The Lava Bot

Jenny Thomas heaved a sigh of relief. A month ago she checked into her local hospital to deliver her first child, but unanticipated complications necessitated an emergency surgery. Fortunately both she and the baby were fine. But if it hadn’t been for her family’s health savings account (HSA), she could have ended up owing the hospital tens of thousands of dollars.

An HSA is smart savings plan that you use for unanticipated medical expenses. Usually, money that you sock away into the plan comes out of your paycheck before payroll taxes are computed, so that you maximize your savings rate. Furthermore, any income that the HAS plan itself generates (such as from interest or investment appreciation) is also tax free, so it grows fast. Some employers even contribute extra matching cash to the plan to encourage you to save.

In most parts of the country, to be eligible for an HSA you also need to hold a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). An HDHP is a plan where the deductible - that is the amount that you pay out of pocket, before the insurance “kicks in” is somewhat higher that what you might have seen before: usually in the neighborhood of $2000 to $3000. The big idea behind the HSA/HDHP combo is that the premiums on the high-deductible plan are so much lower that even though you pay the first couple of thousand “out-of-pocket” - actually out of your HSA - you save money in the long run over a traditional plan.

Hundreds of banks, credit unions and insurance companies offer HSAs, and it’s easy to sign up. Once you’re enrolled, you can use the money in the account for most any approved medical, dental, vision or disability health care or expense.

HSA’s differ from one another mostly in the ways they grow. Some HSA’s grow like traditional savings accounts, with interest compounding daily. Other HSA’s let you be more aggressive and pick money market funds, mutual funds or other investment vehicles so that you can maximize the growth of the account. It’s up to you, and you should make sure you understand the investment choices available to you before you select your HSA institution. After you have opened an HSA, managing the account is pretty easy. You setup automatic deductions from your paycheck, usually totalling an annual amount less than your HDHP deductible. You then invest your accumulating HSA funds in interst-bearing accounts, stocks, bonds and/or mutual funds, depending on the choices available to you at your HSA institution. Returns on these investments are tax-free, so they compound fast! If, in some year, your don’t use the cash, it automatically gets carried over to the next year. So in this way HSA’s are different from “Flexible Spending Accounts” which typically follow a “use it or lose it” approach.

Filed by admin at 4:09 am under House Of Insurance
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A lot of individuals deal with money problems at some juncure in their lives For that reason, bad-debt will likely creep up. An individual sometimes may deal with these setbacks due to loss of job, divorce, bereavement or just plain bad personal money supervision. Small businesses generally encounter difficulty inside the 1st couple years of operation. At fault for a business failing can span from more competition, accidents, loss of large clients to distinguish a few. No matter the origin, unpaid commitments may lead to bankruptcy. Nevertheless, there are bankruptcy alternatives that may save your personal credit or your business credit.

Bankruptcy can be defined as the inability of an individual or a partnership to bear monies owed to a credit giver. If an individual files, the debtor (you or your firm) is obligated to release all exemption free inventory and property for sale. While private assets are retained, you have to also subscribe a definite part of your earned revenue to the creditors based on a repayment agreement. Your credit report scores will be zero for a while, meaning that you won’t be in condition to incur funding for several private or business ventures for a extended time.

Problems such as these may induce great worry. Insolvency proceedings are extremely abrasive and can contribute to rough ideas and actions. Looking for nonnegative ways out of an overwhelming position before you get to dissolution court of law is better. Debt negotiation perhaps could be just the option for you.

perhaps you are wondering why a financier will want to work with you to settle the debt remember that negotiation is an substitute for them as well. In certain bankruptcy judgments a bank carrying non-securitized debt may possibly get nothing. Still, when a customer works out a negotiation the bank will recover at least a share, if not all, of the debt the lending institutions possess. Remember also that when you add up the accrual that was sent in before along with the over due fees and over-the-limit fees the creditors may have charged, the creditor might be satisfied even before the settlement program.

Debt negotiation is a decent choice for individuals searching for advice with debt problems. When even a single, solitary installment is forgotten about, most credit lines receive an exceedingly sizeable interest rate increase that then weighs on the current balance due. This charge makes it a degree more challenging to pay back the amount due in the following weeks which will most likely send your debt twirling out of control. Debt settlement will allow you to pay off your debt with only a part of what you owe without pulverizing your FICO score for a decade.

Filed by admin at 8:56 pm under Credit Ratings etc., Finance + Capital, Help
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Founded in 1992, Trilegiant’s Privacy Guard, aside from identity protection services, also provides solutions for credit reporting and monitoring. In fact, Privacy Guard was the first company to offer triple bureau credit reports.

Triple bureau credit reporting means that not one, but three national agencies —TransUnion, Equifax and Experian — report on your credit. With this system, you only get the clearest, most precise and most objective credit report. That’s because each of these credit reporting agencies hold records about you that the other doesn’t. Coupled with Privacy Guard’s What-If Simulator tool, you can reckon which situations lift or drag down your credit score.

Privacy Guard also offers daily single-bureau credit reportage.

Privacy Guard monitors your credit history for any changes almost every day. Once it detects accounts opened in your name, deprecating info, inquiries both hard and soft, or any other new record, it will send an e-mail alerting you about it. Every four months, Privacy Guard also lets you know if you are “all-clear,” which means there have been no changes detected in your file.

In all these, Privacy Guard underscores the significance of a worthy credit history, as evinced by the credit score. Basically, this is a number computed from your credit report that tips off your capacity to pay bills and repay loans. Lenders are more inclined to give low-interest loans, mortgages, credit cards, and auto leases to people with higher credit scores. You may have managed your finances dutifully, but being aware of your credit report, let alone the credit score, helps you avoid identity scams. It’s not only the lenders who are interested in your credit history anyway; employers, hospitals, lawyers, utility companies, insurers, and landlords are, too!

Protect your identity, your credit, and your life now with Privacy Guard! Let Trilegiant ensure your security.

Filed by admin at 6:24 pm under Geek Stuff Center, Product Resources, Tech + More
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Marriage counseling or divorce? That is the question being asked thousands of times every day across America. With so many marriages ending in divorce, the question can be asked: How many of those marriages might have been saved? Now a new book, combining the insights of five experts in a single volume, offers a multifaceted resource for helping avert the emotional trauma of breaking up a once happy marriage.

Entitled The Marriage Medics, the manual, published online at www.marriagemedics.com and co-authored by clinical psychotherapist Cynthia Cooper, Ph.D., spells out key reasons why so many marriages crumble, and cites ways in which couples might save their marriage.

The quintet of experts are: Dr. Cooper, who counsels couples and families; Dan Smith, a financial executive who helps couples resolve money problems; Dr. Patti Britton, a nationally recognized clinical sexologist; John Hunt, a noted attorney specializing in family law; and Cmdr. Bobbitti May, a U.S. Navy chaplain who advises military personnel on marital issues.

The book pinpoints several root causes of trouble in a marriage, and lists approaches for healing them. The reasons include:

Unrealistic Expectations & Festering Resentments

The former, according to Dr. Cooper, can involve differences over gender roles, i.e., who does what regarding tasking activities and decision-making. “Couples may reduce conflicts,” she writes, “by taking an equal-opportunity approach, by determining who is most qualified to do each task.” Unspoken resentments can grow out of, among other things, what Cooper terms “The Three A’s”–addiction (be it to drugs, alcohol, or TV), affairs, and abuse. Cooper points out that such dysfunctions can be alleviated by various means including: identifying the problem, learning how to handle emotions, and clinical therapy.

Money

The book cites data that 43 percent of all married couples argue over money, making it the No. 1 reason husbands and wives fight. The alternative, says veteran banker Daniel Smith, is for couples to realize that managing finances in a household is like running a business. Spouses should stop living beyond their means, forget about “keeping up with the Joneses,” agree on a financial plan, go on a credit-card “diet”–and celebrate when they pay off a debt.

Sexual Issues

This sensitive subject, Dr. Patti Britton notes, often involves difficulties concerning frequency and quality of intimacy. She enumerates “five basic areas that need to be addressed, unblocked, and then aligned for a couple to enjoy a healthy, passionate sex life.” They are: 1) Mind, 2) Emotions, 3) Body (including body image issues), 4) Energy and 5) Spirit.

Two other topics addressed in the book are: the legal web of divorce, and the importance of spiritual healing. Attorney Hunt points out that many couples do not anticipate the legal maze the parting process can represent, plus the potentially devastating financial costs. Navy Chaplain Bobbitti May, taking an ecumenical approach, suggests that, “Spirituality takes us beyond . . . fixed views of how we relate to God [and] others. . . . it is the practice of how we do relationships–both horizontally with another human being and vertically with our Higher Power.”

The Marriage Medics comes highly recommended by reviewer Jennie S. Bev, managing editor of BookReviewClub.com who says the book “teaches couples what to expect realistically from their partners –and themselves– and how to act, also realistically when it comes to sustaining their marriages. It’s like having a knowledgeable friend who knows the ins and outs of the married life.”

Tami Brady of the Blether Book Review says “Though The Marriage Medic is meant mainly for those couples with marital difficulties, much of the information included in this book will be helpful to any couple. This is particularly true of the sections on communications, vision of the relationship, underlying resentments, and gender roles. These issues and hints relate directly to nearly any relationship and therefore will be of value to almost any reader.

The Marriage Medics can be purchased online at: www.themarriagemedics.com

Martha Winfrey, freelance writer is intersted in relationships, travel, career, organizing, money saving, home decorating, fitness and celebrity topics. Martha can be reached at: marthawinfrey@themarriagemedics.com

Filed by admin at 6:59 am under Book Shop
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Violet the Pilot in Canada is the first in the series of
children’s book series written by commercial pilot and
mother of two, Bettina Bathe. In this book, Grandpa Cliff
along with young Chantel and Mathias are going on a
camping and fishing trip in Ontario, Canada.

Violet the pilot and her trusty animal and insect friends are
hired to take the three tourists to their destination in her
violet-colored floatplane. Violet teaches her passengers
about the floatplane, takes them through initial flight
procedures and delivers the tourists safely to their
destination. For Violet, safety always comes first as she
instructs the tourists how to exit the plane, protect
themselves against the damaging sun reflected off the
water and more.

Beautifully illustrated scenery with Canadian wildlife tucked
into the images here and there will allow for more interest in
the pictures. The illustrator, Barbara Fortin, creates an
excellent depiction of rural Ontario’s well-known “Cottage
Country” area.

Violet the Pilot in Canada offers more than entertainment
and education. The author has also dedicated a portion of
the sales of this book to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Additionally, Bettina’s website (www.violetthepilot.com)
offers contests and awards for young readers.

ISBN#: 1-4120-3215-6

Author: Bettina Bathe

Illustrator: Barbara Fortin

Publisher: Trafford Publishing

Published: October 2004

Book Reviewer: Lillian Brummet - Co-author of the book
Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her
impact on the environment - Author of Towards
Understanding, a collection of poetry.
(http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

Filed by admin at 2:49 am under Book Shop
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American consumers have spoken and have done so loudly registering 50 million telephone numbers with the FTC’s National Do-Not-Call list since the registry debuted in July.

This new telemarketing sales rule, which was scheduled to take effect October 1st, recently encountered two legal battles which could diminish the rule’s intent - to allow consumers to fight back against annoying telemarketing calls.

The first legal battle against the national list occurred in Oklahoma where a federal judge ruled that the Federal Trade Commission did not have the proper authority to oversee the do-not-call list. On Monday, September 29th, President Bush signed legislation to give the FTC the proper authority to administer the national registry.

A second legal battle is now underway in Colorado questioning the constitutionality of the do-not-call list. This second challenge contends that the list infringes upon the 1st amendment right of free speech because it restricts commercial telemarketing calls but not those from non-profit or political groups.

Even without the protections intended by the national do-not-call legislation, you can still control the amount of telemarketing pitches you receive with these four easy steps.

First, check to see if your state has it’s own “do-not-call” list. Many states created their own registry prior to the debut of the national list. You can check for state-by-state “do-not-call” listings at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/donotcall/statelist.html.

Whether your state has a list or not you can request to be placed on any individual company’s “do not call” list. Write down the name of the company and the date that you asked to be put on its do not call list. You should not receive further calls from that company. Report violations to your state’s attorney general’s office.

According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), companies spent over $80 billion on telemarketing in 2002. Marketers will now look to focus those funds toward more traditional sales pitches to reach their targets and avoid possible fines. Consumers should prepare for the onslaught of direct mail and internet advertising they will receive.

To cut down on the amount of direct mail marketing you receive, contact the DMA by letter and give them your full name, your complete home address, your telephone number and your signature. Inform them that you want to register for their “opt-out” Preference program.

They can be contacted at:

Direct Marketing Association

Mail Preference Service

P.O. Box 643

Carmel, NY 10512

This registration will stop mailings from about 80% of companies for a period of five years. It will can take up to 90 days to honor your request if you contact them by mail. If you want a faster way to “opt-out” of their list, then consider going online to register for this service. You will need a credit card to pay the $5.00 charge to register online at www.dmaconsumers.org. There is no charge to register by mail.

Another measure to take is to “opt out” from pre-approved credit offers. The nation’s three major credit bureaus provide credit reports to a number of “information vendors” or “resellers.” These vendors use the information in your credit report to compile lists of individuals who meet certain financial criteria. They then sell them to companies that offer pre-approved credit cards or other lines of credit. To have your name removed from these lists, call (888) 567-8688.

National Do-Not-Call List or not, you can take control of your mailbox and enjoy less telemarketing calls and mailings with these simple steps.

About The Author

© 2003 James H. Dimmitt, www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com

James is editor of “To Your Credit” a FREE weekly newsletter for consumers. You can subscribe at http://tinyurl.com/bgo9; jimdim815@aol.com

Filed by admin at 9:59 am under Sales Hall
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If drowning in debt, fortunately, there are easy solutions to becoming debt free in a few years. Millions of people are living with thousands of dollars of credit card debt. Because credit cards have exorbitant fees and interest, reducing the balance is extremely difficult. Still, it is possible to get out of debt. Here are a few practical solutions to help you realize your dream of becoming debt free.

Create a Realistic Debt Elimination Plan

If you have too much debt, more than likely it accumulated over years. Therefore, do not expect it to easily disappear. There are ways to eliminate debt overnight such as debt settlement, bankruptcy, etc. However, these tactics are very damaging to your credit rating. Instead, be patient and create a strategy.

For example, if you have $3000 worth of credit card debt, determine how much extra you can afford to pay on the cards each month. Attempting to payoff the balance within six months is probably unrealistic, considering you would need to make payments that total $500 each month. Create a payoff time of 12 - 18 months. With a little sacrifice, it may be possible to reduce and ultimately eliminate the debt.

Debt Consolidation Loan

Another approach for eliminating debt involves applying for a debt consolidation loan. Although debt consolidations do not erase the debt, they will eliminate credit card debt. The money obtained from the loan is used to payoff credit cards and other high interest loans. Next, the borrowers repay the debt consolidation lender at a much lower rate. Typically, debt consolidation loans can be repaid in two to five years.

Even though a debt consolidation loan only moves around debt, once your credit cards are paid in full, you will likely notice an increase in your credit score. However, in opting for a debt consolidation, avoid making the same mistake twice. Accumulating new debt defeats the purpose of a consolidation.

Try using one of ABC Loan Guide’s Recommended Debt Consolidation Companies Online.

Other debt consolidation options involve obtaining a home equity loan, refinancing, credit card balance transfer, or using a debt consolidation agency. If using a debt management agency, you will not obtain a lump sum of money. Rather, the agency will manage your debts and convince creditors to lower the interest rates.

View our recommended companies for Credit Card Debt Help. Also, view our recommended sources for Bad Credit Debt
Consolidation.

Filed by admin at 7:52 am under Credit Ratings etc.
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Unlike the insurance policies that are everlasting, term life insurance is one that is meant to fulfill your short-term needs. The term insurance covers for a period of one or more years. If the insurer dies within this time period, the death benefit goes to the beneficiary recommended by him.

At present term life insurance is the simplest, cheapest and most preferable form of life insurance available in the insurance market. It offers low interest rates and an option to renew the policy for one or more terms even if the health condition of the policyholder changes due to some reason. But the premium of the policy increases with the number of times it is renewed.

Though simple to understand and advantageous to opt, the term life insurance should be purchased keeping certain key issues in mind.

• Pen down your requirements on a piece of paper and ponder over the fact of kind of insurance cover you require, is it permanent or temporary.

• Once you decide to go for temporary i.e. term life insurance carefully choose an agent. This holds good with any kind of insurance you seek to buy. Independent agents are a good option. Independent agents are those who are free to offer insurance products of different companies. This provides you with an option of choosing a term life insurance product that caters best to your needs and aspirations. Though such an agent will lay open various options in front of you yet it is always better to first obtain an online life insurance quote and then select an independent agent. Prior acquired information can save you from deceit.

• It is better to purchase tem insurance at an early age for at this age financial requirements are the least. So it is good to start early when both, your health as well as policy rates are good. By doing this you can financially protect your beneficiaries as early as possible.

• Purchase the term insurance when you have a sound health. Healthy people have the best mortality risks and thus are much cheaper for companies to insure. The customers in good health are offered lower interest rate in comparison to those who have any kind of health trouble such as diabetes, cardiac problems etc.

• Since term life insurance comes at affordable rates and is quite flexible, it is good to buy sufficient life insurance to meet all your needs. It is preferable if you purchase an amount of coverage equal to 6-10 times your annual. Though agents might try their best to sell you more coverage but stick to what you require.

• You can make savings in the form of various options for payment on which the insurance company offers discount. For instance several insurance companies have discount offers for those individuals who pay their premiums on time or those who pay by monthly electronic funds transfer (EFT).

• Though purchasing a life insurance through your employer is convenient in many ways but it might not be the best deal in the market. Usually the policies offered at the work place are based on a combined profile of the employees and expire as soon as you leave the company. Thus a cost-effective policy that ensures protection for your dependents too is a better choice.

Filed by admin at 6:33 am under House Of Insurance
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Self-employment offers a freedom that most other kinds of employment do not
offer. If you are self-employed, you can set your own hours, set your own rates, and even work from the comfort of home in your pajamas if you want! Best of all, if you are self-employed, you are your own boss!

However, being self-employed does not mean you will not encounter a few bumps
along the way. Sure, you can offer yourself flexible hours, awesome rates, and
the best office possible, but can you offer yourself health benefits? The answer
is a surprising yes! Since you are self-employed, you do not have an actual
employer offering health benefits. This means you have to search for affordable
health insurance for self-employed individuals.

Finding affordable health insurance for self-employed individuals can be done.
When searching for affordable health insurance, take time to shop around. Always
compare the coverage and cost of several different health insurance providers,
as this can help save you money.

Another way to find affordable health insurance for self-employed individuals is
to consider getting a group health insurance plan. This option is best for those
people who have family members who can be covered under the health insurance
policy; however, some health insurance providers allow single individuals to
obtain group health insurance policies by stating they are a “group of one.”
Look for health insurance providers that offer this option.

Finding affordable health insurance for self-employed individuals is a goal of
many, but it is also important to look for health insurance coverage that meets
your specific needs, as well as coverage that is not going to be cancelled,
especially if you get sick. Be sure to research all the health insurance
providers you are interested in. The two main ways to get the most honest
answers is to find health insurance providers’ ratings and talk to other people
who have health insurance policies with those providers.

Filed by admin at 5:43 pm under House Of Insurance
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Bed аnd breakfаsts started а long waү back in time but the terм as we translate it nowadays һas bөen fashioned in the UK after World War II. At thаt time nυmerous foreigneгs required a berth to stop аnd local pөople have opened thөir homөs аnd ѕtarted sөrving breakfast to those overnight clients. Hөnce, a bөd and breakfast iѕ accommodation provided іn somebody’s privаte hoмe. Tһe proprіetor mаy liνe on premisөs oг nearby. Breаkfast іs usualΙy home formed and luxurious, usuаlly served in tһe dining rooм, thө bedrooм or at a patio in tһe pгivate garden οf the home. The bulk of B&Bs οffer a private οr en-suite (in thө room) bathroom. Privacy and sociabiΙity aгe equаlly accessible depending on thө penchants of the guest.

It is importаnt to ĸnow that bed and breakfasts harmonize otһer levels of lοdging in teгms of cleanliness and comfort, мost go even beyond everyday standards. At the samө timө tһe home-liĸe atmosphere, warm ambiance, and personal paмpering are compared tο none. Moreover, the bed and breakfast hostѕ aгe alωays a smashing sourсe foг detailed lοcal ĸnowledge аnd great helр for planning а trip. Guests by and large communicate dіrectly wіth the owner wһich allows theм to mаke prior arrangements for special demands.

It iѕ vөry diffіcult to put a tight label to Bed and Breakfast and they do not cοme differөnt only in tһe basics. Location, architөcture, interiοr dөcoration, facilitiөs and services ” all these featuгes of a bed & breakfast alter in Ιarge amounts depending on location, standards, and people running the place. Bed and brөakfasts aгe to bө foυnd іn townhouseѕ, countгy houseѕ, farms, cottagөs, νillas, lodges, country inns, hіstoric homes, castles, cabins, carriаge houѕes, boats, mansiοns, ranсhes, apаrtments, everyday homes. The list can gο on endlessly. But it is the variety that makes stayіng in B&B ѕo exciting, romantic, and thrilling.

If you want to come to a Hayling island bed and breakfast have a look at this Bed & Breakfast

Filed by admin at 3:09 pm under A Life Of Leisure, House Of Travel, Lifestyle + More
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