First Community Financial Group, Inc. Blog |
Whether you own a site-built home, mobile home, RV or small business, it's always a good idea to create a Personal Property Inventory. Photos, etc. of big-ticket items can be very helpful in the event of a claim!
0 Comments
Ah, Valentine’s Day is near, and love is in the air. Well, love and a few other things, such as chocolates, romantic dinners, candy hearts that say “Be Mine” - and, of course, jewelry. It’s exciting to receive jewelry from a loved one — or to give it as a gift. Not to mention romantic. But if you’re lucky enough to have some new jewelry in your Texas home this Valentine’s Day, you should take a few minutes to think about something you probably don’t find exciting or romantic: insurance. Don’t know where to turn? Don’t worry. At First Community Financial Group, we think it is exciting to help our customers protect what’s most important to them — so we’re ready to help and can answer all of your questions. Things to consider when insuring jewelry: You may need to purchase additional coverage. Your Texas homeowner's policy may cover valuable items such as jewelry, but only up to set amounts. If the cost of replacing your jewelry exceeds that limit, you will want to purchase scheduled personal property coverage. You can check your policy or give us a call at 936-327-4364. You might want to reconsider your deductible amounts. As always, this impacts your policy premium. It’s a good idea to take a look at your deductibles whenever you make a change to your policy. Do you need an appraisal? You may need to have an independent appraisal if the insurance company requires it or if you don’t know the value of your jewelry. Each item should be listed with a description and value on paper. What kind of coverage is offered? You’ll want to determine if items are covered no matter where they are, whether they’re in Livingston, Houston, Dallas... or on an international trip, and if the policy offers full replacement cost. You also should ask if you will be required to replace your jewelry if lost or stolen, or if you can simply keep the cash settlement. Pictures can be helpful. Lost or stolen pieces of jewelry sometimes can be recreated if the jeweler has a good photograph to work from. Should I go with a company that specializes in jewelry insurance? There are companies that specialize in jewelry insurance. Whether you choose one of these, or a company that we represent, you’ll want to make sure they are reputable and stable. Is the value of your jewelry mainly sentimental? Is an item irreplaceable? If the answer to either of these questions is “yes,” you might consider foregoing insurance. But please, talk to us at {agency-phone-#} before making that decision. That’s what we’re here for. Of course, it’s important to store your jewelry securely when it’s not in use; a safe in your home or a safe-deposit box is best. We want your jewelry to be replaced if it’s lost or stolen, but we’d rather your sentimental and valuable pieces stay with you and your family for years to come. Here’s hoping your Valentine’s Day is full of fun and romance. And if there’s no jewelry involved, well, there’s always next year! Contact Us! For further questions and assistance, please contact First Community Financial Group at 936-327-4364 or info@firstcfg.com. Content provided by Safeco Insurance See our latest video on YouTube: There's nothing quite like a warm, crackling fire in the fireplace to up the cozy factor during the holiday season, and all winter long. If you're asking yourself “Are fireplaces safe?” you've come to the right place. There are things you can do to minimize the dangers, and we're going to walk you through them to educate you about fire safety. Click here to read more about fireplace safety: Fireplace Safety Tips | Foremost Insurance Group Is your hard-working kitchen getting cluttered and unmanageable? If you need more storage, but every cupboard, shelf, nook and cranny is filled, it's time to take a second look at your use of space. Chances are you can reorganize and reclaim more storage than you ever thought possible.
Well-planned cabinets, drawers and shelves maximize space, save steps and eliminate frustrating searches for necessary kitchen tools and gadgets. An organized kitchen doesn't cost a lot of money, but does require a practical plan to keep items handy and easy to reach. Here are a few ideas to help make efficient use of your kitchen space and create some new storage areas as well. Clear the Clutter Your kitchen holds an awesome amount of stuff. The more stuff you collect and store in the kitchen, the more you have to manage. It makes sense to get rid of anything you don't need or want anymore. Reducing clutter is a must. If you do nothing else to organize your kitchen, do this. A well-designed, folding step stool is an indispensable tool for your reorganizing strategy. Choose one that helps you access storage space without requiring much of its own. Be sure it's sturdy and can easily hold your weight while you're stretching and reaching into upper cabinets, shelves and closets. Pick a starting point and begin at the top. Work one shelf, cupboard or drawer at a time and remove everything you find. Most items you run across will require a decision, so group your “stuff” into categories. For each item, ask yourself:
Remember these tips:
To make the most of potential kitchen storage, think beyond the individual cabinets, shelves and closets to every available inch. A careful inventory of existing space can help you plan how to use it effectively. Start your planning process by searching for unused or underused spaces. Examine all surfaces, including the area above or below appliances, behind doors and unused floor space. Grab a notebook and pen and make a list of any potential storage spots or areas that can be better organized.
Now that you've cleared out the clutter and discovered a few new storage areas, it's time to take your final step toward creating an efficient, well-organized kitchen. Think of your kitchen as a single room with three separate work centers: preparation, cooking and cleanup. Keep in mind where, what and how you use an item before you put it back into each cabinet or drawer. Easy access and return is important. If you can get to something and return it to its designated space without a hassle, the chance of your kitchen staying organized is greater. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
How to Arrange a Food Pantry When your pantry or food storage cabinets become packed with food that isn't sorted or organized, you will eventually have a huge mess on your hands. The pileup of ingredients can be avoided without spending a lot of time or effort. It just takes about an hour from start to finish. Start by emptying pantry shelves and moving everything to boxes or a nearby countertop. Clean shelves with warm, soapy water and wipe dry. Before you put things away, think about how you will fill prime and non-prime spaces. For example, prime, eye-level shelves should be reserved for your items used most often.
Kitchen Storage and Organizing Resources
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. This time of the year is always hectic, especially when you add traveling into the mix. Between standstill traffic on the roadways, packed airports, crying kids and canceled flights - it can put a damper on your holiday spirit. To avoid all the craziness, we put together some tips and tricks to get you to your holiday destination safe and sound. Remember, it's always important to do your research, plan ahead and be prepared for the unexpected!
⚹ https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/printable |
Contact Us(936) 327-4364 Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|