There are many different forms of debt that you may encounter in your life. One debt that causes a lot of trouble for Americans is medical debt. Luckily, there are more methods available when handling this type of debt compared to others.
See if You Can Secure a Repayment Plan
Hospitals are typically helpful when it comes to debt. You can see if they have any repayment options available for your total debt. For example, if you owe $10,000 for your treatment, then you may be able to repay that amount over the course of 12 months with no interest. Sometimes hospitals also use third-party options that provide more repayment plans, interest rates, etc. Be sure to ask upfront about what options are available.
Get a Medical Credit Card
Some providers may not offer payment plan options. However, they may accept medical credit cards! These are typically used for specific medical procedures, and a majority of offices have the paperwork readily available.
This type of credit card typically offers interest-free repayment periods of 12 months or less. However, you may not have the option or be able to pay your bill before then and you may have to deal with a deferred interest rate. Depending on that rate, your debt may be more expensive than the original amount.
Check Out Personal Loan Options
You may need to take out a personal medical loan for your healthcare costs. This can provide you a way to consolidate your debt and make repayment more manageable. If you are going to be looking at personal loans, you will want to be sure to compare fees, repayment terms, and any applicable rates to your loan.
Income-driven hardship plan
You may qualify for more assistance options than you realize. If you have a low income and large enough medical bills, then there may be some income assistance options available. This program can not only reduce the amount you owe all together, but make repayment much more manageable. You will want to talk to the billing department to see if they have an assistance program that you may qualify for.
Overall
Medical debt can be very stressful. However, there are ways that may be available for you to better handle what is due. Take your time and review the options that your health institution offers. If they do not provide any options that work for your financial situation, then you will need to review other repayment options.
Having a baby is an exciting time! As you prepare to bring new life into this world, you may be thinking, how can your finances keep up? Babies are famous for being pricey. Besides the actual delivery of the baby (which can cost between an average of $5,000 to $11,000) raising that child for another 18 years minimum is even more expensive (the estimated average cost of raising a child is $272,049 for 2022).
That is why it is so important to not only prepare yourself physically and emotionally for a newborn, but also financially too! While everyone likes to plan for their newborn in their own way, structure is key when it comes to organization. You can easily break down the preparation of your finances before you have the baby!
How to Get Your Finances Ready for a Newborn?
Like we said earlier, everyone can prepare their finances in their own way. The best way for you to handle your financial situation depends on what you are dealing with! Some preparation tips to consider for your finances includes:
Talk About Money with Your Partner
Make a New Budget
Consider Insurance Coverage
Talk About Money with Your Partner
While it’s important to be on the same page with your partner before you have a baby, it’s especially important now! With a baby on the way, you want to make sure you two are on the same page. You will want to have a clear understanding of your expectations for your child. While these expectations can change, it is important to have a solid foundation. Some things that you can talk about include:
How will the work situation look? Is someone staying home as a parent full-time or are both parents working? How will you handle any costs of childcare?
Do you plan on paying for your child’s college education?
Are there things that you want your child to experience? For example, you may want your child to take swimming lessons at 6 months old, or to go to camp when they are old enough.
Making sure that you are on the same page with these topics with your partner can help you better prepare currently and help avoid disagreements down the line. If your partner isn’t in the picture then you will want to have this talk with someone who is helping you financially or by yourself.
Make a New Budget
Now that you have had a talk about expectations, you can begin to plan your money. You will want to think about new costs that you will be responsible for like a hospital payment, baby clothes, diapers, baby accessories, and more. It’s also important to update your existing budget. Right now, you may put money aside to go out to eat every week. When you have a newborn, you will likely not have the time or energy to do this. Instead of spending your money on going out to eat, you will want to plan for handling child care expenses!
Some of the most important parts of your budget to consider is how much:
Health care costs will be for delivering the baby
You will need to plan for being off work
You spend on baby items like onesies, a car seat, a crib, baby blankets, bottles, diapers, etc.
Work on Your Emergency Fund
While it is never fun to think about the worst case scenario, it is important to make sure you are prepared for emergencies. A part of planning your budget is making sure that you have enough money put aside for your emergency fund. A good rule of thumb is to have between 3 to 6 months of your current expenses saved up. For example, if you spend $3,000 every month, then you will want to have between $9,000 to $18,000 saved in case of an emergency. This can help you in times where you need it the most!
Think Both Long and Short Term
You will also want to account for both your long term and short term goals. Besides keeping this in mind for your child, you will also want to make sure you focus on your financial goals as well. This can mean keeping up with your retirement account, paying off debt, etc.
Consider Insurance Coverage
There are a variety of different types of insurance that you will want to think about when getting ready for a new baby. Besides updating your auto policy to consider your child in the car, you will want to consider:
As a general rule of thumb, anything that is seen as optional is not normally covered with disability insurance. That means if you choose to stay home during or after your pregnancy then you may not be eligible for disability benefits. However, if there are complications during or after pregnancy that result in you being unable to work then you may be eligible for disability benefits. While generally this is the case, there are expectations! Some disability group plans (offered by employers) consider pregnancy as a qualifying condition for disability benefits.
Usually short-term disability insurance plans are offered by employers and can help replace a part of your paycheck if you can’t work. Generally this coverage is for up to a year! As long as you have certification from a doctor stating that you cannot work due to your pregnancy, then you may be able to receive some coverage. Not every policy is the same so if this is something that covers you through your workplace you will want to confirm the details with your employer.
Health Insurance
Once you have your baby, they will be automatically covered by your current health insurance plan for the first 30 days of life. After that, you have 2 options when it comes to insuring your newborn. You can either add your child to your existing health insurance plan or get a new plan all together.
Luckily, the birth of your child counts as a qualifying event. This means that you have 60 days from the date of the qualifying event to get an insurance plan (if you don’t currently have one) or to change your plan. There are a variety of health insurance plans and coverage options that you will want to consider when it comes time to make sure both parents and the child are properly insured!
Home Insurance
If you are a homeowner but currently don’t have homeowner’s insurance then you will want to consider this option. Your home will be where you raise your child. That is why you want to be prepared in case of any emergency! A proper homeowner policy will cover your family’s belongings, your home, and any liability in case someone gets injured on your property.
Life Insurance
The idea of dying can be unsettling for many people. However, it is important that your end-of-life situation is handled. A life insurance policy can provide protection for your family in case you die. There are a variety of life insurance policies but generally they can help your family by supplementing your income.
Other Tips to Consider
Besides some of the ways you can prepare your finances above, there are some other tips that you can keep in mind that may also be able to help your finances:
Look Into Government Programs
Start Coupon Clipping
Consider Homemade Baby Food
Benefit from the Child Tax Credit
Look Into Government Programs
Not everyone is in the best position by the time they are having children. That’s why the government may be able to help! There are a variety of assistance opportunities that can help like:
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
This program can help low-income women, infants, and children up to the age of 5 years old (who face a nutritional risk). WIC provides foods full of nutrition to help supplement diets. The program can also give out information about healthy eating, and even provide referrals to health care.
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
This federal program can provide food like snacks and meals to qualifying children and adults that are enrolled in eligible centers. Specifically for children, eligible centers would include child care centers, day care homes, etc. CACFP also gives reimbursements for meals that are served to youth that are a part of after school care programs, and children that are in emergency shelters.
Housing Choice Voucher Program
Also known as section 8, this program can give eligible recipients housing vouchers to go towards the cost of housing. The amount that these vouchers will be varies based on income level and family size but can help people get affordable housing. Sadly, these vouchers cannot be used at any property. They can only be used at properties that accept them as a form of payment.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Energy costs can be hard to deal with for many families struggling with financial hardship. LIHEAP aims to help with these costs by providing support with home energy bills, energy emergencies, weatherization of the home, and minor home repairs that are energy-related.
Start Coupon Clipping
While you don’t need to be an extreme couponer, your finances can benefit when you get a deal! For example, if you can save $1 on meat at the grocery store every week, then you may be able to save $4 a month. After a whole year you could save $48 which may not seem like a lot but can make a difference!
You may also want to develop a daily (or regular) habit of going through the newspapers or mail to look for coupons. Many stores that sell baby products could have great offers, with discounts like 30%-50% off. This is an option that you definitely want to explore.
Consider Homemade Baby Food
As an infant, the one of the best “homemade” baby foods would be breast milk. Unlike formulas, it is free! However, breastfeeding may not be the best option for every mother. If that’s the case then you will need formula in the meantime (which you shouldn’t make homemade). Once your baby is ready to eat soft food, you may benefit from homemade baby food. There are plenty of recipes online and there are even products that help you make some! This may be able to help you save.
Benefit from the Child Tax Credit
One financial benefit to having children is that you will likely be able to qualify for the Child Tax Credit. This tax credit program can reduce the amount of tax you owe by $1,000 for each eligible child that’s younger than 17 years old. The child must be related either as a:
Son
Daughter
Brother
Sister
Stepbrother
Stepsister
Descendants of any of them (like a grandchild, nephew, niece, etc.)
Adopted child
Overall
It can be stressful to think about your finances as you get ready for your newborn. There are plenty of tips that you can consider that may be able to help like:
Talk About Money with Your Partner
Make a New Budget
Consider Insurance Coverage
Besides these tips to prepare your finances, you may benefit from other tips like:
Look Into Government Programs
Start Coupon Clipping
Consider Homemade Baby Food
Benefit from the Child Tax Credit
Not every piece of advice can help your situation. However, it is important to consider a variety of options to help you get the right plan together. If you have any questions on how you should handle your finances for your newborn you should get in touch with a professional like a personal banker. They can help make sure that your finances are fully prepared for your baby’s arrival. Take your time, and you will find that your finances don’t need to be as stressful as they may seem as long as you take the steps to prepare!
What you put in your stomach most definitely affects what is taken out of your bank account. If you ever wonder why your money runs out so quickly, the first thing you need to look at is your eating habits. The paycheck might not change for the better anytime soon (at least not unless your boss agrees to give a raise), but here are a couple of tips we can offer you to cut down on spending on food:
Develop A Deeper Appreciation of Home-Cooked Food: Get into the habit of cooking at home with the groceries that you have and the ingredients that you collect from store to store. If you don’t know how to cook, then we encourage you to learn. It will save you a headache and a lot of cash.
Create A Meal Plan: As with all aspects of life, success is always guaranteed when you plan ahead (and at least if the plan is an effective one). Determining what you eat throughout the week will enable you to create a regular budget so that you can figure out how much money you use to spend on food and drink, in addition to limiting any unnecessary snacking and ordering out.
Increasing Your Food Shopping IQ: It’s also a good idea to compare prices to see which supermarket/groceries offers you the most ideal selection in terms of the quality you can get for every buck. Invest time looking for coupons to save money or buying the supermarket’s customer card which offers discounts on products purchased in bulk. If you qualify and your income isn’t that much, consider applying for food stamps. It can save you hundreds of dollars in groceries.
Stop Wasting Food: Use the food that you buy and don’t waste it over ordering meals from outside. Wasteful behavior will guzzle your money away. It’s important that you plan your meals and take inventory of what you have. Only use what you have and try to make it last as long as possible.
As you are working on building your credit, you will probably want to run a credit check. It is an inevitable concept that you can’t really run away from. You might need the credit check to find out whether you pre-qualify for loans and other offers, or not. Additionally, you might need to apply for healthcare repayment options, loans, or anything else you need. Through these credit checks, lenders will find out whether you are financially reliable, or not. These credit checks can occur in two ways, as a hard inquiry or a soft inquiry.
You will find that the difference between inquiries is easy to understand. But, they are very important to know more about. That way, you will not accidentally mess up your score throughout the pre-purchase process. This article will do just that; tell you the difference between both inquiries. Additionally, this article will tell you what a credit inquiry is and how it operates.
What is a Credit Inquiry? (Let’s Go Back to the Basics!)
Credit Inquiries are sections that show up on your credit report when a legitimately approved individual or association (counting yourself) accesses your credit information. Usually, inquiries are the results of an application for credit, services and products; an account review made by an organization that you have business with; or a preapproved offer of credit that you have received.
There are two sorts of credit inquiries: hard inquiries and soft inquiries. Account reviews and preapproved offers fall under the classification of soft requests, which does not affect your credit scores. Hard inquiries incorporate applications for credit or certain services. Despite the fact that their effect is fairly insignificant, hard inquiries can influence your scores on a temporary basis. It is great practice to get your credit report checked throughout the year to see hard and soft inquiries. This is the very thing that you really want to be aware of when it comes to inquiries on your credit report and the differences between hard and soft inquiries.
How Do Credit Inquiries Operate?
When you choose to expand your credit, you will need to determine how much and at what interest rate. Typically, banks get your credit report from at least one of the three national consumer credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). Your credit report offers a rundown of your debt obligations and installment history on those debts.
As a feature of their assessment process, lenders frequently prefer to get at least one or more credit scores from the borrower. These are three-digit numbers obtained from statistical analysis of your credit report’s contents. A higher score shows lower probability that you will neglect to reimburse your debt. When you decide to apply for credit or services, for example, a cell phone account, your application typically demonstrates that you are allowing the loan specialist permission to perform a credit check. Whenever loan specialists run those credit checks, hard inquiries show up on your credit report.
Additionally, certain companies are lawfully permitted to get your credit information because of reasons other than your application. This could include when your current lenders regularly check your reports or when a potential bank sends you a preapproved offer.
In addition, employers may take a look at your credit history as a consumer with your written consent. But, they will not gain access to your credit score. Furthermore, you could check your own credit reports and credit scores. It is a wise thing to do to consistently perform these credit checks, since they will not affect your credit rating. Credit checks, like these, are not connected with credit applications; these create soft inquiries on your credit report.
A Hard Inquiry
A hard inquiry is when an organization will run either an application or credit report to gain access to your credit history. These are normal for applications of car loans, mortgages, educational loans, and so on. These credit checks require a finished application as well as approval from the cardholder to go through. It is vital to remember that these inquiries can influence your credit by up to ten points. This means that you should know about the kind of application, how frequently you apply, and how many times you can apply.
You would not want to appear as a high-risk borrower because you apply for multiple hard inquiries and receive rejection on all of them. If you do apply on different occasions within a brief timeframe, then you can lead the lender to thinking that you are not a decent contender for a loan. But, there is a silver lining. These hard inquiries will not remain on your credit forever. Normally, these hard inquiries drop off after around 2-3 years. As the inquiry gets older, it will lose its effect on your credit score.
A Soft Inquiry
As opposed to hard inquiries which are normal for loan applications, soft inquiries are more geared towards personal background checks for informational purposes from individuals. These individuals could include possible landlords, insurance agencies, employment confirmation, and so on. These sorts of inquiries can occur regardless of an application, and do not have any influence on your credit score. Soft inquiries are not associated with a particular application for new credit and should only be visible to the cardholder when they are reviewing their own credit report. Additionally, there are a few advantages for soft inquiries. Routinely checking your score with sites like Credit Karma, or with your bank, permits you to track your credit to maintain or improve at whenever you need. In addition, pre-approvals can get you better loan terms whether for another credit card, a mortgage loan, a car loan, and so on.
Influence of These Inquiries on Your Credit Score
Soft inquiries do not influence your credit score in any way. While soft inquiries show up on your credit report, no one but you can see them. Hard inquiries bring down your credit score by a couple of points. However, that should not be a big thing to worry about in the long haul. In any case, multiple hard inquiries in a brief timeframe may give lenders the feeling that you are a high-risk customer. This means that you do not have to worry about soft inquiries, since they have no influence on your credit score. But, you need to keep a close eye on hard inquiries. Try your best to apply for these hard inquiries further and farther in between, instead of applying multiple times at the same time. Eventually, these hard inquiries will drop off in a few years. But, you can never be too careful.
When Do Lenders Use These Inquiries?
Soft inquiries are pulled on your credit constantly. As an example, when you get a credit card offer through the mail, when a potential employer wants to conduct a background check on you, or when you want to review your credit. Make sure that you constantly perform a soft inquiry on your credit. That way, you can assess your financial situation. You will be able to maintain it or improve it, depending on the result of the soft inquiry.
Soft inquiries can happen without you knowing about it, as in those pre approved credit card offers you get from the mail. Hard inquiries happen when you apply for a loan, credit card, or mortgage loan. The bank or lender will need to actually look at your financial record prior to giving (or denying) the credit. Hard inquiries are mostly inquiries that determine whether you are a high-risk borrower or not. If you are a high-risk borrower, according to the lender, then they will probably reject your application. Fortunately, there are ways for you to make up for it.
Consent
There is a way to find out if an inquiry will be hard or soft before it takes place. You will probably know when a hard inquiry happens, on the grounds that you will need to give the lender consent to access a hard inquiry.
If, at any point, you purchased or rented a car, then you were approached to sign a credit report authorization form as a part of the paperwork. When you sign the document, you are allowing the dealership’s financing to pull your credit. At the end of the day, you will be giving them the permission to conduct a hard credit inquiry.
While an excessive number of hard inquiries can make you appear as though you are a credit risk, rating agencies understand that several inquiries in a brief period could be on the grounds that you are “rate shopping”. The agencies will gather these inquiries from several lenders into a single hard inquiry. That way, you will not have your credit score affected from several hard inquiries. But, you need to make sure that the agency will apply that to your hard inquiries before you apply.
Steps You Can Take To Stay Extra Careful (You Can Never Be Too Careful)
A great rule of thumb to follow is to continuously ask questions on every step of the process! Before managing anything with your credit, you will need to remain educated and informed. You should ask questions like the type of inquiries that will be performed, how frequently the credit will be run, and more. This can prevent you from possibly committing any errors. In the event that the person/company running your credit does not have the faintest idea what kind of inquiry will take place, then you should not consider running your credit all together. You need to be very educated when it comes to what influences your credit score.
What to Do Before an Inquiry
If you are stressed over a hard inquiry and its effect on your credit score, then, you have a couple of choices. To start with, before you apply for any kind of major loan, such as a car loan, an educational loan, or even a mortgage loan, make sure to find out if a hard or soft inquiry will take place to secure the loan.
Additionally, keep your hard credit inquiries to a minimum, as mentioned above. You would rather not undercut your current score through several applications for too many credit cards or other loans. Also, overextending yourself from a credit point of view can hurt you on a financial level.
You should also cross-check the hard inquiries that you initiated with those that show up on your credit report. This will help you to stay away from charge card fraud and scams. You can do as such through a duplicate of your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Conclusion
In the end, you will find that there are a great deal of factors that can influence your credit score. You need to make sure that you have an established solid score before you run off and get multiple hard inquiries on that line. Understanding this main difference among hard and soft inquiries will permit you to ensure you do not mess up your credit. You do not want to mess up your credit by going overboard while dealing with hard inquiries! Your main aim is to keep that score high! Of course, there are ways to maintain, or improve, your credit score. But, you need to know your credit score, before you can do anything! This is why you should constantly look after your credit score and your overall financial situation.
Make sure that you repay your debt as soon as possible, even if it is in small installments. Also, make sure that you have a rigid budget that you stick to. That way, you will not wind up biting off more than you can chew. All of this will help your overall situation. Remember that you can never be too careful when it comes to these types of inquiries. You should do your part in investigating the agency that requires credit inquiries. If they do not know what kind of inquiry they need, then it would be a good idea to look elsewhere!
Selling a house is a pretty big decision. Sorting out the finances and potentially setting up your new place can be pretty demanding. That’s why you want to make your sales process as smooth as possible. When it comes to potential homebuyers, you obviously want those who mean business. You also want buyers who will give you the least hassle during the selling process. To do that, you need to market your home as much as possible, earning yourself a wide selection of homebuyers. However, hosting an open house can be troublesome, especially if it’s your first time. So, let’s dive into a few tips that could potentially make the whole process smoother and more successful.
Show Them A Picture-Perfect House
Goes without saying that you should clean your house before hosting your potential homebuyers. When we say “clean” we mean absolutely spotless. You should probably splurge a little extra on better cleaning tools and materials. Make sure you wax all tabletops and counters for that extra gleam. You also want to make sure the place is tidy. A big selling point of any house is the feeling of having enough space to move freely. Take away any unnecessary items or personal belongings to provide a less cluttered house. It would probably be a good idea to also move any cars away from the driveway, so homebuyers can see the house as a whole from the outside. The idea is to let homebuyers walk in and out of the property freely, allowing them to get a complete feel of the place.
Also, while having pets highlights the “American Dream” feel of a house, it’s not a good idea to have yours around when hosting an open house. You could run into homebuyers who are allergic, hence ruining their experience. But, more importantly, having pets around could give the impression of damages done to the house by said pets.
Try Creating Perfect Settings Inside The House
Remember the feeling when you first set up your living room or bedroom? You want to mimic that feeling of utter comfort and being in a room worthy of an Instagram post. Many homebuyers will walk around the house taking pictures and videos. Those people will probably end up comparing your house to others they also took pictures and videos of. Make yours more memorable. You want the homebuyers to think “I can’t believe they’re selling this place..”
Also, don’t overdo it with the incense or air fresheners. Those things can cause headaches or nausea if used too much. Try instead to lean on natural smells, perhaps using scented candles. Having some slow music playing in the background wouldn’t do you any harm. Just make sure that it’s not too loud. After all, you’re trying to just use the music to create ambient background noise. The music can also be used to mask the sound of footsteps going around the house.
Natural Lighting Will Always Be Better Than Artificial Lighting
As much as it is important to show off the kind of lighting you have installed in your house, showing the amount of sunlight that pours into the house during the day gets a higher priority. As a host, you want to keep all curtains/blinds open, and if the weather allows it, keep the windows open for a fresh breeze. A neat idea is to set up seating arrangements that take advantage of the sunlight. Having mirrors in corners and near large walls will not only help highlight that amount of sunlight but will also help your place look bigger.
Add Something To Do In Every Room
The longer homebuyers spend in a house, the more attached they could become to it. So, with that in mind, you don’t want visitors to just take a quick tour and leave. A good way to keep them occupied in each room they walk into would be pamphlets and photos. You could use these pamphlets to provide information about the house and its nearest facilities. The photos can be used to show the changes the house went through over time and to highlight any changes you made to its interior. In other rooms, you could just provide snacks and drinks. Who doesn’t like snacking anyway?
Listen To Your Real Estate Agent, They Know Better
If you’re using an agent, make the most out of the money you’re paying them. Solicit advice from them on every step you’re taking during your house sale. Real estate agents should tell you whether it’s a good idea to have an open house or not. Those guys should also have input on any small repairs or changes you should make before opening your house to the public. After all, their job is to sell houses, as fast as possible, also for the biggest amount possible. With all that in mind, their advice on what to highlight in your house for the buyers, or on how to reach more buyers should be more than welcome.
Homebuyers Need Someone To Talk To. Be That Person, Or Find One
Your house should be ready to sell itself. But, imagine you go to a house, and it’s an empty shell with no one to talk to. If a homebuyer walks into a place, patrols around for a minute, and leaves, chances are they’ll forget about it soon after. However, if there’s someone to talk to inside the open house, homebuyers will not only spend more time inside it but will also have more questions answered. That way the person who talks to homebuyers can help generate more interest.
If you’re using an agent, then by all means have them do the hosting bit. Those guys will know how to answer questions and spark conversations. It’s also preferable to have someone who doesn’t live there to host. No one wants to have the house owner around when they’re trying to express their honest opinions about the house.
However, If You’re On Your Own, Here’s What You Should Do
So, if you’re the one hosting, you want to keep the visitors’ company, but you don’t want to be in the way. It would be really useful to be around to answer questions, but you don’t want to hover over them. As a host, you want to do less talking, and more listening. Asking questions regarding what kind of place they’re looking for, or why they’re choosing your area could get potential homebuyers talking, and possibly give you useful pieces of information. Be around for them to ask questions, but give them space to explore every room on their own. You’ll find that real estate agents will usually stand outside room doors, letting visitors discover spaces on their own.
You could also elicit advice on how to improve future open house visits from your visitors. Little tips such as creating google maps pinpoint for your house can improve your visitors’ overall experience.
Tell Absolutely Everyone About Your Open House
If you’re using a real estate agent, they’ll do a lot of marketing work for you. That, however, does not mean you can’t do things to improve your chances. As annoying as it might sound, casually mentioning that you’re having an open house in conversations can be pretty useful. Word-of-mouth does wonders. You should also promote your house on Facebook pages, in Whatsapp/Telegram groups, and on any other social media platform. There’s also another approach many can find useful. Asking nearby coffee shops, restaurants, and shops if you can hang your flyers on their windows can guarantee your invitation echoes everywhere.
You could also ask your friends, relatives, and coworkers to put the word out on your house. When a big purchase such as a house comes recommended by a personal friend or relative, many people can feel more secure approaching it.
Finally, if you have tenants living in the house, you should definitely tell them as well. In the meantime, you should be aware of a couple of rules:
You’ll need to provide this form to your tenants 24 hours before any potential visits
Your current tenants deserve your consideration before deciding on a viewing day so:
Open house visits should not be at the cost of current tenants’ comfort
Visits should not be on national holidays or Sundays. They should also be within reasonable hours, preferably 9 am to 6 pm.
More Do’s & Don’ts For Open Houses
You need to keep in mind that every house sells differently. If you’re selling a six-figure house, your experience will be different from someone selling a seven-figure one. Also, people in different states and cities have different cultures, so you’ll need to adapt yourself accordingly. Moreover, you should be willing to make adjustments whenever needed or possible. After all, you’re looking to sell a big-ticket item. Make the experience for the potential buyer as nice as possible.
But, here’s a bunch of other stuff you should keep in mind
Be open for visits for as many hours a day as possible. Most homebuyers will visit houses outside of the usual 9-5 working hours. That means your house during the evening should be as presentable as it is during the day.
On average, house visits last somewhere around 15 minutes. However, you should try to give yourself more leeway. Try scheduling visits for at least 20-30 minutes. That way, you’d have time to chat with visitors. You also wouldn’t have to rush visitors through your house
We mentioned earlier how you should keep your windows and curtains open to let in sunlight during the day. It might be a good idea to also keep them open at night. It could give the feeling of more breathing space within the walls of the house.
Speaking of evening visits. Leaving the lights on around the house will give a more welcoming feeling. No one wants to walk into a house that feels like a basement or a dungeon all around.
Pay attention to your phone, email, or whatever point of contact you have for potential visitors. It’s customary that visitors will give you at least a 2 hours notice before visiting. But, some people are not great planners. So, you might end up getting 30-minute notices.
Conclusion
Our discussion today is mainly centered around getting you the widest selection of potential homebuyers. The idea is that you want the best home buyer for you. At the same time, you want several options so you can have leverage when it comes to negotiating the finances. The whole idea is to present your house in its most perfect, picture-worthy form possible. Cleaning your house is obviously a must. It’s not just about cleaning surfaces, but to be frank, you need to make them look cleaner than they would be on a normal day. You should also add little touches that make the house more welcoming. Remove your family pictures, so people don’t feel like they’re invading someone else’s space. Make sure your door is freshly painted, as it’s the first thing your visitors will get to see.
Besides all that, you’ll need to follow your agent’s advice if you have one. Those guys are often experienced at finding you the best possible buyer, as it pays off for them, literally.
Even in the healthiest of relationships, discussing money and handling finances can cause stress. Perhaps you and your partner are thinking about having a joint bank account but are concerned that it will become too complicated. Alternatively, you may be leaning toward separate accounts but are afraid that this will make managing your joint expenses harder. Understanding what a joint bank account is and how it works might help you make better financial and relationship decisions.
What is a Joint Account?
A joint account works similarly to a regular banking account, with the exception that it is owned by two or more people. You can pool your money by opening a joint account. This is useful for both saving (you can save toward common goals like a new home or a vacation) and spending. A joint account allows you and your partner to pay common household bills such as a mortgage, car payments, utilities, and groceries from the same place.
Withdrawing cash, writing checks, and making online payments from the same account also allow you to observe how you spend money. This can help you budget as a couple. With account activity available to both of you, there may be less temptation to splurge on unnecessary products or make covert purchases.
Opening a joint account can also allow you to take advantage of features that you would not have access to as an individual account holder. This is because pooling your money may assist you in meeting the minimum balance requirements that qualify you for benefits such as lower maintenance fees, a higher interest rate, or rewards.
How to Open a Joint Account?
If you decide to go this way, opening a joint account is the same as opening an individual account. Both you and your partner will have to submit information and identification. You may also be able to add one partner to an existing account of another. As co-owners, you will be able to access and withdraw cash without the consent of the other. Also, you will be able to speak with the bank about the account without the consent of the other.
Once you have created your account, you can determine how to manage and monitor it. This includes whether you want to sign up for online banking, who will receive account alerts, and whether you will have shared or individual online banking profiles.
What Do I Need to Open a Joint Account?
In order to open a joint bank account, all account holders must fill out the necessary account application. Applicants also have to provide a valid government-issued I.D. (Social Security card, driver’s license, state-issued I.D. card, passport).
Types of Joint Accounts
Either or Survivor
The vast majority of joint accounts are of the “Either or Survivor” type. This is due to the fact that these can be accessed and managed by either of the account holders, i.e. the primary and secondary account holders. If one of the account holders dies, the account balance can be transferred to the “survivor” account holder.
Anyone or Survivor
This is similar to the previously described joint account. However, this time more than 2 people can manage the account. As a result, just as an “either-or survivor” joint account is a suitable option for a couple, an “anyone or survivor” joint account is a solid option for a family as a whole.
This is due to the fact that this form of a joint account can be maintained by all family members. If an account holder dies, the remaining or “survivor” account holders can manage the account and become the owner of the remaining balance.
Validity
A user’s private health insurance policy remains valid as long as the premium is paid on time. A group insurance coverage, on the other hand, expires when an employee switches jobs or resigns for any other reason.
Former or Survivor
Only the primary account holder can operate the account in this case. When the primary account holder dies, the secondary account holder gets access to manage the account.
Latter or Survivor
This type of joint account is the opposite of the previous one. As a result, the secondary account holder has access to the account in this case. The primary account holder will have access to it only when the second account holder dies.
Jointly
All transactions must be signed and mandated by all account holders in this case. If either of the account holders dies, the account can no longer be used. The rest of the money will be paid to the survivor.
Jointly Or Survivor
This type of joint account is similar to the one described above. The distinction here is that the survivor can operate the account. However, the account’s proceeds will be transferred to his/her account.
Before You Create a Joint Account…
Some couples prefer to keep their separate bank accounts. Keeping your accounts separate allows each person to handle the money he or she earns. This is especially helpful if partners have different spending habits; the ability to manage money in one’s own way offers each person a stronger sense of financial ownership.
Separate accounts can also be beneficial if you and your partner are in different financial situations. For example, if one partner is heavily in debt or has previously mismanaged money, a degree of separation can provide the other person with a sense of security—at least until the debt is paid off. (Third parties may withdraw money from a joint account to pay off a debt of one of the persons.)
The difficulty of separate accounts is deciding how to manage common costs. Couples may experience tension when determining who pays for what. If you choose to keep separate accounts, you and your partner should have a clear understanding of the situation and make sure that each of you is okay with the arrangement.
Who Owns the Money in a Joint Account?
Money in joint accounts belongs evenly to all account owners. Any account owner can make deposits or withdrawals from the account at any time, up to the bank’s maximum daily limits.
If one of the account owners dies, the funds in the account do not have to go through probate. Instead, the money and account ownership is transferred to the other account holder. Bear in mind, however, that the surviving account owner may need to provide a copy of the deceased account owner’s death certificate to the bank in order to transfer ownership of the assets.
Advantages of Joint Accounts
The fundamental advantage of a joint bank account is that two or more people are sometimes better than one. Sharing a joint bank account can offer several benefits for various kinds of relationships:
Married Couples And Domestic Partnerships
Couples can combine their resources in a joint account to save for a common goal, such as a vacation, or to pay shared household bills, such as utilities, rent, or a mortgage.
Parents and Children
Joint bank accounts can help parents teach their children healthy financial practices. With joint checking accounts, parents can simply monitor transactions and spending habits while teaching their children to use checks and debit cards. In addition, joint accounts can help those with children away at college speed up financial transfers for unexpected costs.
Elderly Parents And Their Adult Children
Joint accounts can assist adult children in managing their parents’ finances. This includes bill payments like medical bills, even from a distance if necessary.
Business Partners
Joint bank accounts allow business owners to easily share financial responsibilities such as paying vendors and making incidental purchases like office supplies.
Other Pros of Joint Accounts
With more than one account holder, you may find it easier to achieve your bank’s minimum balance requirement, which is necessary to reduce fees and enjoy higher interest rates on your savings.
Joint accounts can open new communication channels between you and your partner. Because you have a joint account, you should talk with your partner about any financial concerns that may occur. Because you’ll have to account for everything you spend, this can help you reduce your overall spending.
Joint accounts can also safeguard account holders in the case of death because the majority of them are set up with “rights of survivorship.” When one joint account holder dies, this feature permits another joint account holder to continue using the joint account. Legal procedures may limit access to assets for a funeral, estate, and other timely expenses if survivorship rights are not granted.
To summarize, joint bank accounts can help simplify finances by allowing almost any partnership to save and spend from a single account. This can make budgeting with a partner easier than reconciling different individual accounts each month, for example.
Disadvantages of Joint Accounts
Certain beneficial features of joint accounts may become problems in particular situations. Consider the following possibilities when deciding whether a joint bank account is good for you:
Access: A single account holder could make withdrawals from the account at any moment without the agreement of the other account holder(s)—this is a risk of joint bank accounts during a divorce.
Dependence: With parent and child accounts, children may become too reliant on their parents to provide money to pay for poor spending habits.
Inequity: In households where partners’ salaries differ, one account holder may believe they are contributing more or less. This could lead to disagreements if there is not a good pattern of communication regarding financial matters.
Inadequate privacy: Every transaction in a joint account is visible to all account holders. This may result in a level of visibility that makes one or both account holders nervous.
Sharing of liability: If one account holder mismanages funds, all other account holders will be liable. Creditors can also seize funds in a joint account to satisfy the debts of one account holder, regardless of who deposited the funds in the account.
Fewer benefits: If parents open a joint bank account with their child, the assets in the account may lower financial assistance awards for college. The same is true for accounts that adult children have with aging parents. It is because how money in a joint account is handled might affect a parent’s Medicaid eligibility.
If you are thinking of opening a joint bank account, you must trust others who will share ownership. A joint account without trust may cause more problems than it solves.
How Can I Close a Joint Bank Account?
Closing a joint checking or savings account is a simple process. Here’s a straightforward way to follow:
Stop all automatic transfers and withdrawals. This is particularly important for bills that you have set up to be deducted from your account each month. Then make your account balance zero. Once all scheduled withdrawals have been completed or stopped, you can write a check or start a fund transfer to deposit the funds in another account of your choice.
When your balance is zero, contact your bank and ask to close the account. Your bank will have certain procedures that you will need to follow in order to permanently cancel the account.
Is a Joint Bank Account Right for Me?
As you consider if a joint bank account is good for you, have an open discussion about finances with the potential account holders. All account holders should agree on general conditions such as how the money will be used and who will be accountable for paying particular costs with the account.
You should also set a schedule for reviewing your joint finances on a regular basis. A schedule can help remind all account holders that each has a say and can help head off financial difficulties before they become overwhelming.
You may realize that a joint bank account, in addition to individual accounts, is an important aspect of your financial strategy. For example, a couple may decide to pay for housing and utilities from a joint account but want to pay for their own costs from separate accounts.
Bottom Line
You now have enough information on joint bank accounts. This type of account provides many benefits, ranging from the development of healthy financial habits to the sharing of responsibilities. However, it is crucial to recognize that some of these same advantages may work against you in certain circumstances.
Remember to keep discussions with account holders open and honest as you determine whether a joint account is a good fit for you and your situation. The most precious thing you’ll ever invest in a joint financial account is trust.
If you think you are ready to make your first move in becoming a homeowner, think again. Many fall into the trap of moving in on homeownership without changing their spending habits or securing themselves financially. Here are a couple of strategies you can use to make sure that you will not only be able to buy a house, but to keep up with its expenses:
Become a Responsible Spender: The most successful homeowners are those who know where to set their priorities in terms where they put their money. Reduce spending on small luxuries, such as eating out, going to the movies, or buying tickets to an NBA game. Money should be reserved for the most essential needs in your daily life and this what you will need to maintain the fiscal health required for you to keep up with everything related to home finance, including keeping up with your mortgage payments, maintenance costs, and utility bills.
Get Rid of Debt: Try to reduce any debts that you may have, whether they are student loans or credit card bills, some of which gain interest over time. Buying a house is enough of a financial burden and you do not need the weight of debt to pull you down when you close the deal on your home sweet home.
Establish a Retirement Fund: Thinking about retirement even in your early twenties isn’t thinking too far ahead! Before making the move to buy a house, it’s important to determine how much money you plan to put aside for retirement, so that you will be able to sustain yourself when you decide to stop working. This will affect what house you buy, how expensive it will be, and what costs are involved in keeping the house up to proper living standards.
Put Money Aside for Unforeseen Circumstances: Emergencies can happen at any time. Make sure you have the funds for anything that may happen that could keep you from your job in the long run, such as a severe medical emergency. To be on the safe side, many suggest setting aside three months worth of living expenses.
Things have been extra crazy lately because of this pandemic. A lot of businesses are losing money, and as a result, a lot of people lost their jobs. Before COVID, it was a lot easier to find another job shortly after losing yours, but unfortunately, that’s not the case anymore. And, we need to be extra careful of our finances during such an unstable economic condition.
So, if you lost your job recently, don’t worry, you’re not alone. According to research, over 9 million people lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. But that shouldn’t stop you from looking for a new job. If you need to take a paycut to maintain stability, you can at least be thankful to have some income. You should also pay attention to how you’ll be spending your money while you don’t have steady income.
In this article, we’ll take a look at what other choices you can go for, for cash to keep you on your feet during this challenging time. Besides finding other sources for income, we’ll discuss how you can save your money and spend more wisely.
Alright, You Lost Your Job, Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Get Another One
Obviously, losing your main source of income is horrible. Especially, if you loved that job. Your job doesn’t only provide you with income, but also takes up a big portion of your day. So, if you’re feeling discouraged about going out there and looking for a job, it’s completely understandable. But the thing is, it’s not the last one left on the planet. You could always talk to any customers or suppliers you dealt with during your job. Since those guys are connected to your industry, maybe they can help out.
If you don’t manage to find a job within the same field, it’s still not the end of your career. There are other jobs out there that require low qualifications. You can pick up a new job, at least until you can get back to your career field. If you manage to land a job outside your field with a stable income, you could use the time to learn more valuable skills and land better jobs. Who knows? You might actually end up liking working in a different field and find your success in it.
Also, don’t be shy about asking your friends, family and neighbors to hook you up with a job, even if it’s just for a little while. The more jobs you do, the more skills you learn and the more you know about what you want and don’t want out of a job.
What If I Can’t Find Any Jobs? Where Can I Get Money?
You’ll clearly always need to look for a job to make up for the one you lost. After all, a stable income is the only logical way a person survives financially. However, if so far your job search isn’t working out, don’t worry, the federal government has your back.
Let’s Talk About Unemployment Insurance
So, what exactly is unemployment insurance? It’s basically a program that was created by the Department Of Labor to help out people who lost their jobs for reasons that aren’t based on the employee’s performance at the job. There are a few things that you should know about unemployment insurance before applying for it. First, unemployment insurance is not supposed to replace having a job. It’s there to help you stay on your feet while you’re looking for a job. Second, unemployment insurance was created in cooperation between the federal and state governments. The reason that matters is because your eligibility for the program might vary from one state to the other. Finally, you need to learn about how you can qualify for unemployment insurance, so let’s take a look at that:
As we’ve already mentioned, to apply for unemployment insurance, you must have lost your job for reasons that are not your fault.
To qualify for unemployment benefits, you’ll need to meet certain standards. These standards will mainly be based on the amount of time you’ve already worked and/or the wages you’ve earned. As we said earlier, different states have different rules. However, the general rule of thumb is that you need to work 12-15 months before applying for unemployment insurance.
This process will be far from complex. You apply for it. You provide some documents and you wait. That’s it. But for more details, here’s what should know:
You need to apply for unemployment insurance in the state where you worked. If you live in a different state from the one you worked in, or perhaps you worked in different states, contact your local insurance program. Those guys will know which way to point you towards.
Since you’ll be applying for unemployment insurance, it’s only natural that they’d ask you about your employment history. Questions will involve dates and places of your previous occupations. Make sure to only provide truthful answers, they’ll check.
If your application goes smoothly, you should receive your first benefit check somewhere between two to three weeks after your application goes through.
Just Because You Got Your First Unemployment Check Doesn’t Mean You Stop Applying For Them
So, assuming your application went through smoothly. Two to Three weeks later you get your first check. Now it’s important to remember you need to apply for unemployment every week!
You might wonder “what’s the point of applying for the same thing every week?” We’re glad you asked. The idea is that the government needs to make sure you’re actually looking for jobs, not just giving up and relying on unemployment money. You’ll need to keep a job search log. That log must contain at least 3 different instances in which you tried to find a new job.
This whole thing is pretty beneficial to you. Truth of the matter is that if you don’t provide that work log, you’re risking losing your unemployment benefits. But, on the less strict side, it’s a great motivation for you to keep looking for jobs. You’re bound to find something eventually.
You Could Possibly Get Your Unemployment Money For Longer
Good news! Unemployment benefits can actually be extended. As you’ve probably read above, every state has different unemployment laws. So, extension periods for unemployment benefits may vary from one state to the other. Your state might provide a 13 week extension, or it might provide a 26 week extension. The best way to find out is to apply. But, just like with every other government program, there are some conditions you need to satisfy to qualify for the extension:
This should not come as a surprise, but you’ll need to finish your regular unemployment checks first
Also shouldn’t come as a shock, you still need to be out of a job
You’ll still need to prove you’re looking for a job
This is the only tricky one: You need to live in a state where the unemployment is generally high
Before You Get Too Excited And Start Spending, Read This
It’s obviously great if you manage to get your unemployment checks. That means you don’t have a stable job, but you also don’t have to be completely broke. But the trick is, don’t get too comfortable. As we mentioned, these unemployment checks are made to help you survive, not live in luxury. Starting the moment you lose your job, you should be taking calculated steps with every dime you spend. You need to realize that money will come in slower, smaller packages. So the limited budget you’ll have should go towards necessities and responsibilities only.
You’ll Be Taxed On Your Unemployment checks
It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. Since you’ll be getting money, the government has to take a bite of that cake. It’s really important to remember this, because a lot of people think “well I’m unemployed, but at least I don’t need to pay taxes.”
So, let us walk you through it. You’ll be filing your taxes just as you normally would. Only difference is that instead of inputting your income from your job, you’ll add in your unemployment insurance amount instead. There’s also a form called the IRS Form W-4V. This form gives permission to the government to keep 10% of your unemployment insurance amount for tax purposes. That way you don’t have to think about your taxes while you’re unemployed. But, many professionals advise against it, and only recommend using the IRS Form W-4V if you’re 100% sure you can live off the rest of the money.
Put Aside Some Rainy Day Funds
“First you tell me I’ll pay taxes, and now you’re telling me to save money. How much do you think I’m getting?” Honestly, a valid question. But here’s the thing, you should try your best in whatever situation not to spend all of your money. Whether you’re employed or not, you should try to keep some change unspent. Obviously, unemployment checks won’t be as generous as one would hope they would be. But, if you’re spending every cent you get every month, you probably will:
Finish all your money a day or 2 early every few months
Run into a situation where some saved money could’ve helped you out
And, that’s the thing. You really need to think ahead. We need to be smarter with our spending when we have tight budgets, not when we’re rich. So, save some money. Who knows? You might need it for medical bills or any other emergency expenses.
Manage Your Debts
Let’s be real here. How many people do you know who don’t have any debts at all? It’s estimated that an average American household is about $155,622 in debt. The main causes of debt are auto loans, mortgages and student loans. And you need to remember that debts don’t just disappear just because you lost your job. However, banks are smart. Banks are willing to be very flexible to make sure they get their money back.
Here’s an important tip if you lose your job and you have debts: Call up your bank and start a conversation about paying back your debt through a new arrangement. Banks are willing to give more time, or ask for smaller installments, as long you can pay it off. It’s better for them than not getting any money back at all, isn’t it?
Pieces Of Advice That Are Obvious But We’re Here To Remind You
On unemployment checks, your budget will be tight. That means you need to spend your money on stuff that you’ll need. First thing that should go are intoxicants, like alcohol. Alcohol will not only drain your wallet, but also your mental health. Alcohol is a depressant, and that’s the last thing you need after losing your job. Same goes for any other intoxicants.
Second, let go of luxury. You don’t need to shop your groceries from anywhere fancy. You’ll have to live with generic budget brands, and that’s okay. You also don’t need to buy clothes, unless necessary. Same goes for electronics. If you’re thinking of getting a new iPhone while you’re unemployment checks, you should reconsider your priorities.
Conclusion
Losing our jobs, especially if it’s not our fault, is just horrible. Adding to that the difficulty of finding a new job, things can get pretty stressful. But in that situation, more than any other, you need to keep your head straight and make calculated decisions. You’ll first need to apply for unemployment insurance, and make sure you provide all information necessary. You need to also remember to apply for it every week, and keep a job search log. If you finish all of your unemployment checks before finding a job, you can extend your unemployment benefits. Finally, spend your money wisely if your budget is tighter than usual.
It’s not uncommon to have a bad week, month or even a year, but if you are in a rut that’s affecting your overall wellbeing, it might be a sign you need to make a few life changes. It’s unfortunate when we allow those warning signs to go unnoticed and then years have passed us by. In this article we’ve listed several red-flags you should keep in mind if bitterness, anxiety, or disappointment have taken over your thoughts, making you question everything about your life.
You really don’t know who you are
Do you bounce around from one thing to the next? Do you listen to a certain type of music just because others seem to like it? When you spend your free time, do you partake in fulfilling activities? If you don’t have a definite answer to any of these questions, it’s time to begin a self-discovery quest. It’s important to know who you are as a person. Now’s the time to figure out what music YOU like. You might discover you like different genres to match your different moods. It’s also the perfect opportunity to uncover a new hobby. Pick things that will make you step out of your comfort zone. Take a writing class, improv theater, kayak with friends or learn to paint. Uncovering a hidden talent can be an exhilarating rush. It could give you that passion your life’s been missing.
You feel like a mouse trapped in a maze
Do you cringe when your alarm clock goes off? Do you hate your job so much you feel sick in the morning? Do you not like the people you work with? Do you only live for the weekends? Again, if you don’t have good answers to these questions, you need to figure out why. You must love what you do or at least like it. When you’re unhappy with the five days it takes to get to the weekend, no amount of money is worth being that miserable, No one wants to be a trapped mouse in a maze or a robotic dummy just because they have to bring home a paycheck. If you feel imprisoned, it’s time to make a career change.
You are never happy for others
Do you feel like nothing good comes your way? Are you green with envy when something exciting happens to someone else? Your friends are always asking if you’re feeling all right? When you are not content, it’s hard to be happy for others. Yet, if everything your friends do, annoys you, or if your ugly emotional side is the only face they see; there’s something deeper going one. Time to make yourself a priority and figure out why your “happy self” has gone on vacation without you.
You don’t live in the present
Do you constantly look back and wonder what went wrong? Do you think you’ve already lived the best days of your life? Or do you look so far into the future you ignore the present? If you’re living in the past or the future you are missing out on right NOW. Happy people live in the moment. They are content with their life and look toward the future with hope. lf you constantly feel like something is missing in your life, or you were meant for something bigger than this― listen to your gut. These signs are too important to ignore. Now get ready to set sail, it’s time to find out what grand adventures awaits you. Written by Beverley Miles
The world is a hectic place, and most likely, so is your life. You run from one task to the next without a moment to stop and simply be. Between work, your home life, and friends it is a never ending cycle of errands, meetings, and chores that must be done, but there is a way to find calm and reduce stress while being more productive all at the same time, and that solution is adding a little Zen to your day.
While you may feel you don’t have the time to learn or do one more thing, by being mindful and living in the moment, you will discover that you are spending a great deal of your day on tasks, that if you are honest with yourself, aren’t very important, so how do you put a little Zen in your life? It all starts here:
1. Eliminate unnecessary tasks – Not all tasks are created equally. In fact, some of them are completely unnecessary. Take a moment and write down all the tasks you have planned for the day. Then cross through those that aren’t actually important or necessary. Also, don’t add additional items to this list.
2. Tackle one task at a time – While multitasking might be all the rage, studies do show that no one is actually very good at it. In general, most people perform better and achieve better outcomes by working on one task at a time.
3. Focus on that task – When you schedule time for each of the items on your list, be sure to schedule more time than you feel you will need. This will allow you to take your time and do a better job with the task. You won’t feel rushed which will also reduce your stress levels.
4. Give yourself a break – Be sure to spend at least five minutes each day doing nothing. During this five minutes, try not to think about the other things you need to do or about tomorrow or the next day. Just close your eyes and relax. If your thoughts stray, gently bring them back to the moment.
5. Live in the moment – This is perhaps the most difficult step. It takes practice to live in the moment and focus on the task at hand instead of worrying about the past or the future, but you can do it, and you will discover that you find greater pleasure in what you do. When you can be fully present, whether during a conversation or your child’s event or even cooking dinner, there is more joy in the moment, if you are completely there.
Living Zen in a hectic world can take a little practice, and it may force you to see things a little differently in your life, but it is truly worth it. By doing less each day, you will actually be more productive. You will, over time, find a greater sense of calm, and your stress levels will decrease. Finally, you will be able to enjoy, completely, your free time. The direct impact on the quality of life and your level of happiness these five steps can provide you will surprise you.
SNAP plays a crucial role in aiding individuals and families across America by offering financial assistance for purchasing food. This program not only addresses...
The U.S. government's assistance programs serve as an important safety net for people facing financial challenges. They cover a broad spectrum of needs, including...
