Search results for insurance
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Posted
Sep 26 2007, 08:38 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog Five Cent Nickel. Have you ever heard of "longevity insurance”? In short, longevity insurance is a relatively new form of insurance that provides you with a guaranteed stream of income later in life, typically starting after you turn 85. To get longevity insurance, you have to make a substantial up-front payment 20 or so years earlier. Longevity insurance is really just a repackaged deferred annuity that's targeted for retirement-age individuals concerned about whether they'll outlive their savings. There are differences.
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Posted
Oct 10 2007, 04:14 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
JvW at The Good Life on a Budget takes her turn at recounting " The worst financial mistake I ever made ," and it's a doozy. It nearly spelled disaster for her St. Maarten wedding just days before the blessed event. We won't give away the details, but we will provide a snippet: She plunked down her credit card to buy $7,000 in traveler's checks to cover cash-only wedding expenses, and was told her card had a $1,000 limit. No wonder some companies sell wedding insurance .
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Posted
Oct 11 2007, 09:45 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
The answer is: Yes, if that washing machine is going to save energy and last a long time. Trent at The Simple Dollar explains the difference between frugality and being downright cheap . The frugal person "seeks to maximize the use of every dollar," he writes, while the cheapskate cares only about the bottom line. On the same topic, Silicon Valley Blogger explains how our quest for cheap stuff is costing us in the long run . We buy toys that don't meet safety standards, food that's not good for us, and skimp on essentials like quality home repair and insurance .
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Posted
Oct 12 2007, 03:11 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Health insurance that won't break the bank can be found if you know where to look . Gather Little by Little offers tips for tracking it down and making sure you're picking a good company. A good place to start in online . We heartily concur with his question: How can you afford not to get health insurance ?
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Posted
Oct 16 2007, 08:38 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity . It's always possible to get an influenza vaccination unless the vaccine is in short supply, but it's another matter to find a free flu shot. If you're elderly or in another at-risk group, you stand the best chance of getting a free shot. If you're healthy and can afford spending $20, I recommend you leave the freebies for those less fortunate and pay for your shot. Where can you find a free flu shot? Your employer . Many companies offer flu shots to employees because it makes business sense. Ask your company's medical services department or human resources department if flu shots are provided. If they aren't, recommend that your company investigate the idea. Explain how offering a $20 shot for free is better than having to put up with lost productivity when people take sick days. In my short working life, the two companies I've worked for both offered a flu shot. Since everyone in the company generally gets the shot
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Posted
Oct 23 2007, 10:48 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Credit card balance-protection insurance may sound like a good deal: It will make payments on your credit card bill if you're laid off, disabled, seriously ill or -- dead. But how much does it really pay? Blogger Nora Dunn at Wise Bread examines the fine print and informs us that the insurance will cover the minimum payment each month while interest on your balance continues to grow. You can probably do better on your own. The death benefit will pay your entire balance if a dirt nap is your fate, but term life insurance generally is a better deal.
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Posted
Oct 23 2007, 02:23 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
A woman cries as she gases up a car carrying her anxious family and household belongings. Families are forced to flee, with nowhere to go. These are among the images conveyed by bloggers who remain in the San Diego area, where raging wildfires have destroyed 1,000 homes and forced massive evacuations. "Three of my co-workers have already lost their homes and 300 of them are homeless tonight," Scott Gulbransen reported after he and his family were allowed to return home late Monday. "This roller coaster ride we're on seems to never stop." After watching TV coverage of a fire near his family home, a former resident asked: "Are you ready for an emergency?" He urged everyone to take stock. Do you have food, water and essential documents ready in case you'd have to evacuate? Do you have adequate homeowner's insurance ?
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Posted
Nov 02 2007, 10:10 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Many employers are holding open enrollment in health-insurance plans, so it's time to think about your options as the cost of insurance continues to rise . The Sun's Financial Diary , in two excellent and comprehensive posts, explores switching to a high-deductible plan partnered with a health savings account . If your employer doesn't yet offer this combination, and you're unhappy with the available plans, you can pursue it on your own . Sun notes that an HSA allows you to invest pretax money to build savings for future health care and, eventually, retirement spending, but you must be enrolled in a high-deductible plan to start one. (We'll add that for people who don't have health insurance , the lower premiums of a high-deductible plan might put the cost of health insurance within their reach.)
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Posted
Nov 05 2007, 10:45 AM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Time to admit to being a dunderhead: I've been way overpaying for auto insurance for the past few years. Worse, I discovered that I didn't have coverage I needed (uninsured driver) and was paying for insurance I probably didn't need (collision). All of this cost me $98 a month, or $1,176 a year. Confession is good for the soul, but it's embarrassing when done in print. I'm doing so in hopes of inspiring readers to check their own policies and make a few calls. As incentive, let me point out that my new plan will save me almost $700 a year. Like I said: way overpaying. How much per month? I've had the nagging feeling that I could do better. But life has been so hectic that "get insurance rate quotes" kept getting pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. When an Allstate ad sheet was delivered with the newspaper, I decided it was time to deal. An Allstate agent here in Seattle told me I could combine renter's and auto insurance for a total of $1,056 a year, or about $88 per month for both
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Posted
Nov 23 2007, 03:33 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
It's one-stop shopping at Moolanomy if you're looking for " 22 money-maximizing moves ." Disclaimer: He's not a financial adviser, but he is a thirtysomething guy with a $200,000-plus investment portfolio, and his list of ideas to consider is comprehensive. It includes ways to reduce your 2007 taxes , such as buying business equipment, paying vendors before the end of the year, and increasing your 401(k) and IRA contributions . He also describes several creative approaches to charitable contributions . Did you ever think about donating your old car? It's time to use up your flexible spending account, he reminds us. Why not conduct annual reviews of your insurance coverage and asset allocation ? It's also a good time to use rewards from your credit card.
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