Best Online Payroll Services

Historically, payroll has been one of the most complex elements of running a business. Business owners need to make sure that everyone is paid with 100% accuracy, including calculations related to taxes, benefits, and more.

How hard can it be? Well, about one-third of small businesses are fined by the IRS each year because of payroll mistakes.

But modern payroll solutions are changing. The days of faxing wage information to a payroll company and then manually passing out live checks to your employees are fading away.

Everyone wants direct deposit. More businesses are working with remote staff, freelancers, and independent contractors.

That’s why so many companies are switching to online payroll services.

The Value of a Payroll Company

The main value of an online payroll company is simplifying your payroll process. Whether it’s for new hires, contractors, or just weekly payments for full-time employees, online payroll makes things easier.

With online payroll software, you don’t need to hire someone to manage payroll for you. The software takes care of everything, from tax filings to withholding deductions and more.

Another top benefit of online payroll is flexibility. Some companies offer on-demand payments, so your staff isn’t tied to specified pay cycles.

You’ll also have access to your entire payroll system from anywhere.

The 6 Best Online Payroll Services

If you run a quick search for online payroll software, you’ll be overwhelmed with the dozens, if not hundreds of options on the market. But most of these are pretty easy to eliminate.

When it comes to something as important as payroll, you don’t want to take any chances with an inferior service. Depending on the size of your business, there only six online payroll services that I would recommend.

I’ve reviewed all six of these in greater detail below. I’ll cover the essential features, pricing, pros, and cons of each to help you find the best one for your business.

Gusto

Gusto is a relatively new company. It launched back in 2012 as ZenPayroll and changed its name in 2015. Since that time, Gusto has grown fairly quickly and now serves more than 100,000 businesses across the country.

The reason why so many companies are choosing Gusto for payroll is because of the platform’s simplicity. It’s easy for anyone to set up, manage, and pay workers.

With Gusto, you can run payroll in minutes. You can even run it on autopilot, assuming things aren’t changing each pay cycle.

Not only does Gusto calculate your taxes, but it files everything for you. Local, state, and federal taxes are automatically paid to the right government office each time you run payroll. This benefit is 100% free, while competitors charge extra for it.

One of my favorite parts of Gusto is the onboarding process for each employee. Whether you have a new W-2 hire or 1099 contractor, they can onboard themselves.

Your staff will have easy access to pay stubs, W-2s, and everything else they need online. Even former employees will still be able to view old payroll information.

Gusto offers unlimited payroll cycles, meaning you can issue payments whenever you want. You’re not locked into weekly or bi-weekly cycles.

Gusto helps you with compliance, time-tracking, PTO, employee benefits, and more, in addition to being a full-service online payroll company. Pricing for Gusto is as follows:

Core — $39 per month

• $6 per month per person
• Employee self-service
• Health benefits administration
• Workers’ comp administration
• PTO policies

Complete — $39 per month

• $12 per month per person
• All Core features
• Employee offers and onboarding
• Time tracking
• Time-off requests
• Employee directory and surveys

Concierge — $149 per month

• $12 per month per person
• All Complete features
• Certified HR professionals
• HR resource center

The Core plan is perfect for small teams with basic payroll. As your team scales, you may want to upgrade to the Complete package. Gusto Concierge is designed for larger businesses as a full-service HR resource.

Workers’ comp and health benefits are free to integrate with Gusto. They don’t charge any administrative fees, so you’ll only pay for the premiums.

401k plans, 529 college savings plans, HSAs, FSAs, and commuter benefits come with additional monthly base rates, as well as extra charges for each participating employee.

Gusto has everything you need in an online payroll service. We use it here at Quick Sprout, and I think it’s exceptional. The only potential drawback is the price. It used to be one of the cheapest payroll options on the market, which is no longer the case.

You can try Gusto free for one month. There is no charge for setting up an account, and you’ll only pay after you run your first payroll.

QuickBooks Payroll

QuickBooks is best known for its small business accounting solutions. But the company also has an outstanding online payroll service that ranks high on our list.

QuickBooks Payroll is definitely something you should consider if you’re already using the company for bookkeeping software. You can easily add QuickBooks Payroll to your existing QuickBooks accounting plan.

The result will be a seamless all-in-one solution for your accounting, payroll, and HR needs.

All local, state, and federal taxes will be calculated and paid, automatically, each pay cycle. You can also run Auto Payroll after the initial set up to minimize the time spent running payroll each week.

One of my favorite parts about QuickBooks Payroll is that the company stands behind their product. They are so confident that their calculations will be accurate, that they’ll pay penalty fees incurred from filing errors.

As you would probably expect, the biggest benefit of using QuickBooks Payroll is its integration with QuickBooks accounting software.

Your bookkeeping records and reports will be updated in real-time with each pay cycle. This also makes it easier for you to share payroll information with your accountant.

More than 1.4 million businesses use QuickBooks for payroll, so you know it’s a company and solution that you can trust.

Here’s a brief overview of the plans and pricing for QuickBooks Payroll:

Core — $45 per month

• $4 per month per employee
• Full-service payroll
• Auto payroll available
• Health benefits
• Expert support
• Next-day direct deposit

Premium — $75 per month

• $8 per month per employee
• All Core features
• Same-day direct deposit
• User permissions
• HR support center
• Premium time tracking with mobile app

Elite — $125 per month

• $10 per month per employee
• All Premium features
• Elite onboarding
• Elite time tracking with project planning and geofencing
• Tax penalty guarantee
• Personal HR advisor

Overall, QuickBooks Payroll is as solid as it gets. They offer exceptional customer support for such a large company. If you have any problems, questions, or need assistance, it’s easy to get things resolved.

QuickBooks Payroll falls a bit short in terms of employee benefits and HR guidance with all plans. But it’s still a top choice to consider, especially if you’re already using QuickBooks Online for your accounting needs.

Paychex

Paychex has been in the payroll business for nearly 50 years. They currently service the payroll needs of about 650,000 companies.

Over the years, Paychex has evolved to adapt with the growing trends in the payroll industry. That’s what makes them such an appealing option for online payroll services.

While Paychex offers solutions for small business owners, I’d recommend this company to larger organizations seeking new payroll options.

The reason why Paychex is better for large corporations is because of its flexibility. Paychex offers solutions that go far and beyond basic payroll processing. They also provide HR administration, employee onboarding, and background checks for new hires.

Depending on the plan you choose, employees can be paid via direct deposit, paper checks, or prepaid debit cards.

Paychex Go is the plan designed for small businesses. It starts at $59 per month plus $4 per employee. It’s easy to sign up and get started online by creating a free account. But overall the plan is pretty limited, and I’d look for other options as a small business owner.

Paychex Flex is the complete payroll and HR solution designed for larger companies. Pricing is customized based on your needs. Added benefits of Paychex Flex include:

• Free mobile app
• General ledger service
• Custom reports
• $1,000 in prepaid digital marketing services
• 24/7 phone and live chat support
• Dedicated payroll specialist
• Automatically deduct and remit garnished wages

The Flex plan also comes with employee services like extra payment options, onboarding essentials, HR administration, employee screening, and a financial wellness program.

I’d say the biggest downside of Paychex is that the sign up process isn’t as simple compared to some of the other options on our list. You’ll need to contact their sales team to request a quote, so it’s not something that you can do on your own without any assistance.

OnPay

OnPay was founded in 2007. The company scaled quickly over the years and now processes more than $50 billion in payroll each year.

I like OnPay because it’s a simplified payroll process. There is just one plan to choose from, and it comes with everything you need all-inclusive. That’s why OnPay is my top recommendation for small business owners.

The all-in-one payroll service has straightforward and transparent pricing. It’s $36 per month plus $4 per employee.

This is a great value compared to some of the other options on our list, especially considering all of the features and benefits that you’ll get.

• Unlimited monthly pay cycles
• Automated tax filings and payments
• Supports W-2 and 1099 workers
• 2-day turnaround
• Pay via direct deposit, live check, or debit card
• Garnishments
• Flexible pay rates and schedules
• Unemployment insurance withholding
• 40+ reports
• Time-tracking integrations

OnPay also has specialized payroll solutions for businesses in specific industries with unique needs. Examples include restaurants, farming, nonprofits, and churches.

Another top benefit of OnPay is the employee self-service functions. Your staff can onboard themselves, access their accounts even after leaving the company, and change their personal information at any time. Employees can also manage voluntary deductions like their 401k plans directly online.

OnPay integrates with other software that you might be using to run your business, like QuickBooks, Xero, or TSheets.

Overall, OnPay is about as simple as it gets. You’ll get everything you need to run payroll for your small business, including HR benefits. It’s easy to add on things like employee health and dental, workers’ comp, and retirement plans.

Your first month using OnPay is free. They’ll also cover any migration costs from your old payroll provider.

The only major drawback of OnPay is that there they don’t have a mobile app. While the site is optimized for mobile devices, apps seem to be pretty standard in today’s day and age.

OnPay will charge you extra for any year-end forms that are mailed to your office or employees. But you could always print them out yourself to avoid those costs.

SurePayroll

SurePayroll has been around for about 20 years. In 2011, the company was acquired by Paychex. But it’s still run and sold as a separate payroll service, and it’s different from the Paychex plans that we reviewed earlier in this guide.

This payroll service is more equipped to meet the needs of small business owners, compared to its Paychex parent company.

All you need to do is enter the hours or salary for each employee, review the tax deductions, and approve the payroll to start processing. This is extremely easy for any small business owner to do online.

Run unlimited payrolls each month for no additional charge. You also have the option to run one-day and same-day payrolls.

If your business runs the same payroll each cycle, you can use Auto Payroll as a hands-off service.

SurePayroll helps you manage 401ks, HSAs, FSAs, commuter benefits, and garnishment deductions as well. They also have exceptional customer support via phone, email, and live chat. However, this is limited to six days per week during normal business hours.

In addition to small business owners, SurePayroll carves out a unique niche. They offer specific payroll solutions for nannys, caregivers, and other household employees.

This service helps homeowners avoid IRS fines and ensures compliance.

Like Paychex, you’ll need to request a quote from the sales team to learn more about your specific pricing options. So getting started isn’t necessarily a breeze. SurePayroll does offer two months free, which is one of the best promotions that I’ve seen in my research.

Square Payroll

Square is best known for its POS software and credit card processing services. But Square Payroll is an excellent all-in-one payroll solution for any business.

The biggest draw of using Square Payroll is its compatibility with other Square solutions. So if you’re using Square POS, you can sync those timecards with your payroll system.

This is one of the best ways to digitally track employee hours without having to manually enter information for each pay cycle. Square will also help you calculate and split any employee credit card tips.

Another top benefit of Square Payroll is the setup. You can get up and running in just a few quick steps, all done online. Simply input your company info, add your workers’ information, and run your payroll.

Alternatively, you can invite your employees to enter their own information for self-service onboarding. Square Payroll has a great mobile app for managing payroll from anywhere.

Pricing for Square Payroll is affordable and straightforward. It costs $29 per month plus $5 per person paid.

Furthermore, Square Payroll offers a unique option for businesses paying contractors. It’s just $5 per contractor per month, with no base subscription fee. This is one of the most affordable pricing plans you’ll find.

Overall, Square Payroll is perfect for businesses already using the Square POS system. It’s got everything you need to process payroll.

With all of that said, I wouldn’t recommend it to larger businesses in need of more HR resources. Square Payroll is pretty limited in that sense.

How to Find the Best Online Payroll Services

There are lots of different factors that need to be taken into consideration when you’re evaluating an online payroll service. This is the methodology that we used during our research to create this guide.

Business Size

Large and small business have different needs; payroll is no exception. A business with just five employees won’t be using the same payroll system as a company with 50 or 500 employees.

Recognize which payroll solutions are the best for your business size. If you’re planning on growing and hiring new people in the coming months or years, make sure you choose an online payroll solution that can scale with you.

Types of Employees

Who are you paying?

Most payroll services will accommodate businesses with full-time W-2 employees. However, there are better options if you have part-time staff or issue payments to independent contractors.

Automation

Your online payroll solution is supposed to make your life easier. So I always recommend systems with automated options.

If your payroll doesn’t change between each cycle, look for an option with an autopilot mode that allows you to just set it and forget it. The best online payroll services will automatically calculate and file taxes as well as other withholdings.

Employee Self-Service

If you choose an online payroll service that is employee-friendly, it’s going to make your life much easier too. The best payroll software allows employees to edit their personal information, manage their benefits and taxes, as well as view old pay stubs.

You can even find payroll services that offer self-onboarding for employees. Just invite them to join so they can enter personal details and bank information. Your W-2 and 1099 workers can use the self-service features to access tax documents each year, instead of you having to print and mail them on your own.

Benefits

Not every payroll system has built-in options for you to set up and manage employee benefits. I’m referring to things like:

• Workers’ compensation
• 401k plans
• HSAs
• Health insurance
• Vision and dental

So if you’re offering these types of benefits to your employees, you need to find a payroll system that’s accommodating.

Pay Cycles

How often do you want to run payroll?

Lots of online payroll systems won’t restrict you to just once per week or twice per month. There are plenty of options out there that offer unlimited payroll each month.

This is great for those of you who don’t want to be tied into a specific schedule. In some instances, you can even let your employees decide when and how they get paid.

Maybe you want employees on salary to get paid automatically each week. But you want to manually pay independent contractors for specific amounts only once per month. There are online payroll services that let you do both with ease.

Price

The cost of your payroll service will obviously be a factor in your decision.

In many cases, payroll plans are structured by a fixed monthly rate and an additional fee per employee. The monthly rates can range anywhere from $30 to $150. We’ve seen employee fees start as low as $4 per month and get as high as $12.

The price you pay will also have an impact on the features of your plan. If you’re looking for a full-service HR solution in addition to traditional payroll, you can expect to pay on the higher end of this spectrum.

Conclusion

Every business needs a payroll solution. But not every online payroll service is created equally. There are definitely options on the market that are better than others.

What’s the best online payroll service? The answer is different for each business owner. Here’s a quick recap of the best choices based on our methodology:

• Gusto — Best overall online payroll service.
• QuickBooks Payroll — Best solution for QuickBooks accounting integration.
• Paychex — Best payroll service for large businesses.
• OnPay — Best online payroll for small business.
• SurePayroll — Best online payroll service for household workers.
• Square Payroll — Best payroll service for Square POS and paying contractors.

Whether you have a small business, large corporation, or have unique payroll needs, there is definitely a solution for you in this guide.

Source Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/2sOeAm8

Learn How to Future Proof Your Career With Fairygodboss’s Jan. 9 Webinar

Is your list of New Year’s resolutions full of bold career moves? Let this upcoming webinar be the first step toward crushing your professional goals in 2020.

Fairygodboss, the largest online career community for women, is hosting a free hour-long webinar dedicated to Future-Proofing Your Career Jan. 9, 12 p.m. Eastern time. The event is open to all ― not only women.

Come ready to “learn about the latest trends in the way we work, discover ways to future-proof your skillset, and identify whether it’s time to double down on your current path or make a big career shift,” the event page states.

To secure your spot at the webinar, you first need to create a profile on Fairygodboss’s website using a Google or Facebook account or an email address. Then click “register” on the event page. Fairygodboss will automatically send out event reminders one week, one day and one hour before the event.

Lisa Lewis, a career change coach, is the featured speaker. Lewis founded the “Career Clarity” method and is one of seven coaches in the world trained in the “Pivot” method, popularized by Jenny Blake’s book Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One. 

Lewis knows a thing or two about changing careers. She was a fashion writer at Seventeen and Teen Vogue, a marketing executive at 2U and Edelman and carried several other titles before landing on career coach.

As economic uncertainty looms over 2020, her career advice is designed to help you weather the storm should one come a-blowin.’ Particularly important: building a skillset that’s ready for economic and industry changes – rather than scrambling to react to them.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a useful tool to anticipate what jobs and skills are changing. The current handbook projects job trends all the way out to 2028. Employment in all (non-farming) industries  is expected to increase by 5%, but some occupations — thanks to automation and other technological advances — are in steep decline.

According to BLS data, the job facing the largest percentage decrease is locomotive firers (technically because the field is so small) with a projected 68% drop in jobs by 2028. However, many popular jobs will see huge losses, too. 

• Typists and word processors can expect a 33.8% loss of jobs.
• Legal secretary jobs will fall 20.9%.
• Postal service mail carrier jobs will decline 19.8%.
• Bank tellers face a 12.2% drop in employment..

Even computer programming — a field often touted as smart to pivot into — is slated to shrink by 7.2%.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Some jobs robots can’t do (yet). App developers will boom by 25.6% — with a median income of more than $100,000. Several trades will see healthy growth, too. Construction workers, electricians and carpenters can expect a 10.5%, 10.4% and 8% boost in employment, respectively.

Not sure if your career field is safe? What skills should you be honing now? Bring your questions for Lewis on Thursday, Jan. 9. And if you can’t make the live webinar, check Fairygodboss’s past event list for a recording of the event.

Adam Hardy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. He covers the gig economy, entrepreneurship and unique ways to make money. Read his ​latest articles here, or say hi on Twitter @hardyjournalism.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2s22hCM

State Farm Homeowners Insurance Review

State Farm is among the largest of home insurers and has ranked number one in home insurance since 1964, according to data from the S&P Global Market Intelligence and State Farm Archive. With State Farm’s size and experience comes certain perks and conveniences for the customer. State Farm has close to 19,000 agents working for them within the U.S. and just under 58,000 employees. This translates into a lot of people aimed towards getting you the service you want. State Farm home insurance was recognized by J.D. Power with a 4 out of 5 for overall customer satisfaction, ranking fourth in total.

State Farm excels at the simpler elements of home insurance: standard coverage. It provides affordable policies that cover the necessities but have less comprehensive coverage than some of their competitors. For instance, State Farm might not be your best bet for 15 billion in claims and loss adjustment in 2018, but according to the J.D. Power report on claims satisfaction, State Farm homeowners insurance ranks average with a score of 3 out of 5 in all five of the associated categories.

Finally, whether State Farm home insurance is the “first and the best choice.” It certainly ranks high on all the charts that keep track of home insurers, but it isn’t consistently number one across the board. State Farm does report being ranked first in homeowner’s insurance by S&P Global Market Intelligence, but it ranks fourth in overall customer satisfaction on the J.D. Power report and fifteenth on claims satisfaction.

Considering these stats, State Farm home insurance can’t be said to be the universal first and best choice, but it did state it as a goal for the future, so we’ll see if the company improves those rankings moving forward.

Our deep dive

Basic coverage

Here is what is included in State Farm’s basic coverage option:

• Home coverage: This covers your home’s structure and anything attached to it such as a garage.
• Other structures coverage: This protects structures on your property that are detached from your house, such as fences or shed. Basic coverage includes these structures as 10% of your dwelling coverage.
• Personal property coverage: This part of your plan covers the belongings in your home. Some categories of your belongings may have limits and need additional coverage to fully protect them.
• Liability coverage: Liability coverage helps cover your legal expenses you if a third party is injured on your property.
• Guest medical coverage: This provides funds for medical treatment if a third party is injured on your property.
• Additional living expense coverage: If a covered peril damages your home, this will cover the costs of temporary living expenses such as hotels and eating out while your home is repaired.

Discounts

State Farm offers several discounts to help reduce your insurance rates. Here are some of the discounts you might be eligible for:

• Multiple line discount: You can get a discount if you purchase more than one type of policy from State Farm.
• Home alert protection discount: You can get a discount if you have safety features in your home such as a security system or fire alarms.
• Roofing discounts: You can get a discount if you use certain types of roof products. See theState Farm qualifying roofing products listing for details on which products are eligible.
• Higher deductibles: You can get a higher deductible to lower your premium. Remember that a higher deductible means you have to pay more before the insurance will help cover damage or loss.

Cost rundown

Home insurance premiums vary from case to case, and the only way to accurately see what it will cost to insure your home is to use the State Farm homeowners insurance free quote tool.

Numerous factors are taken into account by State Farm when calculating your premiums, including credit rating, home size, home location and value of the home. Below is an expanded list of factors that can affect your homeowner’s insurance premiums.

• Replacement cost: This is the total amount it will cost to rebuild your home. It is for the structure itself and doesn’t include the land.
• Deductible: The higher your deductible, the more you have to pay out of pocket before your policy will kick in, but the lower your premiums will be.
• Home liability limits: Higher home liability limits will cover higher costs but cause an increase in your premiums.
• Insurance score: A low insurance score can raise the cost of your premiums. This score is like a credit rating but specifically for insurance.
• Marital status: Having a status of married can sometimes lower your insurance premiums as the industry has statistics showing that married couples file claims less often than singles.
• Age and construction of home: Older homes tend to cost more to rebuild, and this is reflected in slight premium increases.
• Swimming pool or hot tub: Such features often require a higher limit for liability coverage and will reflect that in your home insurance premiums.
• Roof condition: Old roofs provide less protection for the structure of your home and so are calculated as increasing the risk of damage from the elements. Older roofs often mean higher premiums.
• Proximity to fire station: The closer you are to a fire station, the better your home’s chances of surviving a house fire. This tends to be reflected in the cost of your policy.
• Credit history: Credit records can have a significant impact on the cost of your policy. The better your credit rating, the less you’re going to pay.
• Claims history: The more claims you’ve filed in the past, the more claims insurance companies think that you’re going to file in the future. This often leads to increases in policy costs.

Cheaper (or free!) alternatives

Homeowner’s insurance is a requirement that can’t be avoided, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be strategic when purchasing your policy. This is such a hot topic that Forbes has put out some basic guidelines for how to save money on your homeowner’s insurance.

• Shop around: When buying an insurance policy, get quotes from multiple insurance companies so you can compare what they will cover and what they will charge.
• Improve your home: Making upgrades to your home that reduce risk factors can make your premiums cheaper. These are things like improving the wiring to minimize the risk of fire or improving the plumbing to mitigate the risk of water damage.
• Agree to a higher deductible: Paying a higher deductible will cost you more out of pocket when things go wrong but will reduce your premiums.
• Use discounts: Most insurance companies offer various discounts. In the right situations, these can save you a lot of money.

The competition

Only four insurance companies ranked higher than State Farm on the J.D. Power home insurance study. State Farm received a 4 out of 5 rating. When considering purchasing a homeowner’s policy with State Farm, these are the companies you’ll want to compare with.

Amica Mutual:

• J.D. Power rating: 5 out of 5
• Better than usual coverage for work-related property in the home.

USAA:

• J.D. Power rating:5 out of 5Competitive rates for best-in-class coverage.
• *Only accept contracts with those who have served in the U.S. military or have a family
• connection that has served with the U.S. military.

Erie Insurance:

• J.D. Power rating: 5 out of 5Has a guaranteed replacement cost for your house that doesn’t
• lower money based on wear.
• One of the few insurers to cover the loss of your pets up to a limited amount.
• *Limited availability as it provides coverage in only a handful of states.

Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group:

• J.D. Power rating: 4 out of 5Potentially excellent discounts for AAA club members.
• *coverage and discounts vary by region.

What others are saying

Consumer Advocate:
“Consistent customer satisfaction remains one of State Farm’s most important priorities, and they consistently receive high ratings in this area.”
State Farm’s rating within the J.D. Power report supports this claim. While it isn’t ranked the highest, State Farm is near the top and has consistently scored high on these customer satisfaction metrics.

Heather of Gravette, AR, via Consumer Affairs:
“We had pretty high winds here in Arkansas and a lot of shingles had blown off. We filed a claim and State Farm paid for total replacement for a new roof! I was very happy with their service.”

While not every customer has reported such a smooth and positive experience, State Farm consistently gets more positive reviews than negative ones.

The bottom line

While there are companies that rank higher than State Farm, it remains one of the best home insurance companies with greater ease of access than many of its higher-ranking competitors. When it comes to purchasing a policy for your home, State Farm home insurance is a safe bet.

The post State Farm Homeowners Insurance Review appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar https://ift.tt/38VSI9e

What does renters insurance cover?

Although more households are choosing to rent their homes rather than own them, not many renters are choosing to insure their belongings. According to the Insurance Information Institute, 91% of homeowners have homeowners insurance, but only 46% of renters have renters insurance.

Why don’t more renters have insurance? Part of the challenge stems from confusion around the term “renters insurance.” It can be hard to understand precisely what is covered under renters insurance, so some renters avoid the concept altogether.

We’ll clear up several myths about renters insurance and outline what it covers and what it doesn’t cover. We’ll also share what you should keep in mind before deciding to purchase a renters insurance policy. Read on to learn the basics of renters insurance and the key points to understand if you’re considering buying a policy.

Renters insurance coverage myths

There are several misconceptions about renters insurance and how it can impact you. Here are three of the top renters insurance myths.

• Myth: Renters insurance covers damage you cause to your home or apartment. Reality: Just because you have a renters insurance policy doesn’t mean you can throw a wild party and allow guests to destroy your home. If you cause damage to the property, you’ll be liable for that when you move out.
  
  
  
• Myth: Everything you own will be covered, with no limits. Reality: While renters insurance covers your personal property in case of theft or most natural disasters, you’re limited on how much money you can get back per category. For example, if you own lots of expensive jewelry, you may find that your renters insurance policy caps the jewelry payout at an amount that is less than the value of what you own. In this case, you’ll need to purchase additional insurance to cover your collection.
  
  
  
• Myth: Renters insurance covers building damage caused by a natural disaster. Reality: It may seem like renters insurance should cover damage to your building caused by lightning, smoke or other natural causes. In reality, your landlord’s insurance covers this type of destruction, so you don’t have to worry about it when choosing a policy.

What does renters insurance cover?

Before you buy any insurance policy, you should have a thorough understanding of what you’re getting. Here’s an overview of what renters insurance covers:

• Your personal property: At the basic level, renters insurance should cover your personal items, including clothing, furniture, musical instruments and electronics in the case of theft, fire, vandalism or other unpredictable circumstances. When you buy renters insurance, you should complete a home inventory. To do this, list all of the belongings that need to be covered, along with their monetary value. This list is essential in claiming money back if your property is damaged or stolen.
  
  
  
• Liability protection: Many people associate renters insurance with the protection of their personal belongings but don’t realize that it also covers accidental damage done to someone else’s property. That’s where liability coverage comes into play — and it covers damage caused by you, your family and your pets. For instance, if your dog accidentally chews up your neighbor’s antique rug, your renters insurance policy should cover the costs. Liability protection also kicks in to cover medical bills if someone hurts themselves in your rented home.
  
  
  
• Additional living expenses: If you rent a home or apartment instead of owning, you’re more vulnerable if something catastrophic happens to the property. Fortunately, renters insurance provides coverage if a natural disaster destroys your abode and you need to move elsewhere temporarily. In some renters insurance policies, you are protected against additional living expenses that you would not ordinarily need to pay, such as hotel bills, restaurant meals and other costs associated with being displaced.

What doesn’t renters insurance cover?

• Damage caused by floods and earthquakes: Most policies don’t protect your belongings against floods or earthquakes. If you need protection for these types of events, you can purchase it separately from specialty vendors or add it to your existing policy. Add-on policies are standard in earthquake-prone areas like California.
• Stolen cars: Even if your vehicle is stolen from your rented home or apartment, renters insurance won’t cover it. Instead, you should consult with your auto insurance representative to understand your level of coverage and what you should do if your car is stolen.
• Damage caused by pests: Unfortunately, if you’ve fallen victim to bed bugs, rodents or other pests, your renters insurance policy likely won’t cover the damage incurred. Consult with your landlord to address these types of maintenance issues.

Things to consider before buying renters insurance

Make sure you thoroughly understand how your property will be protected and exactly what you can expect to pay. Doing so will help you answer the question, “how much renters insurance do I need?”

How much does renters insurance cost? In the United States, the average renters insurance policy is cost-effective, coming in at around $16 per month or $188 per year.

Work with your broker to determine how much insurance you need. As previously discussed, it’s helpful to create an inventory of your personal items and their worth to decide on your level of coverage. It will also come in handy if something is damaged or stolen.

If you’re renting a home or apartment, it’s always a good idea to have renters insurance. Not only does it protect your personal belongings, but it also provides financial coverage if you cause damage to someone else’s property or if someone is injured in your rented home.

The post What does renters insurance cover? appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar https://ift.tt/34FypJG

Costco Auto Insurance Review

Costco is known for selling quality products at great prices. The warehouse club offers exclusive deals on items like food, home goods, seasonal products, vacations and autos. Members have been turning to Costco to buy auto insurance for the last 20 years. Costco has insured more than 400,000 members through a partnership with Ameriprise Insurance.

When compared to other insurers, Ameriprise offers already-low rates. Costco members purchasing Ameriprise vehicle insurance through the Costco insurance program will benefit from a member-exclusive discount on their policy and free roadside assistance. Read our Costco car insurance reviews to decide if its auto insurance is right for you.

Cost of Costco car insurance

Costco claims, “members who saved reported an average of $590 in savings the first year they switched their auto insurance.” We collected sample quotes to compare how Costco car insurance rates for members compared to Ameriprise using a 25-year-old male, 25-year-old female and a 35-year-old married couple, all with a good driving record.

Annual cost of Costco car insurance

Insurer profile	Cost of Ameriprise Insurance	Cost of Costco car insurance
25-year-old male	$1,478	$1,404
25-year-old female	$1,283	$1,215
35-year-old married couple with 2 household vehicles	$782	$690

Buying Costco insurance can save members about 5 to 10 percent on car insurance, compared to buying it directly from Ameriprise. In addition to the savings, members also get free roadside assistance and towing, which covers up to $75 per occurrence for vehicles on the auto policy.

Costco car insurance coverages

Besides free roadside assistance and towing, members are also guaranteed the option to renew their auto insurance policy. Most insurers have don’t have to renew your policy when the term ends if you have too many driving infractions or accidents. This extra Costco member benefit guarantees you’ll always have the option to renew your auto insurance policy no matter how many auto accidents or traffic violations you were involved in.

Policies start with basic liability coverage that insures you according to the state minimum requirements against bodily injury and property damage. Here are other Costco insurance coverages available through Ameriprise:

• Bodily injury insurance pays for damages if you injure someone in an auto accident.
• Collision and comprehensive coverage covers damages to your vehicle from non-vehicle accidents and events like vandalism or natural disasters.
• Gap insurance covers the full amount you owe on the loan of your new vehicle
• Medical payments covers medical bills for your or your passengers regardless of who is at fault in an accident.
• Personal injury protection covers damages if you or a pedestrian are injured in an accident.
• Property damage insurance pays for the cost of repairs to damaged property if you’re at fault.
• Rental car reimbursement coverage pays for a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired after an accident.
• Uninsured motorist coverage covers your damages if the at-fault driver wasn’t insured.

How to get Costco car insurance discounts

Simply being a Costco warehouse member gets you a savings of 5 to 10 percent off Ameriprise’s rates, although Costco claims the savings are higher — as much as $590 when switching from another car insurer. When shopping for car insurance, compare several insurance carriers to find the best price.

Take advantage of other Costco insurance discounts offered from Ameriprise such as:

• Accident forgiveness: Safe drivers can deduct one accident from their driving history so their car insurance rates don’t increase.
• Bundling discount: You can bundle your Ameriprise auto, home and life insurance together to save on all of them.
• Defensive driver discount: Drivers who complete a defensive-driver course save money.
• Garaging discount: Park your car in a garage for extra savings.
• Good driver discount (California only) and Premier Safety: This discount allows drivers to save by being accident-free for four or more years.
• Student away discount: This discount keeps your student driver on your policy for a discounted cost so they’re covered when driving during a weekend visit.
• Student discount: This discount offers savings for drivers with a four-year college education and full-time students under 25 years old with good grades.
• Tenure discount: This gives loyal drivers a better discount the longer they keep continuous coverage with Ameriprise.
• Vehicle safety feature discount: You can get a discount for vehicles equipped with safety and anti-theft features, such as alarm systems and airbags.

Is Costco car insurance worth it?

Costco insurance is worth it for Costco members who wish to save on their auto insurance. Here are the pros and cons of whether Costco car insurance is right for you.

Pros

• Low prices
• Roadside assistance and towing is included
• Drivers with recent accidents who may be worried about insurance policy cancellation
• Gap insurance available, which not all auto insurers offer

Cons

• Requires a Costco membership, which costs $60 or $120
• No dedicated insurance agent for assistance
• Premiums not eligible for Costco’s annual 2% member reward

Frequently Asked Questions

Costco auto insurance offers discounted rates compared to other insurers and throws in free roadside assistance and towing. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Costco insurance:

Do I have to be a Costco member to benefit from Costco car insurance?

Yes. To qualify for Costco’s exclusive auto insurance rates through Ameriprise, you’ll need to be a Costco member.

Is Costco auto insurance available nationwide?

Costco does not offer coverage in all states. Car insurance is not available in Tennessee and Massachusetts. According to Costco, discounts, service and savings vary by state.

Who do I contact if I was in an accident?

Costco auto insurance is underwritten by Ameriprise Insurance. For any questions or to file a claim, contact Ameriprise with the phone number provided when you sign up.

Are Costco insurance reviews positive?

The Better Business Bureau’s Costco car insurance reviews are mixed, although Ameriprise does attempt to resolve customer issues. Because the insurer responds to customer complaints, the BBB awards Ameriprise with an A+.

The post Costco Auto Insurance Review appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar https://ift.tt/2PCdJ18

The Cheapest Texas Renters Insurance Companies 2019

Whether you are renting a house, a room, or an apartment, you will want to purchase renters insurance to protect your belongings and your wallet. It provides coverage for the things you own if it is stolen or damaged by fire, water and weather events. Texas renters insurance averages $310 for covering $40,000 in contents.

One of the challenges in purchasing renters insurance is determining how much coverage you need. There are many calculators online that can help you figure this out. The average value to protect the contents of an apartment is $20,000. You will want to increase this amount if you own anything of additional value.

Several national insurance companies offer coverage in Texas, and it is easy to get an online quote from any of them. Bundling insurance is the best way to save money on insurance, as most carriers will give you a discount for having multiple policies. Other discount opportunities include arranging for payments to be taken directly from your bank account and adding a security system.

Best renters insurance companies in Texas

The cheapest renters insurance companies in Texas on this list were chosen because they scored in the top third of rental insurance companies in J.D. Power’s 2019 home insurance satisfaction survey, have a variety of insurance products and offer affordable insurance rates:

• Allstate
• American Family
• Farmers Insurance
• USAA

Farmers Insurance provided the cheapest renters insurance. You can save more by bundling multiple policies with Farmers, being a non-smoker and installing a security system or fire alarm. Identity protection is available as an addition to your policy.

Allstate comes in second when it comes to price. It offers the discounts listed above, plus up to 25% off for those aged 55+ and retired. You can add optional coverage for identity theft and a home-based business as well.

American Family offers additional discounts for current customers with another policy and for customers whose parents were also policyholders. Additional coverage is available for pets, identity theft, home businesses and travel.

USAA insurance is only available to current and former military members and their families. Their pricing is competitive and includes earthquake and flood coverage, which is not usually included in the renters insurance policies from other carriers.

Company	Cost per year	J.D. Power Rating	BBB Rating
Farmers Insurance	$169.37	2 out of 5	A+
Allstate	$242.65	2 out of 5	A+
American Family	$262.00	5 out of 5	A
USAA	—	5 out of 5	F (due to lawsuit)

Quotes are based on renting an apartment in a building with four units in Katy, TX, and $20,000 worth of belongings.

Cheapest Texas renters insurance company: Farmers

While your rate will be determined by how much coverage you need, where you live and what discounts you are eligible for, Farmers has the lowest average renters insurance rates.

Best Texas renters insurance company for customer support: USAA

The USAA is dedicated to serving members of the military and their families, so perhaps that’s why the company has such high customer service ratings. USAA received 5 out of 5 on overall customer satisfaction, billing process and interaction.

Best Texas renters insurance company for coverage options: Allstate

Allstate is a major insurance company, so it offers several coverage options you might not find at smaller companies. Allstate offers home, auto, renters, condo, motorcycle, business, pet, event, life and identity insurance. It also offers several add-on options if you want more coverage than a standard policy.

Best overall Texas renters insurance company: American Family

If you want a company that ranks high overall instead of having specific strengths and weaknesses, American Family may be a good option. It received 5 out of 5 in every category from J.D. Power (categories are overall satisfaction, policy offerings, price, billing process and policy information, interaction and claims). American Family won J.D. Power’s award for renters insurance.

Frequently asked questions

What does renters insurance cover?

• Your stuff, when damaged by fire, weather or water or stolen (even if they are stolen away from home)
• Medical bills and lawsuit settlements if a guest is injured in your home or apartment
• Hotel costs during covered repairs

How much renters insurance do I need in Texas?

According to USAA, the average amount of coverage needed for the contents of a two-bedroom apartment is $20,000. The best way to find out how much coverage you need is to do an inventory of your belongings and find out how much it would cost to replace them.

What is the best Texas renters insurance company?

Based on J.D. Power’s 2019 survey, American Family got the best overall customer satisfaction rating. The only company that scored higher was USAA, which is only available to current and former military members and their families. However, the best option for you will depend on your needs and circumstances.

How much will insurance pay for my stuff?

Standard renters insurance policies are based on paying out the actual cash value of your property. This is calculated by taking the cost to replace the item, then subtracting depreciation, which is a loss in value due to wear and tear. You can pay more for replacement cost coverage, which pays the cost to replace the item. Your payout will be reduced by your deductible in either case.

The post The Cheapest Texas Renters Insurance Companies 2019 appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar https://ift.tt/34ENyeu

8 Ways to Survive Being Stranded at the Airport — Without Going Broke

Traveling is my favorite activity on the planet. 

But I totally understand why some people hate it — especially air travel. The cancellations, the delays, the crowds, the headaches; when it doesn’t go smoothly, it can be pretty miserable. 

Luckily, over the miles and the years, I’ve learned some ways to survive being stuck at the airport — without going broke (or losing your cool). 

Here are eight of my best survival tips. 

8 Tips for Surviving Being Stuck at the Airport

1. Always Carry These 6 Things

Whether you’re carrying-on or checking your bags, I recommend never boarding a plane without these essentials:

1. Airport food = bleh. If you’re stranded for long enough, you’ll of course have to buy some — but healthy snacks can tide you over in a short delay.
2. Empty water bottle: You can’t bring liquids through security — but an empty bottle? You’re golden. Don’t fall victim to the $4 airport water.
3. Warm sweatshirt: It’s like the universal law of airports and airplanes that they’re either hotter than Florida in July or colder than Chicago in January. If you don’t end up wearing it — but let’s be real, you probably will — you can use it as a pillow.
4. Toothbrush and toothpaste: When you’re having a rough travel day, brushing your teeth can make a world of difference. Trust me on this one.
5. Phone charger: Do you really need an explanation?
6. Good book: Books don’t need power. So instead of fighting at the outlet with a bunch of randos, you can enrich your brain in your own space.

2. Know Your Rights

Unfortunately, the most common problem won’t lead to any money in the bank: The federal government doesn’t require airlines to offer any compensation for a delayed flight. 

That applies to canceled flights, too. (If you’re traveling to or from Europe, the rules are different.) 

But even though you’re not entitled to it, you can still ask for meal, hotel and taxi vouchers, frequent flyer miles or airline credit. If you get lucky, the airline might give you something in the name of good customer service. 

And if you’re unwillingly bumped because your flight is overbooked, you’re eligible for some big bucks: Arrive more than two hours late, and the airline owes you quadruple the price of your ticket, up to $1,350! 

Curious for more details? Click here for a comprehensive look at airline passenger rights. 

3. Be Nice

Look, I want you to be aware of your rights — but I don’t want you to be a jerkface about them. 

Being stranded in the airport sucks, and nobody knows better than the people who work at the airport. 

So don’t take it out on them. Be nice, be patient. 

Remember: They didn’t wish this snowstorm or mechanical failure on you. They probably want to go home to their families as much as you do. The only difference is you aren’t getting screamed at by a merry-go-round of very unmerry passengers. 

As hard as it can be sometimes, being nice does pay off. One gate agent surprised me with a business class upgrade on an overseas flight just because I was patient during a long delay. 

4. Book Your Hotel

As soon as you know you’re going to be stuck overnight, get a hotel on the horn. Book for that night, and if it looks like a massive delay, a few extra just in case (after checking on the hotel’s cancellation policy, of course). 

Thanks to the law of supply and demand, some hotels jack up prices as soon as they find out about travel troubles — so booking right away could mean better rates. 

If you don’t find availability near the airport, don’t be afraid to venture further afield. With the proliferation of ridesharing services, staying outside the airport’s general vicinity can sometimes save you quite a bit of money. 

5. Turn to Your Credit Card

If you paid for your tickets with a credit card, it’s time to read the fine print. 

Why? Because you might just get lucky: Some offer reimbursement for travel delays. 

My Chase Sapphire Reserve card, for example, reimburses the cost of meals and lodging when air travel is delayed by more than six hours or requires an overnight stay. The policy covers up to $500 per ticket for the cardholder, their spouse or domestic partner and dependent children under 22. (I didn’t get paid to tell you that, either.)

6. Jump on Twitter

Not getting any traction with the airline in-person or on the phone? Try social media. 

It sounds crazy, but I’ve gotten excellent service by sending out tweets and @-mentioning the company. Even on occasions where I wasn’t having any luck over email or on the phone, they’ve responded to me quickly via tweet. 

And I don’t think it’s just because I’m with the media either; even airline reps make the same suggestion. 

7. Buy a Lounge Pass

Airport lounges typically cost around $50 per day and might seem like an exorbitant cost — until you’re stuck for a significant amount of time, that is. 

That’s because they offer outlets, private wifi, showers, comfy seating, snacks and, most importantly, FREE DRINKS. 

If you were planning to spend the next 12 hours posting up at the airport bar, a day pass to a lounge could save you a lot of money. 

Lounges also have a dedicated service desk whose representatives can help re-book flights — helping you avoid the sisyphean lines in the main area.  

8. Find a Quiet Place to Sleep

If you don’t want to spend the night on the floor (gross), Sleeping in Airports might become your new best friend. (Still not getting paid.)

This website reveals all the best nooks and crannies to rest your head, plus lots of other information that might help you survive your delay unscathed. 

When my best friend was stranded a few years ago, I used the site to find a yoga room inside the airport — and she got a great night’s rest (for free!). 

Susan Shain is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/36RWrme

These 8 Success Stories From 2019 Will Leave You Inspired for the New Year

First, an acknowledgement: Personal finance can be kind of a downer. 

There’s the $1.5 trillion collectively owed in student loan debt, the low rates of financial literacy and the high interest we’re paying on credit card balances. 

It can all feel so discouraging. 

So what’s the antidote? How about a success story — or eight. We’re taking big-time inspiration from this year’s top stories about people who got a business off the ground, found their dream job, paid off a pile of debt and more. 

If you have a financial challenge that’s holding you back and bringing you down, remember that all these people were once standing on the far side of the promised land, and they made it. You can, too.

Here are eight stories that inspired us in 2019.

1. These Entrepreneurs Who Nailed It on ‘Shark Tank’

Dawoon Kang, CEO and cofounder of the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel, pitched her business alongside her sister-cofounders Soo and Arum. They didn’t walk away with a deal — they turned one down. Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks, asked the Kangs if they would sell their company for $30 million on the spot. 

They refused. So boss.

Sara Margulis and her husband, Josh, pitched Honeyfund, their wedding-gift and honeymoon registry website. The Sharks loved it, and the Margulises walked out with a non-equity deal from the Canadian multimillionaire Kevin O’Leary.

Both CEOs talked to The Penny Hoarder about how they got on the show — and how they survived the experience.

2. This High School Dropout Who Makes $100K a year

Freddie Cruz found his dream job in the trades, which are among the fastest-growing fields in the U.S. After dropping out of high school and driving a truck for a while, Cruz landed a gig as a crane operator and now earns six figures. And get this: During the four years he trained as an apprentice, he pulled down $60,000 a year.

3. This Financial Adviser Who Is Teaching His Kids About Money

Travis Sickle’s 4-year-old twins have a special chant when they leave the bank with their father. 

He asks, “What are we going to do with our money?”

And they answer: “Save and invest! Save and invest!”

Enough said.

4. This Woman Who Paid Off $30K in Student Loans in 2 Years

Americans collectively owe something like $1.5 trillion in student debt. That’s a staggering number that will take a very, very long time to pay off. But Briana Browne wasn’t going to spend decades of her life digging out from her own $30,000 in school loans. She got smart, paid it off, like, really fast, and shared with us how she did it.

5. This Blogger Who Invented Her Own Way of Budgeting

Kumiko Love graduated from college with a finance degree — and more than $100,000 in medical, student loan and credit card debt. Through a lot of trial and error, she got better at managing her money, chipped away at her debt and developed the budget-by-paycheck method. She also began blogging about her successes (and failures) as The Budget Mom.

6. This Mom Who Survived the Pantry Challenge

Our staff writer, Tiffany Connors, bravely volunteered to feed her family of three for a week on only what was in their kitchen, in an effort to show how you can save money on groceries by making use of the food you already have. The worst thing that happened was they made garlic bread out of hamburger buns. The best thing: They saved $150.

We salute you, Tiffany, Chris and Gwen.

7. This College Kid Who Won $45K in Video Game Tournaments

Like any high-level athlete, Christian Lomenzo had to practice and hone his skills before making the big time. Starting at age 14, he entered video game tournaments for $1 wagers. All that work culminated with a touchdown play in the final moments of the Madden Bowl Challenge that won him $35,000 and an entry in the Madden Bowl Finals — where he won another $10,000.

So don’t ever let anyone tell you that video games are a waste of time.

8. This Dad Who Turned a Fire Engine Into a Beer Truck

Kevin Mullan found the right fire truck for the right price and did exactly what he’d been planning to do: turn the engine into a rolling tap room that is now in demand for parties and festivals all over Toledo, Ohio. 

Oh, and the money he’s making from his side hustle is paying for his three kids’ school tuition.

Molly Moorhead is a senior editor at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2r86C74

24 Strategies for Reducing Holiday Waste

If your situation is anything like our family’s, the upcoming week or two involves a lot of meal planning, gift wrapping and celebrating.

While the occasion will be quite fun, there’s a big drawback: it can produce a lot of waste. When I was young, I remember our family often producing several extra bags of trash during the holiday season, a practice that now seems very wasteful.

My perspective today is that if you’re throwing something away, it better be something that’s genuinely valueless. I’d rather save something that may have use than simply throw it away and then look for something I have on hand before buying anything. That way, we minimize our waste and also cut our expenses a little.

Here are some things you can do during the holiday season to cut back on expenses.

Decorate naturally and sentimentally.

If you want to cut back on the waste due to decorating your home for the holidays, I highly suggest focusing on two key principles when decorating: natural and sentimental.

Use lots of natural items to decorate your home — pine twigs, pine cones, and the like. These items are easily recycled and composted after the season is done. They don’t involve any packaging. You can gather items like this quite easily, particularly in northern climates — I can gather pine branches and pine cones by the dozens with almost no effort.

My favorite part is the aroma. If you gather natural items for holiday decoration, they’ll often fill your house with natural scents of pine and maple, which smell absolutely wonderful.

Reuse lots of decorations from previous years. Rather than repurchasing decorations and using disposable items, aim to reuse decorations from year to year as much as possible. Most people do this, of course — many homes have a few boxes of holiday decorations in the basement. However, it’s a good conscious practice to maintain, and it leads right into the next strategy.

Make new homemade decorations to add to your decoration collection. This is particularly important if you’re just starting to decorate your own place for the holidays after moving out on your own. Rather than just going to the store and buying a bunch of decorations, try making your own.

For example, it’s pretty easy to make salt dough ornaments at home. You can also make origami ornaments, too. There are infinite possibilities for wall art. Start by making a few things this year, then make a few things next year. Before you know it you’ll have an abundance of items and can even become selective.

I find that this is particularly easy to start doing when you have children. Simply start a tradition of making a new ornament together each year and add it to your collection of ornaments. When they’re older, you’ll have a ton of ornaments for your tree that they made over the years, and those will have a lot more meaning than anything else on your tree.

Donate or give away decorations if you accumulate too many. You can obviously just stop making homemade decorations, but I find it’s nice to add a new one or two each year. With old homemade items, they may not have much value to others, but most homemade ornaments have a shelf life (even the best salt dough doesn’t last forever).

If you do have nice ornaments that others might value, give them away or donate them. If you have a friend that might like a particular decoration, just pass it along to them. If not, then donate that item so someone else can use it.

Trim the waste produced by gifts with these simple techniques.

Giving gifts means boxes, bags and wrapping paper. Even if you recycle all of it, you’re still adding a burden to the system, and if you’re not recycling, you’re filling up a landfill somewhere. Plus, you likely invested money in all of that wrapping. Here are some ways to cut back.

Reuse boxes of all kinds for gift wrapping. Almost everything under our tree that’s in a box is in some kind of repurposed box. Many of these boxes originally contained items that were shipped to us throughout the year, while others are just boxes from items that we bought.

We often put smaller items and clothing items in empty cereal boxes, for example. Many items wind up in reused Amazon boxes. I’ve used the boxes from board game expansions, too (I put the pieces from expansions in the main game).

If a box is damaged during the opening, we’ll recycle it, but if a sturdy box lasts through an opening, we’ll definitely stow it away in the garage for future gifts or for shipping items.

Disguise gifts in reusable containers and bags. You don’t have to use boxes, either. Why not put a gift in a Rubbermaid container and wrap it, especially if the gift is going to someone in your own house? Why not put it in a reusable bag and tie that bag closed with a piece of ribbon?

You don’t necessarily have to even wrap a lot of these containers. Simply put a piece of tape on the top to close it and a small paper tag — or not even that much. It’s up to you.

Aim to use minimal paper when you do wrap gifts. If you still want to wrap things in paper, practice using minimal paper — just enough to get the package covered.

This is pretty math-y, but I often use this calculation to determine how much paper to use. I try to use square and rectangular boxes, then I use wrapping paper that has squares on the inside as my “measure,” counting the squares rather than measuring the sheet.

So, if I have a square box that measures twenty squares to a side and is ten squares high, I simply use the formula from that page and cut out a square piece that’s 35 little squares on each side. That’s enough to wrap the present without being wasteful.

You should also learn “diagonal wrapping,” which is just a very efficient way of wrapping a present. Here’s a nice video tutorial. Again, I often use paper that has little squares and lines on the inside to aid in cutting (I just cut along the line rather than doing the tearing-with-a-ruler technique she uses). This method ends up cutting any box-sized gift just about perfectly.

Be creative with the wrapping paper you use. You don’t have to wrap gifts with wrapping paper. My preference, honestly, is to collect interesting gift paper for months before the holidays and use that as much as possible.

I’ll save paper grocery bags. I’ll save newspaper comic pages. I’ll save staple-bound comic books (we’ll often wind up with a bunch from “free comic book day” at the local comic shop). If I get a package that uses brown paper without damaging it, I’ll save that paper, too. I’ve even saved pretty magazine covers (I like covers of The New Yorker, for example). You can even wrap items with cloth, fastening it together with a pin.

All of those options make for beautiful distinctive wrapping paper that is getting a second lease on life.

Write on the wrapping paper instead of using a separate tag. Just write in clear, black marker in the corner of the paper instead of buying and using separate gift tags. If you want a “clean” look on the top of the gift, you can simply write that information on the bottom where it’s not seen and ask the person handing out gifts to check for that information.

Another approach is to color code the gifts. You can simply wrap all gifts for one person in a particular color or, even better, put a dot of a particular color somewhere on the gift based on the recipient. You can also just write a single letter somewhere rather than writing “TO: MARGE FROM: HOMER” on the gift.

Give consumable gifts with minimal packaging or “experience” gifts. Another good way to reduce holiday waste is by keeping the waste of the gift to a minimum. Try to avoid gifts that inherently have a lot of packaging involved. If you have an option, choose versions of the gifts with minimal packaging.

Even better, choose gifts that have very little packaging at all and can be wrapped nice and small, things like gift cards and tickets. Experience gifts rarely take up a lot of space. Similarly, consumable gifts can fulfill the same goal, especially if they’re packaged in something reusable or minimal.

Give homemade items. Another approach is to make holiday gifts yourself. In those situations, the value is being added by your effort and comes without a lot of packaging and shipping and other waste. Consider giving a batch of homemade cookies as a gift or some homemade ornaments.

This allows you to package them yourself in a reusable container, and since you’re making something homemade, the environmental footprint is very likely much smaller than buying something prepackaged at the store.

Reduce waste from your big holiday meals with a few simple steps.

Another area where holiday celebrations have the potential to produce a lot of waste is the big holiday meal. If you have a large meal with a lot of family and friends over the holiday season, it can be a tremendous producer of waste. Here are some tips and tricks to keep holiday meal waste at a minimum.

Save the scraps from meal preparation to use as stock. If you find yourself with lots of vegetable scraps as you’re preparing the meal, like pieces of unused onions or other such things, save all of them. Anything that isn’t actually bad can be used to make vegetable stock at a later date by simply filling up a slow cooker with the scraps, covering them with water, adding a bit of salt and pepper, and letting it simmer all day. You can then strain the stock, saving the liquid, and freezing it. It’s a wonderful liquid that works as a great soup starter and has lots of kitchen uses.

Save the bone from a holiday ham (or another centerpiece) to make additional stock. If you have a ham or turkey or another large bone-in cut of meat as the centerpiece of the holiday meal, save the carcass and the meat scraps. You can make stock with those elements, too, by simply simmering them all day and saving the liquid, as described above. For example, a ham bone can produce a ton of ham stock, which is amazing when you make bean soup with it.

Save your leftovers for additional meals in a day or two. There’s no need to ever discard leftovers from a big meal. Just package up all of the leftovers into separate reusable storage containers and pop them in the fridge. Use them to make meals for yourself and your family for the next few days, then freeze anything else that might have future use. We’ll often have a “leftovers smorgasbord” multiple times in the days after a big meal.

For example, you might save corn kernels or green beans for a few days after the meal to enjoy with plates of leftovers, then use those corn kernels directly in vegetable stock or other soup later on. You can easily freeze the corn kernels, too.

With mashed potatoes, you can eat them as leftovers a time or two, then save them. A cup of mashed potatoes works incredibly well as a soup thickener, for example.

Try to cultivate other instincts with your leftovers besides just throwing them away.

Stop by a secondhand store and get some inexpensive extra silverware that you can continually reuse rather than buying plastic silverware, and do the same with plates. Many large holiday gatherings will see the number of guests exceeding the silverware and dinnerware capacity of the hosts. In that situation, it can be tempting to turn to disposable items, but it’s actually far more cost-effective (if you’re going to host in the future) to simply hit a secondhand store and buy lots of extra silverware and plates and cups and so on. If there aren’t any good options near you, you can even just buy some inexpensive silverware and plates and cups to put aside for just this purpose.

Yes, this means a lot of dishes, but there’s nothing saying you can’t quickly scrape them, fill up a box, and put them aside for a while to wash later if necessary. Meal cleanup is also a great task to assign to younger attendees of the event — teenagers can scrape dishes and fill up a dishwasher and then hand wash the rest.

Use cloth napkins and tablecloths. Avoid using paper here, too. Washing a cloth napkin has way less negative environmental impact than throwing away a dirty paper napkin, plus you don’t have the expense of always having to buy more.

If you must use disposable plates, choose paper ones that are compostable. If you’re still insistent on using disposable plates and forks and so on, try to choose ones that are made of compostable material rather than plastic ones. Compostable material can (obviously) be turned into compost for yourself or if not, they can easily be rinsed and then recycled.

Plastic items have a very long landfill life, while compostable materials biodegrade quickly. These days, the cost really isn’t that different.

If you absolutely must use plastic items, try to get as many uses out of them as possible. Avoid having them be single-use items if you can.

There are other sources of holiday waste you can cut back on, too.

The holiday waste goes beyond the meal and the gifts and into other areas, too. Here are some additional waste-saving strategies that didn’t fit into the above categories.

Reduce paper waste by minimizing use of paper cards. Rather than giving people paper greeting cards for the holidays, consider instead sending a personal email to each person on your list with a digital photograph or two of your family attached. You don’t have to do a full “holiday newsletter;” rather, just take some time to personalize a message to each recipient and ask them questions about themselves, too.

You can always send a few handwritten cards to people, but if you’re going that way, take the time to hand-write a nice message to them so it’s more meaningful than an ordinary card that’ll just be forgotten in a few days. If you’re going to use paper, add meaning to make it worthwhile.

Reduce energy waste by using LED lights and a timer. Holiday decoration can gobble down a lot of energy. One great way to reduce that energy is to use all LED holiday lights, which use far less energy than incandescent holiday lights, and to put them on a timer so that they turn off automatically and aren’t reliant on you remembering to turn them off.

Opt out of catalogs. Almost every company that has you on their catalog list will send you one during the holiday season. Keep track of them and then opt out of their catalog list, or request an electronic catalog to be sent to you instead.

Reducing waste keeps trash out of the landfills and saves you money over the long haul.

Whenever you find a way to use a little less wrapping paper or produce a little less trash during the holiday meal, you’re finding a way to keep items out of the landfill and you’re probably spending a little less money on disposable items to boot. The less waste you produce, the less money you’ve spent on stuff that’s just going out in the trash, and you’re helping the environment, too.

Good luck!

The post 24 Strategies for Reducing Holiday Waste appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar https://ift.tt/2PBnVaa