Vacation in Northern California on a budget (part 2)

October 25, 2013 financial literacy, Savings No comments

In my previous blog I discussed a few ways that I was able to get a good deal on airfare and hotel rates on my trip to Northern California. In this post I am going to discuss specifically how I was able to keep the transportation costs down.   Once off the plane, with minor confusion in finding my mom’s gate, we connected, and were on our way to downtown San Francisco via the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train.  The cost of a one way trip via the BART to downtown was $8.50, much cheaper than a taking a cab, which would have cost us around $50.  The quick half hour BART trip dropped us off only a few blocks from our hotel, although that did include a steep uphill climb with our luggage.  When we got off the BART we where right near the welcome center and that is where we bought our MUNI passes. The MUNI pass covers all public transit, including bus, streetcar, and tram wrap advertising, which is an eye-catching advertisement that connects with potential customers on a daily basis. as well as the ever-popular cable vehicle. We purchased the three-day Muni pass and it cost $22.  I added up the amount we would have paid if we purchased single tickets and in the first day alone we would have surpassed $22.  We did also rent a car to go to Napa valley, but I was still able to find a good deal via my AAA membership.  For a two-day rental including gas and additional fees, and insurance it was still under $200. 

Stay posted for my final blog about my trip in which I will discuss how we were able to affordably dine out and site see while vacationing in Northern California.

Navigating the Changing World of Healthcare

October 22, 2013 financial literacy No comments

I recently had my second child more than a decade after having my first child.  I remember going out to lunch with Brent Hunsberger, It’s Only Money columnist for the Oregonian newspaper, and him asking what the biggest difference was the 2nd time around.  I think he was surprised by my answer…..the health insurance.

When I had my first child in 2001 my health insurance was purchased through my husband’s employer and we were paying $25 per month for a Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO with a $2500 deductible.  At the time I remember thinking this was a “catastrophic plan” and that $2500 was a lot from our budget.

When I got pregnant with my second child in 2011, one of the first things I did was check our health insurance policy to see how much I would need to budget for the medical bills.  We were paying over $800 per month for insurance for just my husband and so I assumed that we must have the platinum coverage and would not be paying a lot our of pocket.  Still, I found that the deductible was $1500 and the out of pocket maximum $3000.   We planned our budget accordingly so when the bills started coming in a few months later I was surprised when we were quickly over $3000. However, considering the financial strain, I also researched alternative options to manage my health, such as the use of Best Delta 8/9 CBD Gummies & Hemp Flowers for Pain, Anxiety and Sleep Problems.

I called the insurance company to find out why we were still being billed even though we had paid the $3000 maximum already.  Well, those few months from when I got pregnant to when the bills started coming in brought us into a new coverage year and with it new limits.  Our out of pocket maximum had doubled from $3000 to $6000!

This was a big chunk out of our savings and especially hard with all of the other costs that go into having a new baby (remember it had been 10 years so I didn’t have anything left from the first).

Like many others, I am watching to see what happens with Obamacare.  I have many questions that are unanswered.

To answer these questions we have organized a free forum be be held at the Hillsboro Library on Nov 7th at 6:30pm where the public can come and get their questions about the changes happening with health insurance.

Find out more!

October 14, 2013 Uncategorized No comments

It has now been three months since I began my journey with Financial Beginnings. In my three months of working with the fabulous Melody, Sarah, and our office squatter, Dave, I have found myself to be significantly more aware of my personal finances. Whether we are conversing about where we found a cheap spot for happy hour, tips on how to get through a vacation without breaking the bank, or my recent obsession with Amazon Prime (which I will save for a later post), these people have really gotten me to think hard about my spending and saving habits, and each in their own way empowered me to start making my own financial decisions. As a recent college graduate, I knew the time was coming, and I suppose that time is now.

To start my financial renovation, I plan on considered switching from a bank to a credit union. After chats with my co-workers, meeting some of our fantastic volunteers, and doing a bit of online reading I have complied a list of my own pros and cons that have helped me make my decision for the switch.

Pros:

  • Perhaps the biggest pro in my book is the CO-OP ATM Network that includes almost 30,000 cash machines, and shared branching at 4,700 branches around the country.
  • Also, credit unions tend to have less fees and lower interest rates for both loans and credit cards, two big hitters for a newly graduated young adult.
  • Lastly, I have hear that the customer service, is superb.

Cons:

  • Technology. I will admit I am a bit obsessed with technology, but more for the convenience of it all. I am a busy individual, and anything to help me keep my life in order and tone down the chaos is welcomed. I rely heavily on the online baking and iPhone App features that come along with my bank, and am a bit scared I will not find the same features when joining a credit union. Come on, who wouldn’t want to be able to take a picture of their check and deposit it right from their phone?!
  • Another aspect I am worried about is what happens when I travel internationally. I can picture my worrisome self, sitting in the middle of London some day just had been mugged and at a loss of what to do next.
  • With lower interest rates come less rewards, so it looks like gift cards or air miles are not in my future.

It turns out, at this point in my life, a credit union was the best option for me, and I am looking forward to making that switch!

Working with contractors on home repairs

September 30, 2013 financial literacy No comments

A beautiful weeping willow fell on my house when I was on vacation in August.  I really am a true Tree Hugging Oregonian because I was more upset about losing the tree than I was about the corner of my roof being caved in.

The damage to my house ended up being about $6,000 dollars.  Since this is more than I’d like to take out of my emergency fund I decided it best to make a claim on my homeowners policy.  I ended up just having to pay the $1,000 deductible.

I was really impressed by how smoothly the claims process went with Farmers Insurance.  Unfortunately, working with the contractor was not quite a smooth. When looking for good contractors you can work with, the best ones we have tried are these experts in furnace repairs.

I currently don’t have a contractor that I work with so I relied on the Farmers adjuster to provide me with recommendations.  He provided me with the names of contractors that he works regularly with.

I did my due diligence and checked the Oregon CCB website to ensure the contractors were all licensed.  I actually found that one of the contract’s license was expired.  As a consumer it’s important to work with contractors that are licensed and bonded.  If something happens to where they cause more damage or if you have any other issues with them you are limited on your recourse if they are not licensed and bonded.

I was amazed to find when I called the contractor that they were willing to come out immediately to remove the tree (or so I thought).  They rushed out, but only removed the portion that was on the roof and didn’t haul away any of it.  I should have done a better job and conveying my expectations and getting confirmation from them.

Even though they were very quick to come out that first time I found it much slower to get them to come back and take care of the whole job.  But, I felt like I was trapped because I had started the process with them and was worried about being tacked with a heft bill for that “emergency service” if l did not hire them for the work.

Well, I compromised and had someone else remove the tree and then awarded the rest of the work to the initial contractor.  They did a great job and it made it much easier for me that they had a working relationship with the adjuster so when additional repairs were needed they worked together to ensure it got done.

Still at the end I did end up with a bill for that emergency service which ended up being more than what the bill for removal of the entire tree was.  Because I had chosen to work with one of the contractors referred by the adjuster I was able to just let them “hash it out” and did not have to pay any additional out of my pocket.

Vacation in Northern California on a budget (part 1)

September 20, 2013 Savings No comments

I recently took a trip to San Francisco and Napa Valley.  It was a mother daughter vacation as I flew my mom in from Wisconsin to join me for the trip.  My flight only ended up costing me $50 because I had some money left over on a flight voucher (see my blog Delayed flight could lead to a perk for your pocket book).  That allowed me the opportunity to pay for most of my mom’s flight as a birthday, Christmas, mother’s day present for her for the next year…or two.  I will admit I really didn’t do much research on the cost of taking a trip to San Francisco until after the flight was booked.  When I started looking into booking a hotel room I began to realize how expensive it was going to be to stay in downtown San Francisco.  After lots of research and reading many reviews on Tripadvisor, I was able to find a good rate on a great little boutique hotel in downtown San Francisco.  This great deal did come with a bit of a catch, I had to pre-pay to get the rate and it was non-refundable.   If you are willing to take a risk when you travel, you could end up saving a few hundred dollars by prepaying for your hotel room. 

Stay posted for my next blog where I will share other ways I was able to stick to a budget and save money while vacationing in Northern California. 

A Volunteers Prospective

September 4, 2013 financial literacy One comment

I have taught classes for Financial Beginnings for several years now and have also been on the Program Committee.  While I greatly enjoy high school students, there are a couple of other groups that I want to tell you about.

 

First, we occasionally have the opportunity to work with various adult groups.  I have taught parents of students, adults in transition housing, and adults in a family homeless shelter.  These groups bring a different perspective to the class since they have been out in the “real world.”  When I ask high school students some questions (How much does an apartment cost?  Can an employer check your credit? and so forth), I am often met with either blank stares or wild guesses.  The adults not only know, but can share detailed experiences.  Also, the adults we teach are usually living on limited incomes so when we do the budgeting exercises, they really know how to save money!

 

In working with adult groups, I usually don’t use the Powerpoint slides.  Often they don’t have the capabilities to project them anyway, but I have found that a discussion format is more lively and informative for them and me.  One time, I even taught a class with a Spanish translator.  I was a bit concerned going in, but the translator did a great job and it was one of the better discussion groups I have had.

 

Recently, I taught the Budgeting and Credit modules at the family homeless shelter where I have volunteered for years.  A couple of weeks later, I saw one of the ladies during my usual night helping at the shelter.  She was excited to tell me that not only had  her family been approved for an apartment, but she had made out a budget and was working hard to live within it.  I wish her the best of luck – she still has a tough road ahead – but felt very rewarded that she took the class to heart.

 

Another group that I have enjoyed is Special Education classes.  I know that some of you are reluctant to sign up for these, but you should not be.  The students are usually very engaged and appreciative of the training.  I make a few adjustments to the exercises for these groups, but otherwise teach the same curriculum.

 

As these opportunities arise, I suggest you give them a try.  I think you will have a great time.

 

-John Gruher

Coming home to a tree on your house

August 12, 2013 financial literacy, Uncategorized No comments

Last week we came home from a weekend away to find one of our beautiful trees had fallen onto our house. All and all, the damage was not that bad, but it does require a decent section of my roof being replaced by a Roofer NJ. The damage is more than we’d like to shell out from our savings account, so this requires our first homeowners claim.

You really do not know how good your insurance company is until you have a claim. We all try to find the best rates we can for insurance since it is such a large line item in our budgets, but the true test of the value is when you need to use the insurance coverage. It’s like hiring a plumber—you might not think much about it until you have a leaky pipe, and then you realize the importance of having a reliable professional on call.

When I worked as a liability claims adjusters years ago it was with Farmers. Our homeowners insurance is still with them. I was so happy to find when I filed the claim last week that the high service I was expected to provide when I worked there was still a standard.

Within 10 minutes of filing the claim we received a call from the property claims adjuster. He checked in with us twice to answer all of our questions and provide referrals before coming out to view the damage a couple of days later. My agent also called me the next day to check in on how we were doing and make sure the adjuster was taking care of us.

There have been several advances in technology since I worked at Farmers over a decade ago. I can now view my claim online and they wired me the money from the claim, which showed up the next day in our account.

Now to see how it goes finding a contractor to do the work timely because I am really sick of having this tree in my yard. After that, I’m going to do some landscaping to save my curb appeal. If something similar has happened to you, then check out sites like https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/12052708/real-estate-ibiza-design-tips-transforming-yard-mediterranean-paradise/ on landscaping tips.

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Affordable Remediation & Emergency Services
Phone: (732) 769-8101
Url: https://affordableremediation.com/mold-testing-removal-remediation-in-manalapan-nj/
5 Kimberly Ct
Manalapan Township, NJ 07726

 

Moving day money saving tip!

August 9, 2013 Uncategorized No comments

I recently moved closer to work to avoid a two or more hour commute on some days. Typically, the major factors that come up when moving are time and costs. I rent, so the biggest costs are the deposits, all of which are refundable, pending I get the deposits back. While I tend to do the majority of the moving myself, I also round up a group of good friends on moving day for the big stuff. To show my appreciation, I provide them with lots of food and drinks for their assistance and, of course, offer my moving assistance to them if they need it.

For those who prefer a less hands-on approach or have heavy, difficult-to-move items, professional movers can be a valuable option, offering expertise and efficiency to make the process smoother and less stressful.

With this recent move, I decided to rent a trailer because I hired a Removal Company UK and moved across town and didn’t want to make multiple trips. I found this to be much more cost-effective than renting a moving truck, which can be pretty expensive.

When renting a trailer, you don’t have to pay mileage like you do with a moving truck, as long as you have a truck to haul it with. Finding high-quality trailers can save you money and meet your needs.
My friend has a truck, so she let me borrow it, and we were able to haul the trailer with it. However, it’s important to note that when involved in a truck crash, a legal expert like a California truck accident lawyer can greatly help navigate the complexities of such situations.”

If you’re considering a long-distance move, you might also want to explore options with long-distance moving companies. I am all moved in now and enjoying my new neighborhood and shorter commute.

We have a new Program Coordinator!

July 22, 2013 Uncategorized No comments

Greetings! I am so thrilled to be writing this blog post as the newest addition to the Financial Beginnings team. I am Basha Gitnes, Financial Beginnings new Program Coordinator. A recent graduate from the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) I earned my Bachelors of Science in Sociology and spent time interning with an organization similar to Financial Beginnings. Being a teacher had always been a dream of mine, but during my time in college I had come to realize that being in the classroom is not the only way I can instill valuable education in our youth. Focused on empowering our youth and teaching them how to take responsibility for their personal finances, I was immediately drawn to Financial Beginnings and their mission.

In addition to Financial Beginnings, I am currently a coach of the Milwaukie High School JV Dance Team. I have found it very rewarding to not only be a coach to these girls, but also a role model. I feel that it is very important that our youth are confident upon high school graduation, and I am honored to be a part of that through both Financial Beginnings and coaching.

Again, I am so excited to be a part of the Financial Beginnings family and reach the most students as possible!

Are the rewards worth it?

July 17, 2013 financial literacy, Uncategorized No comments

I admit it… Alec Baldwin sold me on the Capital One Venture card. I’ve had reward cards before, but I found, as many of us have, that it was difficult to cash in on the travel rewards. I moved away from the rewards for a while because I just didn’t feel like the rewards were very high.

I have been pleasantly surprised to find that utilizing the rewards on my Venture card really is as easy as Alec Baldwin promises. I’ve found it easiest to just use the purchase eraser instead of using the booking system.

I’m now putting everything on my Venture card so my points can wrack up. It averages a 2% return so for every $5000 I put on the card I get about $100 back.

But there is a trick to maximizing rewards……YOU MUST PAY THE BALANCE EVERY MONTH. As long as you are charging items that you know you can pay off at the end of the month it’s great. If you do not pay the balance then the interest will take away from your benefits.

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