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Of course, because spring is a time for new beginnings, cleaning and organization around the house are very popular this time of year. If you’re ready to tackle that monumental chore, read on for some helpful information. (And if you’re so tidy and organized throughout the year that spring cleaning isn’t a big chore for you, well, keep that to yourself! Unless you want your friends and neighbors to be jealous, that is.) Take it one room at a time. Deciding to clean or organize your entire home can quickly get overwhelming. If you focus on just one area or room, then move to another only when you’re finished, you’ll likely work more efficiently. Follow the six-month rule. Generally, if you haven’t used something in six months (with the exception of seasonal items), it’s a good idea to consider throwing it away or donating it. Don’t forget the kitchen. Just like other rooms, your kitchen likely has things that haven’t been used in some time — and this includes food in the refrigerator or freezer. Give those appliances a thorough cleaning and get rid of anything you won’t be eating. Set yourself up for success. Paper clutter is something we all could probably cut back on pretty easily. Setting up a few recycling bins throughout the house gives you a convenient alternative to just setting that old magazine or paperwork down somewhere and watching the pile grow. Make some money! Of course, the spring cleaning garage sale is a tradition for many homeowners, and can be a great way to bring in some extra income. Talk about a win-win situation — you get rid of stuff you don’t need, and someone pays you for it! Stay safe. When you’re cleaning or maintaining your home, be mindful of the physical risks involved. Lift with your leg muscles, not your back. Avoid prolonged repetitive motions. Use ladders, lawnmowers and other dangerous tools with caution.
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April is tax season, so a lot of people are thinking about their finances these days. But if you’re like most people, you’re probably thinking in the short term: What’s my refund going to be—or how much do I owe? And what is that going to do to my monthly budget? It’s good to be thinking about those things. It’s also important to look at the bigger picture. Financial Literacy Month, which is also in April, gives you the perfect chance to do just that. Surveys have showed that an alarming number of Americans lack even basic financial knowledge; in an era when we collectively have trillions of dollars in consumer debt, and many people live paycheck to paycheck, that can be a recipe for disaster. But it doesn’t have to be that way! This Financial Literacy Month website, created by nonprofit credit-counseling firm Money Management International, features tools and resources to help you understand your finances better and build a bright financial future. In that spirit, we’ve come up with seven tips that can help you become savvier with your money. Some are easy things you can do today. Others might take a little more work. But all are worth the effort! 1. Make your saving automatic. It’s important to have money set aside for emergencies—and to save for retirement. But once your paycheck hits your account, it can be a lot easier to just spend it all. The solution? Schedule automatic transfers to a separate account for your emergency fund, your retirement plan, or both. Start with something like 10%. You might even find that you don’t miss it. 2. Pay your credit cards off every month. If you can’t do this now, pay them down until you can. One popular way is the “snowball” method, which in a nutshell, works like this: Make only the minimum payment on all of your debts—except the smallest one. Put as much money as you can toward that. When the smallest debt is paid off, repeat the process and continue until everything is paid! 3. Check your tax withholding. People love getting big tax refunds, but that really means you’ve loaned the government your money over the course of the year—interest-free. For example, instead of a $2,500 refund in April or May, you could have more than $200 extra in your paycheck every single month. Wouldn’t that be nice? 4. Don’t throw away free money. Who would do that? Well, you—if your employer offers a match on your retirement savings and you don’t contribute enough to get the full amount. Say your company matches the first 3% of salary you contribute to a 401(k); you should save as much as you can, but at the very least, you’d want to save that 3%. 5. Pay less for services. Are you paying more than you should for cable, internet or your mobile service? Maybe not—but you won’t know unless you ask. Often, companies have discounts or special packages available, especially if you’re a loyal customer and you haven’t been on a promotional deal for a while. 6. Consider a credit card that rewards you. This can be a great way to earn points toward free travel or other rewards, just for buying the things you would buy anyway. Don’t spend more than you normally would just to get rewards, though. And remember, if you regularly carry a balance, the rewards probably won’t outweigh the interest you’re paying. (Go back to item #2 in our list.) 7. Track your spending for a while—and then review it. You probably spend money on a lot of little things without realizing how much it adds up. Maybe you get takeout for lunch a couple of times a week or stop for coffee every day on your way to work. Try tracking everything you spend for a month or two. Then, take a look at your habits. You’ll find areas where you can save, likely without even feeling like you’re making a sacrifice. Insurance is an important tool for your financial well-being, too. Even though it’s easy to think of insuring your car or home as protecting your “stuff,” insurance really protects your finances. After all, insurance can’t prevent your car from being hit by another driver—but it can pay for the repairs, so that money doesn’t come from your pocket. Take a little time to think about your finances this month and try one or more of the tips above. As with many things in life, when it comes to money, small steps can have a big impact! In most places in the United States, March 12, 2023, is Daylight Saving, when clocks are moved forward one hour. We here at First Community Financial Group want to remind you it’s also a great time to improve your family’s safety. Be safe in your Texas home Health and safety agencies often use the approach of Daylight-Saving Time to remind people to change the batteries in their smoke alarms. The American Red Cross suggests you test your smoke alarms and talk with your family about your fire escape plan. Whether you live in Texas or elsewhere, practice the plan too – at least twice a year. Daylight Saving is a great time to check your emergency preparedness kit to make sure it’s fully stocked with fresh supplies. Carbon Monoxide a concern too According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400 people die annually in the US from carbon monoxide poisoning. The CDC recommends changing the batteries in your CO detectors when moving your clocks forward this Sunday. The CDC says the most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. See the CDC’s site for more ways to prevent carbon monoxide exposure. We here at First Community Financial Group hope these tips help and that you’ll consider sharing them with the people you care about so they can live safer lives too. If you love the water, few things are better than boating season. Summer just wouldn’t be summer without spending those long, hot days on Lake Livingston, cooling off with a lazy dip in the water, dropping a line in hopes of catching a “big one,” or having an action-packed day of waterskiing and tubing. Boating is not without its share of pre-summer preparation. If you’re not on the ball early, it’s easy to find yourself midway through July still on dry land. At First Community Financial Group, we want to ensure you’re first in line at the boat launch at the first sign of the season change, so here are a few tips for being ahead of the game.
We at First Community Financial Group wish you a fun-filled and safe boating season on all of the beautiful waters of the State of Texas! Call us today to get a boat quote or check your coverage. We'd love to help! his post is not intended to offer dietary, nutrition, or health advice. Instead, I hope it clears up some confusion about what people (including me!) mean when they say “plant-based.” And I cannot stand the word "diet" as it has a negative connotation to most people. I prefer the term "way of eating" or "lifestyle." It truly is that: a lifestyle change! What is WFPB? A whole food plant-based diet has the ability to prevent and even reverse some chronic diseases. Here DFN's GP Resources Advisor Dr. Malcolm Mackay discusses the power of a well-implemented WFPB diet and how to get started. Article first published in Nourish Magazine. "Nothing good removed, nothing bad added" When we talk about plant-based way of eating, we really mean plants only, so no meat, chicken, fish, eggs or dairy products. The whole foods part is not so black and white though and needs a little more explanation. When following a whole food, plant-based diet (WFPB), the food groups included are whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and small quantities of nuts and seeds. Processed food is kept to a minimum and adheres to the adage, ‘nothing good removed, nothing bad added’. A WFPB diet has a strong health ethos – we consider not just whether it’s a whole plant food but also whether it promotes good health. For example, coconut products are avoided because the high saturated fat content is not health promoting. However, unlike other vegan diets, a WFPB diet is defined more by what is included rather than by what is excluded. The key to successfully adopting a WFPB diet is to eat adequate, and even large, portions of ‘complex carbohydrates’ or ‘starches’. You want to get most of your calories from whole grains, legumes and root vegetables, with these making up at least half of your plate. You can load up the rest with salads and vegetables. Following a WFPB diet is easy to sustain for many because of the improvements in well being that people experience. These include:
Your best defense against disease While there are many areas of uncertainty in nutritional science, there is a core of knowledge that is not controversial. Diets that include significant amounts of processed foods and animal products are a leading cause of modern diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Conversely, a healthy plant-based diet can provide improvements and even reverse these and other lifestyle-related diseases. If we consider all the published data on dietary treatment of disease, the known physiological mechanisms behind these diseases, and the experience of clinicians who treat them, they all point towards a plant-based diet that is low in fat and based on whole foods as a solution. Indeed, this is the only diet that has been proven to reverse coronary heart disease. The Adventist Health Study 2 demonstrated a reduction in the risk of chronic disease with each step along the dietary spectrum from omnivore through to vegan. However, it should be noted that this and other studies also find some vegans still suffer from hypertension, diabetes and heart disease – conditions shown to be rare in populations with traditional diets that are mostly plant-based. The difference is that these populations ate minimally processed plant products, whereas a modern vegan diet can have more in common with the standard Western diet in terms of low dietary fiber content plus added fat, sugar and salt. A whole food, plant-based diet has an impact on multiple diseases, whether for prevention, treatment or even reversal of disease. It also has a powerful therapeutic effect: a symphony of nutrients working on a multitude of bodily mechanisms that contribute to good health. This is particularly powerful when compared to a pharmaceutical drug that inhibits a single chemical reaction. The effects of a WFPB diet is as much due to the inclusion of the many biologically active phytonutrients in whole plant foods as it is to the exclusion of harmful components in animal products and processed foods. Phytonutrients enhance normal physiological function, including:
A WFPB diet has a powerful therapeutic effect: a symphony of nutrients working on a multitude of bodily mechanisms that contribute to good health. WFPB dos and don'ts Grains are an important component of a WFPB diet, and gluten free diets are easily accommodated by choosing grains other than wheat, barley and rye. Humans have been eating grains throughout time and research consistently observes better health outcomes for those who consume more whole grains. Intact whole grains such as brown rice, oats, quinoa, are better than flour products for weight loss and reversing insulin resistance. You want to keep any flour products as close to whole meal as possible. Avoid refined grains such as white rice, white pasta, processed gluten-free products and non-whole meal flour. These have had good things removed – dietary fiber, iron and other nutrients, and phytonutrients including antioxidant polyphenols. Fresh fruit is a health supporting whole food, rich in fiber, nutrients and water and low in calories, so great to include. Dried fruit is still a whole food, but a lot more concentrated, so good for extra calories if you need them. While smoothies retain nutrients, they provide less satiety and more rapid sugar absorption, so chewing your food is the healthier option. A WFPB diet may include small amounts of partially processed foods, for example plant milks and tofu (which have had some fiber removed). Sugar, sugary syrups and fruit juices are not whole foods, but if you choose to use them, try to keep this to small amounts. A big adjustment for many who follow a WFPB diet is that all vegetable oils and margarines are excluded, even olive oil. Oils are not whole foods and while there is debate as to whether oil can be part of a healthy diet, the consensus among plant-based nutrition experts is that oils are health-damaging foods. This has a lot to do with its composition. Oil has the maximum calorie content of any food and very few nutrients – zero fiber, zero protein, zero iron, zero calcium and so on. And even if oil were somehow healthy, it would displace a lot of food calories that should have provided fiber, nutrients and phytonutrients. Oils are not your friend if you are struggling to maintain your iron levels without supplements or you need more dietary fiber for better gut function. Further, joint pain and other health problems often only resolve when the last bit of oil is removed from the diet. Rest assured, while it may seem like a big change, it’s easy to prepare food without oil and there are plenty of resources to help you do it. One more thing – plant protein supplements are unnecessary on a WFPB diet and have the same nutrient displacement issue as oil and sugar. Supplementing with isolated and concentrated nutrients is not a good insurance policy because excessive amounts of one nutrient can counteract the action of other nutrients. So, eat peas, not pea protein! (Vitamin B12 supplements are an exception here and are recommended for plant-based diets.) Calorie density is key Understanding calorie density is the key to managing weight whether you need to lose weight, maintain weight or bulk up. You do not need to practice portion control when you eat foods that are high in fiber, low in fat and calories, and naturally satiating. You do not need to practice portion control when you eat foods that are high in fiber, low in fat and calories, and naturally satiating. Minimally processed grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits are satiating, resulting in unintended ‘calorie restriction’, which benefits many aspects of metabolic function. The high carbohydrate foods that have been demonized by low-carb ideology – potatoes, beans, brown rice and other whole grains – are moderately low calorie-density foods, with about half the calorie density of meat. You can healthfully eat large serves of phytonutrient-rich plants on a WFPB diet. Be aware that nuts and seeds are naturally very high in fat and low in water, and consequently have at least five times the calorie density of basic starchy foods. This makes them appealing to eat, but easy to overeat. Eating a lot of nuts and seeds can give you a very high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats. For a healthier ratio include nuts and seeds that are higher in omega-3 such as flax and chia seeds. There is legitimate debate over how much high-fat whole plant foods to include in a healthy WFPB diet. However, it’s the more starch-based, low-fat end of the spectrum that has the runs on the board in terms of disease reversal studies, effective lifestyle programs and clinical experience. Of course, part of the personal empowerment is that it’s up to you how plant-based and whole food you eat, but every step you take towards a WFPB diet will improve your health and wellbeing. WFPB top tips
See article in whole here: What is WFPB? (doctorsfornutrition.org) Read more for yourself here: Beginner’s Guide to a Plant-Based Diet: Food List, Meal Plan, Benefits, and More | Everyday Health Beginner's Guide to a Plant-Based Diet | Forks Over Knives Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet Guide - Center for Nutrition Studies Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet Plan | EatingWell I Tried a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet: Here's What Happened | The Beet Thinking about a DIY home improvement project? Maybe a new kitchen or bathroom makeover? If project excites you, you’re not alone. The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) says do-it-yourselfers complete two-thirds of home improvement projects — and spend less than those who depend solely on contractors. While saving money is satisfying, the sense of accomplishment DIYers feel is even better. But before you pick up a hammer or grab a paintbrush, you’ll need to do some homework. As you draw plans, budget, purchase materials and secure permits, you also need to think about insurance. Talk to your Trusted Choice Independent Insurance Agent® at First Community Financial Group before you start work. Your agent can help you assess the unexpected risks of your project. Here are five common renovation projects that may require additional insurance: Kitchen renovation Maybe you’ve been dreaming of a new kitchen, one with quartz countertops and Wi-Fi-enabled appliances. Kitchen remodels can add convenience and significant value to your home, but there are a few insurance considerations: • Depending on your level of experience, you may need the help of a plumber or electrician. Make sure the contractors you hire are bonded and insured. Do they carry liability insurance? Ask to see their certificate of coverage. • Check with your agent to see if you should increase your homeowners coverage. If your renovation substantially increases the value of your house, you could be underinsured if you haven’t raised your limits. Generally, you need enough insurance to replace 80% of your home’s value. • Will friends be helping you? Ask your agent about adding no-fault coverage or raising your medical expenses coverage. Bathroom makeover You have visions of a soaking tub, new vanities and imported marble tile. Sounds delightful, but keep these points in mind: • You may need a plumber to help you move a water line or drain. Bear in mind that water damage caused by your faulty workmanship won’t be covered by your homeowners policy. On the other hand, if you use a contractor, their business insurance should cover the damage to your home. • Will that expensive marble be sitting in your driveway after it’s delivered? Costly materials have a way of walking away from a job site. Check to see if your policy covers theft or damage to your building materials. Home office You’ve decided to convert a spare bedroom into a home office. It’s an easy renovation, but here are some insurance considerations: • Most homeowners policies only provide limited coverage (up to about $2,500) for office equipment. If you have items that exceed that amount, you’ll need additional coverage. Your agent can recommend some options. • If you’re doing work for your firm at home, make sure you’re covered by the company’s business and workers’ compensation policies. If you’re self-employed, you may need a separate business policy, especially if clients visit your house. Sunroom You’ve always wanted a room off the kitchen to take advantage of the morning sun. Sunrooms can provide enjoyment year-round, but you do need to keep a few things in mind: • Talk to your agent about adding a new room to your homeowners policy. You may be able to get a discount if you install energy-efficient windows or heavy-duty locks on an exterior door. • Is the project insured against severe weather? Theft or vandalism? You may need a builders risk policy. Finished basement You’re planning to create extra living space in the basement for your growing family. You’ve contracted to have a French drain and a sump pump installed to prevent water from leaking in. You’ve also decided to live in a friend’s house while you work on the project. Other Considerations: •If your house is unoccupied during construction, you may need vacant home insurance. • Be sure to get a warranty on the French drain. Flooding isn’t covered by homeowners insurance. However, you can add water backup coverage to your policy to pay for damage if your sump pump fails. • Game room? Home theater? Extra bathroom? You may need to increase the limits on your homeowners policy. n the other hand, upgrading old wiring or installing a security system could lower your premiums. If you’ve got the home renovation bug, maybe it’s time you joined the ranks of millions of satisfied DIYers. Just remember to contact your Trusted Choice agent at First Community Financial Group to get your insurance needs squared away. Then you can hammer to your heart’s content. As the weather begins to cool off, you may be thinking about getting your grill out for a backyard barbecue. However, if you don't follow the proper safety protocols, it can be dangerous. Keep these safety tips in mind before firing up your grill!
Grilling Safety Tips - YouTube Learn Some Grilling Safety Tips from NFPA - YouTube Do you remember when you were young and had to check under your bed for monsters before you could go to sleep? I sure do! Because of my hyperactive imagination and the poor decision to watch one too many cheesy 80's horror movies, I was absolutely terrified of monsters when I was a kid. Every night I would thoroughly inspect all of the best hiding places in my room before I reluctantly switched off the light and frantically dashed for my bed, fully expecting to be ambushed by a mob of gremlins as soon as everything was dark. I certainly didn't want any mischievous little critters to snack on one of my exposed limbs as I slept, so I wrapped myself in a cocoon of blankets as an extra precaution. The slightest noise would make my heart race with fear and my mind travel to nightmarish situations. Peace of mind wouldn't arrive until I had finally drifted off to sleep. Now that I am an adult who is fairly confident that there are no monsters under my bed, I have a more important question to ask: What's lurking below your mobile home? The answer probably isn't monsters, but here are three things that you may find: Animals Mice, raccoons, squirrels, skunks, insects and other critters may invade the space below your mobile home and cause messes, loud noises, bothersome odors and other damages. Keeping your trash and recycle bins tightly closed and making a point to keep the underside of your home clean of trash and debris are good strategies for keeping otherwise curious animals away. It also helps to keep bird feeders a good distance from your home, as they attract pesky squirrels and raccoons. According to SFGate, sprinkling chili or habanero flakes in the dirt around your home is an effective way to repel many animals. But if you do end up finding an animal under your home, don't try to remove it yourself. Instead, call your local animal control service−they can help you find a safe solution. Water If there is an abundance of clay in the soil around your home or if your yard is not graded well, any water that collects under your home may not be able to drain properly. Rainfall and even plumbing leaks can lead to excess moisture, and if you don't act quickly to fix this problem, your home could become musty and moldy. My Mobile Home Makeover suggests addressing the issue of pooling rain water by stapling plastic sheeting to the bottom frames of skirting so that any water that collects will be absorbed beneath the plastic and will not damage the bottom of your home. You can also install gutters to prevent rain water from pooling underneath or around your home. Holes It never hurts to thoroughly inspect the bottom of your mobile home for holes. Gaps, tears and open spaces enable animals to sneak in and make your home their own. Holes could also expose water pipes and wires, which could easily be damaged by outside elements. If you find holes in the polyethylene belly wrap below your home, SFGate suggests stuffing fiberglass insulation into the space before patching it. Additionally, cleaning the area around the hole will make the patch stick more effectively. Lastly, if you plan to file a claim with your insurance company, be sure to take photos of the holes and other damages and keep careful records of your receipts and invoices related to any mobile home underbelly repairing projects. Routinely checking under your mobile home for animals, water and holes will help you stay aware of potentially monstrous damages that require your attention. Content Provided by: Foremost Insurance Group When your car brakes, then you are initializing a complex system of mechanical components that will work together to bring your vehicle to a stop. The average car weighs about 3 to 5 tons, and the fact that your brakes help stop this heavy machine within a few meters, countless times per year, is a testament to their reliability. You need your brakes to always be there for you at a moment’s notice.
However, everything mechanical will have problems from time to time. Periodically, you will need to have your brakes serviced, repaired or replaced. Consider six of the warning signs that will usually indicate that it’s time for a brake check: You Hear a High-Pitched Squeal Brake pads contain a metal component known as an indicator. Over time, the pads will wear down and expose the indicator. At this time, the exposed indicator will rub against your rotator, causing a loud, high-pitched and unmistakable squealing sound. This is a clear indicator that you need to change your brake pads. The Brake Warning Light Turns On Your brake warning light is designed to turn on when problems within the braking system are detected. Sometimes, the light will come on and turn off sporadically, which can make drivers feel tempted to ignore the signal. However, even one light-up of the brake light is an indicator that you need to make an appointment with the mechanic. The Brake Pedal Goes to the Floor Sometimes, you might be depressing your brake pedal only to feel the pressure give way and the pedal goes to the floor. This could mean that you have a bad master cylinder. You need the master cylinder to work appropriately to have appropriate brake pressure. Your Brakes Pulsate Brake rotors sometimes become warped or corroded, which can lead to you feeling a pulsating vibration when you try to stop the car. You might need to replace the brake rotors or to have them turned. Turning involves smoothing the rotor by shaving metal off. Your Brake Fluid Looks Milky At times, condensation in the line can make your brake fluid have a milky color. At this time, you should change the fluid because letting it stagnate could do damage to the master cylinder and wheel cylinders. Your owner’s manual will include directions to help you locate the fluid container under your hood. Your Brake Lines Are Rusty Rusted brake lines can become disjointed and cause fluid to spill. Brake lines have a very thin protective coating that will wear out over time, and which can expose the metal under the coating to rust. A small amount of rust is okay, but heavy flaking or bubbling rust is not. Avoid costly repairs and possible brake failure by recognizing the signs of problem brakes. If your brakes feel weak and require more stopping distance than usual, get them checked. Christmas trees are a beloved holiday tradition in Livingston, Texas, but they can pose a fire risk. On average, says the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments across the country respond to more than 200 blazes related to holiday trees each year. Despite how much we here at First Community Financial Group support our local firefighting heroes, we hope they won’t have a reason to show up at your doorstep this holiday season! So, here are our common-sense suggestions for enjoying a Christmas tree safely: 1. If you opt for an artificial tree, be sure it has a flame retardant label or certification. If you’re picking out a live tree, forgo the one with brownish needles that are falling out – it’s too dry. Instead choose one with fresh, green needles that don’t fall out even when you shake the limb. 2. Place your live tree in water as soon as possible, using about a quart of water per each inch of stem diameter. Before you do, however, make a fresh cut from the stem bottom – straight across – to help the tree get water. Replenish the water regularly. 3. Situate the tree so you can still access the exits in the room, and keep it at least 3 feet away from open flames or heat sources, such as your fireplace or radiator. 4. Now it’s time for the best part – trimming the tree. Choose lights and other decorations labeled as flame retardant, and make sure your lights don’t have frayed or worn wires. Leaving the house or going to sleep? Be sure to unplug those lights. 5. It’s always a chore – and somewhat of a bummer – to take down the tree each year, but do so sooner rather than later, especially with a live tree. Otherwise you prolong your risk of a fire. Check for tree recycling options in your area for responsible disposal. No matter if you trim your tree with popcorn or with heirloom ornaments, we hope it brings the magic of the season alive for you and your loved ones this year. Happy holidays from all of us at First Community Financial Group! |
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