Tag Archives: snoring

We’ll Tell You if We Cover That Later

A member of my family has been having a terrible time with his sinuses… to the point where his doctor has suggested surgery. As it happens, I had a similar surgery when I was nineteen to cut away infected sinus tissue and correct a deviated septum. (What a thing to have run in the family!) After he inquired to his insurance company about the surgery, he got this reply (I’m paraphrasing): Go ahead and get the surgery, and then we’ll tell you if we’ll cover it. That’s a pretty big risk to take, Insurance Company, in the hopes that you’ll … Continue reading →

Five Quick Fixes for Snoring (and One Slow Fix)

Experts estimate that nearly half of all adults snore. Are you one of them? Are you troubled by snoring (your own or your bed mate’s)? My mom used to snore — loud enough that I could hear her from my room with the door closed. She gave those Breathe Right nasal strips a try and they REALLY cut back on the snoring. She hasn’t stopped entirely, but the nasal strips did make a definite difference. Here are some more quick fixes for nighttime noise that may help you AND your spouse get a good night’s sleep. Change the way you … Continue reading →

The Importance of a Home Inventory

If you don’t yet have a home inventory, you should consider putting one together as soon as possible. There are many risks to your home possessions, including robbery, fire and floods. You could lose everything suddenly. Once that happens, you want to have the process of replacing it as easy as possible. A home inventory can serve two main purposes. The first is to help you realize what you own and what it is all worth. Once you have your home inventory, you will be able to determine if you have enough insurance to cover your losses. Many people underestimate … Continue reading →

Have an Emergency Plan

One of the worst problems with a crisis is still dealing with the other details of life. Ensure that your money matters are covered, so if an emergency hits… you do not have to worry about the finances. The following is a list of key things to do ahead of time, before disaster strikes. 1. Create an emergency savings. How much you will set aside depends on many factors, but most experts agree that three months of your income is the minimum with six months of income the preferred. It is critical that this savings is in a liquid account … Continue reading →

What Causes Snoring?

In a strange turn of events last night, I heard myself snoring. I was having a weird dream (sort of a monster movie kind of scenario) and one of the people in my dream kept telling me that I was snoring. “No,” I insisted. “I don’t snore.” But I could HEAR myself snoring while I was dreaming (and denying it). Very weird. I tend to talk in my sleep — I’ve done it since I was a little kid — but don’t often snore. So it made me wonder about the cause. A few different things can cause snoring, like: … Continue reading →

Do you Need a Power of Attorney?

Most people envision a power of attorney as something you designate on your deathbed. Actually, this is the worst time to attempt this decision. When my husband and I completed our wills, the lawyer also had a file the paperwork for the power of attorney. My first thought was why? As my husband, can’t he already access all our bills and accounts anyway? Not completely… any joint assets like a house can’t be sold without the consent of both parties. Imagine a scenario where you were in an accident, unable to respond, and the bills were stacking up. Your spouse … Continue reading →

Insurance Company Refused to Cover than Reconsidered Too Late

Welcome to 2008, hopefully your family had a better end to the year 2007 than the family of Natiline Sarkisyan. Their year ended with a funeral for their teen-aged daughter who died after her health and medical insurance company refused to pay for a liver transplant and then reconsidered. The Philadelphia-based Cigna HealthCare insurer has a history of approving coverage for over 90% of all transplants claims requested by their insured members, with over 90% of the liver transplant request being approved according to Cigna company President David Cordani in a memo addressed to employees and distributed to the media. … Continue reading →

Emergency Funds

An emergency fund is not a true savings or investment. It is money that is set aside for the unexpected. It is there just in case something goes wrong. If you lose your job, unemployment pay only covers a portion of your paycheck and does not cover other benefits like health insurance. If you need your car to drive to work, what would happen if the engine blew up? Would you have enough to cover the cost? These are some common scenarios where an emergency fund can be a lifesaver. It will only work if it is easy to access … Continue reading →

Top 3 Reasons to Install a Home Security System

When I watch the evening news it makes installing a home security system seem like a logical decision. The Top 3 reasons to install a home security system: Protection: Everyone has a different level of need for protection. It’s a simply formula of whom, what and where. The basic math is the more “who‘s” your are responsible to keep safe and the more “what’s” you have collected along the way, the more protection you and your family need. There may be times in our lives when we have few possessions and only need to take care of our own personal … Continue reading →

Considering Pet Insurance?

I was thinking the other day about what I would do if I had a thousand dollars to spend on my health. One of the ideas I had was to purchase pet insurance. Pet insurance isn’t really something I’ve looked into before for Moose and Lally — I always figured I would handle emergencies as they arose (like when Moose got hit by a car this spring). First, some statistics: Only between two and three percent of American pet owners have insurance on their pets. The average annual cost for pet care in the U.S. in 1998 was $138. The … Continue reading →