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The 2016 Census left no doubt that Utah’s population is growing statewide. In fact, it’s growing more than any other state. But what’s really interesting is where all the growth is occurring. Hint: it’s not Salt Lake City or even Salt Lake county.

Utah County Population Growth Leads the State

Goodbye fields, hello homes! Pam Perlach, of the Kem C. Gardener Policy Institute at the University of Utah, recently released demographic research showing that Utah population grew more than 2% between July 2015 and July 2016, landing north of three million total inhabitants. And, Perlach’s team found that—for three years in a row—the highest rate of growth has been concentrated in Utah County. 

Tech Boom Spurs Rapid Growth

Perlach cites the booming Silicon Slopes and breakneck retail development as major factors contributing to Utah County’s rapid expansion. Earlier this month, “Forbes” touted the Silicon Slopes as the new capital of Cloud computing. Utah County company Vivint has been recognized as leading the way in smart home tech and the success of tech startups in Utah County has been compared to the heyday of Silicon Valley.

Farmlands Make Way for Housing

While all of this is good news for residential and commercial developers, it also impacts Utah County’s agricultural traditions. Utah County has long been a thriving farming and ranching community, bringing in as much as $2.4 billion per year. Right alongside tech developments, Utah County has been home to the state’s largest number of cattle and most productive barley crops.

Now those barley fields and roaming cattle are making way for new housing. Perlach shows that Eagle Mountain basically came out of nowhere and another Utah County town, Vineyard, grew by 417% in just one year. Landowners are cashing in on the boom, watching neighborhoods pop up where alfalfa and wheat once swayed.

Homie ranks 2nd for Utah County listings

In the same innovative spirit that gave birth to the Silicon Slopes, Homie has transformed the way people buy and sell real estate in the digital age—cutting out commissions and saving homeowners thousands.

Not only do we make buying and selling easier and more cost-effective, but we’ve got the inside track when it comes to Utah County real estate. In the month of May 2017, Homie ranked second in Utah County for new listings. That means we have listings that no one else does, and best of all, our listings come with built-in savings.
You don’t want to miss out on your Utah County dream house. Make sure this housing boom doesn’t pass you by, and get started with Homie today.

Source: homie.com

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Moving an existing debt to a credit card usually incurs a charge called a balance transfer fee. Paying it might feel like a penalty, but it could be your ticket to a faster and cheaper debt payoff.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is a balance transfer fee?

A balance transfer fee is the cost you pay to transfer a debt to a credit card. The credit card issuer assesses this fee in exchange for taking on your debt.

A balance transfer fee typically costs between 3%–5% of the transfer amount. Balance transferring a debt of $5,000 at a 5% rate would cost $250. The balance transfer fee is added to the overall balance on the card receiving the transfer. So, using the prior example, you’d owe $5,250 after the transfer was completed.

Balance transfer fees tend to increase with the age of the account, incentivizing you to make a transfer within the first few months of opening the credit card.

🤓Nerdy Tip

The best balance transfer credit cards often require at least good credit to qualify, meaning a FICO score of 670 and above. If good balance transfer cards aren’t available to you, there are still ways to make debt payoff more manageable. Read our tips.

Do all credit cards charge a balance transfer fee?

No, but those cards that waive balance transfer fees are rare. You’ll have better luck finding a no-balance-transfer-fee credit card through a credit union rather than a major card issuer like American Express or Barclays. However, to be eligible for a credit card from a credit union, you need to be a member of that credit union. Membership may be contingent upon employment status or proximity to one of the credit union’s branches, so not everyone will have access to the credit union and its financial products.

Some Capital One cards don’t charge a balance transfer fee — but only if you transfer a balance at the current transfer annual percentage rate, or APR. If you take advantage of a promotional balance transfer APR — say, 0% APR on balance transfers for 15 months — Capital One would charge a balance transfer fee. Most people will benefit far more from a lengthy interest-free period rather than a waived one-time fee.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Each major credit card issuer has its own rules about the types of debts that may be transferred to a credit card. For example, Chase only allows balance transfers of credit card debt whereas Barclays accepts transfers of any loan, including personal loans and student loans. Read about each issuer’s policies.

When is a balance transfer fee worth it?

Moving a debt to a credit card to obtain a lower interest rate can save hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest. So, you’ll likely make up the cost of the balance transfer fee, and then some, through the transfer.

Consider the previous example of transferring $5,000 at a 5% rate for a $250 fee. Let’s say you moved the $5,000 to a card with a 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months, and you pay the entire debt off before the promotional 0% period ends. Total debt paid off: $5,250.

That same $5,000 debt on a card with a 20% APR would rack up $82.85 in interest in just one month. (This number assumes that no payments and no additional purchases are made on that credit card.) As long as any part of that $5,000 isn’t paid off, the issuer will continue to charge interest on the remaining balance.

Use our calculator to determine how much interest your debts are costing you to decide if a balance transfer to a credit card can save you money.

Source: nerdwallet.com

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If you’ve been looking into cruises, chances are you’ve come across some deals that sound almost too good to be true. Maybe you’ve even been lucky enough to score a cruise offered for as little as $100 by leveraging hotel elite status matches.

But once you put down your deposit and start looking into all the extras, you’ll find that what you actually end up paying for your cruise vacation can easily be many multiples of the advertised rate that initially lured you — especially once you factor in flights and hotels.

Cruise companies, like airlines, make a lot of their money off ancillary fees. But there are ways for you to avoid some of these pesky surprises. Here’s how to save money on a cruise.

1. Cruise excursions

Potential added cost: $600-$1,200 (3 full-day excursions for 2 people at $100-$200 each, per person).

Frugal alternative: DIY at a level you’re comfortable with.

From the moment you book your cruise to the days you’re sailing, you’ll hear and see a lot of pitches for cruise excursions, which can be a tempting way to fill your hours in port while leaving every small detail to the cruise line.

But you’ll pay a huge premium for that convenience.

Assuming you’re open to some (extra) adventure, many excursions can easily be replicated for a fraction of the cost.

For example, on a recent Mexican cruise, a friend and I walked about 20 minutes from the cruise port along a well-maintained sidewalk to undertake a mountain hike for free that had been offered as an excursion for $60 per person. We figured we were already hiking anyway, so why not tack on an extra mile or so? A local bus would have done the trick, too.

Not quite so adventurous? Look into taking taxis, which are generally easy to find at any cruise port. Even that would have cut the price from $60 per person to roughly $5-$10 per person.

Here are a few other overinflated offenders you can easily replicate on your own or by booking ahead of time with well-rated local vendors:

  • Bike or walking tours.

  • Open-air bus tours.

  • Transport and entry to a beach club.

  • Boat excursions.

  • Cooking classes.

Pretty much anything offered in port can be put together independently. And local vendors are very much aware of ship times, so don’t worry about getting left behind. Their reputations depend on getting you back safely.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Sometimes, cruise excursions are worth the cost — for instance, accessible tours for those in wheelchairs, or things impossible to replicate yourself, such as behind-the-scenes ship tours that take you to the bridge and the engine room.

2. Wi-Fi packages

Potential added cost: $300-$600+ ($15-$30 or more per day, per person, on a 10-day cruise for 2 people).

Frugal alternative: Free Wi-Fi in port.

For those of us who are always online, some of the most difficult — and mystifying — charges to swallow are cruise Wi-Fi fees. Making matters worse is that cruise lines often require you to purchase a package for the whole cruise, so you can’t do, say, one day on and one day off.

The most obvious workaround, especially if your cruise has many more port days than sea days, is to simply spend an hour or so in port catching up on your internet needs.

A local library is your best bet, but often the port facilities themselves will offer free Wi-Fi. Bars and cafes generally offer Wi-Fi too, which allows you to take in some local flavor while you’re scrolling your Instagram feed.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Even if you’re not buying an internet package, log on to your ship’s Wi-Fi connection anyway and just see what happens. On two recent cruises, I was immediately able to use iMessage, and in one case I even had full internet access at certain times (but not at others). If it works for you, consider it a pleasant surprise.

A more complicated route would be to purchase a SIM card for your phone that works for each destination, but it’s unlikely to work while at sea.

3. Alcohol packages

Potential added cost: $1,000-$2,000 ($50-$100 per day, per person, on a 10-day cruise for 2 people).

Frugal alternative: Bring your own booze.

Many cruise lines allow you to bring a limited amount of alcohol on board. Here were the allowances for a few of the more popular cruise lines at last check:

  • Carnival: One 750-milliliter bottle of sealed/unopened wine or champagne per person age 21 or older in your carry-on luggage upon departure. No alcohol otherwise.

  • Celebrity: Two 750-milliliter bottles of wine per person of legal drinking age at departure. No alcohol otherwise.

  • Norwegian: Any amount of wine or champagne, as long as it isn’t boxed wine. No alcohol otherwise.

  • Princess: One 750-milliliter bottle of wine or champagne per adult. Extra bottles are allowed for a nominal fee per bottle. No alcohol otherwise.

  • Royal Caribbean: One sealed 750-milliliter bottle of wine or champagne, but no boxed wine or other alcohol. 

You might have to pay a small corkage fee if you consume your own alcohol in an onboard restaurant, so be on the lookout for that.

What about nonalcoholic drink packages? They’re cheaper, as you’d expect, but again, you can generally bring some on board instead. (Coffee and tea are often available for free throughout the ship.)

Here’s the rundown of how many nonalcoholic beverages you can bring on board some popular cruise lines:

  • Carnival: Up to 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12 ounces each or less, per person, in your carry-on.

  • Celebrity: Their terms don’t explicitly mention non-alcoholic beverages. On a recent cruise, I took that to mean there was no limit; I brought two 2-liter bottles on board with no problem.

  • Norwegian: Not allowed, with limited exceptions.

  • Princess: Up to 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12 ounces each or less per person. 

  • Royal Caribbean: Up to 12 standard cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom.

One underappreciated thing about bringing your own drinks: It’s a lot more convenient to serve yourself than it is to wait to be served at a bar.

🤓Nerdy Tip

If you’re tempted to try splitting a drink package with multiple people, don’t bother. Cruises generally only serve you one drink at a time, and they have their ways of knowing the purchaser is the one getting served (for instance, via wristband or scanning your onboard card that shows your ID).

4. Spa services

Potential added cost: $100-$200 or more per treatment at sea.

Frugal alternative: Skip the treatments or get them in port.

Lots of things are typically included on cruises — most food, entertainment, pools — but spa treatments are generally extra. (Probably a good thing: If everyone on the ship got bottomless massages, that’s about the only thing many of us would want to do the whole week.)

Although there might be no such thing as a free spa day, cruise lines will occasionally offer short “sample” treatments meant to entice you into paying for more. If you can resist a sales pitch, give it a shot, though these free offerings tend to fill up very fast.

Here’s another case where getting your fix in port can save you a bundle. While cruising in the Caribbean recently, I paid the equivalent of $30 for what turned out to be a world-class massage. It might have been just as great on board, but it would’ve cost about five times as much.

🤓Nerdy Tip

On two recent sailings I was able to access the onboard spa’s common areas for free throughout the week. So, if you want “spa-adjacent” goodies — like a sauna, heated loungers or extra-comfy chairs — just wander a bit and see what you find.

5. Paid room service

Potential added cost: $100 ($5-$10 per item, or a set delivery fee).

Frugal alternative: Pack your baggies.

More and more, cruise lines are charging for room service that used to be free. (For instance, on Carnival and Celebrity, only continental breakfast is included for most guests now.)

Room service items generally aren’t expensive, but a few cases of the midnight munchies can add up quickly. One alternative is to bring a few clear plastic bags so you can “pack” easy-to-carry items from elsewhere on the ship.

At dinner, order that extra cheese plate, bag it up and stick it in your room fridge. Or if you have a sweet tooth, grab some cookies from the buffet.

Made-to-order sandwiches can travel well, too — so well that you could bring a couple with you on your port days, as we did on a recent cruise. But don’t get too carried away. After all, you might not want to miss the local cuisine.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Generally speaking, the room service menu isn’t going to be that memorable anyway, so you’re probably not missing much by not partaking. And besides, free food is never more than a few minutes away on most cruise ships.

6. Tips and taxes

Potential added cost: Roughly $100-$300 on average for taxes; roughly $10-$25 per person per day for tips (so figure $200-$500 total for a 10-day cruise for 2).

Frugal alternative: Score an onboard credit to help lighten the blow of these mandatory extras.

As cruise ship fees go, there are only two sure things: tips and taxes. Even the least expensive cruise offers will tack on both, and generally you won’t see either fee mentioned upfront when you’re first starting to book.

  • Port taxes vary based on the length of your cruise and where you’re stopping, but on average you can expect to pay $100 to $300 on top of the cost of your room.

  • Tips are a baked-in way of saying thanks for the service you’ve received on the cruise from front-line workers such as your room steward, wait staff and guest services. Charges vary wildly but range from $10 to $25 a day in many cases.

Port taxes generally must be paid no matter what, but tips (or any other costs mentioned above) can generally be covered in full using onboard credits. Cruises often offer such credits to entice you to book. In one case, I received $100 in onboard credit on a line I hadn’t cruised before simply by calling and requesting it, citing the fact that I was a new customer. (Motto: It really never hurts to ask.)

7. Flights to the cruise port

Potential added cost: Easily hundreds of dollars, plus hotel costs as needed.

Frugal alternative: Use points and miles.

In the heat of booking that dream cruise, one of the easiest expenses to overlook — but one of the costliest — is the travel to and from the cruise port.

If you aren’t lucky enough to live within easy transit or driving range of your departure port, you’ll need to factor in costs for flights. And unless you like living dangerously, you’ll want to fly in a day in advance, which means budgeting for at least one hotel night.

Any number of travel rewards credit cards come with sign-up bonuses that, alone, could more than cover the cost of your transit in the form of hotel points or airline miles. For the best value, focus on cards that earn reward currencies in the American Express, Capital One, Chase or Citi ecosystems. These points can be transferred to a wide variety of airline or hotel programs.

🤓Nerdy Tip

For a different kind of flexibility, consider cards that offer the ability to redeem points toward “erasing” any travel purchase you make with the card, such as the Aeroplan® Credit Card from Chase or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You could even use such cards to pay for, then erase, those pesky port fees referenced above.

The bottom line

That cruise you’re seeing marketed for just a few hundred dollars (or less) can easily balloon to many multiples of that amount if you’re not careful.

But with the right travel rewards credit card, a healthy sense of adventure and some good old-fashioned resourcefulness, you can fully enjoy the vacation you’ve earned while resting assured that you haven’t broken the bank.

(Top photo by Brad Walters)

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:

Source: nerdwallet.com

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Frank Lloyd Wright is undoubtedly one of the most influential architects of all time.

A champion of organic architecture, a philosophy he promoted throughout his career that focuses on the harmony between human living and the natural world — incorporating buildings into their surroundings — Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,000 structures in his lifetime, out of which 532 were actually built.

Credited with building some of the most innovative spaces in the United States, Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous works include the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the striking Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona, Hollyhock House in Los Angeles, California, Robie House and the Illinois Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, the Tokyo Imperial Hotel in Inuyama, Japan, and the famous Blade Runner-featured Ennis House.

But of the hundreds of architecturally distinct homes he built in the span of his 70-year career, Lloyd Wright’s own home in his native Wisconsin has the most interesting — and downright tragic — backstory.

While undoubtedly one of the legendary architect’s best works, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin house was the site of a gruesome attack that took the life of Wright’s girlfriend and her two children.

It also burned to the ground (more than once), growing bigger every time the architect had to rebuild it. So let’s take a look at the storied history of Taliesin.

What is the story of Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal home in Wisconsin?

The American architect was born and raised in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, which left a lasting impression on his young mind and inspired many of his most iconic works. 

At the age of 29, in 1896, Wright built a windmill on the Taliesin estate, on land that belonged to his mother’s family.

The project, requested by his aunt, was the first in a series of developments that over the years became part of the 600-acre Taliesin estate as we know it today. 

Wright would return to his homeland of Taliesin in 1911, under more controversial circumstances.

In the early 1900s, Wright was married to Catherine Lee Tobin, had six children, and was living in Oak Park, Illinois.

He was then tasked to design a house for his friend and neighbor Edwin Cheney when he fell in love with his friend’s wife, Mamah Borthwick Cheney.

In a daring and controversial move, the two lovers ran off to Europe, where their affair flourished, and when they returned to the U.S., they wanted a place to call their own, far from the judgmental eyes of the public.

That’s when Frank Lloyd Wright decided to leave his Chicago family behind, return to his roots and build a house for himself and Mamah in the secluded hills of Taliesin. 

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin I — the “love cottage” with a harrowing story

Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin I, as we now call it, was completed in 1911 near Spring Green, Wisconsin, to serve as the home of Wright and Borthwick.

The earliest known image of Taliesin I, taken in the winter of its construction in 1911-12. Southwest elevation. Photo credit: Henry Fuermann and Sons, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The home/studio that Wright created is the quintessential representation of the architect’s Prairie School design. 

Wright described the 12,000-square-foot house as ‘low, wide, and snug,’ and that’s exactly what it is.

The house, which was named after the Welsh bard Taliesin — and translates into ‘radiant brow’ — was the result of Wright’s attempt to blend man-made structures and materials with nature and the elements. 

The house had an open-space design, with windows placed so that the sun could come through in every room at every point of the day.

A closer look at Taliesin, WI, though it’s worth noting that the original house was significantly smaller. Photo credit: Stephen Matthew Milligan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

All the materials used in the construction were locally sourced, in an effort to seamlessly integrate the house with its surroundings. 

Wright was a big fan of Japanese culture and architecture, and he was inspired to bring a taste of Japan to Taliesin, as well. The architect’s home included an artificial lake stocked with fish and aquatic fowl, a water garden, as well as a ‘tea circle’ in the middle of the spacious, green courtyard. 

The home that Wright built was stunning, and to this day it remains one of his most beautiful creations.

The beauty of Taliesin, however, did not do much to impress those living in nearby communities, who disapproved of Wright’s relationship with Borthwick.

At the time the couple lived in Wisconsin, Borthwick had divorced Cheney, but Wright was still married, as Catherine Tobin refused him a divorce. Due to the scandalous aspect of their relationship, locals and media dubbed Taliesin ‘the Love Cottage.’ 

Nonetheless, the couple lived happily at Taliesin, joined by Mamah Borthwick’s two children and a number of household workers and employees.

Among those employees were Julian Carlton, a handyman and servant, and his wife Gertrude.

In 1914, the 31-year-old worker started acting strangely, becoming more and more paranoid and staring out the windows holding an axe. Given his strange behavior, Wright and Borthwick decided to let the couple go, and they gave Carlton and his wife notice in mid-August.

The events that followed the next day, on August 15, 1914, were so shocking that Taliesin will unfortunately forever be associated with them. 

That August day, while Wright was away on business, Julian Carlton attacked Mamah Borthwick and her two children, ending their lives.

He then turned against the other members of the household, after which he set the house on fire.

His killing spree ended the lives of Borthwick, her two children, as well as two other workers and their young boy.

Frank Lloyd Wright (left) surveys damage after the Taliesin I attack in 1914. Photo credit: Albert Rockwell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Following the attack, Carlton hid in the basement’s fireproof furnace and swallowed hydrochloric acid in an attempt to end his own life. Somehow, he survived, and he was arrested and taken into custody.

While awaiting his trial and sentencing, he died of starvation, as the acid he swallowed had burned his esophagus to the extent that he could no longer eat.

Carlton’s wife was luckily not in the house at the time, as she was waiting for her husband to join her on a train to Chicago.

Taliesin II – Frank Lloyd Wright rebuilds his Wisconsin house

Taliesin I was, in large part, destroyed, and Frank Lloyd Wright was left heartbroken, losing the love of his life and the beloved home that they shared.

He was so devastated that he couldn’t even bring himself to hold a vigil or a formal funeral for Borthwick, instead burying her in an unmarked grave in a nearby graveyard. 

However, Wright soon got back on his feet and decided to rebuild Taliesin.

Sketches of Taliesin WI. Photo credit: See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

By the end of 1914, he had built Taliesin II, and had found companionship in Miriam Noel, who sent him a condolence letter after that summer’s massacre. 

Wright, however, only settled in at Taliesin II in 1922, after he finished work on the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

RELATED: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House also known as The Blade Runner House

He was finally granted a divorce by Catherine Tobin, and married Miriam Noel in 1923. The marriage, however, was doomed to not last, as Noel’s erratic behavior, later diagnosed as schizophrenia, led to a tense relationship between her and Wright. 

Noel eventually left Wright and moved out of Taliesin II in 1924. One year later, in an eerie turn of events, Taliesin II burned to the ground due to faulty wiring, and Wright was back to square one.

However, like a phoenix, Taliesin would rise from the ashes once again.

Taliesin III – Wright rebuilds it once more, but the costs drive it into foreclosure

Even after two fires tried to destroy his work, Frank Lloyd Wright was not ready to give up on Taliesin, and he rebuilt it once again, as Taliesin III.

Each time the architect had to revamp Taliesin, the house grew bigger.

In its third and final form, Taliesin featured 37,000 square feet, and all the buildings on the estate combined totaled no less than 75,000 square feet on 600 acres of land. 

Inside Taliesin, arguably the most impressive of Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses. Pictured here: the living room of the imposing property. Photo credit: Stilfehler, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The third reconstruction of Taliesin did, however, create a pretty big dent in Wright’s pockets, and he was severely in debt at the time work on Taliesin III was finished.

In 1927, the Bank of Wisconsin foreclosed on the property, and the architect moved to La Jolla, California, forced to leave his beloved hilltop home behind.

His fans and students, however, devised a plan to have the revered architect reunited with Taliesin.

Darwin Martin, a former client of Wright’s, formed a company dubbed Frank Lloyd Wright Inc., to issue stock on the architect’s future earnings. Various other clients and students purchased stock and ended up successfully bidding on Taliesin for $40,000, giving it back to Wright. 

SEE ALSO: The Chemosphere House and 6 other striking John Lautner-designed homes

Thankfully, the innovative design and historic importance of Taliesin were recognized by Wright’s clients and admirers, and the efforts to preserve and keep the estate alive paid off.

In January 1976, Taliesin was named a National Historic Landmark District by the National Park Service. More than three decades later, Taliesin was one of the buildings included in The 20th Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring a selection of eight buildings designed by the architect across the U.S. 

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Today, Taliesin is a historical and architectural gem, and Frank Lloyd Wright fans can visit the estate on professional, guided tours.

If you’re an architecture fan, a student, or design aficionado and you’re ever traveling near Spring Green, Wisconsin, you don’t want to miss out on the chance to visit Taliesin. 

Frequently asked questions

Where is Taliesin?

Frank Lloyd Wright’s house in Wisconsin, Taliesin, is located at 5481 County Road C, Spring Green, WI 53588, USA, about 2.5 miles south of the village of Spring Green in the Driftless Region of southwestern Wisconsin.

What does the word Taliesin mean?

Taliesin is a gender-neutral name of Welsh origin, meaning “radiant brow” made famous by a 6th Century Welsh bard who is said to have performed at the courts of three different kings. Lloyd Wright reportedly named his house in Wisconsin Taliesin to signal that was “of the hill,” not on it, building it below the hillcrest, on its brow rather than its crown.

Did Frank Lloyd Wright rebuild Taliesin?

The legendary architect had to rebuild his Taliesin house in Wisconsin twice. The first time was in 2014 after a gruesome attack by employee Julian Carlton who ended the lives of Wright’s then-girlfriend, Mamah Borthwick and her two children, and then set the house on fire. The second time was in 1925 when Taliesin burned to the ground due to faulty wiring.

More stories you might like

The Complete History of Hearst Castle in San Simeon
An Iconic Richard Neutra-Designed Stilt House Looming Over the Valley
A Piece of Architectural History: Lloyd Wright’s Derby House
The House that Zaha Hadid Built: The Story of the Only Residence Ever Designed by “The Queen of the Curve”

Source: fancypantshomes.com

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Are you one of Beyonce’s Single Ladies? Member of the Lonely Heart’s Club? Whether you celebrate your singleton status or just can’t find a decent date, having a bigger pool of eligible candidates to draw from certainly helps your chances. Apartment Guide has dug deep into the data to help uncover the cities where you can find the most single folks in the United States and how the data differs between men and women in that metro area. If you’re single and looking for your next move, here’s where to start.

U.S. Cities With the Greatest Percentage of Single Men

U.S. Cities with the Greatest Percentage of Single Women

This data is sourced from Maponics based on self-reporting households. Single households are defined as households with no children under the age of 18 in which the head of the household is unmarried. Household is defined by the US Census Bureau as one or more people who occupy a housing unit.

When it comes to finding single men, it would appear that heading out west is the way to go. Six of the top 10 cities with the greatest percentage of single men are in California; more specifically around Los Angeles. It seems that L.A. isn’t just great for movie stars and fancy cars, it’s also great for finding single guys!

Great spots for finding single ladies, on the other hand, seem to be sprinkled around the entire country. The Midwest claims the top two spots, with Gary, IN and Detroit, MI coming in strong with slightly over 22% of self-reporting households claiming to be single women. That’s a pretty packed ladies night.

So why does it seem that the percentage rates of single women households are significantly higher than the men? It would appear it comes down to population. According to US Census Bureau demographic information of the United States in 2014, there were about 125.9 million adult women as compared to 119.4 million adult men. That’s a difference of 6.5 million.

Are you currently single and looking for love? Would you ever consider moving to widen your dating pool? Let us know below!

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This reader story come from SB, a regular reader and commenter on GRS. SB writes about personal finance and personal development topics at One Cent at a Time.

Some reader stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or failure. These stories feature folks with all levels of financial maturity and income. 

This is my second guest post at this blog. I am grateful to J.D. and his team’s humble gesture in allowing me to do it. I hope to provide the same value regular writers of this blog provide to you.

My grandmother was nearly illiterate, born and reared in rural India during the British occupation of the country. At the age of 14, she was abducted by the British army (later released), which ultimately caused her to marry early at the age of 16. She couldn’t complete school beyond basic education. Still, she became a very wise woman and mastered many skills.

My aunt happened to write down some of my grandmother’s home-remedy techniques from her narration. Recently, my cousin forwarded me a soft copy of that compilation. I’ll mention a few common symptoms and their natural cures, all at a fraction of the cost of medicine. But before that, let me tell you why I find home-based cures so beneficial.

The Benefits of Home Remedies

  • Drugs contain unnatural substances and chemicals, which are foreign elements to our body.  Natural remedies, on the other hand, are not synthetic molecules like drugs; they are made of living organisms which we eat anyway.
  • Some drugs act as a manipulator and force the brain to think differently — an example is an anti-depressant. The problem with this is, the moment you stop taking the drug, the symptoms often recur.
  • Natural remedies have fewer side effects compared to prescription drugs, as drugs tend to alter the chemical and hormonal balance of our body.
  • Natural remedies are available at a fraction of the cost of prescription drugs. Your grocery bill will cover them.

The Benefits of Prescription Drugs

It is important to remember that most drugs are developed by studying the natural cures and identifying ingredients which actually affect the symptoms. Still, prescription drugs are more useful under most circumstances. They work faster. We can’t afford to be bedridden for days and hope for natural cures to work someday. Life is tough and we must get well sooner.

We don’t have time to be sick. Prescription drugs provide the quickest recovery. They start fighting the bacteria and antibodies as soon as we take them. You may argue that we take chemically altered substances every day, be it the milk or the apple, or even the chicken. They have pesticides, growth hormones and God knows what.

An Introduction to Home Remedies

My grandmother was raised in a 100 percent organic environment. With near zero pollution, she ate healthy, farm-harvested food. Since childhood, I took medicines almost for any illness; rarely was I given a natural cure, except honey and basil leaves for a cold. Our bodies are used to chemicals anyway; therefore, natural remedies may not work the way they worked for our grandparents. Still, there is no harm in detoxifying our bodies to the extent we can, over time. My grandmother’s advice may help to  accomplish that goal.

Here are some excerpts from the treasure I was handed recently.

Acidity: Acidity is caused by excess acid secretion from the gastric gland, the acid which is used for digestion.

  • Chew a piece of clove, and take some time to swallow. It provides instant relief.
  • Another immediate relief is to eat a small cup of yogurt.
  • For more sustainable relief, drink warm water every day early in the morning.
  • Drink coconut water regularly.
  • Mix a few drops of honey in water to drink.
  • If you know what a jaggery is, suck a small cube of it after lunch/dinner.
  • A glass of water with a teaspoon of soda can also provide immediate cure.
  • A couple of pieces of dates can also give you instant relief.

Backache: If you happen to work in a chair, you may have this symptom already. As a software professional, I have had backaches for the last few years. The natural cure is garlic. Eat a couple of cloves of garlic every day.

  • Prepare an ointment by frying a few cloves of garlic in olive oil, strain and let it cool. Apply to your back every day.
  • Indian masala tea can be a cure too — the one with cloves or ginger. Take it daily. (Two cups of masala tea can boost your energy as well, which is a low-cost replacement of Red Bull or 5-Hour Energy drinks.)
  • Eating oranges, lemons and berries can reduce the pain over time.
  • Drinking water with a tablespoon of honey can make your day pain-free as well.

Cough and cold: When allergens or viral infections cause an inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, we get cough and cold. Here is a less-costly alternative to Tylenol or Excedrin. (This is a remedy I learned in childhood: My mother used to give me a teaspoon of honey and a few basil leaves  –Indian Tulsi — to chew. To get instant relief from congestion of nasal passages, she used to heat water with some cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon sticks and peppercorns.)

  • A soup with a lot of garlic in it can also bring relief.
  • Cut okra into small pieces and boil it, inhale the steam to get relief as well.
  • Take a hot-water bath when you catch a cold.

Migraine: This is caused by a contraction of blood vessels in the head. It can be caused by stress, lack of sleep, anxiety, nicotine and alcohol consumption.

  • Concentrated grape juice can bring relief.
  • For a more sustainable remedy, put tomatoes and cabbage into your daily salad.
  • A daily dose of garlic can treat this symptom as well.
  • Grind cabbage leaves and apply to the affected area for relief.
  • When migraines occur, excuse yourself from work. Find a dark room and lie down. Exposure to sunlight may cause the migraine to intensify.
  • Per my grandmother, even if the migraine is in the back of your head, applying sandalwood powder on the forehead can cause blood vessels to function properly. You may have seen Indian religious workers applying a patch of sandalwood powder on the forehead throughout the day. It’s an age-old practice.

Snoring: I am afflicted with this disease for sure. My wife says I am the worst offender and she can’t sleep because of my snoring, so I have started following these tactics already.

  • Stop smoking. Smoking causes more mucus formation around the throat.
  • Go to the gym. Weight loss can even end snoring.
  • Alcohol increases snoring. (When you drink, you’d better sleep in a separate room!)
  • Sleep side-wise rather than on your back.
  • Avoid heavy meals before going to bed.
  • Stop eating oily/spicy foods at dinner.
  • Maintain a regular sleep schedule, and don’t sleep during the day.
  • Wash the bed sheets and pillow covers frequently, and even change your pillow after a few months. The dust and allergens can accumulate on them, causing nasal passage blocks.

Stress: It’s amazing that stress was a concern even 60 years ago in a rural village. Here is her wisdom, which may reduce stress because you’re saving money. But more than the money saved, the main point here is reducing the dependence on synthetic drugs.

  • Chewing Indian basil (Tulsi) leaves every day is the best natural cure.
  • Yoga and Dhyana (meditation) can also cure this.
  • Milk and almonds in the morning keep you fresh and energetic.
  • Bad eating, oily foods, eating meals quickly, and drinking alcohol may cause depression over time. One of her tips to cure stress is to “love everybody and everything”!
  • Applying betel leaves on your forehead can ease your tension.

A few ingredients which are repeated here (and in the rest of the natural cures my grandmother used but which I don’t mention here) are mint, honey, water and garlic. Have sufficient supply of these items at your home, if you plan to follow the tips.

Also, another synergy I can see here is the morning drinking and eating habits. If you start your day the right way, the rest of your day should follow that lead and keep you upbeat.

Readers, even if you rely on these natural remedies, when the situation warrants it, there’s no alternative to a doctor and the prescription medicine. You need to know when to rely on home remedies and when to go to a doctor. Don’t ignore your doctor for a bit.

Source: getrichslowly.org

Apache is functioning normally

When you start shopping for life insurance, you can be overwhelmed with the number of options that you have. There are hundreds and hundreds of life insurance companies on the market. How in the world are you supposed to decide which one is the best for you?

That’s why I’m here to help. I’ve reviewed dozens of different insurance companies to give you an idea of which one might work best for you.

Life insurance is one of the most important investments that you’ll ever make for your family, and it’s vital that you make the best decision for your family. One of the most important factors that you should consider is the type of life insurance policy that you are going to buy. There are several different kinds of coverage that you will need to review based on your needs.

In addition, it is also recommended that you review the background of the insurance company you are considering buying this type of coverage through. That is because you will want to ensure that the carrier is strong financially and that is has a good name in the industry for timely payment of its policy holder claims. One insurance carrier that meets these points is Erie Insurance Company.

The History of Erie Life Insurance Company

Erie Insurance Company has been in the business of offering coverage protection to its customers for nearly 100 years. The company was founded in the early 1920s when two employees of the Pennsylvania Indemnity Exchange decided to form their own insurance carrier.

In moving forward with their new company, H.O. Hirt and O.G. Crawford raised more than $30,000, and won over 90 stockholders – all from a hand written business plan. Then, in April of 1925, the Erie Insurance Exchange opened its doors.

Over the years, the company has grown and expanded exponentially, adding many different types of coverage, such as home owners, motorcycle, boat, life, business, and personal valuables coverage.

Erie Life Insurance Company Review

Today, Erie Insurance Company has more than 5,000 employees who serve its customers and policy holders. The company’s products are offered via approximately 12,000 independent insurance agents across the United States.

In addition to providing a variety of insurance coverage’s, Erie Insurance Company gives back to the communities in which it serves. For example, the company is involved in entities such as Meals on Wheels, coaching little league sports, and with helping people to rebuild following natural disasters and catastrophes.

Erie is considered to be a strong and stable life insurance company from a financial standpoint. The company has also been listed as number 411 on the 2016 Fortune 500 list. (The company made its initial debut on this list back in 2003).

Also, for the fifth year in a row, Erie Insurance was given the “Highest Satisfaction with the Auto Insurers Shopping Experience” award in the J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study. Out of a possible score of 1,000 Erie obtained a score of 879.

BBB Grade and Ratings

Due to its strong financial foothold, Erie has received very high ratings from the insurer rating agencies. Here, the Erie Insurance Group has earned an A+ (Superior) rating from A.M. Best and Company, and the Erie Family Life Insurance Company has earned an A.M. Best grade of A (Excellent).

In addition to its high insurer ratings, Erie Insurance has also been given a grade of A+ (on a scale of A+ to F) from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Although Erie Insurance is not an accredited member of the BBB, the company has closed out a total of 59 customer complaints over the past three years (of which 16 were closed out during the past 12 months).

Of the total 59 customer complaints that Erie has closed via the BBB, 39 had to do with problems with the company’s product and / or service, and 15 had to do with billing and / or collection issues. An additional two were in regard to advertising and / or sales issues, two had to do with delivery issues, and the remaining one was in regard to the company’s guarantee and / or warranty issues.

Life Insurance Coverage Offered by Erie Life Insurance Company

Erie Insurance offers a variety of different life insurance coverage options to choose from. These include both term and permanent policies. With a term life insurance policy, death benefit protection is offered, without any type of savings or cash value build up. Because of this, the premium that is charged for term life insurance is usually much lower than that of a comparable permanent plan.

With a term life insurance policy, coverage is purchased for a certain period of time, such as 10 years, 20 years, or even 30 years. Typically, these policies will have a fixed amount of death benefit, as well as a fixed premium charge for the life of the plan.

Erie Insurance offers level term life insurance protection, and policies can be chosen in time periods of 10, 15, 20, or 30 years. This coverage can be purchased starting at age 0, and in many instances, the policy holder will have the opportunity of converting the term policy over into a permanent life insurance policy – which can then provide coverage for the remainder of the insured’s lifetime.

With Erie, there is oftentimes no medical exam required on its term life policies of up to $90,000 in death benefit protection. All an applicant has to do is just simply answer a few health related questions. And, because there is no blood work or medical exam results to wait for, this coverage can usually be approved and issued within just days (or possibly even sooner).

The company also offers permanent life insurance coverage. With a permanent life insurance policy, there is death benefit protection, as well as cash value build up. The assets that are inside of the cash component of the policy can grow on a tax deferred basis. Essentially there is no tax due on the gain until these funds are withdrawn.

Erie Insurance offers both whole life and universal life for permanent life insurance coverage. With a whole life insurance policy, the insured will have guaranteed life insurance protection with a death benefit amount that will not decrease – even as he or she ages throughout the years.

These whole life plans also offer guaranteed cash value, as well as a set premium that will not be raised – even if the insured contracts an adverse health condition in the future. Plus, the insurance company cannot cancel the policy for any reason, if the premium is paid.

There are several different premium payment options that a whole life insurance policy holder can choose from – based on what suits their needs the best. There are also several different riders that may be added to the whole life insurance coverage – some at no additional charge.

Just like with the term insurance policies, whole life insurance plans through Erie offer a fast and easy application process. For those who wish to purchase coverage of up to $90,000, only a new medical questions need to be answered.

Whole life insurance protection from Erie can be purchased for adults and children (or other younger relatives, such as grandchildren and nieces / nephews). These plans can help the younger insureds to build up savings in a tax deferred manner, and to attain guaranteed insurability in the future.

Erie Insurance also offers universal life insurance. Universal life, or UL, is another form of permanent life insurance coverage.  In many ways, UL is considered to be more flexible than whole life. This is because the policy holder – within certain guidelines – may choose how much of the premium will go towards the death benefit, and how much will go into the cash value portion of the policy. They may also be able to change the due date of the policy’s premium, based on their changing needs.

Universal life insurance can be advantageous for individuals and for business owners, as it offers guaranteed cash value, as well as the ability to get policy loans with tax free income potential.

These types of life insurance plans can also be ideal for a wide variety of coverage needs, such as:

  • College expense planning
  • Estate planning
  • Income replacement
  • Charitable giving
  • Wealth transfer
  • Inheritance
  • Mortgage balance payoff
  • Payoff of personal or other types of debt balances
  • Retirement income planning
  • Deferred compensation plans
  • Business continuation coverage
  • Key person coverage

While a universal life insurance policy offers both death benefit coverage and cash value, the premium on this type of coverage may be more affordable than that of a whole life insurance policy, depending on the insured’s specific parameters.

Burial Insurance

If you’re worried about leaving those you care about with funeral and final expenses, having a burial insurance policy can help. Today, the average cost of a funeral can be in the range of $8,500 to $10,000 – especially when factoring in items like the memorial service itself, along with flowers, transportation, and music, as well as a burial plot and a headstone.

Burial insurance – which is also oftentimes referred to as funeral insurance or final expense life insurance – is a type of coverage that will pay out a benefit quickly to your named beneficiary so that final expenses can be paid…and so that your survivors don’t have to dip into saving or use credit to pay these costs. With that in mind, having a burial insurance policy can be one of the greatest gifts you give to your family.

Before you purchase a burial insurance policy, though, it is important that you have a good idea of the type and the amount of coverage you’ll need. For example, you may want to only cover the anticipated cost of a funeral service. Or, alternatively, you may also want to add in some additional protection so that your loved ones can pay off other debts, such as final medical expenses and / or the cost of hospice care.

Other Products and / or Services Offered

In addition to just selling life insurance policies, Erie Insurance Company offers a long list of valuable products and services. These include the following:

  • Auto Insurance
  • Motorcycle Insurance Coverage
  • Insurance Coverage for Car Collectors, ATVs, and RVs
  • Insurance for Teen Drivers
  • Boat Insurance Coverage
  • Home Owners Insurance
  • Renters Insurance Coverage
  • Condo Insurance
  • Mobile Home Insurance
  • Personal Valuables Insurance
  • Flood Insurance
  • Retirement Solutions
  • Personal Catastrophe Liability Insurance
  • Identity Theft Recovery Coverage
  • Business Insurance

Erie also offers various industry insurance packages that can be fit to companies in a variety of different industries, such as auto services, contractors, hotels and hospitality, landlords and property owners, manufacturers, offices and professional services, restaurants, retail, and wholesaler-distributors.

Looking For The Best Premium Rates on Life Insurance Coverage from Erie Insurance?

If you are seeking the best premium rate on life insurance coverage from Erie Insurance Company – or from any insurer – it is recommended that you work together with an independent life insurance agency or broker. That way, you will be in a better position to compare, side-by-side, the coverage and the premium prices of numerous insurers – but in an impartial manner. You can then determine which will be best for you.

When you are ready to shop around, we can help you. How? We work with the best life insurance providers. We can provide you with the important details that you need for making a well-informed decision – and we can do this for you directly from your own computer. When you are ready to proceed, just simply fill out our short quote form.

We get that buying life insurance coverage is a big decision. There are many different parameters to keep in mind – and you want to be sure that you are going with the right type and amount of coverage through the best insurance company.

This process of purchasing life insurance protection can be made so much easier by working with an aid on your side who can guide you through the entire way, from beginning to end. So, contact us today – we’re here to help.

Source: goodfinancialcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

Replacing your policy

I currently have a life insurance policy – could I get a better price elsewhere?

Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further

The short answer is yes – it is possible to get a better price. The long answer is that it depends on quite a few factors, and there’s no guarantee that your price will drop with a second application.

One of the biggest things to keep in mind is your age. The older you are, the higher your chances of dying naturally, which will slowly increase the baseline price of a policy. Applying for a policy at 45 will be more expensive than applying at 35, all other things being equal.

When in doubt, work with a life insurance agency. They’ll be able to give you some insight into how much your price could drop if you switch to another carrier.

If my health has improved since I got my last policy, can I reapply for a better price?

Depending on how your health has improved and the amount of time that has passed since your previous application, you could see significant price drops.

For example, smoking is one of the priciest things that you can do with regard to a life insurance application, and typically, you need to have kicked the habit at least one year ago before life insurance carriers are willing to look past your tobacco history.

My last agent sold me a policy from the company he worked for. Can I get a better price if I shop around?

If your agent was captive, meaning they only represented one insurance company, the first thing that you should do is get a quote from an independent source that represents many. Because carriers jockey for position to undercut their competitors’ prices in certain situations, it’s possible that another carrier beats your current carrier in price.

Sometimes the difference in price will be pretty obvious from the get-go. If you can’t find a dramatic difference in price, it’s often wise to talk to an independent agent or online company and tell them the facts about your case. An experienced agency can help point you in the right direction by shopping your case around for preliminary price checks with various carriers.

Natasha Cornelius is the content manager and editor for Quotacy. She has worked in the life insurance industry since 2010 and has been making life insurance easier to understand with her writing since 2014. A long-time Mint user, Natasha lives in Bozeman, Montana where she loves to garden, DIY anything she can, and explore beautiful Big Sky country. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Source: mint.intuit.com