Money Tips Network

A subsidiary of Admiral Group plc that was founded in 2009, Elephant Insurance prides itself on a customer-centric focus and a company that is “big, strong, and built to last” while at the same time be like elephants that are “kind, caring, and look out for their herd.” Currently, their insurance is available in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

As a consumer of Elephant Insurance, you will enjoy a variety of insurance options like homeowners, renters and auto insurance. When you have more than one type of insurance with Elephant, it offers some great bundle discounts (varies by state).

It's that time of year! I've been sorting through speaking invitations and comparing event schedules to my personal plans. I now have a rough idea of where I'll be in 2020 — and when. (As I finalize details, I'll update this post to reflect any changes.)

This year, I'll be traveling much less than last.

In 2019, I was away from home something like 3-1/2 months out of twelve. That was too much. In 2020, I'm deliberately saying “no” to opportunities. Still, I enjoy meeting and connecting with other folks who want to improve their lives — and the lives of others. So, I've agreed to a handful of engagements.

Here are the highlights from my “money event” calendar for the next few months.

“Intro to FIRE” Project (March 31st)

Before I do any travel, I have to do some work.

One of the most powerful initial steps I took during the first days of our financial turnaround was simply cleaning out my closet and selling off a whole lot of stuff. I used a variety of methods for doing so — stores that bought used media, online sales, flyers and taking items to a friend’s yard sale — and the proceeds from selling off all of that stuff ended up making a very rapid and very significant dent in our pile of debt, which made paying it all off go much faster and much more smoothly than it otherwise would have. On top of that, it felt good to simply have all of that unused stuff gone from my life.

One of my favorite places in my home to sit is in a really comfortable chair that faces a big window looking out on some nearby houses and a cornfield (I live on the edge of a fairly small Iowa town). I usually sit there in the morning with a cup of coffee as I do some reading and taking of notes for future Simple Dollar articles, and sometimes I’ll just gaze out the window and see what the neighbors are doing.

I live in a pretty modest area of town. There’s a section of houses about a mile south of me that are much larger and nicer than our house, and another section of houses about a mile east that are even larger and nicer than those houses.

When I look around, I see a lot of Toyotas and Hondas sitting in driveways. Most of them are several years old, a lot of “late-model, used” stuff.

I see a lot of gardens in the backyards. I see a lot of modest decks, big enough for a few people to sit and for people to grill.

Retailers want you to think that you need to shower your special someone with expensive gifts on Valentine's Day, but there are plenty of ways to celebrate love without emptying out your wallet.

What are your tips for a frugal Valentine's Day?

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.
1. Tax refund concern
2. Stay at home decision
3. Hanging your clothes to dry
4. My price book
5. Don’t make retirement your goal
6. Coronavirus?
7. Buying a dishwasher
8. Hummus question
9. Library late fees

Founded in Los Angeles in 1928, just one year before the Great Depression, Farmers Insurance survived the worldwide economic disaster and expanded to become one of America’s premier insurance providers. In its infancy, Farmers offered car insurance for farmers, but over the years, the company expanded its portfolio to include insurance for businesses, homes and recreational vehicles. Farmers also has investment products.

Farmers sells renters insurance through independent insurance agents and numerous subsidiaries, including Farmers Financial Solutions, Farmers New World Life Insurance Company, Foremost Insurance Group, The Bristol West Insurance Group, The 21st Century Insurance Group and Toggle. Farmers writes insurance policies in all 50 states and boasts a workforce of 21,000 employees, who serve nearly 20 million policyholders.

If you’re a homeowner, you may have heard the term 203k loan used when reviewing financing options available for your home purchase. 203k loans are guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA, and are a bit different than your typical home mortgage loan. With a 203k loan, new homeowners are not only financing the purchase of their home but also any needed home improvements. This type of loan addresses a common problem in the housing marketing for buyers who might be discouraged from buying a property because of the potential costs to repair it.

Before you decide on which type of home loan is best for you, though, it’s important to take a deeper dive into the features and eligibility requirements of a 203k loan to see if it’s right for you.

The new year is the perfect time to ditch poor financial habits and pick up some new ones. Maybe you decided that this is the year you'll finally pay off high interest credit card debt, or perhaps you're using a budget for the first time in your life.