mental health

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When your finances start to spiral and it becomes increasingly difficult to keep up with credit card payments or build toward financial goals, switching your payment method temporarily to cash or debit could help.

Spending with credit cards can stimulate the brain’s reward center and drive you to make more purchases, according to a recent study by MIT Sloan School of Management. The 2021 study had a small sample size of 28 participants, but other research also finds that people are likely to spend more with credit cards. However, it is possible to avoid overspending and the costs of interest charges on outstanding debt by using cash instead.

A vacation from credit card spending isn’t for everyone, though. If you want to preserve your credit scores, you’ll still need to keep zero-balance credit cards open and active with small recurring purchases such as paying for streaming service subscriptions or other similar transactions. Issuers may close inactive accounts, which can cause credit scores to drop.

By not piling new purchases on your credit cards, making more progress on debt or savings is possible. If you need a sign to determine if this course is right for you, here are some instances when shifting your spending to cash or debit can make sense.

1. You frequently overspend in certain categories

You might not need to go cold turkey on your credit card spending. If you tend to overspend only in specific categories, consider setting aside a fixed amount of cash or funds on your debit card to cover those expenses. For those purchases that don’t lead your budget astray, continue using a credit card and paying it off in full every month to avoid interest charges.

If, however, you usually overspend across multiple categories, using only cash may help you stay on track.

2. You’re an emotional or impulsive spender

You may not be aware that you’re an emotional or impulsive spender. However, it’s possible to get an idea by reviewing credit card statements and reflecting on the reasons behind the purchases, says LaQueshia Clemons, a financial therapist at Freedom Life Therapy and Wellness in Connecticut.

“When you get upset or whenever you’re emotional, this may be when you find yourself on Amazon or going to the mall,” Clemons says. “As a way to avoid negative feelings, you may find yourself buying items because this can give you a euphoric feeling to replace the negative emotions.”

If you realize you might be in this category after reviewing your purchases, stop spending with credit cards and analyze your financial habits, she says.

You might also consider meeting with a financial therapist if it’s difficult to accomplish financial goals or you’re in a continuous cycle of debt. The Financial Therapy Association has a directory to help you find a professional.

3. You can’t see a way out of debt

If your credit cards are maxed out or you’re struggling to keep up with minimum payments, it’s time to come up with a strategy to pay off the debt.

After several layoffs early in her career, Aileen Luib, a digital content creator based in California, says she had to rely on credit cards to get by. Her combined balances grew to $10,000 by 2015, putting a wrench in her plans, so she came up with a new one.

“I was doing a lot of different things to rack in the money and chip away at that debt as quickly as I could,” Luib says. “I was kind of tapping into my skill sets to start scraping up money in little corners of my life, and it all added up.”

Luib says she also used a balance transfer to consolidate debt from several credit cards onto one with a lower interest rate, and she didn’t add new purchases to the card. With these tactics, she says she paid off her balance in 2017.

Balance transfers typically require a good credit score of 690 or higher. The ideal balance transfer card will have an interest-free window long enough to pay off debt, no annual fee, and a balance transfer fee of 3% or lower. To determine if a transfer is worth it, consider whether the balance transfer fee costs less than what you’re projected to pay in interest charges on the current credit card. (An online interest calculator can help.) You’ll also make more progress on the debt if you stop putting new purchases on credit cards.

With less-than-ideal credit, you still have options if it’s becoming increasingly difficult to meet payments. Consider meeting with a counselor from a nonprofit credit counseling agency. They aren’t mental health professionals, but they can offer financial guidance and help you determine whether you qualify for a debt management plan that consolidates debt into a single payment with a lower interest rate. Your credit cards may be closed if you enroll in this plan, so expect to shift to cash or debit to cover expenses.

This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press. 

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

There’s almost nothing as ominous as the phrase “finals week.” Cue the thoughts of cramming, sleep deprivation, and high anxiety. The stress the two words can induce is almost universal among college students.

However, students can both survive and succeed during finals week as long as they prepare. Here are four tips to help students get ready for finals week.

Getting organized is a great way to feel in control before finals begin. College finals week doesn’t have to blindside students, forcing them into all-nighters and sleepovers in the library. There are a couple of things students can do to get set up for finals week.

Memorize Your Finals Schedule

The dates for finals week are usually available from the beginning of a semester. This may vary by school, but students can sometimes find their finals information in their syllabus.

Memorizing the schedule and writing it down will ensure that students don’t forget to study for any exams and can budget enough time for each test.

Make a Study Plan

Once students have their finals schedule memorized, they can start mapping out their study strategy. Students can base their study tips on which finals will require the most studying and the dates they occur.

It is recommended that students avoid long cram sessions. Studying ahead of time in shorter increments helps to retain information. This is why mapping out a study plan ahead of time can be helpful.

When making a plan, there are different strategies students can use. They can create a schedule based on the difficulty level of the tests, choosing to set aside more time to study for the finals that will be the most challenging for them.

They can also plan their schedule based on the order of their finals, saving more time later on to study for the last exams.

Having a plan can help students avoid cramming, spending too much time studying for one final over another, or forgetting to study for one altogether.

Recommended: Do Grades Affect Student Loans?

2. Keep Your Body Healthy

As tempting as it is to stay in the library 24/7 living on ramen and coffee, staying physically healthy during finals week is important for bringing home those good grades.

Eating a balanced diet — yes, that means fruits and veggies too, before and during finals week — can help students stay focused and avoid getting sick during finals.

Drinking water is also a good idea when plotting to ace those finals. Dehydration can have many negative effects, like tiredness, headaches, reduced alertness, and diminished concentration, which could affect test performance. Even drinking water during an exam can lead to better performance.

Another important piece of staying healthy is getting enough sleep. It’s common to see students pulling all-nighters in the library during finals week, but a lack of sleep can result in a worse memory and therefore, an inability to remember what has been studied. Missing out on a full night’s sleep can be detrimental to students’ ability to pass their exams.

Exercising is also often deprioritized during finals week. Students are so focused on studying that it’s easy to skip that 30-minute workout. Exercise, though, needs to find a place in a hectic schedule because it will benefit a student during this stressful time. Exercise can both lower stress and maintain high-level brain functioning, leading to a better chance of crushing those exams.

3. Keep Your Mind Healthy

Maintaining good mental health during the school year may already be a challenge, but especially during finals week it’s important to pay attention to and take care of mental health.

Even students who don’t regularly have anxiety may experience it during finals week. There are many calming techniques available to ease anxiety, and each student should see what feels best. Here are a few techniques they can try.

•   Breathing. There are tons of breathing techniques out there that can help with anxiety or stress. Students should look up a few simple ones and see what works best for them.

•   Grounding. This is a technique where students focus on their senses, naming five things they can see, four things they can feel, three things they can hear, two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste. Doing this can reduce anxiety or panic and help students stay focused.

•   Meditation. Taking up a daily meditation practice before studying and before exams start could help a person stay calm during stressful events. There are lots of meditation apps available as well as guided meditations online.

Another piece of maintaining mental health during finals week is taking breaks. Breaks are beneficial both for studying ability and mental health. Taking a break to do something enjoyable can decrease stress and keep a student’s mind in a good place.

Anyone experiencing high levels of anxiety can reach out to school counselors and see about making an appointment. Students may also benefit from talking about their stress with friends, family members, or professors. Leaning on a social support network during this stressful time may alleviate some of the nervousness that comes with finals week.

Lastly, students should ask for help if they need it. Most colleges have mental health services on campus.

4. Team Up

Students should remember that they’re not going through finals alone. They have a whole class of students struggling right alongside them. This can be a huge asset come finals week.

Instead of studying alone, students can form study groups.Study groups can help students be better prepared for finals. There may be some in the class who understand the material better and can teach it to others.

This helps both the student struggling and the student teaching. The struggling student gets new explanations for tricky material that may be easier to understand. The teaching student solidifies the material in their memory even more by explaining it to others.

Being in a study group can also help with accountability, so students are less likely to slack off and stop studying.

Those who need further support during finals week can visit their professors during office hours or consider getting a tutor. Professors want to see their students succeed, and though they can’t give answers to exam questions, they can help explain parts of the material that someone is struggling with.

No Pay, No Gain

Wait, so college students are paying to suffer through finals week? Technically, yes, because college costs money, of course, and even if the nightmare of finals week is still far off, it’s never too soon for students to start sorting out how they’re going to finance their entire college education.

There’s more than one resource available to students when it comes to funding college expenses. Here are a few, broken down in an easy-to-understand way.

Federal Aid

Students already in college might be familiar with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA.® Eligibility for undergraduates is usually based on parents’ income. Federal aid can come in the form of grants or loans. Grants usually don’t need to be repaid, but loans do.

Federal loans usually come with benefits that private loans don’t, such as income-driven repayments and lower fixed rates. It’s recommended that if students need to take out loans, they use federal loans before turning to private loans.

Is the FAFSA® one and done? Not at all. You must complete the application every year that you attend school if you hope to gain federal aid, and on time.

Free Money

The world of scholarships is vast. Though it can take some digging to find scholarships that students are eligible for, it’s money that usually doesn’t need to be repaid.

Scholarships can be need based or merit based, with the eligibility requirements different for each one. Scholarships come from colleges, corporations, local community organizations, religious organizations, and more.

Students might want to check if their college has any information available on scholarships. Usually, schools have a scholarship office or information about scholarships at their financial aid office.

Another Option

Private student loans are another way to help fund the college experience, when federal aid doesn’t cover all the bases, a student doesn’t qualify for federal aid, or someone has reached a limit on federal direct loans.

The eligibility for private student loans is usually based on a student’s income and credit history, or that of a cosigner. Each lender will have its own terms, including the interest rate and repayment methods, which merit research.

SoFi offers private student loans with attractive fixed or variable rates, no fees, and a quick online application.

See if you prequalify with SoFi in just two minutes.

SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.
SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.
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SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
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Source: sofi.com

Apache is functioning normally

This woman retired early at the age of 28 with $2.25 million and still lives an incredibly luxurious life. Here's how she reached early retirement.

This woman retired early at the age of 28 with $2.25 million and still lives an incredibly luxurious life. Here's how she reached early retirement.

I’ve recently decided to start a new series where I interview people who are doing extraordinary things with their lives. First up, I have JP Livingston, who retired at age 28 with a net worth of $2.25 million. And, her net worth is still increasing!

Of that total, 60% of her net worth came from saving, while 40% came from growing her money through investing. This is why investing your money is so important, and it’s how you really allow your money to grow for you!

JP grew up listening to stories about financial insecurity during her parents’ upbringing. The freedom that early retirement brought really appealed to her, and who doesn’t want to retire early anyways?

She is now retired at the young age of 28 and says that she still lives “an incredibly luxurious life.” And, she managed to retire early while living in one of the most expensive places in the world – New York City.

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I asked you, my readers, what questions I should ask JP. And, make sure you’re following me on Facebook so you have the opportunity to submit your own questions for the next interview.

So, below are your questions, along with some of mine.

Here is how JP Livingston retired at the age of 28 with over $2,000,000. You can follow her on her blog The Money Habit as well.

1. Tell me your story. How did you manage to retire at 28?

I have wanted to retire since I was about 12 years old. My parents grew up poor. I am talking eight people living in a one room apartment poor. My father’s father passed away when he was 18, and his mother who had previously been a homemaker was only able to find a job at a cookie factory. Her dream for my father was that he would be a busboy and eventually work his way up to be a cook in a restaurant.

My mother’s father passed away when she was in middle school; her mother found work as a seamstress at a large garment factory to support a family of six children.

I grew up on stories of their financial insecurity.

When I started thinking about the future, my parents’ refrain to me was that I could be anything I wanted to be, as long as I had a way to financially support myself.

In middle school, we took a survey on our interests and read about different jobs. I loved to write and wanted to be a writer. When I found out how unsteady the income was for a writer, though, I was demoralized. I decided that if I couldn’t support myself financially by being a writer, I would find a way to retire instead, Then I’d have the freedom work on whatever I wanted, including all the writing I could handle. So I started reading personal finance books.

I learned that you don’t have to be a genius or have special skills to retire early. A habit of making small and regular improvements trumps even the most gifted people who only apply themselves sporadically.

The tactics I’ve employed include optimizing for pay raises and promotions, living a very minimalist and frugal life, focusing on investing skills, and building analytical skills such as understanding how to build and use spreadsheets to support my investment ideas. I found there was an 80-20 rule to different improvements I could make in my money life: 20% of the improvements accounted for 80% of the results. I’ve been trying to outline those major needle movers on my blog so people don’t waste their time as I did on the things that don’t really matter.

All those incremental improvements stacked up into a humming, healthy machine. When I retired at 28, I had a net worth of $2.25 million and it’s still climbing.

2. How did you reach $2,250,000 in savings by the time you were 28? When did you begin saving?

60% of my net worth came from saving and 40% came from growing my money through investing.

My saving habits started in childhood, which isn’t surprising given my parents’ experiences. But what really upped my game was branching out from a few good habits and awareness to trying to find unorthodox ways to save.

One savings move that went against the grain was graduating college in three years. I earned scholarships to attend a state school for free but I chose a private college which I felt would offer broader opportunities. That private college was incredibly expensive though. So in compromise, I graduated a year early.

The savings from that move was not just the tuition costs, but also a full year of missed earning opportunity. My first job was in finance and paid $60,000, with a promise that that if you stuck it out through the entire year you got a bonus that was almost equal to your base. So that one decision to graduate early caused a nearly $150,000 net worth swing.

That kind of savings so early in life, growing at market rates for 20 years would yield $800,000 by the time a person were 42. That’s enough for some people to retire through one decision alone!

Related: How I Paid Off $40,000 in Student Loans in 7 Months

3. What made you want to retire early?

The freedom is really what appealed to me.

I had a very potent reminder of how important freedom was and how little time I had to enjoy it the year before I retired. There were several deaths and major health scares amongst my loved ones. That made me realize that given my family’s history, I had about 15 to 20 really good years of health that I could count on. Did I want to spend even one more of those years stressed out while working?

4. What sacrifices did you have to make in order to reach this milestone?

I’ve rarely thought of my financial decisions as sacrifices. Rather, they were decisions to purchase one thing over another. If I took my bonus into the store and were deciding between a cool new phone or a camera, I wouldn’t leave feeling like I had “sacrificed” the one I didn’t purchase.

I wanted to buy back my time and my freedom more than I wanted to buy anything else in the store. In short, I’ve looked at this is as an opportunity, not a sacrifice. That does wonders for your motivation and mental health.

There is an excellent book that I think provides one of the best frameworks to thinking this way. It’s called Your Money or Your Life, written by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez. The general concept is this: take the amount of money you make in a year. Subtract out all your work-related expenses. Now take that balance and divide it by the number of hours you work. That gives you the amount of money you are exchanging per hour of your life. With that metric, you could estimate how many hours of your life a purchase would cost rather than dollars.

Once you start looking at your purchases this way, you will want to buy much less. And investing will start to look amazing to you! It’s a magical way to get more of your life back, because those dollars can go to work in your place, earning you money while you sleep.

5. Would you say that you live comfortably?

I think we live an incredibly luxurious life. There’s still a ton of fat we could cut.

6. What career did you have before you retired? Did that career help you to retire earlier?

I was a professional investor at a finance firm and it definitely helped me to retire earlier. I got really lucky that it ended up being so lucrative; I initially planned on it being a two year stint at most. But the work kept getting more interesting and the pay got better. The frameworks we used for investments also helped me think about my own investment decisions for my personal portfolio.

7. What do you have to say to those who may think that they can never earn as much as you can – can they still retire early too?

They can absolutely retire early!

To me this is the whole point of why the personal finance blogosphere exists. None of us have identical circumstances and identical outcomes. Your childhood may have been more or less advantaged than mine. Your lucky breaks might be better or worse than the ones I experienced. But the absolute truth is this: the you that is making consistent, small improvements over time to your money plan is going to easily accumulate 5x the wealth of the you that isn’t.

It’s not hard to retire early in this country because the bar is so low. The average age of retirement in the US is age 63. After 41 years in the workforce the average 63-year-old couple has a total net worth of $174,000 to show for it. That works out to just over $4,000 of savings per year; less if you assume any investment growth.

8. What do you do now that you’re retired?

The best thing I can do is show you. Here was my actual calendar from a recent week:

This woman retired early at the age of 28 with $2.25 million and still lives an incredibly luxurious life. Here's how she reached early retirement.

This woman retired early at the age of 28 with $2.25 million and still lives an incredibly luxurious life. Here's how she reached early retirement.

Broadly speaking, I have one major project – a personal finance site I write to help others retire early – which I work on for about 10 hours a week, then the rest of the time is filled with hobbies, reading, and being out in the city.

It is amazing how enjoyable the mundane things are when you are not too stressed out to notice them.

9. Many people will have this question in the comments of this interview, I just know it! – Can you explain how you will make $2,250,000 last your whole life, even though you are only 28?

That’s a great question.

My plan is based on data gathered by the Trinity Study. This study calculated that if deployed in a portfolio of stocks and bonds, an inflation-adjusted 4% yearly withdrawal rate from savings was optimal to safely retire and not work for a given 30-year window in the history of the United States.

Thus, if your annual expenses is equal to that 4% yearly withdrawal rate, the idea is that it is very unlikely you will run out of money in a 30-year period.

However, I have some concerns about the riskiness of that 4% figure. For one thing, my retirement is expected to be much longer than 30 years. In addition, if you look at stock market performance in the last 20 years, the compound annual growth rate was 8.2%, almost 2 points lower than the CAGR shown in the period the Trinity Study originally measured. For these two reasons, I plan to live off a stock and bond portfolio withdrawing an inflation-adjusted 3%.

3% of my $2,250,000 would give me $67,500 a year. My husband and I currently spend $65,000 a year living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. That means we could support our current lifestyle almost indefinitely.

But one of the hard parts about retiring so early is that you have to plan for chapters of life that could look drastically different than today. Having children, for example. So before I pulled the trigger, I built a projected budget for a family of 4 to calculate how much I would need to support a family. I did this with empirical data, researching what actual families of four paid for the service in the city I was considering.

This woman retired early at the age of 28 with $2.25 million and still lives an incredibly luxurious life. Here's how she reached early retirement.

This woman retired early at the age of 28 with $2.25 million and still lives an incredibly luxurious life. Here's how she reached early retirement.

The nest egg required to support this budget is $2.23 million, which is within our means.

With early retirement specifically, I think it’s also comforting to walk through your other margins of safety that don’t show up in the budgeting process. Here are a few in our case:

  • Conservative Withdrawal Rate: We are using a withdrawal rate some would argue is half to one percentage point more conservative than needed. That would equate to overstating my nest egg needs by over $400,000.
  • Extra Buffer: We have an extra one hundred thousand dollar buffer that will grow over time and which will absorb costs we haven’t foreseen (i.e. higher healthcare premiums, poor market performance for a year, etc.).
  • Full-Time Work: Either of us could go back to work full time.
  • Income-Earning Hobbies: One or both of us might end up doing a hobby that generates money
  • Tighten Discretionary Purchases: $9,700 or 19% of our annual budget is discretionary and we could tighten our belts in a particularly rough year just as every other family does.
  • ACA Healthcare Savings: We have not factored in any ACA subsidies even though our income in this budget would qualify us.
  • Market Outperformance: Markets could do better than we’ve projected. We require a blended 5-6% return (3% withdrawal, 2-3% inflation). We could easily see market CAGR of 8%+ as evidenced by historical data.
  • Home Equity Loans/Reverse Mortgage: We can draw cash out through a home equity loan if we have a temporary cash crunch or use a reverse mortgage in our old age.
  • Profit-Share Grants: My profit-share grants from my previous employer may be worth greater than the $0 we’ve estimated.

10. Do you still earn an income?

Not currently.

I am not ruling out a traditional job one day, but it would be about finding interesting work and less about the money. My goal right now is to create a place that helps other folks get smarter about money and retire faster, so I might do some freelance writing outside of the blog. But I don’t want to have left one job just to jump into another!

As for other forms of income: I do have some deferred compensation from my old employer. And although my husband could retire as well, he likes what he is doing and continues to work.

11. How did you decide on how much you needed to retire on?

I was a professional investor and the way we used to make our investment decisions was to build out various scenarios, observe the outcomes, and attach a probability to each. I did a similar exercise for determining how much I needed to retire. I used three scenarios to triangulate on a target number. There’s a walk through on the three scenarios which anyone can use to determine their own target retirement number over here.

12. If you were starting back at ground zero, what would you do differently from the beginning?

Two things:

  1. Put Momentum First: I would focus on building momentum more than trying to muscle my way through things with sheer discipline. Most people’s initial reaction to starting a new project is to throw themselves all in. I get emails asking me what book I’d recommend people buy to turn their financial lives around. But think about how you got into your other hobbies. Did you run out and buy a book about proper free-throw technique to get into basketball? Were you consulting a textbook to get into yoga? If the key to millions of dollars is showing up every day and making small improvements, then the key to your success is figuring out how to build momentum in those early days that will get you showing up regularly. That means less of a focus on running out and buying dry, boring textbooks and more effort on joining blogs or forums with bite-sized, regular content where you can start to get your bearings and get interested.
  2. Tackle The Right Steps In The Right Order: There are four steps to early retirement, and tackling them in the right order really accelerates your progress. I wish I had thought deliberately about how the levers in front of me were changing and better prepared myself for the different stages. I’ve missed a lot of great opportunities because I was so focused on the things that had been working for me in the past that I didn’t look up and think about the new opportunities open to me as my wealth accumulated. For example, I wish I had understood the math behind investing in high-appreciation real estate markets year ago. If I had, I would have bought a house in NYC years ago and be $500k richer.

13. Is retiring everything you thought it would be or not as you planned? Do you ever miss work? 

It is a hundred times better than I thought it would be. I will admit there was a learning curve at first. But these days, I often tell my family that I am living a version of my dream life. If you had known me before I retired, you would have found that statement astonishing.

If there is one thing I miss about work, it’s regular interaction with smart and thoughtful people. Since I started the blog, though, I’ve gotten quite a bit of that back. So overall I’m quite happy!

14. Lastly, what is your very best tip (or two) that you have for someone who wants to reach the same success as you?

Ask questions. Be the active commenter on a blog or the vocal one at the cocktail party. Be courageous enough to cold-email the people you know have the answers you need. You can learn so quickly if you’re willing to put yourself out there. People are generous with their experience if you show you’ve done your homework and ask them specific things that make it easy for them to help you.

“Why?” is your most powerful tool. If someone tells you investing in X is the way to go, ask why, and pepper them with all the potential concerns you can think of. Then go find another smart person and ask them why X is a good or a bad idea. Go back to the first and pose the second person’s counterargument and ask them to respond. Introduce another expert. Repeat until you feel you understand the issue backwards and forwards. This is hands down the best way I’ve found to master a concept.

Focus on habits and systems, not results. You can make yourself feel really good by muscling through a one week sprint with discipline and admiring what you accomplish. But really impressive results take weeks and years of focused effort. I have seen a lot of amazing people in college and at my old employer, and the thing that separates the average from the incredibly successful is really just who has figured out how to put out consistent effort.  No one has discipline to last in a marathon like this without building the right systems and habits.  Show up every day and do one small thing to improve the thing you’re measuring. If you do this, you will be among the top 5% of achievers. Over time you will build a system that will trump any specific lucky breaks or windfalls, and it will get you to financial success you deserve.

Are you interested in retiring early? Why or why not?

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Source: makingsenseofcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

When applying for life insurance, a variety of factors affect your eligibility for insurance. These factors include your lifestyle, health, and mental health. The goal is to estimate your mortality rate and your lifestyle, health, and pre-existing conditions that greatly affect this. That is why people who have pre-existing conditions are less likely to be approved for life insurance because their mortality rate will be higher because of the condition, especially if the condition is serious.

Those individuals who have a disease known as Lupus will have an especially difficult time getting life insurance. The majority of life insurance companies will not insure people who have Lupus. However, there is hope in the few life insurance companies that are willing to work with sufferers of Lupus. If you’ve been told that you don’t qualify for cheap life insurance because of your Lupus, don’t believe it. There are several options to give your family the protection that they deserve.

Symptoms of Lupus

Lupus is an inflammatory disease that occurs when the body begins to attack its own organs. It can affect the lungs, heart, skin, kidneys, and joints. In many cases of Lupus, a butterfly-shaped scar will appear on the affected person’s face. It is hard to diagnose because many of the symptoms are similar to those of other ailments. Lupus most commonly occurs in women. There is no cure for Lupus, but many treatments are available to help those with the disease live normal lives. The symptoms tend to come and go in what are called “flares.” The cause for Lupus is unknown. Previously, there were many fatalities due to the disease, but with advances in treatment for the disease, fatalities have now become a rarity. However, given the unpredictable nature of the disease, most insurance companies are hesitant to insure those who have it.

Life Insurance Approval with Lupus

There are four different types of Lupus. Those who have a less severe type will have a better chance at being able to get life insurance. However, people with Lupus can purchase life insurance policies with lower benefits. There are many top U.S. life insurance companies that will offer life insurance for people with Lupus. Since the death rate for people with Lupus is fairly low, these companies are willing to provide policies to people who have the disease. In order to get an adequate life insurance policy, people with Lupus will have to find those companies who are knowledgeable of Lupus statistics. Here are some ratings you can expect to see when purchasing life insurance with Lupus.

Life Insurance with Systemic Lupus

With Systemic Lupus, a lot will depend on the age of onset of the disease.

  • Age 20 or under when onset occurs – DECLINE

If You are 20 and over, a lot will depend on how long ago you were diagnosed.

  • Diagnosed in the past 12 months – Postpone
  • Diagnosis 1-3 years ago – around Table 8 is the best rating you will see
  • Diagnosis 3-4 years ago – around Table 6
  • Diagnosis 4-5 years ago – around Table 4
  • Diagnosis 5+ years ago – possible Standard to Table 2 Rating

Some additional information that will determine your rating.

  • If you are over 60 when onset of Lupus occurs, subtract 2 Table ratings
  • If you are treated with higher doses of steroids, add 2 Table ratings
  • If you are on disability because of the disease, it will be a DECLINE
  • If certain organs are affected such as lungs, kidneys, or there is cardiovascular or CNS involvement, it will also be a DECLINE

Life Insurance with Discoid Lupus

The best rating you could receive with Discoid Lupus is Standard Plus – Standard. This is only the case if no oral steroids are taken and you have favorable lab results. If the diagnosis of Discoid Lupus is recent, you can expect Table 2 to be the best rating you will see.

With Discoid Lupus you can also see different ratings depending on how it is treated.

  • Low dose of oral steroids ( less than 15mg per day), add 1 table rating
  • High dose of  oral steroids( 15mg or more per day), will be a DECLINE

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Factors to Consider

During the application, the agent is going to look at just about every single aspect of your life, and your health is one of the most important. Lupus is only one of the factors. Sure, it makes you a high-risk applicant, but there are several ways you can lower your risk.

You have lupus, which is a red flag on your application, to get started, improve the rest of your health. Do the basic things, eat healthily and be active. These simple lifestyle habits can help you get approved.

Additionally, if you want to improve your chances of getting the best coverage possible, you’ll need to kick any bad habits like smoking. Smokers pay twice as much as non-smokers for their life insurance protection. Couples with any pre-existing conditions, like Lupus, you’re looking at premiums at could break your bank.

When to Apply

It is better to apply for insurance when the Lupus has been in remission for at least six months.  If you regularly take your medications and take the steps to control your disease you will also have a better chance. However, it is important to be truthful when applying for insurance. Do not exaggerate how long your Lupus has been in remission or about the severity of your disease. While it may be a little more difficult, it is very possible to get insurance if you have Lupus. You just have to investigate the right insurance companies to find the right policy.

Because there are so many different companies to choose from, you could spend weeks and weeks calling different companies to find the best one for you. Each company has different standards on lupus patients. We know which ones are the best.

You probably know an agent or have worked with an agent in the past, but those are traditional agents. We are different. We’re independent agents, meaning we can give you quotes from more than a single company. We can deliver your rates from over 50.

Source: goodfinancialcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

In the age of social media, influencers hold a lot of power and responsibility; and they also have a lot of pressure to remain popular and relevant. In light of that, some influencers have faked medical conditions to gain more attention and followers. In this article, we’re discussing 10 influencers who lied about their medical struggles to gain popularity and attention.

1. Emerald Rose

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.

Emily from the Tics and Roses Tiktok channel was making videos under the guise of raising awareness for Tourette’s, while she was promoting her yarn dyeing business. Emily claimed that she had Tourette Syndrome since she was 6-7 years old. In her videos, her tics seemed fake and intentional and some members of her community called her out on this. But it wasn’t until someone conducted an investigation and found her old channel that they realized she never had Tourette’s. Emily was using her fake Tourette’s in order to garner attention for her yarn dyeing business.

2. Belle Gibson

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Belle Gibson is an Australian influencer who gained a significant following by claiming to have cured her brain cancer through natural remedies and healthy eating. She published a cookbook and launched a wellness app, both of which claimed to help people with cancer and other serious illnesses. But in 2015, it was revealed that Gibson had never been diagnosed with cancer in the first place. The revelations led to widespread criticism and caused Gibson’s brand to crumble. The Australian government pursued legal action against her for deceptive conduct and false claims. In 2017, a court found that Gibson had misled her followers and ordered her to pay a fine of $410,000.

3. Brittany Dawn

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Brittany Dawn Davis is a fitness influencer who gained a significant following on Instagram and YouTube by promoting her personalized meal plans and workout programs. However, in 2018, she faced a backlash from her customers, who accused her of failing to deliver on her promises and providing generic, unhelpful advice. Many of her clients claimed that they had paid for personalized plans but received the same meal and workout plans as others, despite her promises of a tailored program. Others alleged that she had ignored their emails or requests for refunds. In response to the criticism, Davis apologized and offered refunds to affected clients. Davis also faced criticism for allegedly faking health issues to avoid criticism or refund requests. She claimed to have suffered from a variety of medical conditions, including thyroid issues and depression, but some clients alleged that these claims were untrue or exaggerated. The situation led to widespread discussion about the ethics of the fitness influencer industry and the importance of transparency and honesty in marketing and promotion. Davis has since apologized for her actions and has attempted to rebuild her brand, but she continues to face criticism from some customers and industry observers.

4. Ashley Smith

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Ashley Smith is a social media influencer who gained a considerable following by sharing her cancer journey on Instagram. Her posts about her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery garnered sympathy and support from her followers. However, in 2019, it was revealed that Smith’s cancer story was fabricated. A former friend of hers alleged that Smith had never been diagnosed with cancer and that all her social media posts were lies. The friend also claimed that Smith had a history of making up stories to gain attention and sympathy. As a result, there was widespread condemnation and outrage from Smith’s followers and the public. Many accused her of exploiting a severe illness for personal gain and trivializing the experiences of those who have genuinely been affected by cancer. Following the backlash, Smith deleted her social media accounts and issued a public apology. However, she has continued to face criticism and struggled to rebuild her reputation as an influencer.

5. Anna and Lucy DeCinque

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Anna and Lucy DeCinque are Australian identical twins who have gained a significant following on social media for their extreme dedication to being identical. They have undergone numerous cosmetic surgeries and procedures, including lip fillers, breast implants, and tattooed eyebrows, to ensure that they look exactly alike. The twins have often spoken about their desire to be identical, stating that they share everything from their clothes and makeup to their boyfriends. They have also faced criticism and skepticism from some quarters about the authenticity of their claims, with some suggesting that their appearance and behavior are the results of a publicity stunt or mental illness. The DeCinque twins have leveraged their following on social media to launch a career as influencers and reality TV personalities. They have appeared on several Australian television programs, including “Hughesy, We Have a Problem” and “Botched”, and have also promoted numerous products and brands on their social media accounts. Their extreme lifestyle and appearance have led to both fascination and criticism from the public and the media, with some questioning the ethics of their influence and the impact of their message on young people. Despite the controversy, the twins have continued to maintain their dedication to being identical and have amassed a large and devoted following on social media.

6. Brooks Ayers

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Brooks Ayers gained notoriety as a former cast member of the reality TV show “The Real Housewives of Orange County” after being caught in a scandal in 2015. He claimed that he was being treated for stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but his story was met with skepticism from his co-stars and the public due to inconsistencies. During the show’s reunion episode, Ayers presented a medical document that was later discovered to be a fake. His co-stars accused him of exploiting a serious illness for personal gain, leading to a backlash against him and the show. Despite little evidence to support his claims, Ayers continued to insist that he had cancer. He eventually issued an apology statement, acknowledging that he had “made mistakes” and “exaggerated” his illness.

7. Sketchek

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Sketchek, also known as Shayne Smith, gained popularity in the online gaming community as a skilled player of “Team Fortress 2.” However, in 2015, news of his supposed death from leukemia began to circulate online, causing shock and sadness among his fans. As time passed, inconsistencies in the reports of Sketchek’s death began to surface, leading to speculation that the news may have been fabricated. Eventually, it was revealed that Sketchek had indeed faked his own death, in an attempt to garner sympathy and support from his followers. The revelation of Sketchek’s deception caused a backlash within the online gaming community, with many fans feeling betrayed and angry that they had been manipulated in such a way. Some argued that his actions had damaged the credibility of the community as a whole. In response to the backlash, Sketchek issued a public apology in which he admitted to his mistakes and expressed remorse for his actions.

8. Leah Messer

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Leah Messer rose to fame as a reality TV star on “Teen Mom 2.” In 2014, Messer made a public announcement that she had suffered a miscarriage, which stirred sympathy and support from her fans. However, it later surfaced that Messer had fabricated the story to hide the fact that she had an abortion. The revelation of Messer’s deceit created controversy and disappointment among her followers, who felt that she had exploited a sensitive issue for her own personal motives. The incident was seen as trivializing the struggles of women who had truly experienced miscarriages, and it damaged the reputation of both Messer and the show’s cast members. In response to the backlash, Messer publicly apologized and admitted to her deception, expressing remorse for her actions.

9. Dan Mallory

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Dan Mallory, also known as A.J. Finn, gained fame with his debut novel “The Woman in the Window.” However, in 2019 he was accused of fabricating a story about his battle with brain cancer, which he had claimed inspired the plot of his book. Mallory’s deception sparked outrage and criticism, with many feeling he had exploited a serious illness for personal gain. Mallory admitted to his mistakes and apologized, revealing that he struggled with bipolar disorder. It is not known if he was actually struggling with bipolar disorder, but it is clear that he can’t be 100% trusted anymore.

10. Sarah McDaniel

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Sarah McDaniel is a model and social media influencer who was accused of faking both Tourette’s and bipolar disorders for personal gain. McDaniel’s alleged deception sparked controversy and backlash on social media, and many people criticizing her for trivializing serious mental health conditions. Some also argued that McDaniel’s actions were a reflection of the pressure that social media influencers face to create a persona that is both interesting and relatable to their followers. 

The influencers who faked medical conditions have caused significant harm to themselves and their followers. Their actions have eroded trust and underscored the need for increased scrutiny and fact-checking of influencers and their claims. As consumers, we have a responsibility to do our research, fact-check claims, and hold influencers accountable for their actions.

These are 10 Things That Completely Destroyed The Love in a Relationship

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There’s no question that relationships can be confusing, but here are some of the top things to avoid if you want to keep your relationship healthy!

10 Actors and Actresses People Refuse to Watch Ever Again

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We all have a favorite actor or actress, but most of us have a least-favorite as well. Check out this list of actors and actresses people never want to see performing again!

Top 10 Worst Human Inventions of All Time

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Some inventions are world-changing, and some of them, well, they change the world in the wrong ways. Here are some of the worst inventions Redditors could think of.

10 Famous Celebrities Who Look Like They Smell Terrible

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We’ve all had moments of hygiene faux pas—but these celebrities just look like they don’t take care of themselves at all.

10 Terrible Fads People Are Glad Died Out

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Every fad has its time in the limelight, but some of them come and go faster than others; and some just need to die out right away. Check out this list of fads of which people were happy to see the last.



About the Author



Dan Williams



Source: financequickfix.com

Apache is functioning normally

Elevate your outdoor living.

A deck in your apartment offers a multitude of advantages, from enhancing your living experience to providing an outdoor sanctuary where you can relax, entertain and enjoy the beauty of nature. We’ve compiled 11 reasons a deck can elevate your living experience and some ideas to utilize this versatile space.

1. An extra space to decorate for holidays

Creativity through decoration is one of the most fun parts of being a renter. A deck is an extension of your apartment and serves as an extra place to show the holiday spirit. Whether that be Christmas lights on the railing or a Menorah in the window, a deck is a unique opportunity to get creative around celebratory holiday decorations.

decorating with personal touches on your apartment deck make balcony feel festive even with limited outdoor space

2. And a comfy place to entertain all summer

When the weather is nice, hosting an outdoor get-together is ideal. A deck offers a spot to host a wine night, grill-off or catch-up session with a friend. With cozy seating on the deck, an inviting atmosphere sets the stage for making memories and charming guests.

3. A people-watching spot

We’re all guilty of doing it, and for some, it’s a guilty pleasure. Seated in your own privacy on your deck, you’re able to soak up not only the sounds of the area below but the sights. Decks allow you to indulge in people-watching and observing the vibrant energy of the neighborhood you’re living in.

dog on a small balcony enjoys outdoor time in style

4. A place to spend time with your pets outdoors

Our furry friends mean so much to us and enhance our lives in countless ways. Balconies help enhance their lives too, providing a dedicated space where they can soak up vitamin D and play to their heart’s content. Additionally, the deck becomes a cozy spot where you can cuddle up with your pet, enjoying precious moments together in the fresh air.

a perfect lounge starts with chairs, plants and lighting to create a stylish outdoor sanctuary

5. Date night in your outdoor oasis

Spending time with your significant other is valuable time. Date nights are pricey and discovering new spots is tricky. A deck date night is a creative and cozy way to drink, dine and enjoy the presence of your person without ever leaving your apartment.

6. Gardening opportunities

If you have a green thumb or aspire to grow your own veggies and herbs, a deck addition is perfect for you. Between growing flowers to brighten your day or herbs to bring life to a meal, the growing opportunities are vast with a deck. Plus, you’ll enjoy the fragrant herb smells while you hang out outside.

a balcony space is perfect for grilling

7. Grilling and dining al fresco

Communal apartment grills are super popular, especially during warmer months. Skip the wait and utilize your apartment balcony to grill out and dine al fresco. An apartment with a deck easily transforms to your own private outdoor culinary haven with a grill and dining area.

8. Soak up the sun privately

Don’t have enough time to head down to the pool? Just want to enough a quick cup of coffee before you head to work? A deck solves these problems for renters, providing a convenient space for a quick sunbathing or a peaceful moment of relaxation.

9. Exercise and fitness space

Fitness classes are great outdoors. With most at-home workout classes and routines only requiring a small bit of space, an apartment deck serves as a perfect spot for a stretch. Also, the privacy provided by your apartment deck allows you to freely move and follow along with your workout without feeling restricted by crowded gyms or shared spaces.

entertaining and reading in your personal retreat all starts with a small outdoor space

10. Staycation escape

Utilizing your deck to escape and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature can really boost mental health, elevate your mood and enhance your overall living experience. Whether you want to stargaze, lose yourself in a book series or just take a breath of fresh air, recharging and reconnecting on your deck is easy.

11. Connecting with nature

There is an endless list of ways to connect with nature on your apartment deck. Installing birdfeeders, watching the sunrise and sunset, outdoor meditation and installing wind chimes are some of the ways renters can connect with the sights and sounds of the outdoors.

an apartment with deck can convert to a vertical garden or outdoor dining room -- or just a nice, relaxing place to sit

An amenity in the comfort of your own home

A deck enhances apartment living by providing a private outdoor space for relaxation, entertainment and connection with nature. It expands your living space and offers endless possibilities for personalization and enjoyment.

With a deck, you can fully embrace the joys of outdoor living while enjoying the convenience and comfort of apartment life. Ready to search for apartments with this perk? Start your apartment-hunting journey today!

Source: rent.com

Apache is functioning normally

There are a number of characteristics that come with having ADHD including inattentiveness, fidgeting, and typically issues with organization. These are the traits associated with ADHD that do not cause a rise in insurance rates.

On the other hand, those with more severe cases of ADHD that have issues tied to more serious problems such as drug abuse, alcoholism, depression, risky patterns of behavior, and overall addictive personalities.

It is patterns of behavior such as these that lead to much higher insurance premiums.

What is ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a mental health disorder that affects people of all ages. According to the CDC over 6 Million children have been diagnosed with ADHD.

It is characterized by difficulty focusing, impulsivity, and hyperactivity which can have a significant impact on daily life. Common symptoms associated with ADHD include inattention, short attention span, inability to complete tasks on time, disorganization, and restlessness.

Component Description Of ADHD
Definition A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.

Symptoms Inattention (e.g., difficulty focusing on tasks, forgetfulness), hyperactivity (e.g., excessive fidgeting, restlessness), impulsiveness (e.g., acting without thinking, interrupting others)

Diagnosis Made by a healthcare professional based on a comprehensive evaluation including a thorough medical history, physical examination, and psychological testing.

Causes The exact cause of ADHD is not known, but it is thought to involve a combination of genetic, environmental, and neurological factors.

Treatment May include medication, therapy, lifestyle changes (e.g., exercise, healthy diet), and support from family and friends.

The exact cause of ADHD is still unknown but it is believed to be related to genetic and environmental factors. Treatment for ADHD typically includes a combination of medications and behavioral therapy.

Does ADHD Affect Getting Approved for Life Insurance?

The good news for those with ADHD is that affordable insurance companies usually don’t consider it to be a medical underwriting problem unless it can be in some way tied to an external condition. In the case that a person is suffering from a mild case of ADD and does not suffer from another sort of disorder, they will usually have no issue obtaining insurance.

The main goal of a medical underwriter is to determine whether or not a person with ADHD is susceptible to other unhealthy habits or tendencies that would be considered a risk to the insurance company.

The spokesperson for Metlife recently said that people who have ADHD can potentially receive the “best insurance rating“. Additionally, he stated that if there is some external factor outside of the person’s control, they can still qualify for a standard rating. The cost of this plan is about 100 percent higher than a normal plan so it is not ideal.

Other factors such as addictions or criminal records in addition to having ADHD would usually disqualify a person from receiving any type of insurance. With this being said it is important to know all of your options going in as well as have a qualified insurance agent who will be able to locate the best possible plan.

Life Insurance Ratings with ADHD

The following bullets outline the general qualifications that people fall under in order to receive different types of life insurance.

  • Preferred Plus: Sufferers of ADD are definitely capable of receiving a preferred plus status and it is not necessarily a rare occurrence. Someone with ADHD can qualify for this status is they suffer from mild ADD and show no other signs of mental or mood disorders. Medical underwriters also like to verify that there have been no previous hospitalizations nor drug or alcohol abuse.
  • Preferred: Anyone who qualifies for preferred plus also qualifies under this status. It is meant for those who are not employed usually.
  • Standard: Most likely applied to mild to moderate sufferers of the illness. As is the case with preferred plus, there must be no history of hospitalization nor drug use. It is usually the case that people falling under this category are users of some form of ADD medication. Some insurance companies even allow the use of mild depression medications.
  • Substandard: This is saved for those with moderate to severe cases of ADHD. This is usually determined by a close examination of medical records. Stronger medications used for ADHD are typically associated with some under this status.
  • Declines: Anyone who has been recently hospitalized or is otherwise suffering from addiction would be declined life insurance.

What if You Get Denied for Coverage?

All is not lost if a person with ADHD is either denied insurance or offered it at a steep premium though. Medical underwriters want to see that a person has their illness managed, the length in term of the illness is really a non-factor.

Those who partake in at least a year’s worth of treatment or have otherwise gotten their problems under control with medication can reapply for insurance at that time.

Extensive research has allowed for ADHD to be treated so this is a very viable option for anyone in this particular case.

Time is of the essence when treating any condition and it is certainly no different with ADD. The earlier it is detected, the more time a person has to learn the best methods for treatment and management. This is especially important in adulthood when it comes time to obtain a life insurance policy as it will end up saving you thousands.

Four and a half million people were diagnosed with ADHD in 2020 and since then, the diagnosis rate has been consistently climbing at 3% per year. Of these yearly diagnoses, 60% will still have ADHD into adulthood.

How Much Life Insurance do you need?

Before you start calling companies or looking at options, you need to do some basic groundwork. Do the math to figure out how much insurance your spouse and children need.

To start, gather all of your bills and major debts and combine them. Whatever the number is, this is your starting block. Make sure your life insurance plan is larger than this number.

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The next thing you’ll need to multiply your annual income by 7 to 10. Not only will your family get your debts, but they will no longer have your salary to pay off those debts. Make sure your life insurance can replace your paychecks for several years.

Are you trying to get life insurance with ADHD? Give us a call, we can make it quicker and easier than trying to do it alone.

Bottom Line – ADHD Term Life Insurance

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With these facts under consideration, it is important to know all of the information when it comes to getting insurance. Time is the most valuable tool when it comes to treating ADHD. Learning how to treat and manage ADHD is the end goal when trying to obtain affordable life insurance.

You can help yourself get the lowest insurance rates for you and your family’s protection. One of the first ways you can do that is by making some healthy lifestyle changes to improve your overall health.

The medical exam is how the insurance company determines your health and then your premiums. The better your health is during the exam, the better premiums they will grant you.

If you’re dedicated to getting those lower premiums, you’re going to have to make some changes to your health. Mainly your diet and your physical exercise. Make better diet choices and get up and go for a run.

If you’re really dedicated, you can make some even more improvements. If you’ve been smoking for several years, you’ve probably tried to quit in the past. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. Quit smoking and you’ll see your life insurance premiums cut in half.

Each insurance company has different systems for rating their applicants with ADHD, which means you could receive drastically different quotes from various carriers. It’s easy to see why it’s important to get quotes from dozens of companies.

FAQs on Life Insurance Approval with ADHD

I have ADHD, can I still get approved for life insurance?

Yes, individuals with ADHD can obtain life insurance coverage. However, insurance companies may consider individuals with ADHD as higher risk, which could result in higher premiums or difficulty obtaining coverage.

How does ADHD affect how much life insurance premiums are?

The severity of symptoms, medication usage, and overall health can impact life insurance premiums for individuals with ADHD. Insurance companies may view individuals with severe symptoms or those who are not receiving adequate treatment as higher risk and therefore, charge higher premiums.

Is it necessary to disclose ADHD diagnosis to the insurance company?

Yes, it is important to disclose any ADHD diagnosis to the insurance company as it can impact the coverage and premium rate offered.

Research Articles Cited

  1. CDC.gov (n.d.) Data and Statistics about ADHD. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

Source: goodfinancialcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

Have you ever misplaced your car keys inside an Old Navy bag stuffed with bras you couldn’t bear to have smooshed so you packed them with oranges that went rotten before you found them—the keys, that is. Well, and the oranges. We’re not even going to talk about the bras.

MOVING MAKES YOU CRAZY FOR A REASON.

Even if you move because you’ve found a situation you prefer over your old one, you are not exempt from the crazy.

It’s just a matter of which type you are.

The Procrastinator

Checklist, shmecklist. You spend 90% of your time on a problem that’s 10% of what’s important. On deadline, you pull all-nighters like a dentist pulls teeth—which leaves holes in your sanity.

If this is you, try:

  1. Setting aside chocolate chips or Andes mints—something small to be used as a daily reward. Be sure to reward yourself often. Studies show positive encouragement—even from yourself—is the surest way to motivate. Try writing down each task you accomplished, creating the opposite of a to-do list. It’s a GOT-DONE list.
  2. Organize your time by postponing work in a strong area until you take a baby-step in a weak area. For example, say you’ve packed the den, but can’t face the phone calls needed to book your moving day personnel. Don’t allow yourself to pack the garage until you at least get the truck reserved. Use a simple printable checklist for moving.
  3. Be aware of time passing. Procrastinators enjoy focusing on tasks deeply, until time “stands still.” Um, except that three hours just slipped by. Set timers. Have a daily countdown until The Big Day.
  4. Dude, you’re a procrastinator. Factor that in to your estimates of how long each task will take. It’s okay. It’s part of loving yourself the way you are.

The Pack Rat

In our early 20’s, my husband and I moved from a studio apartment to a duplex, and I thought my storage problems were over. Wrong. When we later moved into a  small home, I thought the same thing. Wrong again. The storage space was not the problem. We were the problem. If we have 120 linear feet of shelf space, we acquire 180’s-worth of things within seconds of entering the door.

If you buy stuff routinely (you do) but don’t get rid of stuff routinely (semi-annually at least), you have a hoarding problem. Owning too much overloads your working memory, kills your processing-speed, and basically makes you batty. Here’s the low-down:

  1. Moving forces you to face your clutter. This is good! It may seem overwhelming, but items entered the house little by little and they leave the same way. Try visiting a blog with home organization tips.
  2. If possible, don’t pack yet. Instead, start in one room and sort items into:
    1. Trash
    2. Give-away
    3. Critical items (items you need daily, like shoes and toiletries)
    4. Short-term storage (items that can stay packed during the moving process, like books)
    5. Long-term storage (items already considered storage, like Christmas decorations)
  3. As you sort, think like a retail store does. We all know time is money, but stores know space is money, too. Customers demand a navigable space where products are accessible. Before a store can stock more items, it must purchase more shelf-space, and that means paying a higher lease at a bigger store. The same is true for your new home. The cost of your home per square foot is hundreds of dollars. It dwarfs the replacement cost of a pair of lacrosse shoes you haven’t worn since middle school.
  4. When sorting is complete, remove trash and give-away items from your home.
  5. Gather critical items together.
  6. Pack short-term storage into boxes.
  7. Spend a few hundred dollars buying matching plastic storage bins for all long-term storage items. They act as moving boxes and keep you organized once you’ve moved in. Double bonus.

The Crisis-Mover

Sudden moves brought on by death, divorce, eviction, job loss, or other negative events can create a genuine crisis. If you find yourself in this camp:

  1. Breathe. Life happens.
  2. Assemble help.
    1. Ask for specific favors. You may balk at asking a neighbor to watch your kids day and night for a week, but being proactive about getting your family into a stable situation helps everyone. Don’t wait for the situation to deteriorate further.
    2. The more people you assemble to help, the less you fatigue any one person. Look to churches and youth service groups. Put out calls on social media.
    3. If you are able to, provide treats or food to volunteers. And say thank you!
  3. Ditch doing things “right” and get through the move.
    1. Schedule a moving truck and assemble volunteers.
    2. Throw away obvious garbage and pack everything else. You’ll go through it later.
    3. On moving day, have boxes and/or large, sturdy garbage sacks for volunteers to use in moving you. Lack of container-space is the bane of sudden moves.
  4. Once in your new place, use check a list like this one to get after those stray to-do items, such as switching your utilities and forwarding your mail.
  5. The move is over, and it’s time to take steps to ensure you’re able to stay on your feet. Give back to your friends and family where possible. It’s empowering to be on the other side of giving. And you could use some bold moves after your crisis-move!

The Stress Case

You are a list-maker. You list-make in the shower and during family meals and in bed at 4 a.m. and at 5 a.m. and at 6 a.m. and you know you’re less than a minute from a panic attack at all moments and STOP AND READ THE STEPS ALREADY.

  1. Get proper rest. Put the list aside in time to unwind for the night. Try meditation.
  2. Pay attention to your emotional and mental health. Make a check box for daily happiness, setting aside at least a half an hour. Try to focus on social things, like playing with your toddler or meeting a friend for lunch.
  3. Use a robust checklist for moving that does much of your thinking for you.
  4. Plan to experience failure. Will you forget something during the move? Absolutely. Something really, really important? YES! Okay, maybe not, but even if you do, you’re capable. You can fix these problems—and fixing them is much less effort than you would spend stressing about every what-if.

So . . . which crazy do YOU need to conquer? No matter what it is, don’t forget the final step of every moving-day checklist: make sure to enjoy your new home! To save money while you buy or sell homes, visit our Buy Any Home page or sign up to sell with Homie today.

Source: homie.com