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.

The first thing you need to do is set a date and time to devote for gathering up your items that you want to sell. Then decide if you are going it alone, or having other families or family members involved. Also, make sure you have plenty of loose change and one dollar bills on hand. I would recommend at least 5 dollars in nickels, dime and quarters, and at least 20 dollars in one dollar bills. You may want to have a few fives and tens as well.

Now start cleaning out your closets, storage, areas, basements and attics of things you don’t want or need anymore. Don’t throw anything away, as you just don’t know what people may buy. You heard the saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”!

The rules for when you can be promoted, when your salary can increase, and when you’re eligible for training are all strict and senseless and essentially a waste of your time. Why should you wait for these things when you’re not staying with the company more than a few years anyway?

If your learning curve is flattening because your company can’t promote you to another level, take things into your own hands and go to another company. That is a fast way to give yourself a promotion without having to endure the duress of a corporate structure.

Job-hopping used to be the sign of a disloyal employee, but today we know better. In today’s workplace, frequent job change is a way to stay engaged in your work, and job-hopping among positions you’re good at actually builds your skill set and network much faster than if you stay in one job for a long time.

If you want to minimize the number of phone calls you receive from telemarketers, it is recommended that you register your phone number with the ”Do Not Call Registry”. Doing so can greatly reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive; however, it cannot stop calls from companies with which you do business, charities, political organizations, and telephone surveyors. In addition to reducing the number of telemarketing calls you receive, registering with the “Do Not Call Registry” also provides you with an opportunity to file complaints against telemarketers who break the rules. To learn more, or to register your phone number, visit the “Do Not Call Registry” at: https://www.donotcall.gov/.

It is a proven fact that candidates who enter interviews with little or no knowledge of the open job position rarely, if ever, get a second interview, much less a job offer.

This is most common for jobs that have a higher salary, and applicants are just looking to secure a better paying job without any knowledge of what it even entails.

If you are applying for a job, it is best to do some research on the position before you even apply for it.