get them—literally, the job you go to every day to buy all of those things. Are those things worth it? What if you didn’t have to worry about earning the money to buy that stuff? How would your life change? Maybe you could switch to a job that you love, instead of the one that pays the most. Or take more time off. Or travel more. That’s the freedom minimalists pursue.
   3. Extra money.
      When you don’t buy a bunch of unnecessary things, you don’t spend as much money—and that means you’ll have more at the ready when something truly important comes along.
   4. Greater self-confidence.
      Yes, really. Living with less, not worrying about having that luxury car or an expensive watch, has an unexpected benefit, wrote No Sidebar’s Allison Fallon: “You start to feel good about yourself, not because of what you own, but just because of who you are.”
   5. Better relationships, too.
      This is another thing you might not expect. But think about the old phrase “keeping up with the Joneses.” That really means “competing with the Joneses,” doesn’t it? What else would you call constantly trying to acquire things that are as nice (or nicer) than those of your friends and neighbors? When you stop doing this, you can start building better connections with people—real connections.

Minimalism isn’t for everybody, but everybody can benefit from taking even a couple of steps in that direction. Fewer things, more meaning. What’s not to like about that?

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Maddy Cozins used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

Group riding is a favorite activity among many motorcycle riders. Whether you’re part of a riding club, a social event, a charity ride, or out for a leisurely cruise with friends, group riding can be a rewarding way to spend time doing what you love.

However, group riding has its own risks. This is especially true when you have a group with a wide mix of skill levels and riding experience. This can create unpredictable, stressful, and dangerous situations for not only other riders, but all drivers on the road. So be sure to never try to ride beyond your ability.

To help you stay safe while riding in a group, see the following safety tips.

Communicate first. Get together before your ride to outline the basics of your trip such as how far you’re going, how often and where you’ll stop, who the leader will be, and other considerations. Plus, make sure everyone has tools, a first-aid kit, a full tank of gas, is wearing a helmet, and has performed a basic maintenance check on their bike.

This is also the time to determine your line order. Put the most experience rider in the lead, with the least experienced rider lined up behind the leader. The lead rider will determine the pace, which should suit everyone in the group, as well as alert those behind of brake lights, objects in the road, traffic backups, and other perils.

Hand signals. It’s worth learning a dozen or so key hand signals to help you communicate while riding. This can help keep you safer on the road, ensure your group stays together, and give you greater peace of mind.

Ride in formation. There’s a sweet spot to group riding that should always be maintained. You want to be close enough to each other to make it easy for other motorists to see you. But you want to give each other enough space in front and back so you’re not tailgating, and enough on the side so you’re not in danger of swerving into another rider if you need to quickly avoid something on the road.

The most effective formation on the highway is to stagger your bikes. That means the leader is on the left side of the lane, the next rider is behind in the right side of the lane, the third rider is on the left side, and so on until the last rider. And once you’re in formation, be sure to stay there so everyone knows where the other riders are. Bear in mind you may need to be in a single-file formation on curvy roads, or roads with rough surfaces, so staggering is not always possible. But when it is, it’s the preferred method.

Stay in formation while passing. When passing other vehicles, do so one at a time, starting with the leader, and then return to your staggered formation.

Take your time. Unless you’re going for a short ride, be sure to plan plenty of rest stops. To make the most of them, try planning your breaks around scenic viewpoints or other points of interest along your route. Taking plenty of breaks also helps you stay alert, maintain proper concentration, and enjoy a more relaxing outing.

Whether riding in a group or solo, carrying the right motorcycle insurance is always important. To learn more protecting yourself and your bike, give us a call today.

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Brian Turner used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

We’re not quite sure where summer went, but if you haven’t noticed, it’s already time to think about the new school year.

And as you think about how to get your kids organized and ready, consider doing the same thing for something else — your home. It won’t just be good for you; in many instances, removing clutter also means removing distractions, which can help your kids focus better.

Where to start

You can start wherever you like, but it might be best to make sure your activities are organized before you start in on the daunting task of tackling all of your stuff. With sports and other activities, the school year can be a blur for parents. So keeping a family calendar — whether it’s a dry-erase board or just a weekly printout on the fridge — will ensure that everyone knows where they’re going, and when.

Before the kids go back

Don’t head out for back-to-school shopping just yet. First, do an inventory of school supplies, clothes and shoes so you aren’t buying things you don’t need. Toss or donate stuff that’s old, that doesn’t fit, or that your kids simply don’t like and won’t wear any more. One trick we’ve seen online: If you’re going through a whole closet and you’re not sure what fits your kids, have them try on pants until you find a good pair. Then use that pair to compare the length of all of the other pants.

When they’ve got homework

If possible, designate a study space where your kids have the tools they need for success. It should be well-lit, quiet and free of distractions. Different kids have different learning styles, so you’ll soon find out what works well and what doesn’t.

Now that you’ve gotten them organized …

… It’s time to focus some energy on your stuff. Eliminate as much clutter from the house as you can, perhaps by following the classic 80/20 theory: 80% of the time, most people use only 20% of their stuff. If the item you’re looking at isn’t in that 20%, ask yourself: Do I really need this?

Stay on top of things

You’re off to a good start in the organizing battle — so keep things rolling! Each week, set aside time to go on a “search and destroy” mission for clutter. It’s much easier to stay organized when you only have to do a little at a time. And make sure the kids are involved, too. Everything — homework, school forms, backpacks — should have a home. And when everything has a home, you’ll be happier in yours!

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user EvelynGiggles used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

There’s perhaps no organizing task more daunting than the garage—it’s often the dumping ground for the stuff that has no other place in the house, or the things you don’t use but just can’t bring yourself to toss.

How do you know you’ve got a problem? Maybe you’ve noticed it’s getting harder and harder just to park the car. Or it takes you an hour to find that box with the Halloween decorations. Or, worse, you spend an hour out there and can’t find the Halloween decorations at all.

The solution is not to try and forget about it, because that’s what got you into this mess (literally) in the first place! Instead, follow these tips to transform your garage from a place full of random pieces into a place of peace.

Start with a plan. No, you don’t have to know what you’re going to do with everything in your garage just yet. But before you start tearing everything apart, it’s a good idea to make sure there’s a method to the madness. Organizing professionals recommend creating categories to group your things—common ones include sports gear, tools, garden equipment, automotive items, seasonal decorations, etc. Then, when you start looking through all that stuff, put each thing in the right “zone” (even if it’s just a pile at this point). And don’t forget to create temporary zones for donations and stuff to throw away. If this is a big organizing project, you’re probably going to have a lot of each.

1. Remember, you don’t have to do it all at once. Feeling overwhelmed already? There are boxes everywhere. Nothing is labeled. You don’t even know where to begin, because you’re thinking about the entire garage. Stop. Take a breath. You don’t have to tackle this in a day, a week, or even a month—unless you want to, of course.
   If it all seems like too much, pick just one box. Go through it, decide what you want to keep and what you can throw away or donate. Put each item in the right zone, because that’s going to help with the next box. (And when do you do that next box? Whenever you want. Take the whole weekend, or take the next few months. Just keep making progress, bit by bit.)
2. You do need to go through everything, though. It’s tempting to skip certain boxes or areas, especially if you think you know what’s there. But let’s be honest: You probably don’t actually know. (If you did, you wouldn’t have spent that hour looking for the Halloween decorations, right?) Every item needs to be evaluated and then placed along with the other items in that category or zone. Don’t worry—you still don’t have to know where you’re putting everything for good.
3. Now that you’ve got your items grouped as best as possible, it’s time to start thinking about permanent homes for them. Items that you use frequently should be easy to get to—for example, make sure you can get the lawnmower out without moving the car, and that you don’t have to move five other things to get to your hammer or drill. Things like seasonal décor, rarely used household items, that vase from your mother you only put out when she visits? Those can be a little more tucked away. Just make sure to label everything you keep in boxes or bins (and make sure you can see the labels when they’re put away).This is when you’ll want to consider your storage options, too. Stacking boxes or bins on the floor is not a good solution. (Inevitably, you’re going to want omething in the box on the bottom, which means moving all the other boxes. Big towers of bins can fall, too, which isn’t great if you or your car are in the way.) You can buy freestanding shelves, attach shelves to the walls, put up pegboard with hooks, even install racks that hang from the ceiling. If you like, create a diagram of your garage and figure out what would work best where.
4. When everything is done, you aren’t quite done. If you don’t stay on top of things in the future, you might find yourself facing the same old situation down the road. So be vigilant. Any time you put something new in the garage, make sure it goes to the right place. When you use something, put it back in the right place. (It wouldn’t hurt to do a little cleaning out there once in a while, too—and while you’re at it, double-check to make sure that yes, everything is in the right place.)

You probably feel pretty good after all that work, and you should. Enjoy your new space—and all the new free time you’ll have because you aren’t spending hours searching for things in the garage!

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Jellaluna used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

Summer is here, which means it’s time to think about family vacations! (If you haven’t been thinking about them all year, that is.)

The family part of family vacations, however, can make things a little complicated. You want to choose a destination that is fun for everyone, including the kids. You want to ensure they’re safe on the trip, wherever you go. And you probably want to figure out how to make traveling with them easier, too.

We’ve got you covered with some great tips, so you can relax when you hit the road—or at least after you get to where you’re going.

Instead of thinking about where to go, first think about what you want to do.
Experts interviewed by the New York Times recommend starting with figuring out what you want to do on your vacation, because that will help you narrow your list of possible destinations. Want a laid-back trip with lazy days, but one that will still keep kids of all ages engaged? Maybe a beach trip is best. Looking for a few thrills? Theme parks are great for kids ages 3-12 (younger kids might not be able to go on many of the rides, and older kids might not be as enthusiastic). Think it would be best to give everyone a chance to do their own thing? Cruises have lots of family-friendly options, along with chances for kids to be more independent.

To help the kids feel good about where they’re headed, you can let them choose some of the activities for certain days, or actively involve them in designing the entire itinerary.

Think about how you’ll get there, too.
Traveling with kids—especially young ones—can be a challenge. For trips longer than a couple of hours, one old trick is to wrap up inexpensive toys or treats for children and use them as a reward for good behavior. For every hour they’re good, they get to open a present. Not only will that help keep them in line, it will keep them occupied for the hour in between.

Some vacations require a flight, of course, but car trips and train travel can be great options for families. In the car, you’ve got flexibility and control—you can meander and explore along the way, break the trip up however you like, and pull over whenever you want for rest or a fun activity. You don’t have as much control on a train, but there’s plenty of space to move around, and kids often find it fun to watch the world go by outside.

Keep safety in mind.
When you’re away from home, no matter what kind of vacation you’ve planned, make sure your kids know what to do if you get separated or there’s an emergency. Safewise.com recommends that families practice these situations—and create “information cards” for kids to carry that include phone numbers, where you’re staying, etc. Having your children wear bright, recognizable clothing, or even using GPS devices to keep track of them, are good ideas as well.

Another useful trick many parents use is taking a photo of each child every morning before embarking on the day’s adventures. Then, if someone gets lost, you have a current photo to share so people know exactly what to look for.

Don’t try to do too much.
As one travel-company professional and mother of three told the New York Times, make sure to build some downtime into your itinerary—she recommends limiting planned activities to a half-day or less. The rest of the day can still be fun, but give yourself a break with some time at the pool or a local park.

There’s no way to guarantee a great vacation, obviously. But with a little planning and consideration, you and your family will be well on your way. Safe travels this summer!

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Sven Krause used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

Spring is here, which means you’ll likely see more motorcycles on the road. And the key word here is “see.” People driving cars and trucks often fail to notice the motorcyclists around them, partly because they’re not accustomed to looking for them.

It’s obvious yet bears repeating: Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than car and truck drivers and passengers. Not only are there many more cars and trucks on the road, but there’s no such thing as a “fender bender” for a motorcyclist. Even a low-speed collision can seriously injure a rider, not to mention total the bike, so it’s important to always give motorcycles extra space and an extra look.

Below are six tips to help you safely share the road with motorcyclists.

Objects in mirror. The object in your mirror may be closer than it appears — especially if it’s a motorcycle. Due to its size, it can be harder to determine how close a motorcycle is and how fast it’s moving. When turning into traffic, always estimate a bike to be closer than it appears to avoid forcing a rider to quickly hit the brakes — or worse.

Watch those left turns. One of the most common motorcycle accidents involves a car making a left turn directly in front of a bike at an intersection. Give yourself an extra moment to look specifically for motorcycles coming toward you when turning into traffic.

Double-check your blind spot. Carefully checking your blind spot before changing lanes is always a good idea. When it comes to motorcycles, it’s critical. A bike can be easily obscured in the blind spot, hidden behind your car’s roof pillars, or blend in with cars in other lanes, so make a habit of checking carefully before changing lanes. Plus, always use your turn signal.

Don’t tailgate. This is another general rule for all drivers, but it’s especially important when following a motorcycle. Be aware that many riders decrease speed by downshifting or easing off the throttle, so you won’t see any brake lights even though they are slowing down. Following at least three seconds behind the bike should give you enough time and space to safely slow down or stop when necessary.

Stay in your lane. Obviously, motorcycles don’t take up an entire lane the way cars or trucks do. But that doesn’t mean you can cozy up and share a lane with a bike. Just because the rider may be hugging one side of the lane doesn’t mean you can move into that space. Riders are likely doing this to avoid debris, oil on the road, or a pothole, so a bit of mild swerving within the lane can be expected. Do not crowd into the lane with a bike.

Think about motorcycles. Making a habit of always checking for bikes when you drive will make the above tips second nature, and make you a better driver. To personalize it, think about your friends and family members who ride bikes and then drive as if they are on the road with you. Motorcyclists — and everyone else — will thank you.

To learn more protecting yourself and your bike, give us a call!

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Kevin Galens used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 Generic license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

With spring in full bloom and summer just on the horizon, prime boating season is upon us. And you might notice more people on the water than ever, because sales of recreational boats have been growing at a steady clip for seven consecutive years now, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

Fortunately, the number of boating accidents isn’t growing at the same pace—in fact, they are decreasing. In 2017, the most recent year for which statistics are available, accidents were down nearly 4% versus 2016; fatalities dropped by more than 6%, and injuries by over 9%.

That’s great news, but in order to make sure those numbers keep moving in the right direction, boaters need to keep making safety a priority. We’re here to help: Just in time for National Safe Boating Week May 18-24, we’ve compiled some tips for anyone who’s about to climb aboard.

Choose the right types (and sizes) of life jackets—and make sure everyone wears them.
There are different types of life jackets for various activities, such as vest-type jackets for calm, inland waters, offshore jackets with additional buoyancy designed for rougher water, and even
some made for waterskiing, kayaking, etc. Think about what you’ll be doing, where you’ll be headed, and who will be with you, so you have the ones you need. (Click here for a great guide.)

Each individual on board (even pets) should have a life jacket that fits properly, and most important, they should wear it at all times—there probably won’t be time to throw one on when something bad happens unexpectedly. According to the Coast Guard, in most cases of boating-related drowning, life jackets were on board but they weren’t worn by victims.

Make sure you have other key safety equipment on board.
There are plenty of other items you should have (or consider having) on your boat to increase safety. Fire extinguishers are required on most boats, even small vessels, so make sure you have the right type and that you know how to use it. If you have an enclosed area on your boat, you should install a carbon-monoxide detector.

Cell phones don’t always work well when you’re out on the water, so a VHF radio can ensure you’re able to call for help—it might be a good idea to get an emergency position-indicating radio beacon in case you get lost, too. And finally, you should always carry an anchor and signal lights, even if you aren’t planning on being out at night.

Use common sense, both before and after you launch the boat.
Keeping your boat’s systems and equipment (including safety gear, of course) in good shape is the first step to preventing problems, so put in the time to perform inspections and maintenance tasks as needed. Then, before any trip, no matter how quick, check the weather. Look for wind and small-craft advisories in particular.

When you hit the water, the fun can begin! But keep in mind that a quiet, enjoyable day can change in just an instant, too. So don’t speed. Don’t drink or allow excessive distractions. Remember that there are other people out there too, and that when everybody does their part, boating is a lot more fun—and a lot safer—for us all.

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Donald Judge used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

“What really makes a teacher is love … for it is love that transforms the social duty of the educator into the higher consciousness of a mission.”

Almost everyone has a story about a teacher who inspired them—the one who made learning fun, ignited a passion for a specific topic, or even pushed students hard to soar beyond expectations.

Those are the teachers we remember; their legacies live on in the professional and personal achievements of those who passed through their classrooms. And they can still inspire, long after the last class.

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, which is May 6-10, we thought it would be fun to share a few interesting things we’ve learned about teachers and their dedication—because as any good teacher will tell you, learning is a lifelong journey.

• There are more than 3 million teachers in the U.S. Public schools have a total of about 3.2 million full-time equivalent teachers, according to federal statistics. Sounds like a lot, until you consider that there are approximately 51 million K-12 students to teach!

• The vast majority of teachers are women. The fact that many teachers are women probably isn’t a surprise, but the percentage might be larger than you think: It’s nearly 77%. And more than 54% of principals are women, too.

• They probably work more than you realize—and not only in the classroom. We’re all envious of the summer vacations most teachers get, but according to surveys, teachers work an average of 50 hours a week. And they might not have a summer vacation at all: About 30% of them have second jobs.

• When they’re not teaching, many teachers are taking classes of their own. Nearly 60% of teachers have a postgraduate degree—in order to advance their careers, additional education usually is required. And unlike training in the corporate world, this is done on the teachers’ own time (and often on their own dime).

• They spend their own money in the classroom. When teachers don’t have enough supplies, or they want to provide their students with more, almost all of them (94%) dig into their own pockets. The average cost for teacher-funded supplies? About $500 annually. That’s not pocket change, especially when you consider that teacher salaries average about $55,000 nationally.

• Frequently, that support goes way beyond school supplies. More than 65% of teachers in one survey said they had paid for food or covered the cost of field trips for students in need. And 33% have purchased coats, gloves, or other winter clothing for kids in their classes. Clearly, they’re dedicated to more than just education—they want to ensure the well-being of their students.

• The best gift isn’t a red apple. Despite the classic image of an apple on the desk at the front of the room, teachers say there are better ways to show your appreciation. Try a gift card for a coffee shop, or to an office-supply store to help with their classroom expenses. If you’re one of the 88% of people who say a teacher has had a significant positive impact on your life, though, the most meaningful thing of all might simply be a heartfelt note saying, “Thank you for doing what you do.”

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user MaxiuB used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

On April 22, the 49th annual Earth Day is expected to include more than 1 billion people in nearly 200 countries taking part in what the Earth Day Network calls “the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.”

Since the first Earth Day in 1970 (which was connected to the passage of the Clean Air Act that year), there have been many environmental victories—such as passing and strengthening laws for cleaner air and water, expanding Marine Protected Areas, reducing overfishing, even improving our ability to predict extreme weather events.

Scientists say more progress is needed if we are to slow the impact of climate change, and carbon emissions are a major threat, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Since the mid-1800s, the agency notes, carbon concentrations in the atmosphere have increased by about 40%. Because of their warming effect on the planet over time, carbon emissions can contribute to severe weather, rising sea levels, and other significant issues.

You might think the problem is so big there’s nothing you can do about it—but there are many ways you can help reduce these emissions. Here are three things the environmental organization Carbon Offsets To Alleviate Poverty (COTAP) recommends to lower your carbon footprint and do your part to help the planet:

1. Don’t drive so much—and when you do drive, be fuel-efficient. Driving a conventional vehicle burns fossil fuels, so the less you drive, the less carbon you emit. (Even electric cars typically have a carbon footprint, depending on the type of energy used to charge them.) You also can lower your emissions by keeping your car well-maintained and driving sensibly: To maximize your gas mileage, don’t speed excessively or accelerate suddenly, and make sure your tires are properly inflated.
2. Limit your air travel. Everybody loves vacations, but airplane flights generate a lot of carbon emissions: For every roundtrip transatlantic flight, 30 square feet of Arctic sea ice is lost, according to Climate Central, an independent organization of climate scientists and journalists. When you want to get away, choose shorter flights, or try “staycations” closer to home. Also, if you travel for work, consider videoconferencing tools instead.
3. Look around the house. There are plenty of other ways to lower your impact on the environment—and saving energy in your home is a great start. Make sure your home is insulated properly to keep things warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer without cranking the thermostat up or down. Choose appliances that are energy-efficient. Even something as simple as replacing incandescent light bulbs with LEDs (and turning lights off when you’re not using them) can help.

However you choose to mark Earth Day, remember that little steps can create a big impact. Maybe you can bike to work a couple of times a month. Walk to the market instead of driving. Leave the AC off until the hottest days of summer. It all adds up—for you, for those you share the planet with, and those who will come after you, too.

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user Bill Smith used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents

April is tax season, so a lot of people are thinking about their finances these days. But if you’re like most people, you’re probably thinking in the short term: What’s my refund going to be—or how much do I owe? And what is that going to do to my monthly budget?

It’s good to be thinking about those things. It’s also important to look at the bigger picture. Financial Literacy Month, which is also in April, gives you the perfect chance to do just that. Surveys have showed that an alarming number of Americans lack even basic financial knowledge; in an era when we collectively have trillions of dollars in consumer debt, and many people live paycheck to paycheck, that can be a recipe for disaster.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! This Financial Literacy Month website, created by nonprofit credit-counseling firm Money Management International, features tools and resources to help you understand your finances better and build a bright financial future. In that spirit, we’ve come up with seven tips that can help you become more savvy with your money. Some are easy things you can do today. Others might take a little more work. But all are worth the effort!

1. Make your saving automatic. It’s important to have money set aside for emergencies—and to save for retirement. But once your paycheck hits your account, it can be a lot easier to just spend it all. The solution? Schedule automatic transfers to a separate account for your emergency fund, your retirement plan, or both. Start with something like 10%. You might even find that you don’t miss it.
2. Pay your credit cards off every month. If you can’t do this now, pay them down until you can. One popular way is the “snowball” method, which in a nutshell, works like this:
   Make only the minimum payment on all of your debts—except the smallest one. Put as much money as you can toward that. When the smallest debt is paid off, repeat the process and continue until everything is paid!
3. Check your tax withholding. People love getting big tax refunds, but that really means you’ve loaned the government your money over the course of the year—interest-free. For example, instead of a $2,500 refund in April or May, you could have more than $200 extra in your paycheck every single month. Wouldn’t that be nice?
4. Don’t throw away free money. Who would do that? Well, you—if your employer offers a match on your retirement savings and you don’t contribute enough to get the full amount. Say your company matches the first 3% of salary you contribute to a 401(k); you should save as much as you can, but at the very least, you’d want to save that 3%.
5. Pay less for services. Are you paying more than you should for cable, internet or your mobile service? Maybe not—but you won’t know unless you ask. Often, companies have discounts or special packages available, especially if you’re a loyal customer and you haven’t been on a promotional deal for a while.
6. Consider a credit card that rewards you. This can be a great way to earn points toward free travel or other rewards, just for buying the things you would buy anyway. Don’t spend more than you normally would just to get rewards, though. And remember, if you regularly carry a balance, the rewards probably won’t outweigh the interest you’re paying. (Go back to item #2 in our list.)
7. Track your spending for a while—and then review it. You probably spend money on a lot of little things without realizing how much it adds up. Maybe you get takeout for lunch a couple of times a week, or stop for coffee every day on your way to work. Try tracking everything you spend for a month or two. Then, take a look at your habits.

You’ll find areas where you can save, likely without even feeling like you’re making a sacrifice. Insurance is an important tool for your financial well-being, too. Even though it’s easy to think of insuring your car or home as protecting your “stuff,” insurance really protects your finances. After all, insurance can’t prevent your car from being hit by another driver—but it can pay for the repairs, so that money doesn’t come from your pocket.

Take a little time to think about your finances this month, and try one or more of the tips above. As with many things in life, when it comes to money, small steps can have a big impact!

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Top image by Flickr user KMo Foto used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Source: SafeCo Agents