Month: August 2023

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No matter what we’re planning to spend, whether it’s money or time, we want to make an informed decision so not to have a less than stellar experience. This is where online reviews, whether it’s for a positive experience or a negative review, can make a difference. We rely on feedback from others to help us make decisions. A well-written review of apartments or apartment communities is possibly the reason someone rents an apartment or not.

More than 37 percent of people live in an apartment, according to National Multifamily Housing Association, and reviews can help people decide whether to rent in a particular building or not.

Writing an apartment review isn’t difficult and can improve accessibility for some in your apartment community. Are renters’ rights protected, for example, or are the units safe and up to code? Sometimes, those things get mentioned in a review.

It’s also important to know as you read or evaluate reviews that not all are objective. An apartment’s website is only one piece of information but a great apartment review can share feedback on how management works and the overall strength of an apartment community. Keep reading to learn how to read and write accurate apartment reviews.

How do you evaluate an apartment review?

There are a few telltale signs of great apartment reviews that are helpful. Does the person begin with facts, including when they rented the apartment and details about maintenance issues or amenities on the property? Did the person have issues with others? Did they deal with the office staff, apartment manager or landlord with issues on their properties?

If you see multiple reviews by residents about details within the apartment that don’t work or they focus on specific issues they’re constantly bringing to their landlord, it’s worth noting because it’s more than just one person having a problem with their apartment.

Pay attention to how residents address or discuss what’s mentioned in the apartment reviews. Do they bring it to the attention of the property manager? Does it take five business days or more for management to respond once someone makes contact? Do they request a face-to-face meeting and share the progress of a complaint? Is the review written in complete sentences?

An apartment’s website is only one piece of information but apartment reviews hold so much information.

Be wary of the bad reviews

Also, consider an author’s motive when writing online reviews. Do they resort to bombastic name-calling? Did they write a review about the apartment? Did the author mention the company, apartment community or focus on a specific contact at the company?

Consider who would most benefit from this review. Remember, writing online reviews, whether it’s on a specific site or on a social media page, is free. It’s one thing to get feedback beyond what’s on a website that is helpful but writing a hit piece doesn’t benefit the apartment community as a whole.

How do you evaluate an apartment community?

Many people look at a specific property when searching for a new apartment but it’s a good idea to see how residents rate their apartment community on various sites, too. Those are helpful and are more objective than what a website includes in terms of how people who live in the apartment engage with various amenities and how they feel management handles things.

How do you write a review for an apartment?

When writing reviews to post on various sites, you want to share feedback you feel others would find helpful when deciding whether to rent a place. Apartment communities may matter just as much as individual apartment units so consider a review that covers as much detail as possible.

Polite articulation in any review will garner more appreciation from the reader. Whether you discuss relevant accessibility standards being subpar or share feedback about an issue in progress, those reviews can help the reader better understand what living in this apartment community will look like as a matter of course.

As you would expect to read in a review, post information including when you lived (or if you’re still living) in the apartment and any tips you’ve learned by living there. Is management generally responsive to issues or does the office staff ignore issues? Does the landlord read reviews and makes improvements based on any tips or suggestions that someone takes the time to post? All of these details can help someone make an informed decision about their next address.

How important are apartment online reviews?

A review is only as good as the author but apartment reviews that someone takes the time to write and post with great feedback and tips are very helpful. No one wants to move into a place that might have too many problems or that management ignores — those are the kinds of things that pop up in apartment reviews.

Reading and writing accurate apartment reviews can save you time and money

Writing online apartment reviews doesn’t need to take a lot of time but writing an objective one can help you learn and discuss what you find important when seeking an apartment to rent. Reading and knowing how to evaluate reviews can save you time and money in the long run. A well-written review that highlights key issues is a possible deal breaker, while one that mentions amenities and benefits can seal the deal. It’s worth taking the time to write a good (or bad) review, as well as reading them to help you make the best decision on your next place.

As a Chicago-based freelance writer, Megy Karydes has covered everything from space-aged tomato seeds grown in a Chicago Public School to Chicago Blues musician Lurrie Bell. Her work has been featured in USA Today, Travel + Leisure, Midwest Living magazine and other national and regional media outlets. When she’s not out exploring the city with her two children and husband, she’s perfecting her air hockey technique.

Source: rent.com

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Utah is home to amazing natural wonders and national parks like Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the Arches, showcasing stunning red rock formations and vistas. For outdoor enthusiasts, Utah offers hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and more, that blend alongside city-life. If Utah sounds like the state for you, then you may also be curious what cities fit into your budget. For example, the median home sale price in Utah is $529,600 as of July. 

If that price is out of your budget, don’t worry, we’ve got options to help you find a home. Redfin has collected a list of the 8 of the most affordable places to live in Utah. And they all have a median home sale price under the state’s average. From Ogden to Provo, read on to see what cities you may want to consider moving to this year.

#1: Ogden

Median home price: $367,625
Average sale price per square foot: $231 
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,350 
Median household income: $55,974 
Nearest major metro: Salt Lake City (40 miles)
Ogden, UT homes for sale
Ogden, UT apartments for rent

With a median home sale price of $367,625, Ogden lands the number one spot on our list as the most affordable place to live in Utah. There are about 87,300 residents living in this mid-sized city. Living in Ogden, you can take a trip to one of the nearby ski resorts like Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, or Nordic Valley, visit the historic Union Station, and enjoy the outdoors at the beautiful Ogden Botanical Gardens or Ogden Nature Center.

#2: Logan

Median home price: $379,000 
Average sale price per square foot: $229 
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $450 
Median household income: $43,056 
Nearest major metro: Ogden (48 miles)
Logan, UT homes for sale
Logan, UT apartments for rent

Taking the second spot on our list of affordable cities to live in Utah is Logan. When living in this city of 52,800 people, you can explore the charming downtown area, see the animals at Zootah, or visit the natural areas outside town like Providence Cave.

#3: Provo

Median home price: $427,500 
Average sale price per square foot: $277 
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,484 
Median household income: $50,072 
Nearest major metro: Salt Lake City (45 miles)
Provo, UT homes for sale
Provo, UT apartments for rent

Next is the city of Provo, which has about 115,200 residents. The median home sale price is $427,500 which is about $100K less than the median home sale price in Utah. If you find yourself moving to the third most affordable city in Utah, spend the day at Utah Lake State Park, hike up Provo Peak or Y Mountain, and check out the Saturday Provo Farmers Market during the summer season.

#4: West Valley City

Median home price: $442,500 
Average sale price per square foot: $226 
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,315 
Median household income: $43,056 
Nearest major metro: Salt Lake City (12 miles)
West Valley City, UT homes for sale
West Valley City, UT apartments for rent

Only slightly more expensive than Provo is West Valley City, the next city on our list. About 140,200 people live in West Valley City, where there are plenty of unique activities to do. Be sure to check out a show at USANA Amphitheatre, see a Utah Grizzlies game at Maverik Center, or watch a movie during the summer at Redwood Drive-in Theatre.

#5: Layton

Median home price: $470,000 
Average sale price per square foot: $227 
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,337 
Median household income: $43,056 
Nearest major metro: Ogden (16 miles)
Layton, UT homes for sale
Layton, UT apartments for rent

Another great affordable place to consider moving to is Layton. With 81,800 residents, moving to this city gives you the perks of city-life without living in a major metropolitan area. Living in Layton, you can explore nature at Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve, hike the Adams Canyon Trail, and check out the downtown area.

#6: Orem

Median home price: $472,500 
Average sale price per square foot: $222 
Median household income: $65,622 
Nearest major metro: Provo (7 miles)
Orem, UT homes for sale
Orem, UT apartments for rent

Another noteworthy city is Orem, where the median home sale price is about $50K less than the state’s average. With roughly 98,100 people calling Orem home, it’s a great area to consider living in. There are also plenty of activities to do in Orem. For example, you can check out the waterfall, historic railroad, and canyon at Provo Canyon, visit the downtown area, and explore the wetlands habitat at Powell Slough Waterfowl Management Area, among many other local favorites.

#7: West Jordan

Median home price: $506,000 
Average sale price per square foot: $237 
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,407 
Median household income: $84,722 
Nearest major metro: Salt Lake City (15 miles)
West Jordan, UT homes for sale
West Jordan, UT apartments for rent

Seventh on our list of affordable places to live in Utah is West Jordan. With a population of nearly 116,900, living in West Jordan is a great option for those looking for a mid-sized city to live in. Don’t miss out on checking out one of the many parks in town, bike, run, or stroll along the Jordan River Parkway Trail, and see the beautiful flowers at Conservation Garden Park.

#8: St. George

Median home price: $509,000 
Average sale price per square foot: $272 
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,803 
Median household income: $59,989 
Nearest major metro: Las Vegas (120 miles)
St. George, UT homes for sale
St. George, UT apartments for rent

Last but not least on our list of most affordable places to live in Utah is St. George. This affordable area is home to about 95,300 residents. Be sure to enjoy nature at Snow Canyon State Park and Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, bike along the New Bearclaw Poppy Navajo Trailhead, and visit the St. George Narrows once you move to St. George.

Methodology: All cities must have over 50,000 residents per the US Census and have a median home sale price under the average median home sale price in Utah. Median home sale price and median sale price per square foot from the Redfin Data Center during July 2023. Average rental data from Rent.com July 2023. Population and median household income data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.

Source: redfin.com

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Zillow Group‘s new-construction listings will be automatically syndicated to Redfin. The deal between the listing platforms comes as new construction listings form roughly 30% of the housing sales market.

The partnership is aimed at expanding the reach of homebuilder listings on Zillow, allowing Redfin’s brokerage customers to explore a broader range of new construction for sale, the two companies said on Tuesday.

“Zillow’s Community pages, in particular, help buyers understand the benefits of a new-construction home and give home builders a place to highlight all the amenities within a new-build community,” Owen Gehrett, vice president and general manager of new construction at Zillow, said in a statement.

“The partnership with Redfin extends this unique and valuable resource to a wider audience. It benefits home builders by expanding their reach to additional home buyers,” Gehrett added.

Zillow and Redfin’s partnerships come at a time when buyers are increasingly turning to new construction due to a rate lock-in effect caused led by high mortgage rates.

New single-family home sales rose 23.8% in June from a year ago while the market saw 28% fewer new listings added during the same period.

With inventory of existing homes dwindling and buyers’ demand for new construction rising, one-third of single-family homes available for sale were newly built homes – marking a record-high share, according to a Redfin analysis. 

“This (Zillow partnership) is a win-win-win for our customers, agents and the builders who advertise with Zillow, who will now reach the homebuyers on Redfin,” Adam Wiener, Redfin’s president of real estate operations, said.

“The partnership provides a new revenue opportunity while allowing us to focus on what we do best, helping customers buy and sell homes with local Redfin agents,” Wiener added.

Zillow, the country’s top real estate listing platform, recorded a $22 million net loss in the first quarter of 2023. Its business model relies heavily on revenue from real estate agent advertising, and it’s been a sluggish housing market.  

Traffic to its apps and site remained flat compared to a year ago and other metrics including – Premier Agent and Zillow Home Loans – were not as strong. 

Despite weak financial earnings, executives said they will focus on making the home-buying transaction more seamless for the remainder of 2023.

Real estate brokerage and listings platform Redfin was also in the red in Q1 — reporting a $60.8 million net loss, an improvement on the $90.8 million lost in Q1 2022. 

While executives at Redfin noted that the company is headed in the right direction, the firm is unlikely to get in the black in Q2 – with net loss projected to be between $35 million and $44 million.

Source: housingwire.com

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Wednesday (May 13th) at 1:30 pst, Geek Estate is conducting a virtual discussion on the future of homeownership — facilitated by David Steckel from Setter. It is a discussion, not a webinar…. so limited to 15-20 participants. If you are a founder/operator working on a related product/service, we have a few open slots. There is an agenda outline included below to give you a better sense of what will be covered.

If interested in joining, please shoot me a note (drew at geekestatelabs dot com).

Consumer changes caused by economic/environmental/health uncertainty will impact homeownership in fundamental ways moving forward.

Stages

Pre Transaction
Transaction
Years 1-7

  • Maintenance
  • Insurance
  • Warranties
  • Mortgages

Selling at year 7

Ownership

  • Fractional
  • Rent to own
  • Co-living

Generations

  • Millennials
  • Gen z
  • Boomers

Probing questions:

If interested in joining, please shoot me a note (drew at geekestatelabs dot com).

Source: geekestateblog.com

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The already dizzying Los Angeles housing market is poised to reach new heights, as the latest data from Zillow suggest that the median home listed in the city will soon cost more than $1 million.

As of June 30, the figure was $975,333, more than a 30% increase from five years prior. Statewide, six other cities were even more expensive and had already crossed the million-dollar mark: San Jose, Santa Maria, Santa Cruz, Salinas and San Francisco.

In Santa Cruz and San Diego — the major markets with the largest increases — median listing prices were up more than 40% over the last five years. Inflation over the same period was 21%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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“Even if it is an arbitrary number, it’s an astounding one,” Michael Lens, a professor of urban planning and public policy at UCLA, said of the million-dollar median.

“A signature way that generations have built wealth in this country is through the housing market,” he said, and the figure “puts in pretty sharp focus the barriers to entry in that housing market in building wealth and having a predictable and stable home over your head.”

The rising prices are not just a headache for those seeking to buy a home, either. “Rents and home prices are typically going to move in the same direction,” said Lens, noting that such prices are driven by same issues of “scarcity and high demand.”

“If it’s that lucrative to sell a home, you’re going to be less likely to rent out that home,” he said, “or you’re going to command a very high rent because your other opportunity is to sell something for a million dollars.”

For home buyers and renters alike, Lens said, the solution is the same: more housing.

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Although government programs exist to assist first-time home buyers, those programs are “not gonna help a nurse buy a million-dollar home,” he said.

In California, Zillow’s Home Value Index for June 2023 was $743,361, the second highest of any state. That was almost five times the estimated value of the median home in West Virginia, which had the lowest figure in the nation at $155,773.

The index “reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile” in a given region, and is connected to but distinct from the actual price at which homes are listed.

By another measure — the median home listing price — California homes have increased by 36.3% to $777,000 in June, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. That up from $570,000 in June 2018.

The top 10 major metropolitan areas in America for median listing price in June were all in California, according to a Times analysis.

Only Hawaii, with a median home value of $837,324, had a figure higher than California’s.

Several Southern California cities are close behind L.A. and will likely soon see their median list prices top $1 million as well.

San Diego, Oxnard and San Luis Obispo are also over $900,000 and have each seen more than 30% growth in median home list price in the past five years.

Lens pinpointed several steps the state is taking to increase the housing stock, but said that it won’t be enough.

His proposed solutions included “getting rid of single-family zoning and upzoning those neighborhoods,” removing “onerous parking requirements” and scrapping rules on minimum setbacks and floor to area ratio.

Altogether, the state should fix “a lot of boring zoning things that together make the cost of building more housing more expensive or put blanket bans on certain housing types,” Lens said.

“We are not on a fast track to building the kind of housing necessary.”

Source: latimes.com

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We all know that comedic actors like Adam Sandler, Steve Carell, and Jim Carrey have killed serious roles drawing attention from critics and audiences alike. But what about the comedic actors who flop badly? Here are ten funny actors that would be better off sticking to comedy.

1. Vince Vaughn

“I didn’t love his True Detective performance, though, but can’t lay that season’s faults all on him,” said one. “I don’t know if it was Vaughn, his character, or the show in general, but I couldn’t take him seriously,” another agreed. 

2. John Belushi

One suggested, “John Belushi and Continental Divide were terrible.” A second said, “The only movie my parents and I walked out on. I was only 9, but I vividly remember my dad’s disappointment at a boring Belushi movie.” Finally, one stated, “I saw that movie in the theatre when I was ten. My friend and I were bored to death.”

3. Eddie Murphy

“Wes Craven wanted to make a horror film and wanted Eddie Murphy to be a more complex character in Vampire in Brooklyn. However, Eddie Murphy felt he still had to make his comedy front and center. Definitely worth the watch. It’s enjoyably terrible, but Kadeem Hardison is legit amazing,” another confessed. 

4. Chevy Chase

“I’ll never forget when Memoirs of an Invisible Man came out. I just kept waiting for a punchline that never came,” admitted one. “The screenwriter William Goldman writes about this movie in his book Which Lie Did I Tell.”

“He knew it would be a disaster because the studio wanted to make a big-budget comedy like Ghostbusters, and Chevy Chase wanted to make an intimate drama about loneliness,” another informed. 

5. Tiffany Haddish

“Tiffany Haddish! She is so wooden as a dramatic actor. See The Card Counter, On the Count of Three, and Here Today (actually, don’t see that last one),” one replied. “Her performance in Card Counter is so bizarre; it’s like she’s in a completely different movie,” another added. 

6. Chris Rock

“I wasn’t a big fan of him in Fargo, to be honest. I kept thinking that’s Chris Rock, and it took me out of the show. But, on the other hand, I think his voice is unique, so it’s hard to see him as not Chris Rock,” another confessed. 

7. Bill Murray

“While I loved The Razor’s Edge, Bill Murray was not ready for drama yet,” suggested one. Another stated, “He wasn’t, but he got great eventually. Lost in Translation is a top-tier film. His performance carries The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou as well.” “My wife read the book and wanted to see the movie. So we watched it and were massively disappointed,” a third person confessed. 

8. Chris Pratt

“I love the bit in the latest Jurassic World movie where he’s supposed to be frantic and angry that someone kidnapped his adopted daughter, and he conveys this with all the mildly aggravated energy of someone who has to be somewhere and can’t find their keys,” shared one. 

9. Nick Kroll

“I thought Nick Kroll was terrible in both Loving and Don’t Worry Darling,” one replied. Another added, “I like a lot of Kroll’s stuff, but the second he has to go out of bounds of his five characters, the quality of his performance drops like a rock.”

10. Seth McFarlane

“I like The Orville, but every time Seth MacFarlane tries to give a stirring Captain Picard-Esque speech, I want to throw up. It’s very much not in his wheelhouse,” a final person commented. 

Source: Reddit.

Image Credit: Shutterstock – Denis Makarenko

Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role?  After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.

10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role

These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.

We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble? 

These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.

These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.

Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.

10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth

Image Credit: Troma Entertainment

We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.

These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites



About the Author



Source: financequickfix.com

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Pet adoptions have been soaring with the current COVID-19 pandemic. In my opinion, that totally makes sense! After all, who wouldn’t want an adorable cuddle to pass the newfound time at home? 

That’s where a pandemic puppy can come into the picture. Today I will share a complete look at the cost of adopting my pandemic pup, so you can know what you’re getting into. 

What’s Ahead:

Why I adopted a pandemic puppy

I’ve been dreaming of adopting a puppy since I got to college. I grew up with a wonderful dog and waited for the day that I could comfortably adopt a new puppy. 

Over the years, I always had a responsible reason for why I couldn’t adopt a puppy at the moment. For years, my string of small apartments wouldn’t make a happy home for a puppy. Plus, I wanted to have some savings on hand for the inevitable expenses the responsibility of a dog would bring, like unexpected vet visits. Little did I know, I could save on some of these expenses by purchasing a pet insurance policy through an insurer like Embrace. However, without that knowledge, I continued to put off my desire to bring a puppy into my life. 

In January, my husband and I started to seriously consider bringing a puppy home. We were finally living in a space with a fenced backyard and plenty of nearby hiking trails for an active pup. We even applied to adopt a handful of puppies, but the timing never worked out for us. 

In mid-March, my husband and I were looking forward to a busy spring. I had several fun trips mapped out until the COVID-19 pandemic through our plans for a loop. As things started to settle into an isolating routine, my husband transitioned to working from home. At that point, we decided that we were truly ready to bring home a puppy with both of us available at the house. 

When we spotted our pandemic puppy on a rural shelter page in mid-March, we hopped in the car and drove the hour to meet him. Immediately we fell in love and put down a deposit to secure his adoption for the next week. We were able to bring him home at the end of March when he turned eight weeks old. 

Pongo has been our fun-loving pup ever since! 

The cost breakdown

Pongo was an adorable eight-week-old puppy that quickly grew into a 40-pound bundle of joy. Along the way, he has turned out to be a rather expensive pandemic purchase. 

I will take more in-depth about this below, but one way to save a ton on puppy costs is through pet insurance. Pumpkin is one of the best options on the market, with an affordable preventive care option.

Bringing him home

The first major expense of owning a pet is bringing them home. For Pongo, those costs added up quickly. 

  • $50 deposit to secure his adoption. We paid this fee a week before he was available for adoption to ensure that he was coming home with us.
  • $150 adoption fee. The adoption fee covered his neuter surgery and other medical treatments that the shelter provided. When Pongo was found at the shelter, he and his brother were in fairly bad shape. Both had significant skin issues which needed extensive treatment. Luckily, the shelter quickly restored his skin to a better condition and continued the treatments after we brought him home. 
  • $210 rental pet fee. When we first got Pongo, we were living in a rented duplex. The landlords graciously allowed us to bring Pongo home. But we had to pay a $210 non-refundable pet fee. 

The first part of the adoption journey was several hundred dollars. But that was just the beginning!

Vet bills

When you bring home a young puppy, you should expect to pay for a wide range of vaccinations. We brought Pongo home as an eight-week puppy with some severe skin issues. With that, our vet bills were a little bit higher than the norm. 

  • $189.96 – First vet visit and a handful of shots. 
  • $87.04 – A booster shot visit.
  • $205.8 – More shots and skin check-up. 
  • $67.27 – Another booster shot visit. 
  • $79.33 – A microchip visit with another vaccine. 

The veterinary costs can add up quickly. But after this last visit to the vet, Pongo should be okay until his annual appointment in March. 

Other costs

Beyond the initial costs of bringing him home and the vet bills, extra expenses needed to be considered. I’ll break them down now:

  • $98.17 – The first of many Amazon orders to make our home comfortable for Pongo. This included buying a crate to grow into, potty training pads, teething rings, and other toys.  
  • $6.25 – A quick trip to the hardware store by my house that sells dog toys and bones. 
  • $12.68 – Another Amazon purchase to stock up on toys – because Pongo rips through toys very quickly. 
  • $58.01 – A Petsmart run for food and other supplies. 
  • $10.57 – More toys from Ace Hardware. 
  • $280 – We set up a subscription for Pongo’s food from Amazon. With that, we are able to save 5% on his food, but it still adds up. 
  • $50 – Walmart Pet Rx purchase for his first round of heartworm medication. 
  • $75 – A Chewy delivery of Pongo’s six month supply of preventative medications. 
  • $275 – The combined total of boarding costs for Pongo on three separate occasions. 

As you can see, the extra costs of a puppy can get expensive. 

The total cost of adopting my pandemic puppy

Although we look for opportunities to save where we can, the cost of owning a pet is just expensive. What isn’t included in these expenses are the sleepless nights of puppy potty training and adorable puppy cuddles that make it all worth it. 

In total, the cost of adopting our pandemic puppy is $1,904.51. So far, we’ve spent close to $2,000 on Pongo. But I’m optimistic that the upfront veterinary costs of adopting a puppy with a few skin issues will not continue to be a major factor. 

Overall, we were very happy to bring Pongo into our lives. He has been worth every penny!

Where I could have saved more

Of course, there are always ways to save more. What I didn’t look into when I first brought Pongo home was pet insurance. I think that I seriously missed out on an opportunity to save on vet bills. With that, you may want to look into your pet insurance options if you are considering adopting a pet. Here is a bit more about Embrace. 

Lemonade

Lemonade is a great pet insurance option. They’re quickly disrupting the industry with their low-cost plans that start as low as $10/month (and a 10% discount if you also insure your home or car through Lemonade). But, you can decide the deductible amount and coverage limit you want to set for yourself. 

When it comes to what they cover, the answer is pretty much up to you. If you’re looking for basic wellness care and vaccine coverage, Lemonade has a plan for you. But, they’re also perfect for those looking to protect their pet in the event of an accident or illness. They’ll cover heartworm testing, fecal testing, bloodwork, emergency surgeries, x-rays, labwork, medications, and more.

Plus, an especially wonderful feature of Lemonade is that they offer expert medical advice via their chat feature. That way, you don’t have to call up the vet for every little question.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is another pet insurance provider that offers an insurance plan designed to prioritize the wellness of your pet. Pumpkin offers insurance that covers a high percentage of eligible veterinary expenses for accidents and illnesses. Pumpkin also offers an optional preventative care plan – Pumpkin Preventive Essentials – which pays for an annual wellness exam, vaccines, and select lab tests to detect parasites & life-threatening diseases.

Here’s how Pumpkin works: when your dog is sick, you can take them to any licensed veterinarian in the U.S. or Canada for treatment. You pay the vet and then afterward, file a claim for the eligible veterinary expenses to be reimbursed after your annual deductible has been met.

In terms of annual limit options with Pumpkin, every family is offered a 90% reimbursement rate on eligible vet bills, up to an annual coverage limit of $10k or $20k for dogs and $7k or $15k for cats.

Embrace

Embrace offers pet insurance policies that you can customize to your coverage needs. You’ll be able to adjust the monthly premiums and annual payout limits to suit your budget. 

In addition to the flexible coverage, you can choose to take part in a Wellness plan. A Wellness plan will reward you for taking care of your pet’s needs on a regular basis. Essentially, you’ll be rewarded if you are taking care of your pet responsibly. 

Summary

The costs of a pandemic puppy can add up quickly. But if you are prepared for that financial responsibility, then the costs pale in comparison to the fun of bringing home a puppy. Even as the chaos of the pandemic swirls around us, Pongo has been an amazing blessing in our lives. 

If you are considering bringing a puppy home, I’d encourage you to think about the costs ahead of time. When you have the costs of a puppy factored into your budget, you can enjoy the experience of adopting a puppy to the fullest!

Pumpkin Advertiser Disclosure: Pumpkin Pet Insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions. Waiting periods, annual deductible, co-insurance, benefit limits and exclusions may apply. For full terms, visit pumpkin.care/insurancepolicy. Products, discounts, and rates may vary and are subject to change. Pumpkin Insurance Services Inc. (“Pumpkin”) (NPN #19084749) is a licensed insurance agency, not an insurer. Insurance is underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company (NAIC #21113, Morristown, NJ), a Crum & Forster Company and produced by Pumpkin. Pumpkin Preventive Essentials is not an insurance policy. It is offered as an optional add-on non-insurance benefit. Pumpkin is responsible for the product and administration. Pumpkin Preventive Essentials is not available in all states. For full terms, visit pumpkin.care/customeragreement.

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Source: moneyunder30.com

Apache is functioning normally

In an earlier entry about the cost of waiting one year to begin investing for retirement, I posted a chart from AllFinancialMatters that demonstrated the power of compound returns. Vintek posted a math exercise related to the subject.

I got this from a book called The Random Walk Guide to Investing by Burton Malkiel. It’s a book I recommend, and I’ll eventually talk about it in the forum. Here’s the exercise:

William and James are twin brothers who are 65 years old. 45 years ago (at the end of the year when he reached 20), William started an IRA and put $2K in the account at the end of each year. After 20 years of contributions, William stopped making new deposits but left the accumulated contributions in the IRA fund. The fund produced returns of 10% per year tax-free. James started his own IRA when he reached the age of 40 (just after William quit) and contributed $2K per year for 25 years, making his last contribution today. James invested 25% more money in total than William. James also earned 10% on his investments tax-free. What are the values of William’s and James’s IRA funds today?

Vintek sent along the answer in a spreadsheet. It’s eye-opening.

William has $1,365,227. James has $218,364. James invested 25% more than William, but through the magic of compounded returns, William’s IRA fund is worth more than six times as much! For some real fun, download the spreadsheet and plug in your own numbers. I’m having to contribute $5,000/year because I didn’t start in time. How about you?

(Note that the 10% assumption used in the charts and in the spreadsheet is arbitrary and for illustrative purposes only. An 8% return-on-investment is more realistic over the long term, and interest rates on CDs are half that. Still, the same principle applies regardless the rate, as long as the rates are consistent between sample cases.)

You twenty-somethings: I know that retirement seems a long way off, and you probably wish I would write about how to save money on mortgages or how to use coupons at the grocery store. But this is important. Force yourself to save for retirement. It may hurt, but it’s not going to hurt for long. And when you’re old like I am, you’ll be glad you made the decision. If you will just invest $2000/year for twenty years starting at age 20, you’ll set yourself up for life!

A commenter at AllFinancialMatters writes:

Don’t ever try to convince yourself that you can make up for not saving for a few years by saving later. It will snowball. You’ll establish a lifestyle that depends on too much of your income to ever make up for lost time. But if you didn’t save enough last year, resolve to find the extra money somewhere this year to make up for the lost time. When you are in your 40s like me and looking back, you won’t have regrets about your retirement savings.

Amen.

Source: getrichslowly.org