Did you know that you can help the environment while simultaneously saving yourself money? Here are some tips from the experts on how to cut down on your energy use while you’re at home and on the go. The best part about most of these tips is that they require minimal effort – some only a few moments each day.

Take Advantage of Natural Light

On bright, sunny days, don’t waste energy turning on the lights in your home. Instead, take advantage of natural light by opening your blinds. As an added benefit, getting a few minutes of sunlight each day will allow your body to begin natural processes that help you synthesize vitamin D. Just make sure that you practice sun safety if you’re going out in the sun for more than a few minutes.

Adjust Your Appliances

Are your appliances working harder than they should be? When was the last time you checked the settings on your fridge, or your water heater? Make sure that your appliances are at the manufacturer’s recommended settings so that you’re not wasting energy unnecessarily. For example, your hot water heater should be set so that your water is hot but not scalding when you turn on only the hot tap – otherwise you’re wasting energy heating up water. Likewise, your refrigerator and freezer should be set so that they keep food at a safe temperature, but no lower.

Use a Power Strip to Ward off Energy Vampires

Did you know that things you keep plugged in use some power even when they’re turned off? The very slight energy consumption is called ‘vampire energy’ and it’s easy to remedy. First, if something is easy to keep unplugged when it’s not in use, do so. Then just plug it in when you need it.

Otherwise, use this trick involving power strips – plug several things into a strip, and turn the strip on and off as needed. This is especially helpful for the more wasteful energy vampires, like your television and game consoles. Just make sure to keep essentials (like the refrigerator) running at all times.

Don’t Waste Water

In addition to lowering your energy consumption, make sure that you are aware of your water use as well. There are many ways that you can save water every day, including:

• Not running water while you brush your teeth
• Plugging leaks in faucets and pipes right away
• Install a greywater system in your home
• Take shorter showers
• Use water efficient fixtures
• Only run full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine

Know of another way to save energy or water in your home? Let us know on our Facebook Page about your money saving, environmentally friendly tips!

If you take advantage of even a few of these tips, you will be well on your way to saving energy – which will help the environment as well as your wallet. Want to help out your wallet even further? Call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655 for an insurance review!

You have gone through quite a journey with your significant other just getting to the point that you’re ready to walk down the aisle. At that point, though, the real trip begins. You’ve just committed to spending the rest of your life with someone, so it’s important to set yourself up for success. One of the best ways to do this is with the following financial tips for newlyweds:

Make a Joint Budget

Getting used to coordinate with someone regarding your spending can take some getting used to, but communication about spending and saving is critical to the financial success of a marriage. Even if you decide to keep your finances separate, you will need to discuss how to handle joint expenses, and how you will contribute to savings for your future. Also make sure that you decide on the definition of a ‘big expense’ – a purchase amount that must be discussed and agreed to by both of you. Usually there isn’t a problem spending $20 or even $50, but $1,000 is definitely something that most couples would agree to discuss.

It’s also important to remember that this is not a one-time discussion. Set aside time to discuss your budget and your spending with your spouse, and do it often – the more communication that you have regarding your money, the better off you will be going forward.

Contribute to an Emergency Fund

Speaking of contributing to savings account, you should discuss how much you would like to have set aside in an emergency fund. Experts recommend having between three and six months’ worth of expenses saved for a rainy day. This should include enough to cover your housing, food, utilities, health care, and debt payments.

Balance Your Investment Allocations

Now that you’re married, you have joint financial goals. It only makes sense to take another look at your existing investments to ensure that they are contributing to those goals. You may also want to show your investment allocations to a Massachusetts financial planner. They will be able to assess your desired level of risk and make sure that your investments are balanced and working toward your marital success.

Re-evaluate Health and Dental Insurance Benefits

Once you’re married, you have many options when it comes to health and dental insurance coverage, especially if both you and your spouse’s workplaces both offer coverage options. Take a look at all of your options, considering both the coverage options and difference in pricing. Figure out what’s best for your situation, and make sure that you reassess your situation occasionally – if benefits change, you may be better off switching your coverage.

Check Your Insurance Coverage

As the Massachusetts insurance experts, your local Vargas and Vargas Insurance agent will be happy to guide you through the process of updating your insurance portfolio for married life. We can update your home or renters insurance to cover your spouse’s belongings (also ask about how to add a rider to your insurance to cover your wedding and engagement rings). You can also add your spouse to your Boston auto insurance, and set up or update your disability and life insurance policies to protect your loved one.

Your net worth is simply the value of all of your family’s assets. Those people that are living paycheck-to-paycheck probably don’t have a very high net worth. On the other hand, those people that wish to retire comfortably will focus on building their net worth and achieving financial freedom.

If you’re interested in increasing your net worth (and, truly, who isn’t?) here are five ways that you can do so:

Earn More and Spend Less

One of the simplest ways to improve your finances is to leverage your budget. Most people know that spending less means that you have the opportunity to put more into savings. You can also do this by increasing your earning. Ask your boss for that long overdue raise, or explore other earning opportunities. If you do both, you will be well on your way to increasing your net worth.

Reduce and Eliminate Debt

Once you’ve got some extra money around, you can begin putting it to work for you through many different types of investments. Remember, though, that you should also focus on paying down your debts, especially those with high fees and interest rates. When considering your net worth, all types of debt will be deducted. This includes student loans, car loans, mortgages, and credit card balances.

Purchase a Home

Don’t make this decision lightly – owning a home can be a huge commitment. When it comes to net worth, though, owning a home is definitely a plus. Instead of ‘throwing money down the drain’ paying rent each month, you can own a home and build equity in an investment each month when you pay on your mortgage. And when you pay off your mortgage, the value of your home will be a huge part of the net worth of your household.

Maximize Your Retirement Contributions

If you were offered free money, wouldn’t you take it? You would be surprised how many people don’t take advantage of money offered by their employer via a 401K match program. Make sure that you read the fine print of your workplace’s retirement account, and contribute at least the percentage required to receive a full company match – typically somewhere around 3% of contributions. Also remember that the money that you contribute to a 401K is tax deductible!

Protect Yourself with Insurance Policies

Once you’ve begun building your household’s worth, don’t leave it exposed to emergencies. It would only take one accident to completely wipe out all that you have built. Alleviate this stress with an insurance portfolio. Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency can help you get the proper coverage for your home, car, valuables, and more. Just call 617-298-0655 to talk to one of our expert Massachusetts insurance agents about protecting your assets with top of the line insurance.

To learn more about achieving financial stability and getting on the right road to retirement, talk to a financial planner. Here at Vargas and Vargas Insurance, we have financial planning professionals that would be happy to review your current financial standing and help get you on the right track to financial success.