Jer Blog

Simple life changes can sometimes have complex consequences, particularly when it comes to long-term financial security for our families.

For example, the circumstances that create the need for financial protection-marriage, a new home, increased expenses or the birth of a new baby-can change at any time. A change in any one part of life can put a person’s or family’s lifestyle at risk.

Life insurance is a useful tool for protecting against such a risk. Traditionally, the purpose of the insurance is to provide a degree of financial security. As changes occur in a family’s income, assets and size, the amount of financial protection to keep it secure can change too.

Here are some questions to consider when reviewing your insurance coverage:

• How long ago did you buy your life insurance?
• Were your family circumstances different then?
• Have you had a new baby since buying coverage?

Gift baskets are a hot commodity with predictions of over 4 billion dollars in annual sales last year. Gift baskets are hard to beat as they can be tailored to just about any event, holiday or occasion. Whether you just got a promotion, had a baby, went to the hospital, retired, graduated from college or even bought a new home, a gift basket can be the perfect gift.

There are more and more sites offering premade gift baskets for sale, and even more starting to spring up that offer customised gift giving. Heck, you can even make your own gift baskets, tailored to the event or occasion or person. I have a few ideas outlined below:

Wine Gift Basket: Fill a wicker basket or picnic basket with cheese wedges, gourmet crackers, a cheese slicer, small cheese board, a bottle of wine, corkscrew, book or magazine about wine, or a gift certificate to local liquor store. It’s a nice idea to line the basket with a tea towel or cloth napkin with a wine theme.

Everybody has one these days…

I can remember being one of the few people in my area with a cellphone. It has been 20 years now since I got my first cellphone. 20 years? Yeah, I know. Most people never thought they existed back then. Actually they have been around a lot longer, but were mostly used for government and military purposes. It has been around 20 years since they became mainstream…

I can remember my first phone. It was huge! A good ole’ Tandy from Radioshack, and I still have it. No, I don’t use it anymore, but I am keeping it for sentimental reasons, and because maybe one day it will be worth something…

At any rate, times have definately changed, and cellphones have definately evolved…and so have the bills. This day and age, there are countless taxes and hidden fees that go along with having a phone.

Have you ever wondered where all the different symbols used on Valentine’s day came from? After some research, we have figured a few out.

The heart is one of the most popular symbols associated with the holiday. Although it is not exactly clear when it became the symbol, some scholars speculate that the heart, which today signifies romance or love, came from early attempts of people to draw an organ they have never seen.

Red roses, were said to be the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love. Also, red is a color that signifies strong feelings.

Cupid, is also another Roman import, as he was the Roman God of Love. At one time Cupid was a muscled, full grown man,  sporting a bow and invisible arrows that he would shoot people with to make them fall in love. Over the years he devolved into a child-like symbol, to make him more ‘user friendly’ for men and woman alike.