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Recap: Moving for Families

Posted on by cvargas

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein

Moving is stressful for everyone, but most of all for those people with children. If you’re moving in Boston with your family, we posted a blog last week with some tips on how to make the move as stress-free as possible:

  • Tell your family as soon as you can about your move so that kids have time to adjust to the idea of moving.
  • Keep a positive attitude about the move – kids will be upset if they can tell that you are uneasy about the upcoming change.
  • Let your kids help with the move. Depending on their age and maturity, they could tour new homes with you and help pick things out to decorate their new space.
  • Pack your child’s room last and let them pack unbreakable things to contribute. Keep a small box of favorite toys that will stay with you throughout the move.
  • Help your child feel comfortable in their new neighborhood by meeting local kids and classmates before they start school.

Once you’re set to move into your new home, talk to Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency about getting a great home insurance policy for your new place. We will make sure that you and your family are protected. Also ask about how we can protect your car, business, and more.

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Budgeting for the Holiday Season

Posted on by cvargas

It may only be October, but now is the time to start thinking about your end-of-the-year holiday budget. Most Vargas and Vargas Insurance customers that we talk to agree – the holiday season is an expensive time of year (let’s face it – the festivity and merriment don’t come cheap!) Before you even think about picking out the best-looking turkey for Thanksgiving, pick up a pencil and make out a quick budget for the rest of 2018. It doesn’t have to be perfect – any sort of guideline can help make sure that you start the New Year in the black.

Our agency wants to do our part to help! Here are just a few of the categories that you may want to include in your budget, along with a few ways that you can get more bang for your buck this winter:

Holiday Décor

Part of the fun of the holiday season is the festivity and merriment that accompanies it. If you’re one to “deck the halls” then you probably already have most of the decorations that you use every year in storage. Occasionally, though, something will need to be replaced.

Do yourself a favor and save money on the replacement by using the old item one more time (if you can, of course) and purchasing the replacement on a deep discount after the holidays are over.

Food and Entertaining

During the holiday season, many people throw holiday parties or host family events. Whether you are hosting or attending these events, you will need to budget some money for them. Hosting can be costly, but you can cut down on your spending by asking attendees to bring a dish to contribute to the table or buffet – sides and desserts are easy for others to make and bring.

If you are attending an event, offer to bring something to help the host. You could bring food, but alcohol and other hostess gifts may also be appropriate. Many local shops in the Boston area offer a great selection of items that would be perfect to bring to a party.

Travel

Around this time of year, many people are making plans to visit their loved ones. Whether you’re going to be there to eat turkey or open presents, you should start making your plans now so that you don’t get stuck paying last-minute prices.

Depending on how far you need to travel and how many people are going with you, taking a road trip may be a cheaper option than flying. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Road Tripping for tips and tricks to travelling by land. If you don’t have the time to travel by car, then flying is your best option. Buy your plane tickets as early as possible to get the best deal and remember when comparing prices to include the cost of extra fees and baggage to your total cost.

Gifts

If you’re someone that purchases gifts during the holidays, plan now so that you don’t overspend later. Make a list of everyone that you plan to gift to, and how much you will spend. Be as thorough with your list as possible – include family members and friends, as well as neighbors, teachers, your mailman… anyone who will get a present, even if it’s only going to be $10 or less.

When it comes to saving money on gifts, there are many options. For the brave, consider shopping during Black Friday sales to get great gifts at blowout prices. Some people may find Black Friday shopping a little too harrowing of an experience. If that sounds like you, (and you have even a little bit of creative capability) consider making your gifts this year. Often, DIY gifts are less expensive than store-bought, and they can hold extra meaning to the recipient.

As you budget for gifts, remember to also factor in the cost of cards and wrapping paper and bows. These are costly right before the holidays, but you can save money for next year’s presents by purchasing card multi-packs and wrapping paper on clearance and storing it with the rest of your decorations.

Once your holiday budget is complete, do your future self a favor. Take your estimated expenditure amount from this year and divide it by 12. Then you can set up an automatic deposit for that amount into a holiday savings account each month. By this time next year, you won’t have to worry about scrambling to find funds – you will have a lump sum ready to go for all your end of the year spending!

Remember – you can save money on your Massachusetts insurance policies all year ‘round with the help of Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency. One call to 617-298-0655 and our agents will work hard to make sure that you have home and auto insurance policies that will give you the right amount of coverage without overburdening your bank account.

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Morning Motivation – Week of October 8, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

As you know I try to start every week with some words of wisdom:

We have been talking about getting freedom in your business, check out last week’s message here.

Step #2: Eliminate tasks you don’t know how to do

Be honest with yourself. Don’t let superhero syndrome kick in here. I remember trying to design and develop my first blog on my own using a premium theme. I spent 8-10 weeks trying to figure it out, and in the end I was never happy with it. Why? Because it’s not what I do! I don’t have that type of mind or patience.

So I urge you to ask yourself:

  • Are there tasks I am currently doing that could be completed faster AND better by someone else?
  • Are there projects you’re handling that could be wrapped up in a better, more professional way?
  • Are you trying to cut costs by dabbling far outside your areas of expertise?
  • Is it even important for the success of your business?

Next week we will cover the third step toward getting Freedom in your business. Don’t miss it!

Carlos

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Recap: Halloween Safety Tips

Posted on by cvargas

Did you know that there are only a few weeks left before Halloween? Are you and your family prepared? Make the most of the spookiest holiday of the year by following the safety tips from last week’s full blog post. Here is a quick summary for your convenience:

  • When you decorate, make sure that you are making your home spooky without creating tripping hazards. When choosing lighting, opt for battery powered flickering lights over candles.
  • Pumpkin carving should be reserved for kids that can handle sharp objects. Little ones can use paint or stickers on their pumpkins!
  • When passing out candy, always give treats bought at the store instead of homemade confections.
  • Trick-or-Treating can be dangerous, so make sure that kids are wearing safe costumes and comfortable shoes. Be careful driving around on Halloween night, and always check candy for tampering before eating it.

At Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency, we always have a blast celebrating Halloween in the office. This October, we would also enjoy helping you lower your insurance premiums. Just call our office at 617-298-0655 to speak with one of our Massachusetts insurance agents about how we can help avoid potential frights from the unknown with our top of the line insurance protection.

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The Best Tips for Moving with Kids in Boston

Posted on by cvargas

Moving is stressful for everyone. Even the most organized people can become overwhelmed at the thought of the necessary logistics to relocate. This stress increases by orders of magnitude when children are involved. If you are planning to move within the Boston area with your children, consider the following tips to make the transition easier for everyone involved:

Telling Your Kids About the Move

Kids – especially younger ones – are creatures of habit. This means that uprooting them from the home that they know and love is probably going to be a big deal. Help them get used to the upcoming change by telling them about it well in advance, and make sure that you have a positive attitude when talking about the impending relocation. Prepare them by telling them what will be different but also tell them what will stay the same so that they can retain a sense of normalcy.

To help younger children prepare for what will happen when you move, consider getting a book on moving. There are several available that will help little ones understand that the process doesn’t have to be scary. You can also share the story of the first time you moved with your kids to help them understand that moving is a normal part of life.

Choosing a New Home with Your Kids

If your kids are old enough, you might want to let them get in on some of the house hunting fun. Ask what they would want in your next home – maybe a bedroom that they don’t have to share, or a big backyard, or a bonus room that could be used just for hanging out? When choosing a home, make sure to research which schools the house is assigned to, don’t just assume it is the closest one!

Once you choose a home, let your child help decorate their room. Give small children a few choices on colors to paint the walls or rugs to put next to their bed. Teenagers can be given additional freedom to make their own choices (within reason, as always – no one wants to paint bedroom walls black!)

Tips for Packing Your Home

Your child probably won’t adjust well to having all their favorite things in boxes, so plan on packing their room as late as possible. Let younger kids feel like they can contribute and have some control over the move by placing them in charge of packing a box or two – preferably something that can’t break like stuffed animals. If your move will take more than a day, allow your child to keep a small bin of their most favorite toys with them during travel to ease separation anxiety.

As you know, moving is also the perfect excuse to get rid of old stuff that you don’t use any more. Encourage your child to choose some of their older toys to be sold at a moving sale or to be donated to a local organization for underprivileged kids.

Moving Day is Here!

Only you know what is best for your child, so only you will be able to decide what the best course of action is on days when packers and movers will be at your home. Some families know that their little one will need to be out of the house and opt for daycare or having a friend or family member watch their child. Other children would rather be involved and see the move happen – just ensure that they will be able to stay out of the way and out of trouble for the duration of the process.

Unpacking Made Easy

Make your child’s room one of the first things you unpack when you arrive at your new home. (If anything is broken during the move, find out if your Boston home insurance policy will cover the damage.) As you unpack, take your child with you to meet your new neighbors – especially if they have kids around the same age.

Settling in to Your New Place

Once you’re unpacked, you will have the opportunity to explore your new community with your kids. If they have changed schools, it may help them to see their new school before their first day. If it would help, ask your school for a list of children in your child’s class so that you can arrange playdates ahead of time. Having friends on the first day will make the transition a lot easier for most kids. A scoop of local ice cream never hurts either! There are tons of fun activities in Boston that you can do with your kids to show them how great their new home is.

As you continue to plan for a Boston move with your family, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655 for help getting the right insurance protection for your new home. We will make sure that you and your family are ready to handle anything that comes your way.

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Morning Motivation – Week of October 1, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

As you know I try to start every week with some words of wisdom,

Have you been keeping up with my weekly motivation posts? The last couple of weeks I have been talking about doing what you do best, what you are gifted in and get someone else to do what you hate to do or are not good at. Check out my last post here if you need a refresher.

Answer the following questions about your involvement in your business:

  • Are you trying to put your own blog together?
  • Are you trying to create a nice Facebook header?
  • Are you trying to complete a nice profile outline about YOU for all your social sites?
  • Are you trying to post 2-3 times a week?
  • Are you trying to keep up with your emails?
  • Are you trying to keep up with your voicemails?
  • Are you trying to keep up with your clients?

When it comes to keeping up with clients, I am talking about any and all of the following activities:

  • Babysitting clients
  • Putting out fires
  • Updating clients
  • Managing the client database
  • Creating mailers for clients
  • On and on and on….

If any of these tasks sounds like something you do, don’t despair! There are three steps to getting some freedom in your business:

Step #1: Make a list of the tasks that you hate to do

These are any task that makes you cringe or procrastinate. Anything can be on this list—except for selling.

Selling needs to be one of your top priorities because it’s the lifeblood of your business, and no one should know your product or service better than you.

Look out for the post all about step #2 next week!

Carlos

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2018 Halloween Safety Tips for Kids and Parents

Posted on by cvargas

The temperatures are steadily dropping, and that can only mean one thing here in Massachusetts – Halloween is just around the corner! It’s the time of year when you can let your spooky side shine… not to mention plan a costume that will knock everyone’s socks off. As October progresses, though, make sure that you follow these safety tips to make sure that you and your kids have a successful fright night!

Decorating Your Home

Some people like to go over the top when decorating the outside of their home for Halloween. We encourage you to get in the spirit, but follow a few simple guidelines:

  • Remove or clearly mark tripping hazards – Trick-or-Treaters will be coming up your walkway, so either remove obstacles or make sure that they are easily seen and avoided.
  • Light up paths – Some visitors will be wearing awkward costumes, so make sure that they can see where they’re stepping.
  • Don’t use real flames – There is something extra spooky about a flickering flame, but instead of using a real candle and risking a fire, opt for a battery-operated flickering light.
  • Be careful with extension cords – You may have lots of decorations that require power. Lights and inflatables are very popular nowadays but resist the urge to overload your extension cords and power strips.

Carving a Pumpkin

Will you be making a Jack-o-Lantern with your kids this year? For kids old enough to carve a pumpkin, make sure to use carving tools meant for pumpkins instead of sharper kitchen knives. Encourage kids to go slowly as they carve in the interest of safety and tell them to cut away from their bodies. In case there is a minor injury, have a first aid kit close by.

Kids that are too young to carve don’t have to miss out on the fun. Instead of making a carved pumpkin, break out the paints and stickers and let them decorate in an age-appropriate way.

Throwing a Party

Getting together with friends for a costume party is a fun thing to do this time of year. If you are hosting, there are a few things you should do to make sure that your guests can enjoy themselves without compromising their safety.

As you plan your party, make sure that your decorations are safe for guests. As we mentioned earlier as we talked about outdoor decorations, indoor décor should also not be a tripping hazard. Also, don’t overload poser strips or use real flames, and opt for flickering battery-operated lights over open flames. In addition, when you choose your costume make sure it is something that you can wear and still play host.

Passing out Candy

If you’re going to be staying at home on Halloween night and passing out candy to trick-or-treaters, make sure to do so in a safe way. You may have a killer recipe for a treat, but this isn’t the time to use it – only pass out candies that are sealed by the manufacturer. Some children who come to your door may have severe allergies, so you may want to have a few small toys ready in case they are necessary. Display a teal pumpkin at your home to advertise that you have these non-food treats available.

For your own safety as you pass out treats, you may opt to sit with other neighbors. At the very least, make sure that you are looking through your peep hole whenever the doorbell rings (as you always should) – you can never be sure that there isn’t a ‘trick’ on the other side of the door.

Trick-or-Treating

Going out trick-or-treating is a rite of passage for kids. As a parent, we know that you want your kid to have a great time while still being safe. Here are just a few tips that you should use to accomplish this goal:

  • Decide whether your child or children are mature enough to go out with friends without supervision. When in doubt, an adult should accompany them.
  • Some parents choose to drive their kids to a different neighborhood to trick-or-treat. If you will be driving on Halloween night, make sure to be exceptionally careful in residential areas after 5pm.
  • Edit kids costumes so that they can easily run around in them for an hour or more. Encourage kids to wear comfortable shoes and to leave their masks at home. For added safety, give kids a small flashlight to carry.
  • Teens that go out on Halloween night without supervision should have a fully charged cell phone with them in case of emergencies.
  • Before you or your kids eat a treat, it should be checked for tampering.

Here’s one thing that doesn’t have to be scary this time of year: your insurance premiums! Call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency for a free insurance quote or checkup. Our agents would be happy to see if we can lower your home insurance, auto insurance, or other insurance premiums – and you don’t even need to leave your house! Call 617-298-0655 whenever you have questions about your Massachusetts insurance policies.

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Morning Motivation – Week of September 24, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

Would you like some words of wisdom to start off your week on the right foot?

If you remember, last week I wrote about how to identify your innate strengths. For all the things that aren’t your strengths, here is my advice: automate the repetitive tasks. Hire a Virtual Assistant to do those things for you. If you want the information of who I use as Virtual Assistants, please let me know.

My feeling is that no matter how hard you try, it is unlikely you will ever be more than average in areas where you do not have an aptitude.

Working on developing your natural talents is self-rewarding and motivating and allow you to continually realize higher and higher levels of ability, achievement, and success. Invest your time and energy in being great at something really great. You will be happier.

What a great combination: doing what you love and having people pay you for it.

Next week, working your “Triad of Awesomeness.”

So focus on your strengths, my friends.

Carlos

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Recap: Fall Home Maintenance

Posted on by cvargas

“A fallen leaf is nothing more than a summer’s wave goodbye.” – Unknown

Is your home ready for the winter? Many of us here at the Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency are working through our Fall home maintenance checklists and thought that we would share some of the tasks that we are undertaking. Here are just a few examples from our longer post:

  • Trim trees and shrubs, taking care to get rid of anything that could cause a problem when weighted down with snow and ice in the coming months.
  • After the leaves fall, clean gutters and drains so that melting snow and ice can flow freely.
  • Exterior repairs should be taken care of as soon as possible, before everything is blanketed and access to these areas is harder.
  • You will soon need to use your home’s heating system, so now is the time to make sure it is working and ready for the coming temperatures. Hire a professional for a check now – they will soon be very busy!
  • Check to ensure that you have all the gear you will need for winter. Now is the time to replace that old shovel, or to upgrade the ice scraper in your vehicle.

Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency is here to help with one more item on your Fall home maintenance checklist: making sure that your insurance policies are ready for Winter claims! Call 617-298-0655 for a free consultation and a home insurance checkup from the professionals here at Vargas and Vargas Insurance.

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Morning Motivation – Week of September 17, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

As you know I try to start every week with some words of wisdom:

If you remember from last weeks, message, I started talking about the natural gifts that we all have. Check out last week’s message here.

First, write down a list of those things that you do that seem easy for you. These are the things that you can do that seem almost effortless. Often, the tasks that are easy for us are those where we have a special aptitude.

Second, make a list of all the activities that make you happy. These are the things that make you smile. These are the tasks you would do just for yourself, with no promise of gain, just because they are fun.

Look through the two lists to find the common activities. These are likely to be the areas of your natural aptitude and talent, and are the areas of greatest potential for you. Imagine if you could spend most of your time developing and playing at something that makes you happy and where it is easy for you? Wow!

So, my advice is not to get caught up in the old advice to work on your weaknesses. Hire someone who is good where you are weak. Delegate tasks that you don’t enjoy to others who do enjoy those things.

Want to know the best way to delegate these tasks? That’s a post for another week – stay tuned!

Carlos

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Recap: Virtual Assistants

Posted on by cvargas

“I asked for help, which is the hardest thing in the world.” – Marcia Wallace

At Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency, we pride ourselves in helping Massachusetts small business owners. In addition to getting them the best possible small business insurance, we want to make sure that their businesses can grow.

If you are a small business owner here in Boston, you should consider hiring a virtual assistant. Here are explanations of just a few of the benefits of having help with your business:

  • Running a business by yourself can be daunting. Getting a helping hand may propel your business to the next level.
  • What are your weaknesses when it comes to running your business? The right virtual assistant can offer strength in the places where you are weak to improve your business.
  • A virtual assistant offers benefits to your business that a traditional employee doesn’t. As a contractor, you won’t have to offer benefits (or even a place for them to work!)
  • Finding a virtual assistant is easy! There are plenty of people available to help your business from all over the world.

For more information about how hiring a virtual assistant can help your Massachusetts small business grow, read our full blog post from last week. And for the best small business insurance in Boston, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance at 617-298-0655.

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Do I need umbrella insurance for a startup business?

Posted on by agentinsure

Most startup businesses operating on a tight budget make the mistake of not prioritizing insurance. What these business owners fail to understand is that it takes a small accident or disaster to lose all that they have worked so hard to build. An umbrella insurance policy from Vargas & Vargas Insurance will help you protect your startup business against disasters in Dorchester, MA.

What is umbrella insurance?

The purpose of umbrella insurance in your startup business is to supplement underlying insurance policies such as general liability and auto insurance policies. The insurance policy provides you with an extra buffer of financial protection when you have exhausted your other existing insurance coverages. Depending on your preferences, the umbrella insurance policy can cover more than one of your other insurance policies. Your umbrella insurance policy kicks in when your existing insurance policy has been exhausted or in situations where some claims are not covered. Umbrella insurance will provide extra coverage for various risks including restitution for injuries and paying for litigation costs.

Does my startup business need umbrella insurance?

Your startup business in Dorchester, MA is definitely predisposed to a wide range of risks or mishaps. Just as the small business requires other insurance coverages, it also requires umbrella insurance. In addition, most insurance policies don’t cover every risk that your startup business is potentially facing. There are certain claims your startup faces that are not only rare but also very costly. Therefore, protecting your business’s assets with an umbrella insurance policy is very important.

Umbrella insurance can also help you save money. When you raise the limits of your individual liability policies, you will also have to increase your premiums. But with umbrella insurance, you will get the extra coverage buffer without worrying about the limits of your other individual policies. This is a rainy day coverage that you can get without breaking the bank.

Unfortunately, most people think that umbrella insurance is for big businesses or the rich in the society with a lot of assets to protect. But, even a small accident in your startup business can lead to claims worth large amounts of money, especially if the accident was serious. Protect your startup business idea today by purchasing an umbrella insurance policy from Vargas & Vargas Insurance.

 

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Have You Done These Fall Home Maintenance Tasks?

Posted on by cvargas

Summer is waning, and the leaves will soon be falling. As Boston prepares for the first snowfall of the season, we want to make sure that our clients are getting their homes ready. Remember – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! In this case, that means that a little bit of maintenance work on your home could help to prevent a potential winter catastrophe.

Here are just a few of the areas of focus recommended by the Massachusetts insurance professionals at the Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency office:

Trees and Shrubs

Fall is the perfect time to do yardwork! Now that the weather is starting to cool down, make sure that none of your home’s foliage is going to cause you problems in the winter. Primarily, this means getting rid of anything that could cause damage to your home when blanketed with heavy ice and snows. If you need help identifying potential issues, hire a professional. They will be able to tell you which trees could potentially pose a threat to your home.

Gutters and Drain Spouts

Watching the leaves change color in the Fall is one of the most beautiful phenomena that you can witness here in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, after they change color, the leaves fall off their trees and can wreak havoc in a home’s gutter.

Because of this, it is crucial that you clean out your home’s gutters sometime between when the leaves fall and when snow starts to stick. Otherwise the leaves could block the drainage of melting snow, causing runoff to puddle up and freeze – not pretty. As you rake and dispose of leaves, you should also know that now is the perfect time to aerate your lawn.

Exterior Repairs

Is there something about the exterior of your home that needs attention or repairs? Check to see what you need to do to perfect the outside of your home and take care of those tasks now, before the snow and ice make it nearly impossible to deal with.

Check for certain issues such as roof damage, or problems with the foundation. There will also be a lot of critters looking for shelter soon – make sure they don’t find a new home in your home by sealing any gaps where critters could enter. Pay special attention to the attic, since that is where many critters seek out the warm air that rises from the home. Also make sure that you remember to shut off your exterior faucets and drain and store hoses before they freeze with residual water still inside them.

Now is also a good time to fix potential issues with your driveway, sidewalks, exterior stairs, and railings. These walkways will be hard enough to navigate when covered with snow and ice, so correct any cracks or other issues that could cause a tripping hazard.

Safety Alarms

As always, we recommend checking your home’s alarms often to make sure that they are working properly. The best course of action is to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms when you change your clocks to accommodate for daylight saving time. Also check your home’s Carbon Monoxide detector – especially for homes with oil or gas-burning appliances.

Check the Heater and/or Chimney

Soon, you will be turning on your homes heating system or firing up your chimney. Before that time comes, make sure that these items are ready to be used. Hire a professional to clean the chimney if needed, and/or perform maintenance to ensure that the heat will be ready for use as soon as the weather turns.

To make sure that the heat in your home doesn’t leak, now is the perfect time to check the seals around your doors and windows. If needed, re-caulk windows and replace weather stripping so that you have a good seal to keep the warm air in your home and the cold air outside.

Purchase Winter Gear

The last thing you want is to be without something you need for the winter. Now is the perfect time to check on your wintertime supplies to make sure that you have everything you need. For example, do you need to replace your shovel? Do you have enough salt for your driveway and walkways? Is it time to finally upgrade your car’s ice scraper?

Think through all the items that you use regularly throughout the winter and make arrangements to replace items or acquire new items sooner rather than later so that you don’t get stuck without the necessary tools once the cold and snow arrive.

As always, Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency is here for all your insurance needs this Fall! Call 617-298-0655 if you have any questions about your current policies. We can also review your Boston home insurance coverage to make sure that potential wintertime claims will be covered.

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Morning Motivation – Week of September 10, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

As you know, I try to start every week with some words of wisdom, like these:

In school, I tried to always sign up for subjects I already had some knowledge in.

Why? Because it made me feel great. “This is going to be easy,” I’d tell myself. (If you remember from my past messages, English is my second language, and late in life I was diagnosed with Non-Verbal Learning disorder. For the full story, click here.)

But what did my counselors tell me? “You should take classes in the subjects that you are weakest in.”

While learning new subjects is a great idea, striving to develop weaknesses can work against you. Conventional wisdom says we should work on improving our weaknesses, as these are missed opportunities.

Imagine what would have happened if Albert Einstein, Chris Evert, or Luciano Pavarotti had followed that advice. All these people devoted their entire life to develop their natural strengths. As a result, they each were at the top of their fields.

Highly successful entrepreneurs, as well as top scientists, athletes, and entertainers throughout history, have achieved greatness by focusing on their areas of strength.

Everyone has a natural aptitude for something. We all have a special gift.

Most of the time we don’t recognize our own gifts. The truth is that we are all very different – you are able to do something better than I can, and I can do some things better than you.

What are your natural talents? Get help recognizing them in next week’s email.

Carlos

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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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