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Cut Your Energy Costs

Cut Your Energy Costs

It’s a New Year, and now is the perfect time to cut back on your energy costs. Taking the steps to cut your energy costs will not only save you money, but it will save our resources and the planet.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

  • Make sure your home is sealed during the winter to avoid wasting heat. Close all fireplace dampers, windows, and make sure any cracks are sealed.
  • Cool your home naturally in the summer by opening windows on cool nights.
  • On nice days, hang your laundry out to dry instead of using the dryer.
  • Replace regular incandescent light bulbs and fixtures with Energy Star qualified fluorescent lights.
  • Unplug any appliances or devices that you are not using. Although they are not on, they are still drawing energy.
  • Replace your old refrigerator. Refrigerators made before 1993 could be costing $140 a year in electricity. Even refrigerators built between 1993 and 2001 cost about $60 a year to run. By comparison, a new Energy Star rated refrigerator runs on about $20 a year.
  • Only run your dishwasher when it is completely full to avoid running it multiple times in a day.

Everybody wants a little more money in their pockets. Attempting to save on energy will help you! You could save over $900 a year just by doing the basics. Imagine how much more you could save by finding more ways to save on your energy.

 

The Gift of Life Insurance

The Gift of Life Insurance

The holidays are here and tis’ the season for gift giving. Many people think of gift giving as exchanging cookies, baked goods, toys or clothing.

What about the gift of life insurance? To some, it may sound confusing and to others it makes perfect sense.

Truth is, giving the gift of a life insurance policy does make perfect sense. When you give the gift of life insurance, you’re giving the gift of financial stability for the future.

If you’re tgingerbreadhinking about giving the gift of life insurance to someone you know this holiday season, here are some important factors to consider when making your decision:

Think about who you are buying for. Giving life insurance to children or grandchildren is ideal. When an individual is in good health, life insurance will cost considerably less. Therefore, making it an affordable gift.

Select the right type of life insurance. Policies that include a cash value feature, such as whole life or universal life gives the most flexibility for the future, and the opportunity to establish a foundation.

Purchase an appropriate amount of coverage. Depending on your recipient, it is important to calculate how much that person will need in life insurance. For younger children a policy with a smaller cash value is sufficient. However, if you are purchasing for someone older, consider the following:
Funeral expenses
Medical expenses, in the event the recipient faces an illness or accident.
Income protection
Retirement investment availability

Know when life insurance doesn’t make sense as a gift. If the person you are considering purchasing a policy for is sick, elder, or uses tobacco, it could increase the price of the policy. In this situation, you can use your best judgment to choose if the money is better spent elsewhere.
For more information on life insurance or if you are interested in giving the gift of life insurance this holiday season, please give our office a call at (516) 249-5200 or visit our website at www.chedwards.net.

We wish you a very happy holiday season from the management and staff at C.H. Edwards, Inc.

Written by: Denise Visco

Winterizing Your Vehicle

Winterizing Your Vehicle

Winter is almost here, and it’s time to endure the cold, snowy weather that New York brings. Before we know it, we will be digging our cars out of the snow. That’s why it is important to get a head start today on winterizing your car.

Taking these steps to prepare your car will ensure a safe winter for all.

  1. Get an oil change. If you are approaching the time for an oil change, do not procrastinate. Get it done now. Make sure your oil’s viscosity is right. Oil tends to thicken as it gets colder. If it is too thick it won’t do the best job of keeping your engine lubricated.
  2. Make sure you can see. Be sure to replace your old wiper blades with fresh new ones. Along with changing your blades, be sure to refill your windshield washer fluid and make sure that the defrost setting in your car is working properly.
  3. Give your battery a little TLC. Check your battery and make sure there is no corrosion and that it can hold a charge. You don’t want to be stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery in the dead of winter.
  4. Check your tire pressure. Make sure your tires are properly inflated to ensure you will have the best traction.
  5. If you have a four wheel drive, be sure to check that your system is working properly. Especially if you do not use your four wheel drive during the summer months.
  6. Last but not least, be sure to prepare an emergency kit. Store supplies in your trunk in case you are ever stuck. Emergency items such as:
    1. Blankets
    2. Extra boots and gloves
    3. Ice scraper
    4. Small shovel
    5. Flashlight
    6. Flares
    7. Tool kit
    8. First aid kit
    9. Paper towels
    10. Canned food
    11. Bottled water

Travel safely this winter and don’t get caught in the cold!