Things to do in Berlin with locals

Travel

There are many Things to do in Berlin with locals ... photo by CC user Belappetit on wikimedia commons

Heading to Germany’s most culturally adept city, but have no idea what to do beyond the typical tourist attractions? In this article, we will go over the many things to do in Berlin with locals that will have you appreciating this city in a way that the casual traveler simply cannot comprehend.

Check out an authentic market hall

Although there are only two market halls left in all of Berlin (down from the original 13), Markthalle 9 has benefited largely because of the recent move towards local food production. Open since 1891, It is now home to a farmers market, craft sales, and plenty of hot food stalls.

Be sure to keep your eyes open for sales of local craft beers, as the these ales, pilsners, and lagers represent the leading edge of German beer making in the present day.

Explore neighborhoods with a local

Berlin is a very eclectic city when it comes to its neighborhoods, and the best way to discover their hidden secrets is to hire a local guide. Websites like Withlocals.com give you a chance to hire knowledgeable and professional guides that will help you uncover parts of this metropolis that you would never think to explore on your own.

From food tours that help you discover the best Wienerschnitzel in the city, to a flea market crawl that will have you finding some of the most eccentric but interesting knick-knacks that you have ever seen in your life, signing up for a tour with a local is one of the best decisions you’ll make while traveling.

Spend a beautiful day outside at Tempelhof Park

When the Tempelhof airport was closed to make way for a bigger and more modern airport facility for the city of Berlin, the airfield left a big gaping hole in Berlin’s cityscape.

After careful deliberation, it was decided that this giant parcel of land would be converted into a park, part of which would be set aside for wildlife, but also with a part that would allow for recreational use by city residents.

To that end, avid kiteboarders use the old runways to reach untold speeds on windy days, while others use the grassy infield as a perfect place to have a picnic lunch on a beautiful day in the city.

Pay your respects at the Berlin Wall Memorial

If there’s one thing that you should do here that is not off the beaten track, it should be to head to the Berlin Wall Memorial and pay your respects to those that lost their lives in an attempt to reach the freedom that West Germany represented during the days of division in this city.

While most of the wall was dismantled in the days following its fall in 1989, this section was left intact for the purposes of remembering the social and human cost of the construction of this barrier. Guides will relay their personal stories of suffering and hardship that was caused due to this wall’s construction, which divided families for decades.

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Invest in Your Financial Future Today

Finance

What would happen going forward if you lost your ability to work for the remainder of your life?

Would you have the financial means with which to survive? Have you spent years building up your “rainy day” fund? What “fallback” solution do you have in place to get through tough financial times?

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These are all questions that you should be able to answer, yet many people simply have no answers for such important matters in their lives. As a result, major financial dilemmas can creep up on them in a hurry, leaving some with nowhere to turn.

So, have you invested in your financial future?

Put the Funds in Motion

For starters, take the time now (not when you are in a pinch) to see where you stand financially.

Look at the following if you reside in North America to see what is most applicable to your financial needs:

  • Resources – What are your current and projected financial resources whether you live in the States or Canada? Will you be getting an inheritance of any sort down the road? Are you in a relationship where you are both working full-time or is it just your income that you two essentially rely on? About how many more years can you and/or your spouse expect to work? Have you taken advantage of a company-sponsored retirement plan? These are all topics that you should have an answer for in order to better secure your current and financial future;
  • IRA – Have you been setting aside money in a regular or Roth IRA? The two best-known of the IRAs available, the former is tax-deferred as you put money in it, with taxes being taken out when you start minimal withdrawal of money (you must begin taking funds out at age 70 ½). Meantime, there is no age when you must start taking money out of a Roth IRA; however that IRA is grown with after-tax dollars, so you do not get taxed when you begin pulling funds from it. Once you’ve reached the age of 59 ½, you are allowed to take out funds from the Roth IRA minus any penalties. Just like purchasing life insurance, having a retirement vehicle or two in place for not only your well-being but that of your family makes sense;
  • 401K’s – With a 401K, you can build up your investments through your employer. Unfortunately, too many employees miss out on the opportunity to participate in such workplace plans, plans that are even better when the employer matches a portion of the money the employee is investing (essentially this is free cash from your place of employment). If you are over the age of 50, you can put additional money in as you are essentially “catching up” in the race to fund your retirement. Another item to keep in mind is that you don’t necessarily have to be a full-time worker to become involved in a company 401K, so check with your company if they offer such opportunities in the event you work there part-time;
  • RESP’s – With a registered education savings plan (for Canadian residents) you can put away funds for a child’s education when they reach the post-secondary level. The money earned over time grows at a tax-deferred rate. It is important to keep in mind that the plan ends no later than when the individual it was taken out for turns 35.

Many Factors at Play

As you might imagine, there are many factors at play when it comes to determining your best financial scenarios.

The most important factor to remember is not making any rash decisions when it comes to your financial well-being.

Undoubtedly, changes will occur in both your professional and personal lives over time, so be able to adjust and plan accordingly.

That said starting sooner rather than later to plan for retirement no matter where you reside is a smart thing.

When you have a plan in place to manage your financial future (and take action if things go bad) is of the utmost importance.

Lastly, talk with family, friends and co-workers as to the choices they’ve made or will be making in their financial plans.

Getting feedback from them can be of great benefit to you as you invest in your financial future today.

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Become More Social in the Fight Against Addiction

Health & Fitness

If you or someone you love has been battling a drug or alcohol addiction, you know how challenging the fight can be.

There are times when you think you are close to having it licked, only to see yourself fall right back into it. When that happens, climbing out of the hole of addiction can be 10 times more difficult.

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So, where are some of the best places to turn for help when addiction seems to be getting the better of you?

Leave No Helpful Stone Unturned

While addiction may seem like it is winning, it can and has been defeated countless times.

Look to some of these areas for help:

  • Family and friends – Those closest to you are oftentimes the ones who can swing the pendulum in your favor when fighting addiction. With that in mind, never turn down the offer of assistance from a family member or friend. In some cases, you may be embarrassed to ask for help, feeling like your addiction is a problem you must tackle on your own. When you try and do that, you can be overwhelmed and even feel lost at times. In some cases, an individual fighting addiction can actually bond once again with a family member or members, along with drawing a closer relationship to a friend or friends. If you know of one or more people that have battled addictions and won, turn to them for support and advice. While co-workers may not be at the top of the list in your mind when turning for help, those you share an office space with are around you eight or more hours a day. As a result, they can be some of your best sounding boards when seeking help;
  • Social networking – You are probably wary of turning to social media to ask for help in fighting an addiction, but it can in fact be one of the best decisions you ultimately make. While social media does have its downsides, there are many positives that come from the world of social networking. One of these is people reaching out to others who are going through or have gone through similar health challenges over time. Engaging in social media with healthy boundaries can prove beneficial, allowing you to share stories and ask questions of others currently or previously battling addiction issues. If you have not already, start a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page, Whether you use one, two or all three of these sites, start slow. One thing you want to avoid is that feeling of being overwhelmed by social networking. Start by giving a brief description of what you have or are currently going through with an addiction. Use hashtags such as #addiction, #recovery etc. to find groups of people in similar situations. As others converse with you, feel free to ask questions of these individuals as to how they recovered or are in the process of recovery. If social media seems at times to be a little too overwhelming, take a step back and go back when you feel more comfortable;
  • Recovery groups – Even though some individuals battling addictions are oftentimes too shy to sit and talk in front of others, this can be one of the best venues to help one move towards kicking their demons. If you decide to go to a recovery group meeting or meetings, you don’t have to sit-up and talk the ears off of people. Take-in what is going on and realize that such meetings are not to single anyone out with an addiction, but to help them recover sooner rather than later. Feel free to ask questions of others, gathering all the information and using what can best assist you in getting your health back, including your mental health.

If you have not delved into social media as you battle an addiction, give it a consideration.

Social media is something that millions of people engage in on a daily basis, much of which can be used for good.

As you find the best solution or solutions in fighting an addiction, social media may be the missing component that will ultimately give you a hands-up in your struggle.

 

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Don’t Make Identity Theft Part of Your Lifestyle

Tech

When things are going great, life can be as good as it gets.

You have a good job, money is not an everyday worry, you live in a nice home or apartment, your family and friends are healthy and safe, and the list goes on and on. Sounds pretty good, yes?

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Now stop for a moment and image how that ideal life can be turned upside down when you’re the victim of identity theft.

In just a short period of time, that life you so enjoyed can be turned on its ears, leaving you feeling helpless and potentially in a major financial hole.

Keep Identity Theft Thieves at Bay

So that you can keep those at bay who would do you financial harm, remember these tidbits:

  • Choose How to Protect Your Identity – Your first order of business is making sure your identity (particularly your financial well-being) is protected as much as possible. You may be at a lost how best to do that, but there are companies and services out there such as ITPBureau.com to assist you. When working with such businesses, they are experts in narrowing down the field of identity theft providers, giving you more knowledge of which one best fits your identity theft protection needs. By comparing a number of providers, they can match you up, giving you more peace of mind;
  • Don’t Be Careless with Your Identity – Having the best identity theft provider around won’t mean all that much if in fact you are careless with your identity, notably your financial persona. It is important that you always guard your financial identity (credit and debit cards, bank account info, your Social Security number, PIN numbers for important financial items etc.). As identity theft thieves become even better with compromising technology and using it to their advantage, it is all the more important that you avoid being careless with your data. If someone calls you and poses as a business owner, make sure you do not give out sensitive info like a SSN or other personal identification. In many cases, that “business” calling you is actually an I.D. theft criminal, hoping you will provide him or her with data they need to become a nuisance in your life. It just takes one slip-up on your end to give a thief or thieves an invitation into your financial world;
  • Public Places Can Be Dangerous – Never stop yourself from going out in public (see more below), but be careful when you do. Stop and think for a moment about how many times over the years you’ve likely exposed your credit card, left a financial receipt behind, and so on. You may have gotten lucky and not been the victim of an identity theft crime at the time, but chalk that up as just that, luck. If you’re out a restaurant, make sure your waiter or waitress takes the merchant’s copy of the receipt with them, avoiding having it sit on the table while other people are coming and going;
  • Careful When Traveling – You should never shy away from travel when you have the opportunity, but do it so carefully. Identity theft thieves oftentimes will target a hotel or motel, figuring there are golden opportunities awaiting them to catch travelers with their guards down. Even though you do not need to be obsessive about it, don’t leave your laptop (if you travel with it for business or personal reasons) sitting around with sensitive data on the screen. When out of your room, avoid leaving credit cards behind on a table or any information that leads to your bank account. While you’d like to think most individuals working in hotels and motels are honest, is it worth the risk of having your financial life turned upside down?

Your lifestyle should be one of hard work and lots of fun when the work day is over.

Don’t make the job easy for identity theft thieves; keep them working overtime in trying to penetrate your financial world.

If you want to live a lifestyle that is free of financial headaches from criminals, take the time to review what you’re doing right protecting your identity, along with seeing where you need a little reinforcement.

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Exploring Belfast with the family

Travel

Checking out the zoo is a must when Exploring Belfast with the family

There’s a whole lot for families to do and see around Belfast, whether your kids need to be kept busy or enjoy relaxing and playing a couple games of Eurocup Game. When we traveled to Belfast recently, there was one attraction that really caught our eye – the Belfast Zoo.

Built all the way back in 1934, the zoo houses thousands of animals from around the world in beautiful, safe natural scenery, giving them an environment in which they can really relax. The zoo’s found a fair distance from the city itself (definitely better for the animals), but we didn’t have much of a problem getting there. We’d stayed at the Travelodge Belfast hotel, surprisingly cheap for something right in the city centre, and hopped on a Metro 1 bus from right outside straight to the zoo.

The buses don’t stop right outside the zoo – there’s about a 500 metre walk uphill (make sure you’re aware of this if you’ve got a pram) before you reach the zoo. Entrance to the zoo isn’t too pricey, with a family ticket coming at £23.20 at the moment. Once we actually got inside, we knew we’d made the right choice.

Across around 50 acres of nature, there’s more than a thousand animals, from natural inhabitants to a whole set of different visitors. We started off with a look around a few different types of monkey, from lemurs to gorillas and chimps (the kids recognised the ring-tailed lemurs from the Madagascar series).

Just walking around we saw everything from anteaters and kangaroos to capybaras (actually one of my favourite animals – they just look like they’re having a good time) and tapirs. The zoo’s taken animals from around the world and made sure that they’re all as comfy as possible, keeping them safe and happy.

As you might expect, a few of the animal enclosures get pretty crowded, with lions, elephants and tigers getting pretty packed around lunchtime. All in all, the Belfast Zoo really made for a great time, keeping the kids enthralled with some beautiful and rare animals.

The zoo’s actually part of a larger area, Cave Hill, which includes the famous Belfast Castle as well as a few more sights. With huge mountains and some really impressive natural sights, the park definitely looked impressive, but it’s really not the kind of thing the kids would enjoy. Maybe some other time.

Heading back towards our city centre Belfast hotel in the afternoon, we decided to stop off around something a bit more modern than the Belfast Zoo. Built a few years back, the W5 centre is a huge activity area designed for kids, with a whole lot of active attractions around. A bit more expensive than the Zoo, the W5 was definitely worth it – there’s hundreds of interactive things from a huge climbing frame to sciencey activities, music and way more.

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Could 3D printing revolutionize manufacturing?

Business

Is it possible that do-it-yourself manufacturing could one day be a reality where the vast majority of products are concerned?

Similar to how the Internet helped to level the playing field, 3D printing could well do the same in the manufacturing sector.

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With 3D printing, very soon you might not need all the capital to be able to make things. Soon, everyone will have the opportunity to produce hundreds of their own goods, at least on a small scale.

3D printing is being applied to everything from concrete to chocolate and even cells. It’s being used by corporations and consumers alike, who understand how the technology has the potential to give them a competitive advantage, whether it’s in business or just to save the individual some money.

3D Printing for all?

3D printing isn’t a new technology. It’s actually be around for years. However, it was only recently given its cool new moniker, whereas before it was known by the much more stale term “additive manufacturing”, which meant creating products layer by layer. However, the term 3D printing has taken over as the technology has now become cheap enough to be “consumer-friendly”, which means the vast majority of people can take advantage of it. In addition, new techniques and advances have been made, and the Internet is helping to make it more popular.

The technology has come so far that industry is now bracing itself for change. Manufacturing for the masses is set to become the next big industrial revolution, allowing everyone to take part in the process. This will be similar to the time when computers were made widely available to the public, having previously been restricted to only big companies and governments.

Today, 3D printing can be done at home, in the office, at schools, inside hospitals, meaning non-manufacturers can now manufacture all kinds of items.

As a result of its popularity, 3D printing is also being considered by numerous new industries, including the aerospace, automotive, defense and healthcare sectors. With 3D printers now capable of printing new materials, and producing bigger objects at that, it’s now possible to manufacture all kinds of complex things, such as aircraft parts, more aerodynamic car parts, and so on. In the future, the military might be able to manufacture spare parts right on the battlefield.

This article was brought to you by the Norwegian packaging company Pall-Pack AS. Pakkemaskiner is Norwegian and means packaging machines. With the widest range of packaging machines, we have the right one for you.

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How to Protect Your Car in Winter

Auto

The winter months tend to wreak havoc on cars, especially the ones that sit outside in the cold temperatures. Between the below freezing temperatures, hail and ice, melting snow, and salted roads, cars are extremely vulnerable to damage during the winter.

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While there is no way to protect cars completely from the winter season, there are some preventative measures you can take to keep it protected throughout the season. Taking the time to care for your car can help it continue to run smoothly in the future years.

Cover Your Car

If possible, try to keep your car covered when it is not being used in winter. Whether that is parking it in the garage, under a carport, or using a quality car cover, keeping your car protected from the elements can not only keep it safe, but also make your morning commute easier.

Moreover, keeping your car covered will keep it from getting covered in snow, which can protect your windows and windshield. Extreme temperature changes can crack glass, which could lead to damaged windshields and windows. Additionally, in extremely wet areas where it hails frequently during winter, a car cover can shield your glass and paint from chips. While using a company like Phoenix auto glass can help repair any damages, preventative measures can help you keep your car looking beautiful all winter long.

However, if you cannot cover your car, be careful when removing snow and ice from your car. Never use warm water to remove the snow, as it can shatter windows, and be gentle with your actions when chipping ice away in order to avoid damaging your car.

Be Prepared

Before winter arrives, stock up your garage with all the necessary tools you may need, including socket wrenches, screwdrivers, good cleaners, and the right glass cleaners. If you have a problem with your car, such as a flat tire, you will be happy you have all the tools you need right in your garage.

Car Maintenance

Take some time to take preventative measures such as washing your car before the first snowstorm comes. Bugs and other debris can actually freeze onto your car, making them exceedingly difficult to remove.

Do not forget about keeping the inside of your engine clean as well. Gravel, dirt, and other outdoor elements can get stuck in the crevices, which can prevent water from draining out of your car properly. If water is stuck anywhere in the car, during freezing temperatures, it can freeze inside of the car. This can lead to the car not running properly, to mildew growing inside, and even rust.

Wash Your Car

Many people do not think about washing their car during winter, as the weather often prevents it. Additionally, many think the snow and rain naturally wash their car. However, the outdoor elements have minerals in them that can damage the paint of your car. Plus, the salt used on roads can damage the underside of your car, as well as the tires, and washing your car in winter can help remove those road salts away.

Antifreeze

If the antifreeze in your car is old, it can lose its effectiveness. If it is not doing its job properly, you may notice some trouble with the way your engine runs in winter. While engine trouble is more common in winter than other seasons, by using antifreeze properly, it should help keep your engine from seizing.

Oil

Cars work harder during winter, which can mean that your oil might need to be changed more frequently. Most people follow the mileage rule or wait until their car alerts them that it is time for an oil change. In winter, however, the rules are slightly different. Keep an eye on your oil, especially in extreme weather, and make sure it is clean in order to keep your car running at optimal performance.

Floor Mats

Due to the wet grounds, your shoes can damage the interior of your car if you are not using the right floor mats. Look to use rubber floor mats that can withstand mud, rain, and snow, otherwise, your car might start to mildew on the interior.

Following these tips can help your stay protected and you driving safely during the winter months.

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Marketing to Capture Results For Small Business

Business

Any business owner knows that marketing in smart, innovative ways is key to capturing business. You want to grab the attention of new customers while keeping your current ones returning. A smart marketing plan will help you do this. Keep it alive, innovative and always working.

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Do it Yourself

You may be very adept at marketing your company yourself. You’ll save money this way, and get things done the way you want. Remember, the key here is to get the consumer’s attention. Whether they are your current customer or you’re looking for new clients, attention is the key. Here are some fun ways of grabbing it:

  • Create custom stickers and work them. You can create custom, die-cut stickers with your logo or artwork and send them into the big, wide world. Include them in your shipping and mailings. Stick them on your car and your friends’ cars. Have them in your stores for your customers to grab and stick them on their stuff.
  • Go altruistic. Share a gift card on your social media. Small businesses have recently shown their altruistic side by screenshotting a gift card (think Starbucks) and letting their customers have a treat on them. It’s lovely to see the gratitude, and when you’d think some person would scoop it all up, no one does. Everyone is grateful and enjoys sharing the good will.
  • Use social media. Let your followers do the work for you, and everyone benefits. Invite your followers to share the photos with your product or brand in it. You can even offer a reward for the one that gets the most likes.
  • Create a contest. Let your clients be your marketers. Invite them to design a new logo, come up with a new catch phrase or create the next flavor. You’ll see great results this way.
  • Sponsor a team or be a school partner. This is a win win. You’ll see lots more customers coming in and you’ll be supporting the community. You can offer seasonal discounts (like promotions on flowers during prom season if you’re a florist) or weekly specials (like 10% off your meal with spirit wear after a football game if you’re a restaurant).
  • Host a 5K. You can donate the money earned to a non-profit of choice (perhaps related to your business). You can hand out promotions, discounts, those stickers, and other information at the race. You’ll form bonds with partners and let your customers see you in a new light.
  • Sell t-shirts. Have t-shirts for sale in your storefront or restaurant with your brand. Encourage customers to tag you in social media when they wear them. People love t-shirts of their favorite things.
  • Host open houses. If you have a storefront, have an open house. You can have wine and cheese in the evening, or cupcakes and cookies. You can donate a percentage of the purchases made during that time, and just be on hand to chat with and get to know customers. It’s a nice way to say thank you.

Stay Relevant

It’s important to stay relevant with what your company stands for. Keep the context to where it makes sense. For instance, you’re not going to advertise your Birthday Parties for Kids in a club where young singles go. You don’t want to advertise that club on the back of your kid’s softball jersey, either. Think how things work together and play off one another, and do what makes sense.

Outsourcing Marketing

Business owners need to wear a lot of hats. Some slip on quite easily, while others may be a tougher fit. If marketing isn’t your thing, hire someone else to handle it. The money spent will probably be worth it, because marketing is an essential part to running a business. Outsourcing marketing can get you started, feed you ideas and get a strong customer base. A consultant can help you with techniques you can work on by yourself. Sometimes it pays to let the experts handle it.

Look around for more great marketing ideas to see what fits for you. From stickers to t-shirts to community clean up days, you can go in whatever direction you desire. The trend in marketing these days is to make it personal, relevant and community oriented. Let your customers see a human side of you and your business. Share it with them, and they in turn will end up sharing it with others.

Image Source: http://www.aboutbradsugars.com/wp-content/small_business_owners_image.jpg

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Go Online and Advance Your Education Level

Education

How much education is necessary for you to properly do your job and keep your career moving along at a solid pace?

For many professionals, it seems there can never be too much education on their resumes. With more and more careers requiring technical skills, online experience and the ability to juggle a number of tasks at any given time in the workplace, being highly educated certainly comes in handy.

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With that being the case, take some time and see where you are well-covered and perhaps a little deficient on the educational side, especially if you want to maintain your ability to move up the corporate ladder.

You Can Never Have Too Much Education

In order to properly assess your educational needs in the workplace that pays your bills and allows you to for the most part enjoy the lifestyle you want and have, look at the following factors:

  1. Your employer – Start with reviewing your current job, what your employer asks of you and how you can properly gather the additional skills and education you need. Is your employer seemingly always offering advancements and raises at work? Is he or she bringing in outside talent instead of possibly giving you a promotion due to your educational level? Finally, does your employer offer some or full opportunities to go back to school (including online options) in order for you and others to accrue more education? These are all areas that you should have a good handle on so you are never left behind;
  2. Online options – With the growth of the Internet on what seems like a daily basis, more companies are allowing workers to not have to travel to colleges and other educational facilities after work in the evenings or on weekends to gain the additional schooling and skills they might need. Whether you have/want to strengthen your skills in data and communications or a wide array of other course work and job skills, don’t be hesitant to roll up your sleeves and take advantage of online courses. Yes, the extra time needed to study and take tests may seem a little burdensome at times, but the rewards for gaining that added education and then applying it to the tasks you’re ask to do at work can never be taken for granted. Finally, get yourself comfortable with online needs and skills if you haven’t really been a regular on the Internet over the last decade or so. The worldwide web has so much to offer, but how to find it and take advantage of it does take some work on your part. This is especially crucial for older employees who have not grown up with the Internet like today’s 20-somethings have. Don’t be afraid or feel overwhelmed at times when on the web. In the long run, the online and educational skills you attain via the Internet will only bolster your career ;
  3. Co-workers – Stop and take some time to see what those you work with are doing to improve their workplace skills, especially via online opportunities. For those fellow employees you are friends with, you can oftentimes do online classes together, taking some of the fear out of it for you or all of you (depending on how many decide to go to class together). It is also a good idea to collaborate with some co-workers to see which coursework they might have been asked to take by management to improve their standing in the company and ultimately their careers. There are a number of fields that have really taken off in recent years or the last decade or so, so investigate what may and may not assist you in your online educational endeavors;
  4. Personal growth – Last but not least, are you growing personally and at the pace you want to? Your career and what you do outside the job do in fact intertwine at times, so be fulfilled and happy in both. Taking online courses and getting a degree via your online efforts can serve as a springboard both professionally and personally. Obtaining that degree or degrees can be just the answer to making you professionally satisfied and also happy and content when you leave the workplace each and every day.

 

 

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What You Need to Know Before Purchasing Life Insurance

Finance

Life insurance is a tough thing to think about. But something that everyone should have for sound financial planning. It is essential to protecting your family and your estate should something happen to you. A non working spouse should be insured as well, as help the surviving spouse would have to hire help should something happen. Purchasing insurance can seem as daunting as thinking about it, though, so doing a little research beforehand is usually a good idea.

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Where to go

As you begin your insurance research, it’s important to take a look at some reputable companies and their websites. Most companies that you’d want to work with have a thorough website that can help you know what you need. For instance, a site like the one the Leibel Insurance Group has is full of relevant information that will be helpful even before you’ve decide what you want or who you want to work with.

It’s a good idea to take a look at these sites and find out what they offer and what pertains to you. If you’re not even sure how to find sites, ask some of your friends and family. You want someone strong in the community with a good reputation who will not only help get what you is fitting for you and your lifestyle, but be there if and when your family needs them.

You can also research some blogs pertaining to life insurance, and you can find those through your search engine or by checking out some social media sites. Experts can offer some great advice, and online it’s free!

What to think about

No one really wants to think about life insurance, but it’s something you need have to provide for your loved ones should something happen to you. It’s important to weigh things like coverage and policies before purchasing. Here are a few items regarding insurance to consider…

  • Decide what and how much coverage you need. Think about your contribution to the family income and current debts and expenses you have. What will be sufficient should something happen? What about your spouse, what kind of insurance should he or she carry?
  • What can you afford? Make sure that you can afford what you’re thinking of purchasing. Sure, it will be an expense but make it an affordable one.
  • Think about your needs. Different policies cover different things. And while you’re at it, do you need more than just life insurance. Sometimes it’s smart to have all your insurance needs with one company. Other times you can save money by going to different agents, and some agents specialize in one thing or another.
  • Review your policy every few years. Once you’ve purchased a policy, it doesn’t mean you can stick in the back of your mind and forget about it. Things change and your policy needs to change with it. Everything from promotions to inflation to dependents will affect your policy needs so a review every so often is important.

When looking for an agent and/or company

Choosing an insurance company is a personal decision. Often with work you don’t have much choice when it comes to certain insurance, but when you’re choosing on your own, you get to make the choice. It’s smart to look around and decide what works well for you. Some people love a big name company and feel secure with it, others prefer a smaller company that makes them feel like an individual

You also want a company, no matter what size, that has a history of good ratings and excellent customer service. Make sure there aren’t any major complaints against the company, and if there are, why and what was done. You want someone who will see that everything is smooth should something happen. Also, when you talk to any agents, make sure they are doing what you want, not convincing you to do what they want.

Purchasing Life Insurance

As hard as it is to think about, you’ve got to do it. You won’t want to leave your family in debt or in financial struggle should something happen to you. Life insurance can offer not only financial security, but also a piece of mind.

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