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Small Business Saturday is approaching, offering a prime opportunity to support the local enterprises that contribute so significantly to our community. Why is supporting small businesses so important? 🛍️Job creation 🛍️Enhancement of local culture 🛍️Strengthening of community bonds 🛍️Economic growth We invite you to join us on November 30 (and every day!) to explore local shops, dine at neighborhood restaurants, and engage with local service providers. Have a favorite local business? Share in the comments below, and spread the word! 
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Did you know that November is National Diabetes Month? According to the CDC’s most recent data, 38.4 million people have diabetes, with 29.7 million diagnosed and 8.7 million undiagnosed. With this in mind, we wanted to do our part to raise awareness of diabetes, including some symptoms, statistics, and risk factors. Swipe through to read more. Feel free to share this information with your networks to increase diabetes awareness. And, as always, reach out if we can be of assistance. Imagine how devastating it would be to lose your home in a fire. Now imagine not being able to rebuild it completely because you didn’t have the correct amount of insurance. Selecting the proper amount of coverage is the single most important decision you can make with your Homeowners policy. Without it, you may not have enough coverage to rebuild after a total loss. This is called “insurance to value.” Below are some explanations and tips to help you make the right choices for your needs — and remember, if you need help, we’re just a phone call away! In Texas, we are facing many challenges as property owners: ice, freezing roads, hail, excessive heat, flooding rains, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes. (Just makes you want to pack up and move here, right?) What is insurance to value? Insurance to value is the relationship between the amount of coverage selected (typically listed as “Coverage A” or “Dwelling Coverage” on your policy declarations page) and the amount required to rebuild your home. Insuring your home for anything less than 100% insurance to value could mean you wouldn’t have enough coverage to replace your home in the event of a total loss Why is the cost to rebuild different from the market value? A home’s market value reflects current economic conditions, taxes, school districts, the value of the land and location, and other factors unrelated to construction cost. The cost to rebuild your home is based only on the cost of materials and labor in your area. It is important that you insure your home based on its reconstruction cost, NOT its current market value Why is reconstruction more expensive than new construction? New-home builders typically build many homes at once, and solicit bids from various sub-contractors to receive the best pricing. Their business model is based on economies of scale. For example, they may purchase 20 bathtubs at once, securing a lower unit cost. These economies of scale don’t exist when building a single home. How can I make sure I have the correct amount of insurance? Work with your agent to provide detailed information at time of purchase to be sure that you receive a thorough and accurate quote. Ask us about additional coverage options that may be available. Review your insurance to value calculation on a regular basis with your agent. Tell your agent about any changes or improvements that you make to your home. Content courtesy of Safeco Insurance.  tail·gate /'tālˌgāt/ Verb Informal/NORTH AMERICAN
Texas is synonymous with Football and Tailgating! Here at First Community Financial Group, in addition to insurance policies for auto and home, we also offer insurance policies for things you hitch to your vehicle like campers, boats or recreational vehicles. We know that in addition to being useful for towing things, your vehicle's tailgate can also be the location for a fantastic gathering of family and friends before a big game! To help you plan, we've gathered some tips on how to throw a great tailgate party.
Foremost® Insurance has policies for your motor home or travel trailer. If you're looking for for A Better Insurance Experience®, you can start a quote with us today!   The wind in your hair, the sun on your face, and the open water in front of you. Sound appealing? Then you might want to join the ranks of boat owners all over the country. But before you cut through that clear blue water, there are some things you may want to keep in mind. Whether you're buying a fishing boat, cabin cruiser, pontoon or speed boat, different components like cost, horsepower, weight capacity or onboard storage may prove to be more important to you than others.
Answer these questions before going boat shopping: What are you hoping to use your boat for? All boat styles have a different design tailored to the use. Speed boats may be better for tubing and water skiing but wouldn't hold as many people or be as suited for fishing as a dedicated fishing boat or a pontoon. Maybe you'll want to sail or spend time living on the open water in a houseboat. There are so many different varieties of boats, brands and manufacturers, so make an informed decision on which one is right for you. What's your budget? This may help decide whether to buy a used boat. According to Discover Boating, new boats depreciate anywhere between 25%-33% immediately after leaving the dealer's lot. So, if you buy a used boat, someone else has already paid that depreciation cost - more boat for fewer dollars! However, buying a new boat will offer a warranty, the newest technology, and that nice shiny look as you move across the water - the choice is up to you! How many people are you hoping to go on your boating excursions with? The capacity on personal fishing boats is generally smaller than a pontoon boat, which are made to hold anywhere between 8-15 adults comfortably. What type of equipment will you want onboard? Here's some suggestions:
Will your car be able to tow your boat? A 20-foot boat trailer can range from 600 to 1,000 pounds, and most boats in this size range hover in the 4,000-5,000 pound range.* This means that you'll want an SUV or truck that is rated to tow between 4,500-6,000 pounds in total. Where are you placing your boat in the off-season? Having storage for your boat during the colder months is important and must be planned ahead. Some may place their boat in their garage, outside of their garage or in a separate storage space. And a few other components to consider…
No matter what you decide, get out there, matey, and enjoy the open seas! Looking for boat insurance? Get a quote today by calling 888-244-8092 to speak with a licensed agent or find a Foremost insurance agent near you. Or contact us at First Community Financial Group. We are a Foremost agency! Content provided by Foremost Insurance. You can’t say goodbye to 2023 and welcome another year without celebrating New Year’s Eve. Various countries have their own traditions and celebrations, but there are also common ways to celebrate this special occasion. Eating Good Luck Food One of the highlights of New Year’s Eve is the different kinds of food to be shared with family and friends. However, as we’re anticipating a better year, we also love to pick those that have meanings and let us bring good luck, like the following examples: 12 Grapes at Midnight A popular tradition in Spain includes eating 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve — that’s one grape at each stroke of the clock at midnight. These grapes represent the 12 months, and you have to eat all of them to enjoy a lucky year. Otherwise, the upcoming year might be harsh to you. So, you better chew all of them before the clock stops chiming! Cakes In Greece, Mexico, the Netherlands, and other countries, round cakes symbolize the circle of life. Others would put some trinkets or coins inside the cake. Then, if you’re lucky to get it, you’re expected to experience good luck in the coming year. PorkPigs symbolize progress in countries like Austria, Portugal, and Cuba. So, eating pork on New Years’ Eve is common as a way to attract prosperity for the next 365 days. Legumes Legumes look like old Roman coins and symbolize financial prosperity. That is why Italians have lentils, and Americans add black-eyed peas to their dishes on New Year’s Eve. Noodles Long noodles are thought to give you a longer and healthier life. You’re supposed to eat them while making sure they don’t break in half. Meanwhile, in Japan, people eat soba noodles on NYE to symbolize their journey from the old year to the new one. This also means leaving behind their regrets in the last year. Wearing the Right Underwear A few countries, particularly in Latin America, have this superstition that you can manifest success and prosperity if you choose the right color of underwear. For instance, if you want to get lucky in love and relationships, wear red underwear on NYE. Meanwhile, yellow underwear could bring you luck, money, and happiness. Sharing a Midnight Kiss Another popular New Year’s Eve tradition that most people, if not all, love is the midnight kiss — with your partner or even a new friend. Wondering how this part of the history of New Year’s Eve started? It’s thought to be from Saturnalia, a pagan festival in ancient Rome, which involved a lot of singing, dancing, drinking, socializing, sharing gifts, and kissing! In German and English folklore, a midnight kiss is a great way to start the New Year as it would help you bring good luck. Also, it’s believed that the person you kissed contributes to the fate of your year. So, you might want to pick your partner carefully. Making New Year’s Resolutions From achieving a healthier body, spending more time with family, and pursuing goals and aspirations, to loving ourselves more, we’re fond of creating New Year’s resolutions. However, did you know that this tradition started about four millennia ago? Babylonians would make promises to the gods to ask for a better year. Then, Romans would also offer sacrifices and promise Janus to show good deeds. These include returning farm tools that they borrowed from others and settling their debts. Meanwhile, Christians treat the occasion as a time to learn from their shortcomings in the past year and focus on ways to become better for the upcoming year. While the spiritual side of New Year’s resolutions is gone, creating New Year’s resolutions has been centered on personal development. Throwing Fireworks Ringing in the New Year also involves throwing fireworks or using different types of noisemakers. If you want to know when or where the firework tradition began, we have to go back to the seventh century A.D. in China. Fireworks were meant to scare off evil spirits. They’re also known to bring prosperity and good luck. Even different designs and colors correspond to various types of luck, including fertility, love, and health. Keeping Doors and Windows Open It may be cold on New Year’s Eve, so keeping your doors and windows open might not be a good idea. However, in the Philippines, doing this at midnight helps you get rid of the negative energy from last year and attract good energy for the upcoming year. Hanging Onions on Your Door This sounds like another bad idea as your home might not look or smell great during New Year’s Eve. However, in Greece, this practice means growth and rebirth. Parents would then ask their children to put the onions on their heads to draw good luck for the year to come. Throwing Water Out the Window Another practice believed to ward off evil spirits is throwing water out the window on NYE. This is especially popular in Latin America. The tradition also symbolizes renewal, making it a good way to say goodbye to the old year and start a new one. Wearing White Clothing In Brazil, a beach getaway is a common way to celebrate New Year. However, people there also love to wear white outfits during New Year’s Eve to experience good luck and peace for next year. Singing Auld Lang Syne If you’ve been to some New Year’s Eve party, you must have heard people singing the Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne.” In the English language, it means “old long since” or “for the sake of old times.” Want to know more about the origin of this popular song? In 1788, Robert Burns wrote this poem in the Scots language. However, it was inspired by a Scottish folk song. Even if you don’t know or understand the lyrics, you’ll still enjoy it, with everyone forming a circle, singing, and holding each other’s hands. While “Auld Lang Syne” is about old friends and memories, it’s also a perfect song to bid farewell to an old year and welcome a new one. Dropping the Ball on NYE Watching the ball drop at midnight — either in person or on TV — in Times Square has been embedded in the history of New Year’s Eve too. However, you might ask how this tradition even began. Back in the day, sailors would use what’s known as time balls or chronometers for setting their timepieces. Through a spyglass, they would navigate the harbor and find balls thrown into the water at specific periods. In 1829, the earliest time ball was dropped in Portsmouth. England. Another one was used in 1845 in Washington, D.C. Then, in 1907, the tradition of dropping the ball in Times Square on New Year’s Eve began. Having a Toast One of the most popular ways to welcome the upcoming year is to make a champagne toast. It originates from Christians’ tradition of drinking wine in the Eucharist symbolizing the blood of Christ. In the Champagne region in France, wine started becoming present during baptisms. Thus, it was slowly being used in any religious gatherings. Ancient people would also raise their glass and drink to health and honor. Now, individuals from different parts of the world would make that toast to ring in the New Year.  How to Explain the Hanukkah Story to Kids (parents.com) The article link above explains what Hanukkah is about, its history, and traditions. "Hanukkah" means dedication in Hebrew, and the Jewish holiday, also known as The Festival of Lights, represents joy. It's punctuated by an eight-night display of dancing flames atop candles held in intricate menorahs, conveying warmth, comfort, and a miracle. Looking to teach your own kids (or yourself) the Hanukkah story? Here's how you can simplify it for our youngest generation while highlighting its spiritual significance.  |
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