Flooding can happen anywhere, at anytime, even during the winter due to rain and melting snow. According to the National Flood Insurance Program ( NFIP ), even one inch of water in your home can cause up to $7,800 in damage. In addition, NFIP statistics show that a home in a high-risk area is three times more likely to be damaged by a flood than a house fire during a 30-year mortgage.

 The Better Business Bureau is advising us to be “cooperative, but cautious” when we are contacted by a Census worker.  The first phase of the 2010 Census has begun and legitimate workers are verifying addresses, counting household members and gathering some data on each person.  When we are contacted, we need to first verify that he/she is actually with the U.S. Census, as there are con artists out as well. U.S. Census workers will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their id ...

 It's My Money, My Stuff & My Life!

 We are always looking for opportunities to serve and share with others.  This Christmas we are working with the Family Violence Prevention Center of Greene County through their ...

 With spring and summer comes warm and perfect grilling weather. What you may not know is that grilling safety can be very important for the protection of your home. Grilling can be surprisingly dangerous and it is in you and your homes best interests to practice legitimate safety precautions. Here are some simple safety tips you can implement to ensure that you will be protected and enjoy your barbeques:

• Wear an apron so as to protect yourself from grease, hot debris, etc. Also, wearing oven mitts can be a great safety precaution as well.
  
• Make sure that you grill within a safe distance away from your house. Especially with a gas grill, it is important that you are far enough away from the structure of your home in case of an accident.
  

 As you may or may not know, your “hobbies” can affect your rates for health insurance policies. For example, if you’re an avid skydiver, you could find it nearly impossible to find good rates for your health insurance policy. Something insurance agencies may consider being a risky “hobby” would be smoking. If you are a smoker, the cost of your health insurance policy could be a lot higher than it would if you were not. There are cities in Europe that are considering implementing a mandate for insurance providers in which health insurance policy holders will be required to take a blood test to prove whether or not they are smokers. This will be a way to reward those that are practicing “healthy” health practices with lower rates and to motivate insurance c ...