Mindless Habits That Are Wasting Your Money

Posted on November 15, 2021February 14, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Experts share the small spending habits that add up. Mindless Habits.

By Caroline Bologna | 11/04/2021 | 06:40pm EDT | Huffpost.com

“How did I spend so much?!” is a fairly common reaction to a monthly credit card bill. It’s usually followed by the realization that some things need to change.

Cutting back on spending might involve big life changes, like moving to a less- expensive neighborhood or skipping out on an annual group vacation. But it can also involve a reexamination of the smaller things that add up, like the spending we do without much consideration.

From monthly subscriptions that should’ve been canceled long ago to that impulse to buy products simply because the deal is so good, there are many mindless spending habits that waste money. Below, personal finance experts share 16 common ones and their tips for breaking them.

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National Gratitude Month

Posted on November 12, 2021February 14, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Use #NationalGratitudeMonth | National Day Calendar

National Gratitude Month in November encourages us to embrace the power of gratitude.

Gratitude is more than simply saying “thank you.” Gratitude’s amazing powers have the ability to shift us from focusing on the negative to appreciating what is positive in our lives. Practicing daily gratitude gives us a deeper connection to ourselves, the world around us, and to our Creator.

Everything in our lives has the ability to improve when we are grateful. Research has shown that gratitude can enhance our moods, decrease stress, and drastically improve our overall level of health and wellbeing. On average, grateful people tend to have fewer stress-related illnesses and experience less depression and lowered blood pressure, they are more physically fit, they are happier, have a higher income, have more satisfying personal and professional relationships, and will be better liked. Grateful kids are even more likely to get A’s in school.

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Favorite Veterans Day Poems

Posted on November 11, 2021November 11, 2021 by Shield Insurance Agency

from the National Endowments of the Arts in honor of Veterans Day

“Battleground” by William Trowbridge

“Those nights I heard shouts from the dark
of my parents’ room, he was back down
in his foxhole, barking orders, taking fire…”

“At the Vietnam War Memorial” by Robert Dana

“…we’ve come to find
your brother’s name, etched
in the long black muster
of sixteen years of war—”

“Thanks” by Yusef Komunyakaa

“…Thanks
for the vague white flower
that pointed to the gleaming metal
reflecting how it is to be broken…”

“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen

“Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs…”

Click here for Veteran Day more poems

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10 Tips to Avoid Food Waste at Home

Posted on November 11, 2021February 14, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

By Fred Decker | December 1, 2020 | eHow.com

Whether you’re looking to reduce your personal carbon footprint or just stretch your budget, cutting down on the amount of food you waste in your home is a big step in the right direction. Most of us waste more than we think (if you weighed and wrote down what you throw out as many restaurants do, you’d be shocked), and learning to reduce food waste is one of the most powerful things you can do as an individual. Here are 10 tips to get you started.

1. First In, First Out

When it comes to minimizing food waste, you can learn a lot from the professionals. Restaurants organize ingredients on a system of “first in, first out” or FIFO, which just means organizing your food so you always use older things before newer things. Restaurants might label and date their ingredients, but you probably don’t need to do that at home (though it helps). Just make sure when you’re putting things away that you leave the old food front and center, and tuck the new stuff in behind. Whether it’s your fridge, freezer or pantry, that usually does the trick.

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12 DIY Board Games So You’re Never Bored

Posted on November 9, 2021February 14, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

By LAUREN THOMANN | Updated on 05/05/20 | TheSpruceCrafts.com

Board games are a great way to keep busy and connect with friends and family members. Don’t have any on hand? You may not have known that you can make your own! These 12 DIY board games below could help save you from boredom if you happen to be stuck in the house. Plus, it’s a reason to break out the crafting supplies!

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Delayed claims reporting: the true cost to businesses and injured workers

Posted on November 8, 2021February 6, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Get the details of our latest deep dive into workers comp with our Claims Reporting Lag Study report.

Business Insurance > Insights > Delayed claims reporting: the true cost to businesses and injured workers

Workplace injuries that go unreported can keep employees on the sidelines — uncertain about treatment and unclear on what to expect under their state’s WC system. When workplace incidents do happen, prompt claim reporting is a key factor to ensuring injured employees receive the necessary care to feel supported in a successful return — and minimizing business impact.

Businesses appreciate the value of speed. Consider these strategies to accelerate your injury reporting:

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4 Simple Steps to Fight Identity Fraud

Posted on November 5, 2021February 14, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

New AARP-sponsored report shows the most common ruses adopted by scammers

by Katherine Skiba, AARP, October 11, 2021

Identity fraud is easy money for criminals, but there are four steps you can take to protect yourself and your money:

Ignore requests for an urgent form of payment, such as using a gift card or making a wire transfer.
Protect your passwords and log-in information.
Do not communicate with strangers about confidential or sensitive financial matters.
Verify everything you’re told to determine if a supposed problem truly requires your attention.

The helpful tips are in a new, AARP-sponsored report by Javelin Strategy & Research, which estimates that identity fraud led to $56 billion in losses in 2020.

The report says older consumers are not more vulnerable to every kind of fraud, but notes that the stakes are high for adults age 50-plus because losses tend to be steeper for people who have accumulated a lifetime of wealth.

The report also:

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DIY Updates Your Home Needs Right Now

Posted on November 4, 2021February 15, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

How to protect your home living space—and make it more organized, functional, and flexible . . . for whatever comes next

By Perry Santanachote, October 07, 2021

With 2020 being what it was and hindsight being 20/20, we’ve learned a lot about new ways of living—with a pandemic, climate change, and working (and working out) at home. We also know a few things we would do differently. But through it all, our appreciation for our homes has never been greater.

Whether you like it or not, you might still find yourself spending more time at home than normal this winter—but this time, you and your home will be ready.

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The do’s and don’ts of driving with a trailer

Posted on November 3, 2021February 15, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

by The Foremost Creative Team

Whether you’re taking a road trip or taking the family camping, driving with a trailer can be a challenge. According to eTrailer.com, when you add a trailer to your vehicle, the overall handling, and rules of driving dramatically change. Using your hitch to tow your favorite travel trailer means you should give yourself more time to slow down and turn corners. It’s important that drivers of all experience use trailer brakes to decrease speed evenly with the added weight that’s being towed. And, because trailers don’t follow the exact path as the vehicle on turns, always remember to safely swing out wider when traveling around bends and corners.

Here are some do’s and don’ts of towing to keep you safe on the road.

Do’s

Gradually reduce speed
Travel at an even, moderate speed
Steady the steering wheel — sudden turns can cause more sway
Be cautious of potholes and large bumps
Use a lower gear over large hills or down gravel roads
Avoid slamming on the brakes — jackknifing could occur

Don’ts

Consistently stay in overdrive and/or in a high gear
Attempt to steer out of trailer sway
Forget to add sway control or a weight distribution system
Be afraid to safely stop and reload trailer in case of engine problems, sway, flat tires, etc.

Foremost wants you to tow and travel safely!

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Are You Ready to Move Your Aging Parent Into Your Home?

Posted on November 2, 2021February 15, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Before assuming the role of full-time family caregiver for an aging parent, pose these key questions

by Bruce Horovitz, AARP, October 19, 2021 | Aging Parent

Are you thinking about caring for an aging parent in your home? The best way to consider all that is involved in this major decision is to pose the right questions to the right people.

We reached out to top home caregiving experts nationwide and asked them to help frame the key questions that need to be asked before the boxes are packed. “Asking these questions ahead of time can help prevent confusion, misunderstandings, miscommunications and make the entire process go more smoothly,” says Amy Goyer, author of Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving, and AARP’s family and caregiving expert.

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