Creative Ways to Say "Thank You"
January 20, 2012 | 
Author Thanksgiving Day comes once a year in the U.S., but every day there are people in our lives who deserve our thanks. Sometimes a simple “Thank you” is appropriate. At other times, it is more thoughtful to be creative in expressing appreciation. It’s just good business.
Here are some suggestions for thanking people at work, at home, and in the community.
1. When you say “Thank you” tell the person specifically what it is you appreciate and why you appreciate it. “Thank you for going to the Post Office for me. It saved me a lot of time.”
2. Send an e-mail note. When I sent a thank you note to my staff in the Pentagon, the energy level shot up.
3. Send a hand-written thank you note. These are noteworthy because so few of us take time to write and mail them.
4. Place an unexpected phone call just to say “Thank you.” Connecting verbally adds warmth to your appreciation even if you reach voice mail.
5. Present a small certificate. Half-page certificates take up less space if displayed and are as meaningful as full sized certificates. They tend to draw attention because they are different.
6. Give a single flower from your garden, flowerpot, or florist, with a verbal “Thank you” or a note.
7. Put a candy bar or piece of fruit on the desk of the person to be thanked, with or without a note. (Be sure the person is not on vacation!)
8. Bake some cookies. This is especially effective when men bake and present a few cookies in thanksgiving.
9. Say something nice about the recipient of your thanks to someone else when the person you appreciate can overhear you. This is especially powerful in a business setting.
10. For special occasions, present a US flag that has flown over the Capitol. It is a unique, reasonably priced item which few people own. A certificate of authenticity is provided in honor of any special occasion you designate. Call your congressman’s office and ask for it. If you don’t have a local contact, call 202 224-3121 and ask for your congressman or congresswoman by name. When you reach that person’s office, ask to purchase a flag. They’ll know what to do!
Who Has the Best Medicare Supplement Insurance?
When you start to shop around for the best Medicare Supplement insurance, you can quickly feel overwhelmed by all the different plans available. But enlisting the help of an expert can make the process a whole lot easier.
Medicare supplement, or Medigap policies have were standardized by the government several years ago. They are lettered A – L, and are designed to cover things that Medicare doesn’t cover. Plan A is the most basic and least expensive plan. Plan J is the most comprehensive and expensive plan. But plan F is the most commonly purchased and most popular plan.
It’s All The Same
When you talk to different brokers who are selling these policies, you just need to be aware that no matter what insurance company its from, the plans all have to offer identical benefits. In other words, a Plan F from company A is identical to a Plan F from company B, or C, or D. Don’t let an agent fool you into believing that his plan F is somehow better than the one you already have. However, the insurance companies can charge whatever premiums they want to. So in a sense, it becomes a price shopping game.
Independence Is Best
Now you still need to be sure you’re dealing with a reputable company, with strong financial backing, great customer service, excellent claims paying history, etc. But assuming you have all those things, it does come down to price. For this reason, it’s very important that you work with an independent broker who can represent several different insurance companies. If you’re talking to just one insurance company directly, the only thing they can sell you is their own product. Of course they will say that they have the best Medicare Supplement policies. An independent broker will have many companies to choose from.
Insurance companies change their rates each year, and they usually means they go up. However, large insurance companies will often buy other companies and have new products available because of those acquisitions. Many times this means that they have newer, lower cost policies available to you. The big insurance company is not going to proactively offer you a lower cost product, this would cost them money! But a good independent broker can show those to you during an annual review of your policy, and then help you switch over and save money.
Medicare Advantage
Another benefit of working with an independent Medicare specialist is that they can educate you on the differences between Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans (or Private Fee-For-Service plans). It may be that for you, a Medicare Advantage plan is the best way to go. These plans work differently from using regular Medicare and a Medicare Supplement policy. With these plans, you pay a small co-pay each time you see the doctor or go into the hospital. For this reason, costs can be a little more unpredictable. But if you’re the type of person who is relatively healthy, and you don’t go to the doctor that often, you could save a lot of money with one of these plans.
If you would like to get free, no obligation quotes from an independent Medicare specialist on both the best Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans, visit www.great-financial-planning.com/best-medicare-supplement.html
How to Buy Your Next Pair of Glasses Online
The purpose of this article is to simply describe what you need to do to buy your first pair of glasses online. I will not recommend particular retailers, as you can find that info in several of my other articles and also check out the links on the right of this page. Purchasing eyewear online seems daunting at first. If you’re like me, purchasing and fitting prescription glasses always seemed like a complex procedure best left to professionals. The truth is, if you know your prescription and have your existing rx glasses handy, it is really quite simple to purchase glasses online.
The Seven Critical Numbers
First, find your current prescription. I keep mine in the health file in my filing cabinet. If you can’t find your prescription, visit wherever you last had your eyes examined and request a copy. Your optician, optometrist, or ophthalmologist is required by law to release your eyewear prescription to you. You now need to make note of a few critical pieces of information from your prescription (see example above–click to enlarge). Among other information, you should see three columns on your prescription–sphere, cylinder, and axis.
In the example above, these are abbreviated SPH. CYL. and AXIS. These three columns will have two rows, Right and Left. In the prescription above, this is simply abbreviated R and L. Many doctors instead use the latin abbreviations, which are OD and OS. OD means right eye and OS means left eye. Jot down a quick copy of the six numbers or simply keep your prescription handy. These six critical numbers define how your lens will be carved. Any online eyewear retailer will ask for the input of these six numbers.
In addition to these six numbers, there is one more critical number, the Pupillary Distance, or PD. This is a measure, in millimeters, of the space between your eyes. In the example prescription above, you’ll see the Pupillary Distance of the patient is 62. Jot down this number also, it is the seventh of your seven critical numbers.
A Final Measurement
A somewhat less critical number is your temple length. If you’re lucky, you’ll also see a temple length and bridge size in your prescription. If not, don’t sweat it, you can figure it out yourself. The temple length describes the length of the two bars that connect the glasses to your ears. It is measured from where the 90-degree curve from your lens structure to the side bars (temples) begins to the very end of the temple, including the curve. It is not measured from the flex point of the temples, because the “stub” between the flex point and lens structure is not a standard size.
Now, take out some measuring tape (preferably the type of tape used for fitting clothes and sewing, as it is very flexible) and measure an existing pair of glasses that fit comfortably. An average temple length for men is 135mm or 145mm. For women, 130mm to 140mm is standard. If your tape only has inches, measure to the nearest eighth or sixteenth and multiply that number by 25.4 to get the measurement in millimeters. Temple lengths are generally available in 5mm increments, such as 130, 135, 140, 145, etc. At most online eyeglasses stores, temple length is shown within a frame description and is not customizable. Therefore, you need to find a frame with an appropriate temple size. This sometimes varies if you are at a site specializing in designer glasses, where you have the option to input your own temple size.
Honestly, temple size is not a huge deal. I have one pair of glasses with 135mm temples and another with 140mm temples. Both pairs fit comfortably. If for some reason you can’t come up with a temple measurement, don’t let that stop you from making an eyewear purchase online. Instead, simply choose 140mm temples if you are a man and 135mm temples if you are a woman. Chances are, this length will fit comfortably.
What’s your Style?
Armed with your seven critical numbers and an idea on your temple length, start browsing the myriad of online retailers. Pick out some favorite frames and open the individual pages in separate tabs or windows of your web browser. Similar to trying on glasses at a standard retailer, you need to figure out if the frames you like are appropriate for your face. You might visit my post on the topic of face shape. If you have a nice oval face, you’re in luck, most any pair will look on you. If you have strong, angular features, a rounded or rimless pair will look god on you. If you have a very round face, choose a rectangular or hexagonal pair of glasses. If you just want a basic pair of professional glasses, go with titanium rimless.
Using your trusty measuring tape, you can compare other measurements of your existing glasses with what you are looking at online. The bridge measurement describes the distance between lenses, the height describes the distance from the lowest point on the front of the frame to the highest point, and the lens describes the distance between the end of the bridge and the beginning of the temple. Some retailers also offer free virtual try-on. This service, which I describe in will allow you to upload a picture and place a variety of frame types on your face.
Place your Order
So you’ve found the perfect pair of frames. Begin the checkout process. You should see boxes where you can enter your prescription information (the seven critical numbers). This will sometimes be in a table format similar to your prescription, or it may be a simple list. You’ll also have the option to choose from a variety of coatings and add-ons. If you will be wearing your glasses day-in and day-out, I recommend choosing the anti-scratch and anti-reflective coatings. These really do make a difference and ease night driving (anti-reflective) and the longevity of being able to see clearly through your lens (anti-scratch). You can add on the UV coating if you wish, though it isn’t critical. Photochromatic tinting (aka “transition lens”) is also an option. Personally, I prefer buying a separate pair of prescription sunglasses, but that is up to you.
If you only wear glasses occasionally (maybe as a supplement to contact lenses), or are just purchasing a pair of Rx sunglasses that won’t be worn every waking hour, you might choose to save money by skipping on the extras. If you are buying a pair for your accident-prone child, skimping on the extras might not be such a bad idea either. Avoid coatings and other add-ons will also allow you to get a great pair of prescription glasses for well under $40. After you’ve placed your order, you’ll typically wait about 2-to-3 weeks for your glasses to be custom carved and delivered. The finished product will typically include a hard case and a soft cloth for lens cleaning.
In this I show a video of the exact product received from a popular online eyewear retailer.
Side Note One: “Help, I don’t have a prescription!”
If it has been a long time since your eyes have been examined, or if you just can’t get a hold of your prescription, it’s time to go visit an optometrist. While your neighborhood optometrist may charge $100 or more for a simple examination, discount stores like Wal-Mart, or optometrists in working-class neighborhoods will often offer an eye exam for $40 or less. Grab your yellow pages and start making phone calls. Chances are, you’ll get the best price if you find an optometrist who has many customers without vision insurance.
Side Note Two: “How can it be so cheap?”
The price difference between online eyewear and glasses bought from a traditional retailer, or even Wal-Mart or Costco, is startling. An identical pair of titanium frames might cost $60 online and $220 at Wal-Mart. How can this be? What about the quality? I will categorically state that the quality of glasses received from the majority of online retailers is equal to or exceeds the quality found at your neighborhood eyewear shop or optometrist. The price differential comes from a number of factors, including the relative obscurity of online eyewear purchases, the fact that highly paid optometrists do not spend one-on-one time with the eyewear purchaser, and the fact that insurance companies are typically not involved with online eyewear purchases, thereby discouraging inflated prices.
Give it a try. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied with your online eyewear purchase if you follow the steps outlined in this article.
How Much Does it Cost to Start a Bakery
The title asks a question and of course it begs an answer, but we cannot give a straight answer to that particular question as it is too vague at this moment. So how can I answer the question “How much does it cost to start a bakery”?
I cannot today tell you that your bakery will cost one hundred thousand dollars nor can I say it will cost a million dollars. But both dollar amounts are quite reasonable depending upon your definition of the word bakery.
The word bakery can be and is used to define a business that produces food for public consumption. But again we have used a generic term in the word “Bakery”. You can see that just using the word bakery is like opening and umbrella. It covers a large area.
Let‘s start by saying we are going to start a bread bakery. We can also define the word as a cake bakery or donut bakery and even a bagel bakery. Plus there are other types of bakery that we can define that question too. Now we have defined our term bakery.
Can you see where I am going here?
Your business plan is going to define “YOUR” bakery! This is where you answer your own question of how much does it cost to start a bakery.
Another question I have to ask is, “Will I be starting a franchised bakery”? Because here again is the question, “how much does it cost to start a bakery”?
When I can answer to the type of bakery, I can say to some degree the total price of that bakery.
I can tell you that there are a number of pieces of equipment that are almost standard in every bakery. The type of equipment and the size of that equipment is again going to decide for you as to, “how much does it cost to start a bakery”?
In today’s employment standards acts, there are rules and regulation that have been put in place to prevent some types of equipment from being used. So again we have a problem here to answer your first question.
Notice too that I did not say; “prevents that equipment from being sold”. This is because pre-owned equipment is still for sale and some of this equipment is in today’s market requires upgrading to today’s employment standards. The equipment still works and still does that job it was originally designed for, and very likely the price it is offered at, is extremely attractive. Meaning; it peeks our interest, because it is such a great price.
There are food equipment auction houses that offer all kinds of equipment that can do the job we are looking to do, so we could get that equipment at perhaps as little as ten percent, or less, of buying the same piece of equipment brand new.
The age of these pieces being sold pre-own, also has a bearing on the sale price as does the condition. For instance on a mixer it is possible that the oil seal of the spindle is cracked or has stood un-used for some time and so could break when the machine is placed into regular use.
If you were to purchase an oven from a pre-owned operation, that oven will quite often have to be dismantled and rebuilt. The rebuild could be faulty or rebuilt without installing new components in the proper place, or rebuilt on uneven ground.
I can go on but we haven’t answered your question of “how much does it cost to start a bakery”?
I have tried to answer you as best I know how. We could do more if you want to know how to start a bakery then we have a program in our book where we go into all the different types of equipment that is used within a bakery.
Not to scare you too much your bakery could cost you as little as a few thousand dollars to well over two million dollars. This of course will depend upon you and your business plan.
That is where the answer as to how much does it cost to start a bakery will come from!
Bathtub Faucet Repair Tips and Techniques
Did you know that you can fix a leaking shower faucet and save hundreds of gallons of water a year? Most people just think of a dripping faucet as an annoyance and don’t realize how much precious water is being wasted one drop at a time. The good news is that almost anyone with a few basic hand tools can learn how to fix most dripping faucets.
Let‘s start with the basics. Faucets have one primary purpose, to allow the water in your pipes to be used in a controlled manner. This means that they have to open to allow water out of the pipes and close to keep water in the pipes. Not rocket science, right? The closing part is what we want to concentrate on here.
There Are Two Basic Faucet Designs
Faucets drip when they fail to completely trap the water in the pipes. Most faucets use one of two basic methods to stop the water flow. Some, primarily older designs, use rubber or neoprene washers which tighten against a “seat” and block the flow of water. Drips from these faucets are addressed by replacing the washers and/or seats. We’ll talk about how to do that in a minute. Most other faucet designs involve some sort of cartridge. Some people call these “washerless” faucets. Repairing newer style water faucets like these usually involves replacing the cartridge(s).
Washers And Seats
Older faucet designs often use washers to block the water and keep it in the pipes. Tightening the handle compresses the washer against a “seat” and seals the opening, thus stopping the water flow. If you need to do a bathtub faucet repair on a three handle wall faucet you probably have this type. You will also run into this style if you need to fix a leaking shower faucet hat has two handles. Many sink and lavatory faucets also use washers. One way to tell whether or not your faucets use washers is to see if the handle gets harder to turn as you turn it off. If turning it really tight stops the drip, this probably, but not always, means that you have washers. If you do have a dripping faucet that has washers, the basic repair process is very similar whether you need to know how to repair a shower faucet,repair a leaking tub faucet or fix a dripping sink faucet. There is, however, one important difference.
Bathtub Faucet Repair
The one critical thing to remember when fixing a leaky bathtub faucet is that you will have to turn the water off to the entire house before removing any parts other than the outer trim pieces. If you’re not sure which pieces are trim, just turn the water off first just in case. Once you have turned off the main water to the house you can begin taking things apart. There are lots of different brands and designs of faucets out there and they all come apart a little differently, so you will have to sort of feel your way through.
Removing The Trim
The first step is to remove the handles. This is usually done by removing a cap to expose the handle screw and then removing the screw. Next, remove the handle. This may require a little finesse, as the handles sometimes get stuck in place. One trick is to place the handles of a pair of channel lock pliers behind the valve handle, one on each side, and tap evenly on the handle to nudge it loose. If this doesn’t work you can buy a special tool to remove handles but these tools are sometimes hard to find and usually a little patience is all you need to do the trick.
After he handles are off, there is usually some sort of sleeve over the stem itself. This typically has to come off too. Once again, there are many different configurations. One popular design uses threaded plastic tubes to connect the trim sleeve with the valve. Other types have the sleeve threaded directly onto the valve. You will have to figure this step out before you can proceed. If you can determine what brand valve you have there is a good chance of finding instructions on-line.
Now For The Root Of The Problem
OK, so you have removed both the handles and any remaining trim sleeve from the valve. Now you are ready to get to the root of the problem, your valve stem. The washer is almost always at the other end of the valve stem from the handle. Usually the stem is threaded into the valve body and you will just need to unscrew it to remove it. Here’s a tip. Stick the handle back on for a second and open the valve half way. This relieves pressure on the stem and makes it easier to unscrew. Now you just need to make sure you are loosening the correct nut.
Lots of valves have a packing nut around the stem. It is usually a little smaller and just in front of the actual connection with the valve body. The packing nut’s purpose is to squeeze some special packing material around the stem to prevent water from leaking around the stem when the valve is in use. Loosening the packing nut won’t help you, you need to get your wrench on the actual connection to the valve body. By the way, a deep socket is often the only tool that will work to remove the valve stem.
Removing The Valve Stem
The easiest way to make sure you have the correct nut is to see if there is a gap opening up between the nut and the valve body as you loosen the nut. The valve stem itself will also usually turn when you have the right one. If you have loosened the packing nut by mistake, don’t worry, you will adjust it before you are finished anyway. Go ahead and remove both stems and keep up with which one is which, it matters on many valves.
After you have the stems out you should be able to find the washer on the “inside” end. If it is nicked, torn or brittle it is likely the cause of your drip. Even if it looks brand new, go ahead and replace it. You’ve already come this far. You can get replacement washers at almost any hardware store. Sometimes you may want to replace the whole stem, especially if the handle end is stripped out. It’s best to just take the stem with you to the store and see if you can match it up. Most Do It Yourself stores have replacement stems for many popular brands. If your valve has a center diverter valve to switch the waterfrom the tub spout to the shower head the same process applies. Many times it is easier to replace the diverter stem than to repair it. This really depends on the design of the stem.
How Are Your Seats?
One more thing to check is the seats. These are the part of the valve body that the washer tightens up against to stop the water flow. If you can get your finger inside the valve, feel of the seats and see if they feel rough. If so, it would be best to replace them if you can get them out. The inside of the seats, which is where the water flows through when the valve is open, usually have either a hex or square recess. Special seat wrenches are used to remove the seats. You can usually get these wrenches at the same place you get the other parts and they’re not expensive. You just stick the wrench through the seat and unscrew it. The replacement seats screw back in the same way, just put a little pipe dope on the threads before you install it.
Put It All Back Together
Once you’ve figured out what needs to be replaced and have done that, you just need to put everything back together. If your valve has packing nuts don’t put the trim back on until you have turned the water back on. Once the water is on, go ahead and stick the handle on for a second and open the valve. Make sure no water is leaking around the stem. If it is leaking, with the handle opened half way, snug down the packing nut until the leak stops. Easy does it. If you get it too tight the handle will be hard to turn. Now finish installing the trim pieces and you are done.
Repairing Newer Style Water Faucets
If you have a newer, “washerless” type valve the repair process is similar, but usually easier. Many of these type valves use a self contained cartridge. If the valve starts to drip, just replace the cartridge and you’re done. You still need to turn the water off and remove the handles and trim. The cartridge is usually held in place by a retaining nut on the valve body or, in the case of most Moen valves, by a retaining clip. Simply remove the cartridge and put another one in it’s place. If your hot and cold are backwards when you finish, turn the water back off, pull the cartridge back out, turn it over 180 degrees and re-install it.
Delta Style Valves
One other common design that is considered “washerless” was made famous by Delta and copied by several other makers. It uses little “cup” seals that fit over springs recessed in the back of the valve body. The springs press these “seals” against the cartridge and regulate the flow through little tapered openings in the cartridge. If you have one of these and it’s dripping, changing these springs and seals will usually correct it. Here’s a tip. Once you have the cartridge out of the way, insert a phillips screwdriver into the seal and pop both the seal and spring out. Stick the new ones on the end of the screwdriver to help guide them into place. This is especially helpful if you don’t have long slender fingers.
Delta, and a few imitators, also have a faucet design that uses a ball instead of a cartridge. This is not as common in tub or shower valves but there are plenty of them out there. The springs and seals are the same but there are lots more o-rings an parts to deal with. The good news is that these parts are readily available. While it’s a little more complicated than learning how to repair a Moen kitchen faucet, which is a piece of cake, it is still easier than working with most washer type faucets.
These Techniques Work In The Kitchen Too
Armed with the knowledge you’ve gained in this article you now not only know how to repair a shower faucet and to repair a leaking tub faucet, but you can apply these skills to many other faucets as well. After fixing a leaky bathtub faucet, stopping a dripping outside hose faucet will be a breeze. The techniques that you will use to complete a “washerless” bathtub faucet repair can be used when repairing newer style water faucets of all kinds. Whether you have an old dripping tub faucet or a newer kitchen faucet that just won’t quite shut off you can now fix it. So put these new skills to use, roll up your sleeves and stop that drip!
Copyright 2008 Bryan Stevens
Pancreatic Cancer – Living From Diagnosis to Death – The Diary of a Cancer Patient’s Daughter
One of the hardest things to do in life is to live once you’ve been told you are going to die. It’s as if life speeds up after you receive knowledge that your days are ticking away on a finite clock that you have no control over. One important thing that I learned while experiencing the devastating affects of Pancreatic Cancer with my mother as she fought this distressing disease is that it is crucial to focus on the time that you have rather than on the time you don’t have. To me this article is a condensed version of the Diary of Cancer Patient’s Daughter as I explain what living with Pancreatic Cancer is like from diagnosis to death as I framed the picture of my mother’s experience in my mind.
I hope and pray that you receive something out of these words birthed out of pain that will bring you peace and help you or your loved one with a Cancer diagnosis live a little longer and happier in spite of the sad reality you are facing. There are 7 D’s in this Cancer Diary that can help you manage the physical and mental aspects of this awful disease. Remember that what you don’t do in the Cancer Crisis is just as important as what you do.
Entry # 1: The Diagnosis:
My mother Joyce was 66 years old when she was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer during the summer of 2008. Though all Cancer is bad, Pancreatic Cancer is considered one of the worst because it is the most difficult to diagnose. The reason is that the symptoms mirror digestive problems as the disease hides in the depths of the digestive system. My mother had chronic pain in her stomach and though she went to the emergency room several times receiving numerous tests and ultra sounds the doctors kept telling her nothing was wrong with her and sent her home every time. Initially they thought it was a problem with her gal bladder which is a common misdiagnoses in the case of Pancreatic Cancer.
Her Father Boyce whom she was named after died of Pancreatic Cancer 20 years earlier, but the chance that she could have that very same thing never occurred to her or anyone else in our family. If Cancer runs in your family, especially Pancreatic Cancer, I would advise you to have regular screenings for this disease as early diagnosis is a key to survival. One of the most deadly things about Pancreatic Cancer is that because it is so hard to diagnose most patients don’t receive their diagnosis until they are already in Stage 4 of the Cancer when there is practically no hope.
The symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer include: abdominal pain and pressure, jaundice, nausea, loss of appetite, depression, weight loss and weakness. My mother had all sypmtoms except for jaundice. Just because a person is missing a common symptom doesn’t mean they don’t have Pancreatic Cancer. The most common procedures used to diagnosis this brutal disease are: Ultrasonography, CT Scanning, Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancretography, Endoscopic Ultrasound, MRI, and Cholangiogram Percutaneous Transhepatic. I’m pretty sure my mother had all of these tests done and it can be very draining to endure such experiences, however it is vital in obtaining a diagnosis. The results of her diagnosis showed that there was a tumor on her pancreas blocking the flow of bile from her liver, as well as, the flow of enzymes from her pancreas. In her case the tumor was wrapped around a blood vessel and surgery to remove the tumor was not really an option. Very few surgeons in the country would have been able to successfully perform the surgery and her chances of survival would have been slim to none. Even if she had of had the surgery her quality of life following it was questionable. This surgery is commonly known as the Whipple Operation and removes a large part of the pancreas, the duodenum and a portion of the bile duct
What do you do in this situation? You make the choice to live the best life in the time that you have which is undetermined and different for everyone. Suck every drop of joy out of life you can as quickly as possible. If we could turn back the clock and do it all over again the one thing we would do differently is have annual screenings for the disease conducted because had we done that my mother might still be alive today. What you do in time can determine the time you have on this earth.
Many people allow the hands of time to cover their eyes to what they don’t want to see. Open your eyes today and if you have not been diagnosed with this disease begin to use preventative measures such as a healthy diet, exercise, and regular checkups with your doctor.
Entry # 2: Denial:
We were in such disbelief after receiving the diagnosis we failed to take immediate action locked in the paralysis of our new found reality. One thing Cancer does not give you is time. That big devil called denial must be dealt with. I can still hear my mother saying, “I can’t have this…not me!” You must come to grips with what you have in order to get a grip on the situation. Sometimes I think of Cancer being more of an accident of health rather than a mistake of nature. All you can do with a mistake is wish that it never happened but accidents can be prevented. Maybe this is a little optimistic since Cancer tends to creep in like an unexpected thief to steal your most prized possessions. Even so, optimism is always stronger than pessimism and it merely means that our powerful spirits encased in a fragile frame of flesh chooses to live.
Even people with diseases such as drug addiction and alcoholism must come out of denial before they recover. I know Cancer survivors and they are the same people that came out of denial and dealt with the disease. You will never take action in regards to something you don’t believe.
Entry # 3: Drugs:
We live in a pill popping nation where there is a drug for every situation. One of the main problems with drugs is that they mask symptoms but fail to provide a cure. Drugs do their best to cover up the Cancer until the victim is covered with earth in a coffin. I keep hearing rumors that there is a cure for Cancer but the medical and funeral industries are making too much money off of the disease to release the cure. I don’t know if that is true but it sure makes sense.
Though drugs were diagnosed to help my mother one of the first things we did which is extremely important for Pancreatic Cancer patients was to have a stint put in. Stints were inserted into the tubes leading from her liver and pancreas to help them function and this helped her to live a better life. In some cases, depending on the size of the tumor, it is very difficult to insert stints but there are several alternative methods and procedures to accomplish the same effect. If you have a good doctor he will inform you of all options. If you have a doctor that doesn’t tell you all the options; get another doctor.
My experience with a mother with Pancreatic Cancer perfected a hatred in me for Morphine which is the pain medication my mother was put on. Since the pain caused by the Cancer is so intense our options were limited and we wanted my mother to be able to live out her days as pain free as possible as I think anyone would. The Morphine altered her mind, changed her personality, and caused aggression and paranoia. The effects of the Morphine put the family in pain while relieving my mother’s pain.
At times it was as if she was out of her mind and it nearly drove us out of ours. She no longer trusted the people that loved her and many times would forget what she was saying in the middle of a sentence. The family told her many things over and over again and she wouldn’t do them and always forgot what we told her. To me Morphine kills a person before they die. It kills their ability to convey the essence of who they truly are. There are alternatives for pain relief drugs but I don’t know how much better they are since we only dealt with Morphine.
It amazes me how Patrick Swayze filmed a television series with Pancreatic Cancer refusing to take pain medications so he could concentrate on and accomplish his work. I remember hearing him speak about preparing hours in advance of his shoots to be mentally and physically prepared to accomplish every task in pain. I think drugs such as Morphine make a person die faster because it arrests their mind. In the movie the Matrix if you’ve ever seen it, Neo is doing the jump program with Morpheus and falls. When he comes out of it he is bleeding and makes a statement to the fact that he thought it wasn’t real and Morpheus tells him that the mind makes it real and that the body cannot live without the mind. If you are mentally incapacitated, how can you make a conscious decision to fight for your life?
A glimmer of hope came to us while dealing with the madness of the Morphine which is an alternative pain treatment that Cancer patients can receive that deals with injecting alcohol around certain nerves to block the feelings of pain. My mother had this procedure done but said that it didn’t work. To this day I don’t know if the treatment really didn’t work or if by the time she had it she was
already addicted to the Morphine and the pain she felt were the pangs of withdraw.
Unfortunately Morphine was only one wave in the ocean of drugs we had to deal with. There were digestive enzymes that had to be taken prior to eating, beta blockers, heart medication, anxiety medication, insulin for the diabetes caused by the shut down of the pancreas, medication for indigestion, vitamins, blood thinners for blood clots and so many medications we had to make an Excel spreadsheet just to keep track of them.
One of the effects of the disease that had to be dealt with was extreme swelling of the abdomen and feet to the point where diuretics were prescribed, fluid draw procedures had to be performed by using a needle to draw the fluid from the abdomen and as for the feet; only house shoes could be worn. I found out that the swelling was caused by the Cancer mainly due to the body’s reaction to the tumor and to the lack of protein in the blood disabling the bloods ability to hold fluid.
The things that a person goes through with Cancer are almost endless. Every part of the body is affected; especially the mind, the will, and the emotions. Based upon the experience I encountered with my mother a couple of other crises we had to press through was the C Diph infection causing chronic diarrhea causing contact isolation that is almost like quarantine to be implemented. My mother could barely eat and we had to put on hospital gowns and gloves to be in the room with her or even come in contact with her.
An episode we faced with internal bleeding caused by the rupturing of blood vessels was very traumatic and hospitalized my mother after she passed out from weakness with her eyes rolling back in her head due to the extreme blood loss. Blood was in her bowels and blood transfusions had to be issued in order to get her blood count back up to normal which is usually 14 and hers was almost half that. Had we not sought medical attention for her at that time she could have died. So that you can recognize this, the symptoms are usually extreme weakness and black loose bowels. I experienced the same thing when I was four years old and diagnosed with acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis.
We tried chemotherapy which is extremely hard on the body, killing the good cells along with the bad. Chemotherapy is like infusing your body with a poison in order to get rid of another poison. For some people it works but sadly to say in the cases of Pancreatic Cancer it is rarely effective. I am not a doctor and therefore give no medical recommendations as to how to treat Cancer of the Pancreas but in my own personal opinion and experience through observation I would say if possible, find a better way.
There are alternative treatments, natural remedies, and experimental treatments. A Cancer patient can seek studies that are being conducted for the type of Cancer they have and in many cases when they become a part of the study they can receive free or very low cost experimental treatments. One day one of these experimental treatments might be the answer. My mother used an experimental chemotherapy that was available but it was too hard on her heart. One of her smaller tumors did disappear but that wasn’t enough to save her.
Chemotherapy can carry such side effects as nausea, vomiting, and decreased white blood cell counts. Historically, Chemotherapy has not been effective in the treatment of Pancreatic Cancer, but there are more up to date treatments that use an FDA approved agent called gemcitabine which has helped to shrink some tumors for Carcinoma of the pancreas.
At one point we went to see a naturalpathic doctor specializing in alternative Cancer treatments that knew of a treatment that had proved to be effective for Pancreatic Cancer. The name of the treatment is Intravenous – Lipoic Acid/Low-Dose Naltrexone Protocol. There are various articles and information on this treatment for you to research and intelligently consider.
Our problem with the treatment was that one of the drugs prescribed for it that could only be filled at a compound pharmacy blocks the affects of opiates and since my mother was on Morphine for pain a known opiate she plunged into a chronic pain episode that caused her to lose coherency from the pain and go to the emergency room where the only thing they could do to relieve her pain was to give her a drug strong enough to sedate her and completely knock her out. It was a tremendous setback in her treatment. The opiate blocking drug was supposed to be a very low dosage that should not have negatively affected her so if this particular treatment is chosen I would do extensive research and make ample preparations before trying it.
When you are personally dealing with Cancer or know someone close to you that is, you will find out quickly that everyone has a product to sell you that they claim has cured someone from Cancer. Maybe they have and maybe they haven’t. Again, I remember watching an interview with Barbara Walters and Patrick Swayze when he said something to the effect of, “If you had a miracle cure for Cancer you would be rich and everyone would know you so just shut up.” We tried several products and ordered everything we thought could make a difference or be a cure. I’m going to share with you two things that you can buy on your own that we didn’t get a chance to try because we found out about them too late. I don’t know it they work, but its worth a try as anything is when you or someone you love is dying.
You can search YouTube and find videos on the banking soda Cancer treatment and you can search the Internet to find articles that specifically discuss the use of asparagus to treat Cancer. There is so much more I could say about different treatments and drugs but instead of going on and on about this subject I will instead give you a few helpful hints.
Helpful Hint #1: If you are strong enough to do it, aerobic exercise helps Chemotherapy patients by ridding the toxins in their system from Chemotherapy through sweat. I read an article once about a lady with Cancer that felt too sick to do aerobics when her coworkers kept inviting her to class because they didn’t know she had Cancer. She started the classes eventually and felt sick at first and then started feeling better. She sweated the toxins out and one year later was teaching the class Cancer Free.
Helpful Hint #2: When a Cancer patient’s veins are to the point where it is extremely difficult to draw blood or administer IV medication a Central Line which is a port for IV and medication inserted into the jugular vein by ultrasound can be good. I witnessed the pain of my mother as she was poked multiple times with attempts to draw blood and insert IV’s. Save yourself this pain with a Central Line.
Helpful Hint #3: Keep a positive attitude and laugh as often as possible. The Bible says that laughter doeth the heart good like a medicine. Sometimes simple laughter will do more for a Cancer patient than any drug. Laughter heals and it makes a person’s time on this earth more enjoyable. Talk about funny memories from the past with family and friends and laugh, laugh, laugh! You deserve it! Mental support is important. Encourage, speak positive things, and most of all be there for the person that you know that has Cancer. Cancer and all the things a person goes through with it are scary. I coached my mom and encouraged her and told her she could make it when she didn’t think she could. Encouragement in love can add time to a Cancer patient’s life. Ask lots of questions and gain as much knowledge as possible. If a drug or treatment you or a Cancer patient you know is on doesn’t seem right; talk to the doctor about it because there is always an alternative.
Entry # 4: Disappointment:
Normally in life there are disappointments. When you already have a disappointing disease, disappointment can be magnified. What do you do when the Chemo doesn’t work? How do you react when the miracle cure you found out about doesn’t cure? How do you deal with setbacks that surface along the way? What you do is keep going, keep trying, and don’t give up. It is important to express disappointment and acknowledge it as long as it doesn’t take you captive. Just having the disease is disappointing, not to mention all of the obstacles encountered while dealing with the disease. Disappointment is not only experienced by the Cancer victim but by the family and friends that love that person so much.
I was working on my MBA when my mother was diagnosed with Cancer. Since she was already in Stage 4 of Cancer when she was diagnosed we found out shortly after the diagnosis that the Cancer had spread to her lungs and other areas of her body. I can remember the day I found out about that. I started crying at work and couldn’t stop and had to leave the office. I know what it feels like to try and hold tears in and there is nothing you can do to keep them held in your eyes. I know what it is to cry until your stomach jerks in and out and snot comes out of your nose and you feel like throwing up. My mother was my best friend and because of that I am well acquainted with disappointment.
I always wondered how the people with these miracle stories that publish these books about overcoming Cancer did it. Their methods worked for them with no doubt but my mother was in such a bad state she couldn’t even do most of the things these books said to do and that was so disappointing. I wished I could speak with these people personally just to ask them…HOW? How did you do it?
One of the greatest challenges faced was that my mother was a Minister and Pastor and she had a lot of people praying for her as she even believed for her own healing. Father Yah (God) is a healer but He doesn’t always heal and there is always a question of why for those that are not healed. Dottie Olsteen the wife of the late Pastor John Olsteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas now pastured by Joel Olsteen at one time had terminal Liver Cancer. Dottie gathered together the healing scriptures from the Bible and began to speak them over herself three times a day like a medicine prescription and was totally and completely healed.
Why her and not my mother? I don’t know. Maybe Yah (the name for almighty God the Creator in Hebrew) was ready for my mom to come home with Him. All I can tell you is that disappoint can and will come in many forms. The best cure for disappointment is to overcome with an attitude of thankfulness, accepting that you don’t know the reason for all things but you do know that there is a reason and a purpose for all things. Stay positive while keeping your mind and spirit open to whatever might happen. Disappointment comes when something other than what you expect or anticipate happens. With Cancer you have to be prepared for the success or failure of anything and everything. Be encouraged; you are stronger than disappointment. Don’t let it catch you off guard but be prepared for it. Know that for every disappointment there is a triumph on the other side.
Entry # 5: Diet:
Anyone with Cancer should reconstruct their diet to contain the foods that fight against and can even cure Cancer. Eat and drink substances that are non-acidic, alkaline, and highly concentrated with antioxidants. Research to find Cancer healing foods.
One of the most important things to do is to drink a lot of water. Water is the source of life and the human body is mostly composed of water. There is an author that wrote a book called, “You Aren’t Sick You’re Just Thirsty” talking about the importance of water and its affects on the body.
Diet is a rough subject with Pancreatic Cancer because you can know all the right things to eat and not be able to consume them. The affects of the disease on the digestive system makes it very hard to eat and drink. The patient may lose their appetite and even if they do have an appetite, once they eat it can make them feel sick. Pancreatic Cancer sabotages the digestive system.
One thing that helped us was some information we found on dill pickles that assists in the digestion of food. In many instances when someone with Pancreatic Cancer or other digestive problems eats a dill pickle with each meal it helps to counteract the digestive problems so they can eat in comfort and keep the food down for nutrition to the body.
There are also drugs available to enhance the appetite, but if dill pickles can also be eaten with every meal that should help greatly as well. Since Pancreatic Cancer patients have difficulties in eating and tend to lose a lot of weight, dietary supplements such as protein shakes are suggested which are ingested easier with the use of a straw. Peanut butter can be added to the shakes to increase the calorie content and nutritional value of the shake. Another suggestion is to eat very small meals all throughout the day. The Cancer patient may not feel like eating but in order to live they must FORCE themselves to eat. Lack of food and liquid can kill quicker.
Vitamin D fights Cancer and freshly juiced vegetable juices containing the juice from green leafy vegetables can be extremely helpful especially when drank right after juicing when vitamin content and living substance is at a high level. The external diet is also important which consists of Epson salt baths that help to heal and release toxins from the body.
We all know the saying, “You are what you eat.” Eat what is alive and it will help you stay alive. The first 3 letters of the word diet is the word die. Don’t let what you are eating kill you. Since Cancer patients many times have to give up foods they love in order to live, it is great if the family can conform to their diet in support of their dietary efforts. Some foods make Cancer grow like simple sugars. Cut the sugar out of your diet and use a natural alternative like Stevia to sweeten foods. Stevia is a naturally sweet leaf that is available in powder and liquid form to sweeten foods and use in recipes. I am a big Bible reader so I love that Stevia is a leaf because the Bible says that the leaves shall be used for the healing of the nations. Other well-known artificial sweeteners can actually be poisonous to the body so be careful with them and avoid them if possible.
Entry #6: Death:
Even when you know someone is going to die, nothing really prepares you for the affects, effects, and real life reactions to that death. Everyone’s experience is different, and I will share my personal experience with you hoping it will help you in some way. I can remember my mom looking at me one night and saying to me, “I’m dying!” I didn’t know what to say back because even though I knew she had Cancer and death seemed inevitable, I refused to accept the fact the she was actually going to die.
We took her to the hospital on a Thursday and the very next day they wanted to send her to hospice. Hospice is a great and awful place all at the same time. Great due to the care and support and painless exit for the patient from this world they provide. Awful because you know that it is the last place you will be with the one you love. Hospice facilities are very comfortable and they give you a chance to say goodbye even if you don’t want to. No one does. Please know that you aren’t the only one going through this; neither are you the only one that has ever gone through this.
Counselors are provided, as well as, chaplains for spiritual support and prayer. You will receive a booklet explaining the death process which helps you know when death is near. During this process, give the Cancer patient a lot of love, comfort and support, and make sure you yourself get ample food and rest. Speak to your loved one while they are responsive and even after they are in a drug induced comma because they can still hear you. Be sure not to be selfish and release them to pass on so they won’t linger on in suffering. That is all I will say about the hospice experience as you will learn more as you are actually in it. This is the time to meet with the funeral home and make preparations for the funeral and burial. You won’t want to do this, but it is necessary and will help smooth out the process. Overall, hospice is a place to say your final goodbyes.
Entry # 7: Debt:
My dad only had enough life insurance to cover my mom’s funeral, and this is not recommended. The moment a Cancer diagnosis is in place get as much checkup free insurance as you can get. For some reason the bill collectors don’t understand the word death, and you can be stuck with bills that increase your sorrow after your loved one is gone. You will need a living will for your patient to be able to make medical decisions for them and you also need a power of attorney to deal with their accounts way before a death experience is upon you. You may have to handle business matters that they can’t deal with while they are still alive and after they have passed on.Also make sure a will is in place so you don’t have to deal with probate. Some accounts are easily closed after death simply by submitting a copy of the death certificate to the creditor and it is important to see if insurance is in place to pay off accounts upon death such as mortgages.
I have shared my heart, soul, and intimate personal experience with you in this article to the best of my ability. It should not take a crisis such as Cancer for us to become mortgage and debt free but if something such as Cancer arises I know that being mortgage and debt free can be one less worry. Work to reduce or delete your debts as much as possible. My dad would have more freedom and options today had his house been paid off when my mother passed. In addition to medical bills there were some prescriptions that cost $800 for a 10-day supply after our prescription benefits ran out. Death and sickness know nothing of the extra financial burdens that can increase and extend sorrow.
You will feel the pain of your loss for awhile and it will be absolutely unbelievable for a very long time, but you will get through it. Remember the good times, look at pictures of life, and hear the voice of your loved one live on in your mind and spirit forever. I wish you abundant peace. If you would like to find out how to get a copy of the book I’ve written in hopes of helping people deal with the loss of a loved one, please call or email me.
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Tags: Cancer, Daughter, Diagnosis, Living, Pancreatic, Patients | 
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Paintless Dent Repair: Myths and Facts About Car Dent Repair and Insurance
The long arm of car repair insurance doesn’t stop at extended warranties or tire road hazard insurance. Marketing gurus have found all sorts of knick knacks to insure. Among the top are ding and dent protection plans. Ding and dent insurance is growing steadily, and addresses those unsightly shopping cart and parking lot dings.
Dings and dents are fairly synonymous terms, although a ding is smaller than a dent. You’ll notice a dent. You’ll need to squint, or catch the vehicle in the right angle or sunlight to see a ding. Some dings are smaller than eraser heads.
Like extended warranties or tire insurance, dent and ding protection plans promise to pay for damages in part or in full for a specific period of time. These plans are primarily sold by new car dealerships and cost a few hundred dollars.
Ding and Dent Repair: Paintless Dent Repair
Ding and dent repair is called PDR, short for Paintless Dent Repair. There are many companies that perform this service: Ding Doctor, Ding King, No Dents, Dent Wizard…the list goes on. Some are better then others, although ultimately it’s up to the skill of the PDR technician. Prices are similar.
How is it done?
Most PDR techniques are non-intrusive. The PDR technicians use specially designed tools and gadgets to slip behind the damaged panels and manipulate and massage the damaged metal back to its original form.
Does it work?
Actually, it’s incredible! It works so well that in the majority of cases the dings and dents are completely removed. They’re invisible, gone, can’t-believe-your-eyes fixed.
I saw a soccer-ball-sized dent removed from the rear fender of a $120,000 car. The dent also had a large crease, which makes repairs even harder. After thirty minutes there was no visible detection that a dent was ever there. The repair cost the client $400. Traditional body shop estimates were hovering at $2700.
PDR positives
Very low cost compared to traditional body shops
Same day repairs–even while-you-wait service
No paint work, sanding, or traditional bodywork required
Original paint remains–helps retain vehicles looks and value
Body panels remain intact–maintaining structural integrity
PDR negatives
PDR does not address scratches or paint chips that are often associated with dings (Many PDR companies will address chips and scratches, but it’s not PDR technology)
Many areas of body panels are not accessible, so PDR is not an option
Plastic bumpers or any plastic components can’t be fixed with PDR techniques. Since the bumper is the most common area to get damaged, this is a significant downside of PDR technology.
Some damage can occur to door panels, paint, interiors, window glass and hardware, although damage of any kind is rare.
Do you need PDR insurance?
God, no!
Should you get your dings fixed using PDR techniques?
Hell, yes!
Let me explain…
Insuring against dings and dents does not make economic sense. Ding repairs average around $50 per ding. Some dings cost $99 to $149 to repair. Two to four dings can run $100 to $450, depending on the size of the dent. Insurance at this level is just not necessary. Moreover, it’s a gamble you will lose.
To benefit from a $300, two-year plan, your vehicle would need to sustain multiple “PDR repairable” dings or dents. Despite your coverage, you may not even notice the dings, making a claim impossible. Also, despite the amazing PDR techniques, they can’t fix everything, especially the chips and scratches that so frequently accompany a ding–should dings even occur.
Yes, get your dings fixed with PDR (if they’re bothering you), but don’t buy an insurance plan.
Protection plan economics 101
An article by Terence O’Hara in the Washington Post is a wonderful piece on the insanity of protection plans, and is applicable here. He writes:
The decision to buy an extended warranty…defies the recommendations of economists, consumer advocates and product quality experts, who all warn that the plans rarely benefit consumers and are nearly always a waste of money.
‘[Extended warranties and protection plans] make no rational sense,’ Harvard economist David Cutler said. ‘The implied probability [of an issue] has to be substantially greater than the risk that you can’t afford to fix it or replace it. If you’re buying a $400 item, for the overwhelming number of consumers that level of spending is not a risk you need to insure under any circumstances.’
…extended warranties play upon a basic human trait to avoid loss, even if it means sacrificing a possible future gain. In this case, the gain is all the other things of value that a consumer could buy with the money that was spent on a warranty
Fix your dings
Fix your dings and dents (if you want) as they come–maybe every spring. Fixing dings keeps your car looking pristine, and increases its value. But don’t bother with a protection plan. Save your money.
Hold off on that paint job
Quality paintless dent repair is often a great substitute for those considering full paint jobs. Whenever possible, it’s best to keep the original paint. Good PDR combined with a professional detail can restore vehicles to show room condition for less than $500.
Go with the best
Since 1983 Dent Wizard has been pioneering PDR technology. Their PDR technicians undergo extensive and ongoing training. The rates are reasonable and the quality is excellent. Always request a master PDR technician, as there are various levels of abilities.
Check with local dealers
Dealerships in your area may offer Dent Wizard. Your vehicle does not have to be of the same make as the dealership. In other words, you can bring your Chevy to a Ford dealer for PDR work.
Myths
Do it yourself paintless dent repair is easy.
No it ‘s not. It requires training, skill, and experience. There are many who practice PDR techniques who crack or flake the paint, or who create ripples in the metal.
The PDR products sold on TV do the same thing.
No! Not even close. There’s no good substitute for the art of PDR.
Scratch and dent repair are the same thing.
No. A ding is a small dent, which can often be repaired via paintless dent repair procedures. A scratch is an actual break in the surface of the clear coat or paint, requiring traditional body shop techniques, or touch up paint.
It’s easy to learn how to repair dents on cars.
Maybe for some, but it’s a skill that few master. Dent Wizard offers a great training program. The management and staff are top notch.
What’s the best car dent removing protection plan?
Money in your bank account!
How to Buy a Used Ice Cream Truck
First appearances are often deceitful and if you’re not careful then you can find yourself stuck with a lemon for the long haul! To help you to make sure that you find the “right one”, follow these instructions carefully:
Always do your homework and never buy a used ice cream truck without doing thorough research first.
Once you have done your research a great place to start looking for a truck is on Craigslist or eBay. Make sure to search for the terms”used ice cream truck” as well as “used ice cream van” as some people use them interchangeably.
Make a list detailing information on each of the suitable vehicles and find them using Google Maps.
Speak with each of the sellers and make sure that you ask him or her as many questions as possible. Obviously take everything that they tell you with a grain of salt and try to phrase your questions so that they have to provide you with specific answers – don’t give them room to wriggle around the truth! Also, don’t pass up this golden opportunity to get some excellent information and tips from them on how they ran their ice cream business – find out what worked for them and what didn’t – as this data can be invaluable!
After examining the best choices available to you, narrow down the field and make a decision. In the event that none of the trucks are suitable you can always wait for something better to come along. However, don’t let a truck that is slightly more costly than you wanted to pay stop you from making a purchase if the vehicle is in good condition. The sooner you get started the sooner you’ll make money and you will quickly be able to make up for the extra cost.
Here’s a final tip. You will find that eBay is a better place for finding new trucks and more expensive trucks, and Craigslist is better if you are looking for a cheaper used truck. One of the things that makes many of the trucks on eBay so expensive is the inclusion of soft ice cream machines as well as 3 section sink stations that are required by most health departments if you are selling non prepackaged ice cream. These trucks are also often custom made and have complicated electrical and plumbing systems. I strongly suggest that you avoid these trucks unless you already have experience in the ice cream business because you need to have a good route and good collection of locations where you know you can sell a lot of ice cream. Also be wary of buying a truck on eBay before you take a look at it. One of the benefits of eBay is that it requires the seller to provide more information on the vehicle. Even with this info, you need to go look at the truck before you place a bid. If you are in the market for a truck start looking as soon as possible. The best times to buy are at the end of the summer when vendors are looking to upgrade to a new truck or just want to retire from the business.
Safeguard Your Rental Property With Buy to Let Home Insurance
Buy to let home insurance is just as necessary as your individual home insurance policy. Although some tenants are diligent in reporting issues, landlords realize that some tenants do not watch as diligently for possible issues as you would do, which suggests your rental unit has much more exposure to hazards than the typical house. Needless to say, insurance providers realize this too. That is why buy to let home insurance usually will cost you more than a regular homeowner’s policy.
The simple fact that the landlord does not reside on the premises and rents the home or apartments also implies the home is much more likely to be unoccupied than the normal homeowner’s dwelling. Although you may have outstanding tenants whom remain for a long time, at some point in time they’ll move out and regardless of how well they cared for the home, there’s usually work you need to do before the next tenant can move in.
Needless to say, the loss of a renter usually means the home will probably be empty until such time as you complete the work and locate the next good renter. Yet again, this exposes the home to all the more hazards from vandals to water damage if a pipe would burst with nobody near to discover the trouble for a while.
Buy to let home insurance providers will not pay a claim if the property has been empty for as few as as 30 days in some states or slightly longer in others. It all is determined by the carrier and your state laws. To be able to be positive that you really have full insurance coverage, get buy to let home insurance policies that provide a rider for these occasions the house is empty. It extends coverage while you are doing repairs, locate just the perfect tenant, and is very well worth the additional premium.
The option to a rider for your buy to let home insurance would be to switch to a builder’s risk policy when you are refurbishing the property. Nonetheless, these may be costly and frequently fairly hard to get. Talk about this problem together with your insurance agent so you are not stuck at the very last minute attempting to obtain insurance or worse yet, file a claim and discover you had no coverage simply because the dwelling was empty.
Make sure that you really have enough coverage in your policy. Alike in many ways to homeowner’s insurance, insurance providers prorate all claims in the event you do not insure to 80 % valuation of the house. Even though you may have only paid $50,000 for the home 20 years ago, these days it might be worth considerably more in the event you sold it, especially if you have made improvements on the property.
Presume you’ve got a $100,000 property that you just only insure for $50,000. In the event you have roof damage from a storm estimated at $3,000 for repair, initially the buy to let home insurance provider estimates the amount of money they pay. Because you only insured for half the valuation of the house, they only pay you half the expense of damage or $1,500. The company then subtracts your deductible from that value. In the end, you’d only get $500 in the event you had a $1,000 deductible. Had you insured the property for $80,000, 80 % of the worth, you’d get $3,000 less the deductible. There’s really a spread between the two figures.
Make certain you’ve adequate loss of rent coverage in your buy to let home insurance. In some instances, the loss of rent can make a big difference in whether or not you will make that up coming payment on the home on time or struggle and pay penalties to your lender.
Some buy to let home insurance policies have liability in the policy but you’ve got to add it to other policies as a rider if it is even offered. A lot of individual home owner insurance policies make available a rider that supplies liability coverage for a rental or other property. In the event you have many properties, an umbrella liability policy may be the very best bargain for your requirements. Talk about this together with your insurance agent for the very best answer.
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Homeowners Insurance California – Trying To Find Instant Quotes
Are you trying to find homeowners insurance in California? If so, let me show you what you need to know first and where to find the best quotes online in California.
It is not required by law to have home insurance, but all financial institutions require that California borrowers purchase California home insurance when owning a home. The very basic California home insurance policies will cover fire damage, wind, lightning and major explosions. When getting your quotes online make sure to pay very close attention to the coverage that is provided.
Important, basic California home insurance policies do not cover floods or earthquakes. In this case you need to look into getting two additional California home insurance policies. These policies or so called “special coverage policies” which are offered at a different rate.
It is is crucial that when searching for flood insurance you consider the average time it takes them to pay claims. When obtaining your quote you will be provided with this information.
Although it can cost more, earthquake insurance is definitely a must have in California. Earthquake insurance will cover the replenishment of property damaged. California home insurance companies are to cover damage to the structure of the home and expenses for temporary housing.
California home insurance companies have the right to charge higher earthquake insurance premiums when a house is old or appears more likely to be destroyed by an earthquake. The construction of your home is crucial, as wood homes are much cheaper to cover. Insurance companies also include the location of a house when determining your premium rates. Hence, if you live near the fault line you are going to pay a lot more.
When choosing a California home insurance company get several quotes online first. This makes your decision much easier and more informative. Your cost will depend on several factors, like the ones which were discussed.
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