Author Archives: spivey

Most parents agree that a major goal in their life is to see their child attend and graduate from a good college in order to go on to be successful and happy with a great job. However, with how the economy is these days, college tuition for your kids is an extremely scary thought.  And I know what some of you are thinking, my kid is only 2 or 3 so why in the world would I start worrying myself sick about their college which is so many years away? Because starting to save now is the key!

How Much Should You Really Save?

From the day your child is born you will have approximately 18 years to save enough money to pay for their college tuition and other costs associated with them attending such as room and board, books, and such. Historically college costs have inflated at a rate of 5-8% annually, and the average return on investment will be about 7% annually according to historical returns on the S&P 500. While this may sound a bit overwhelming, the best advice is start saving early in order to be successful.

Continue reading for advice and information on how much your child’s college is going to cost you. If you aren’t sitting already, you might want to find a chair!

Fear not anymore, there are some ways that you can save yourself money at the gas pump! If you’re like me, every time your low fuel light comes on, you’re cringing over the amount of money that is about to come out of your pocket. But by using the following money saving tips and advice, you can stretch the miles between fill-ups and make your gas tank as efficient as possible.

Continue reading for advice on ways to battle back against the pump and save you money this summer!

 

The 4th of July is a time for celebration of freedom and liberty! Every year, people all over the country celebrate America by using fireworks. As a known symbol of the 4th of July, fireworks have been used as a means of celebration for decades, ranging from backyard displays to city-sponsored spectacles. While they are a great way to show an appreciation of our freedom as a country, fireworks can be highly dangerous. In order to fully enjoy an event, it is wise to put the safety of all those involved first!

The following graph shows statistically from 2000-2008 how dangerous fireworks were.

 

As July fast approaches, we’re beginning to really feel the heat of summer. Everyone knows what that means….it’s pool time! A backyard swimming pool embraces the joys of summer and provides tons of fun, but it can also cause tragedy in just an instant.

“Each year, roughly 300 children under age 5 drown in swimming pools and spas, and most of those deaths occur at home, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Drowning is the No. 2 leading cause of accidental death for children age 1 to 14 years. For every child who dies from drowning, another four children receive emergency care for submersion injuries, which can cause brain damage, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.” Source: Insure.com

This is why owning a pool or spa can be a major responsibility. Home insurance rates can even increase by owning a pool because of the huge risks associated with them. However, there are ways to protect yourself and your family from tragedy in order to truely enjoy the joys of swimming in your own backyard pool. The following are some helpful hints to keep in mind!

Everytime you rent a car you get asked by the agent, “Do you want to purchase the optional coverages?” The question is should you sacrifice the extra money for the coverage, or should you pass on something that might be totally unnecessary? And are the coverages worth it? These are all valid questions, so read on to learn the basics of rental car coverage so you can be prepared that next time you rent a car!

 

On this day in 1777, during a desperate war for American independence, the delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted the “Stars and Stripes” as the official flag of the newly emerging American nation. According to resolution: “White signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; and Blue, Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.” For the first flag, these colors were organized into 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars in a field of blue.

Since Betsy Ross stitched the first banner, the American flag has continually been an inspiration to each generation. Throughout the years, American patriots have fought and died under the flag in order to secure their freedom and liberty as so boldly proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. Today, our service men and women continue to fight and die under “Old Glory” in defense of Americans’ right to self-government.

What does the American flag mean to you? The following is an inspirational story of how far some people will go to protect the greatest symbol of freedom that our country has!

It’s impossible to live forever, but most of us delay the unavoidable as long as possible. Walter Breuning, a retired railroad worker from Great Falls, Montana succeeded at this better than most by living to be 114 years old. Breuning recently died of natural causes; he beat the average age of time of death in the U.S. (which is just under 78) by 36 years!

Think about it this way, Breuning has a life that spanned the entire 20^th century. Born in 1896, his birth year marked the beginning of the Klondike Gold Rush. A decade later, Breuning saw the launch of the first modern battleship, Britain’s HMS Dreadnought. He bought his first car for a then-considerable sum of $150 in 1919. Still a young man in 1927, he witnessed Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs in a Yankees uniform. Breuning also witnessed both the beginning years of human flight, along with space travel becoming an almost routine practice.

There are several theories about what leads to longevity. Because of the deadliness of lung cancer, one of the best things you can do is simply not smoke. Most exercise gurus assert that physical fitness is the key to a long life. However, the world’s oldest man gave his own advice…

Did you know that heat causes more fatilities per year than floods, tornadoes, lightning, and hurricanes combined? Based on a 10-year average from 1994-2003, heat killed an average of 237 people each year. By contrast, floods killed 84; tornadoes, 58; lightning, 63; and hurricanes, 18. Heat waves can be extremely devastating to the area they hit. For example, the 1995 heat wave that hit the Chicago, IL area killed over 700 people and the disastrous European heat wave of 2003 claimed an estimated 50,000 lives.

But what makes heat so hazardous? When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, or when the body cannot compensate for fluids and salt lost through perspiration, the temperature of the body’s inner core begins to rise and heat-related illness may develop. Heat disorders can range in severity often in relation to health and age, but the one common feature is that the individual has either been overexposed or overexercised for the current thermal condition.

Continue reading to learn how you can beat the heat!

Yesterday marked the first day of what is expected to be a more active than usual hurricane season. Lasting until November 30^th, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrative believes this season will see 12 to 18 named storms with six to 10 becoming hurricanes, and three to six of those major hurricanes.

According to forecasters, there are several factors that may contribute to making this hurricane season an above average one. Currently, we are still in an era of more active storm seasons; water surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean are higher than normal, and a weakening La Nina is make its presence felt by weakening wind shear.

 

With hurricane season expected to be especially bad, there are some steps you should take and ways to prepare in order to be ready if a hurricane hits your area.

 

 

 

With every family summer vacation and trip to the beach, it’s smart to consider your insurance needs ahead of time. Risk is everywhere when traveling, therefore it is best to plan ahead and consider your options before you depart.

But what insurance should you purchase? That depends completely on your plans. For example, if you are renting an RV or car then you’ll need an auto insurance that cover rentals, or you should purchase the temporary insurance from the rental counter. 

When vacationing and staying at a rental house on the beach or elsewhere, then you will need to make sure your homeowner’s insurance is up-to-date, or you could also consider purchasing renter’s insurance for the time you are away from home.

Also, boat insurance is a wise option to look into if you are spending time on the water in a sailboat, canoe, or some other watercraft, as a protection for your family.

These are just a few types of insurance coverage you may need for your next family vacation. To check out more, visit BankRate.com’s slideshow on Picking the Right Insurance for Summer. And to learn more about a variety of North Carolina insurance coverages, visit our website or call one of our helpful agents today at 877-318-5951!