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Recap: Driving for the Elderly

Posted on by cvargas

“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E. L. Doctorow

Everyone is getting older every day – it’s just one of the facts of life. At some point, most people will get old enough that they should reevaluate their ability to drive safety. Last week, we posted a blog detailing many of the concerns that elderly drivers (and their loved ones) should have about being on the open road, such as:

  • Gradual loss of hearing and vision with age.
  • The dangers of medications that impact the ability to drive.
  • Decreased reaction time and worsening driving habits.

For more information on the warning signs that an elderly driver will begin to show, as well as some of the gradual limitations that can be set on driving to help keep drivers safe, check out the full blog post here. There, you will also find information about how to surrender a Massachusetts driver’s license and alternate forms of transportation for elderly Bostonites who are no longer safe behind the wheel.

For those of you that are still driving, talk to Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency about your Massachusetts auto insurance needs. Call 617-298-0655 to get a free quote and ask our knowledgeable agents all your insurance questions.

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The Benefits of Having a Virtual Assistant

Posted on by cvargas

As a small business owner, it probably seems like your plate is always full. When you’re starting out, it’s easy to try to do everything yourself to both keep control in your own hands and to save money rather than paying others. However, doing things this way will only ensure that you are stretched too thin to make any real progress in growing your business. Instead, consider hiring a virtual assistant to help you keep the more mundane tasks of your business running smoothly while you work on tasks that will help it grow.

Here are just a few of the benefits that you will get by adding a virtual assistant to your business:

Having a Helping Hand

Owning a small business can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Just getting one assistant to help you with your business can take a huge weight off your shoulders. If you find the right assistant, seeing them do everything that they can to improve your business could help give you the motivation to make your business as great as it can be.

When searching for an assistant, look for someone who is flexible and friendly. You may need them to turn around tasks as quickly as possible, and with a smile. You may need them to attempt a task that is a little out of their wheelhouse. Having an assistant that is a “Yes” person will be very valuable to you and your business.

Strengthen Your Weaknesses

No one person is good at everything. Your strength may be marketing, or making a great product, or something else. With strengths, though, come weaknesses. What is your weakness? Is it affecting your business? Would having a virtual employee to balance your strengths and weaknesses help you to be a better overall business?

Often, virtual assistants are hired to help with technical things, like building and maintaining a website. They can also be very useful to help with maintaining a business’s social media and other customer-facing communication. Bookkeeping and scheduling are also often outsourced to an assistant. If you could take these types of tasks off your plate, what would you spend that time doing for your business? How much more could you focus on making your business grow?

A Different Kind of Employee

Often, when businesses are small, the thought of hiring a full time (or even a part time) employee is daunting. A virtual assistant is a great way to get extra help without making a commitment to a potential local employee. Virtual assistants often have work through many businesses, so they are used to not having a long-term contract. In addition, because these workers are contractors, you don’t need to think about offering them any kinds of benefits that a traditional employee might expect. You also don’t have to worry about finding them a place to work, since they will have an office of their own to work remotely! Remember – you could have a helper just an email away. Wouldn’t that be nice?

How to Find a Virtual Assistant

Depending on the needs of your business, there are many types of places where you can locate the perfect virtual assistant. As always, it’s worth asking the people in your network if they have any recommendations. You never know if they will be able to provide you with a contact!

Otherwise, there are many websites that can aid you in your search. You will need to determine if you want a worker from the US or overseas, and the area of expertise in which you are looking. From there, you will have plenty of options. One of the best parts is that there is almost never a long-term commitment – try someone out, and if the relationship doesn’t work out you can move on without repercussions.

Leveraging Your New Virtual Assistant

When you hire a virtual assistant, don’t expect them to be 100% proficient right off the bat – they will need some guidance and training first. As a rule of thumb, take the time necessary to do a task and multiply it by 30. That is the time that should be allotted to train someone to do the task well. It may take more or less, but that number will be a good place to start. Also make sure to give your employee enough time on the job to get used to the way that you like things done. Depending on the job, this ‘grace period’ could be a few weeks to a month or more.

Want more help with your Massachusetts small business? Talk to a Vargas and Vargas Insurance representative about the best way to insure your small business. After all, just because your business is ‘small’ doesn’t mean it’s not worth protecting! Our agents can get you a quote on Boston business insurance that will fit the needs of your business without breaking the bank, so call us at 617-298-0655 today.

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Morning Motivation – Week of September 3, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:

Have you been keeping up with my ‘fear series’ of Monday emails? If you’ve missed one, catch up my clicking here.

Fear-Inducing Habit #6: You make it harder than it needs to be to take action.

If you think that you have to take action in a big, heroic and risky way to overcome your fear then that may often lead to more fear and to not taking any action at all.

What to do instead:

A more helpful way to go about things is to not go all in at once. Instead, just dip your toes in and take a small step forward. The important thing is that you do it today (or as soon as you can.)

Take that first step slowly if you like – the most important thing is that you start moving. Start building momentum forward so that you can take more small steps forward. Doing things this way will not only build momentum but also self-confidence and will help you expand your comfort zone. All of this will make it a lot easier to take a bit bigger steps later on too if you’d like to.

Have a great week!

Carlos

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Recap: Money Talks for College Students

Posted on by cvargas

“Many kids come out of college, they have a credit card and a diploma. They don’t know how to buy a house or a car or health insurance or life insurance. They do not know basic microeconomics.” – Jesse Jackson

If you have teenagers that are finishing up high school, or your kids are in the early stages of college, it may be time to sit down and talk to them about money. It’s a necessary evil in life, and the more your kids understand about it the better off they will be to handle life on their own – which is coming up sooner rather than later!

  • Tell them about how important it is to both have a budget and monitor their spending.
  • Encourage them to apply for additional scholarships, and only take out student loans if necessary.
  • Warn them about the dangers of credit cards, and tell them about how credit companies will try to lure them into signing up for cards promising free t-shirts and pizza.
  • Ensure that they see a college education as an investment into their future and that they put their education above all else (it’s easy for students to get diverted away from what’s important!)

If your student needs help with their Boston insurance policies, have them call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655. We can walk them through the importance of having the right insurance protection and get them a quote on a policy that will protect their valuables without emptying their wallets.

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Driving Advice for Elderly Adults

Posted on by cvargas

Are you worried about being a safe driver as you age, or do you know someone in Massachusetts that should consider reevaluating their ability to drive? It’s hard for elderly people to lose freedoms, but there is a point at which everyone should really hang up their car keys in the name of safety. If this is a topic that’s been on your mind recently, here are a few things you should consider:

Health Concerns

As a person ages, changes in their mental or physical state could make driving more difficult. Pain or stiffness in the joints can increase reaction time, as well as make it hard to turn the wheel or shift. The stress involved in driving could also aggravate health conditions.

Older drivers also often don’t possess the stamina to take longer trips. This will likely mean shrinking the area in which you or your loved one drives.

Hearing and Vision

As the body ages, many people find it harder to see and hear as well as they once were able. Elderly drivers need to be aware of the safety issues that come with decreased awareness of their surroundings.

Vision conditions that may affect the ability to drive include cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, among others. Those that feel like their vision is worsening should consult with their optometrist. And (as for any driver) if you wear glasses or contact lenses, always have them on while driving.

Older drivers (especially those with hearing problems) should keep noise in the vehicle at a minimum. This means turning off the radio and discouraging in-car conversations.

Medication Composition

If a senior in your life is still occasionally behind the wheel, make sure that none of the medications that they are taking are inhibiting their ability to drive. Talk to a pharmacist about the ability to drive when prescribed a new medication and avoid driving if a drug’s label warns against operating heavy machinery. Elderly persons should also avoid driving if they feel lightheaded or dizzy, whether the cause is medication or any other reason.

Driving Habits

There are a few things that may start to happen when a person ages that indicate a need for a reevaluation of their ability to drive. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Having an increasing number of “close calls” or “near misses” with other drivers
  • Multiple instances of hitting objects such as curbs, fences, mailboxes, etc.
  • Missing stop signs or running through traffic signals
  • A growing number of traffic violations
  • Various incidents of being lost in familiar areas or having difficulty navigating

If you see these red flags in your own driving or in the driving habits of a family member, it’s time to have a tough conversation about whether driving is a feasible activity for that person.

Set Limitations

Often, there is a gradual transition between being a safe driver and deciding that driving is no longer safe for a person. Because of this, it is often easiest to gradually restrict a person’s driving. This could mean shortening the radius in which the person in question drives, or limiting the times of day behind the wheel, including eliminating night driving, driving during bad weather or road conditions, and rush hour driving.

If you need to talk to a senior citizen about the need to restrict or give up their ability to drive, make the conversation as easy as possible. Make sure to keep the focus on the safety of the person and other drivers. Be supportive of the person’s willingness to lose some independence and promise to help them navigate the transitional period.

Surrendering a License

At the point when a person can no longer safely operate a vehicle, their driver’s license should be suspended. Visit the Massachusetts RMV website for more information, as well as to learn about how to get a state ID card as an alternative form of identification.

Alternative Transportation

Many people view the inability to drive as a loss of freedom. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be! There are lots of transportation options available for non-drivers nowadays. Boston has a first-class public transportation system, including busses, trains, and the T, among other options. Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft are perfect for anyone that can use cell phone apps. The elderly can also investigate the availability of volunteer transportation programs in their neighborhood. The City of Boston’s Elderly Commission may be a good place to start for researching these options.

Elderly Bostonites who are still behind the wheel may wish to inquire about the need for increased car insurance coverage. And it doesn’t matter whether you are a young driver or an elderly driver – you need a top-notch Massachusetts auto insurance plan for your vehicle. If you think you’re paying too much for your current policy, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency 617-298-0655 for a free quote. Our insurance experts can help get you a quote with great coverage and a great price.

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Morning Motivation – Week of August 27, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:

You can read last week’s MMM here to get caught up on my ongoing ‘fear’ series.

Fear-Inducing Habit #5: You push your fear away.

When you try to deny a fear in your life, you may try to push it away or not think about it. This can cause it to grow stronger.

What to do instead:

I have found that pushing the fear away can certainly work and help you to not be paralyzed from taking action. But I have also discovered that it can sometimes be more helpful to accept the fear.

To accept that it is there instead of, for example, trying to tell yourself to focus on the positive like a laser-beam. And by accepting that you may not be good at one task or activity will free you from the fear that may be holding you back from other aspects of your business or personal life.

That may sound a bit vague, so here’s an example of how I do it.

  1. Breathe. Take a few breaths and focus only on the air going in and out to calm and center yourself a bit.
  2. Tell yourself something like: “Yes, the fear is here. It simply is at this point in time.”
  3. Take that feeling of fear in and just let it be there in your body and mind. It will be uncomfortable. But just for short while.

If you do this you will find that after a while – often just after a few minutes of discomfort in my experience – the fear starts to lose steam. It becomes a lot smaller or just seems to float away.

I start thinking about all the happy moments, friends, and loved ones that I have been blessed with. This makes it a lot easier to think clear and constructive thoughts again.

Keep an eye out for next week’s email. It will focus on why you may be making fear harder than it needs to be.

Carlos

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Recap: Healthy and Happy Kids

Posted on by cvargas

“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” – Denis Waitley

Back to School time is upon us, and it’s a great time to take advantage in this change of schedule to integrate something new into your child’s schedule. Keep your kids happy and healthy by taking advantage of some of the following tips:

  • Schedule some free time for your children to encourage unrestricted play and the use of imagination.
  • Set a bed time and explain to kids the importance of getting enough sleep.
  • Make sure that children practice good dental hygiene – these habits will be crucial for later in life!
  • Social interaction is critical in a child’s development, so make sure that your child gets plenty of playtime with other kids their own age to develop necessary social skills.
  • Water can be very dangerous for children, so kids should receive water safety training early. Make sure that a professional teaches your kids, and that they are always supervised when near water.

Will you be integrating any new activities into your kid’s routine as they go back to school for the year? If you want to integrate some new insurance plans into your insurance portfolio, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655. We can get you a free quote for home insurance, auto insurance, and much more.

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Money Conversations with Your College Student

Posted on by cvargas

Are you the parent to a teenager? If your child in their last few years of high school or already in college, it can be difficult to have them sit down to give important life advice. Some teens want to believe that they know everything that they will need to know, but that is almost never the case.

As a parent, you need to make sure that your child is as prepared as possible for the financial challenges that they may face as an adult. Start this financial education journey by discussing one or more of the following topics with your teen:

The Need for a Budget

When teenagers go to college, they will be tempted to buy a lot of things, especially if it will be their first time living on their own. Remind your kids to always keep an eye on their bank account and tell them about how quickly small purchases can add up. They may be more likely to pay attention to their spending habits if their money is broken into monthly or weekly payouts, which is also good practice for when they start working and depend on paychecks.

Ask them to come up with a rudimentary budget before leaving for college. You can explain to them that it doesn’t have to be perfect, and that it can be adjusted in the future as they learn their own spending habits. A good budget is simply a tool for monitoring where money goes and being aware of increased spending in any given period.

The Impact of Student Loans

If your child needs to apply for student loans, they should understand the impact these loans could have later in their life. While in the short term it seems like a windfall, it is critical that college students understand the consequences of taking out such a large loan. Help your student realize the future impact of these loans by explaining the payoff schedule and showing them the additional interest payments that they will owe to the loan provider above the loan’s principle amount.

The Benefit of Scholarships

Unlike a student loan, a scholarship is a gift to students. Students, however, sometimes resist applying for scholarships because of the lengthy application process – especially if the scholarship requires an essay. Encourage your child to look at the benefits of a scholarship as opposed to a student loan, though, and they may be a little more willing to work for the “free” money available to them. Help them search for applicable scholarship using one of the many aggregators available, such as Fastweb and Scholarships.com.

The Danger of Credit Cards

When walking around a college campus, students are bombarded with credit card offers. These would typically be easy to ignore, but these dealers know what college students like, and will offer free pizza, t-shirts, and other gifts to those who are willing to sign up. They will say “You don’t even have to use it!” to lure in unsuspecting SWAG-hunters. Thankfully, your child will know better than to sign up for unnecessary credit cards once you explain to them the effect it could have on their credit score, and the future impact of present bad decisions.

The Significance of Personal Finance Knowledge

Nowadays, it seems that students get a high school diploma without learning any relevant life skills. Ask your student about the importance of auto insurance, or the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA – odds are they will have no idea what to say.

Every person that is coming of age deserves to have a basic knowledge of personal finance to increase their chances of success in the ‘real world.’ If you feel that your child is lacking in this area of their education, advise them to take a personal finance class either at college or even online.

The Thought of College as an Investment

Your student should know that going to college is an investment in their education. They shouldn’t make this commitment lightly and need to realize that their classes ought to come first. Also make sure that they know how to optimize their activities in relation to their resume upon graduation – many jobs nowadays are looking for more than a high GPA. They will look for membership to professional organizations, as well as internships and more. Most college students have access to advisors if they wish to discuss the best path toward employability in their future field.

Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency is also here for all your teenager’s insurance needs as they go to college. This may include updating your home insurance to cover their belongings, or getting them their own renter’s insurance. Also talk to your agent about the best option for your student’s car insurance, as well as if they are eligible for any ‘good student’ discounts.

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Morning Motivation – Week of August 20, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:

You can read last week’s MMM here to catch up on the previous fear-inducing habits.

Fear-Inducing Habit#4: You misinterpret the information you have.

It is easy to take very few experiences – maybe just one – and start seeing evidence of something permanent and frightening in your life.

What to do instead:

Question your fears and what they are based upon. Again, sit down with that pen and a piece of paper. Think back to what evidence you have in your memories for a fear and a belief of yours. Try to see the situation(s) that created your fear with fresh eyes today. Instead of the way you may usually see them.
Doing this helps us to reduce our fear of business and social rejection. If you look back at some situations from your past that formed and fueled fear you may realize that:

You misinterpreted being rejected in some of those situations, or you were rejected because there was something wrong with what you did, but simply because you were not offering a realistic solution to the problem. Or because the other person had a bad day or because he or she simply wanted to push you down to feel better about himself or herself at that moment.

This will be an eye-opening experience that may help you understand that what went wrong is not all your fault.  And that our memories can often be pretty inaccurate and unhelpful if not reexamined at a later time and our minds love to create patterns and conclusions based on very little evidence or few experiences.

Next week, I will focus on the error of pushing fear away.

Have a great week!

Carlos
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Recap: Apps for Homeowners

Posted on by cvargas

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke

Do you ever wish that you had more help looking after your home? Look no further than your smartphone! There are many apps available that will help you with many aspects of home ownership. Here are just a few examples from last week’s full article on the Vargas Insurance Blog:

  • Bubble Level – A level for your DIY projects, as well as an AR ruler and wire-finder.
  • Centriq – Keep your owners manuals in one place and get notifications of recalls and more.
  • Planner 5D – For all your home décor needs, including using VR to envision new furniture and paint colors.
  • HomeSavvy – A home maintenance task organizer that will also show you DIY videos or recommend local professionals.
  • ChorePad – Chores run smoothly with this app that let your kids earn rewards for doing their chores.

Need a little additional help protecting your home? If you have a question about your home insurance (or if you want a quote for a new MA home insurance policy) help is just a phone call away. Dial 617-298-0655 and talk to a Vargas and Vargas Insurance agent about your needs. Because – while technology is great – sometimes it just can’t replace a little human help.

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