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Recap: Virtual Assistants

Posted on by cvargas

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

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

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

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

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

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Do I need umbrella insurance for a startup business?

Posted on by agentinsure

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

What is umbrella insurance?

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

Does my startup business need umbrella insurance?

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

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

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

 

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Have You Done These Fall Home Maintenance Tasks?

Posted on by cvargas

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

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

Trees and Shrubs

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

Gutters and Drain Spouts

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

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

Exterior Repairs

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

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

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

Safety Alarms

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

Check the Heater and/or Chimney

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

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

Purchase Winter Gear

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

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

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

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Morning Motivation – Week of September 10, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Carlos

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Recap: Driving for the Elderly

Posted on by cvargas

“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E. L. Doctorow

Everyone is getting older every day – it’s just one of the facts of life. At some point, most people will get old enough that they should reevaluate their ability to drive safety. Last week, we posted a blog detailing many of the concerns that elderly drivers (and their loved ones) should have about being on the open road, such as:

  • Gradual loss of hearing and vision with age.
  • The dangers of medications that impact the ability to drive.
  • Decreased reaction time and worsening driving habits.

For more information on the warning signs that an elderly driver will begin to show, as well as some of the gradual limitations that can be set on driving to help keep drivers safe, check out the full blog post here. There, you will also find information about how to surrender a Massachusetts driver’s license and alternate forms of transportation for elderly Bostonites who are no longer safe behind the wheel.

For those of you that are still driving, talk to Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency about your Massachusetts auto insurance needs. Call 617-298-0655 to get a free quote and ask our knowledgeable agents all your insurance questions.

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The Benefits of Having a Virtual Assistant

Posted on by cvargas

As a small business owner, it probably seems like your plate is always full. When you’re starting out, it’s easy to try to do everything yourself to both keep control in your own hands and to save money rather than paying others. However, doing things this way will only ensure that you are stretched too thin to make any real progress in growing your business. Instead, consider hiring a virtual assistant to help you keep the more mundane tasks of your business running smoothly while you work on tasks that will help it grow.

Here are just a few of the benefits that you will get by adding a virtual assistant to your business:

Having a Helping Hand

Owning a small business can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Just getting one assistant to help you with your business can take a huge weight off your shoulders. If you find the right assistant, seeing them do everything that they can to improve your business could help give you the motivation to make your business as great as it can be.

When searching for an assistant, look for someone who is flexible and friendly. You may need them to turn around tasks as quickly as possible, and with a smile. You may need them to attempt a task that is a little out of their wheelhouse. Having an assistant that is a “Yes” person will be very valuable to you and your business.

Strengthen Your Weaknesses

No one person is good at everything. Your strength may be marketing, or making a great product, or something else. With strengths, though, come weaknesses. What is your weakness? Is it affecting your business? Would having a virtual employee to balance your strengths and weaknesses help you to be a better overall business?

Often, virtual assistants are hired to help with technical things, like building and maintaining a website. They can also be very useful to help with maintaining a business’s social media and other customer-facing communication. Bookkeeping and scheduling are also often outsourced to an assistant. If you could take these types of tasks off your plate, what would you spend that time doing for your business? How much more could you focus on making your business grow?

A Different Kind of Employee

Often, when businesses are small, the thought of hiring a full time (or even a part time) employee is daunting. A virtual assistant is a great way to get extra help without making a commitment to a potential local employee. Virtual assistants often have work through many businesses, so they are used to not having a long-term contract. In addition, because these workers are contractors, you don’t need to think about offering them any kinds of benefits that a traditional employee might expect. You also don’t have to worry about finding them a place to work, since they will have an office of their own to work remotely! Remember – you could have a helper just an email away. Wouldn’t that be nice?

How to Find a Virtual Assistant

Depending on the needs of your business, there are many types of places where you can locate the perfect virtual assistant. As always, it’s worth asking the people in your network if they have any recommendations. You never know if they will be able to provide you with a contact!

Otherwise, there are many websites that can aid you in your search. You will need to determine if you want a worker from the US or overseas, and the area of expertise in which you are looking. From there, you will have plenty of options. One of the best parts is that there is almost never a long-term commitment – try someone out, and if the relationship doesn’t work out you can move on without repercussions.

Leveraging Your New Virtual Assistant

When you hire a virtual assistant, don’t expect them to be 100% proficient right off the bat – they will need some guidance and training first. As a rule of thumb, take the time necessary to do a task and multiply it by 30. That is the time that should be allotted to train someone to do the task well. It may take more or less, but that number will be a good place to start. Also make sure to give your employee enough time on the job to get used to the way that you like things done. Depending on the job, this ‘grace period’ could be a few weeks to a month or more.

Want more help with your Massachusetts small business? Talk to a Vargas and Vargas Insurance representative about the best way to insure your small business. After all, just because your business is ‘small’ doesn’t mean it’s not worth protecting! Our agents can get you a quote on Boston business insurance that will fit the needs of your business without breaking the bank, so call us at 617-298-0655 today.

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Morning Motivation – Week of September 3, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:

Have you been keeping up with my ‘fear series’ of Monday emails? If you’ve missed one, catch up my clicking here.

Fear-Inducing Habit #6: You make it harder than it needs to be to take action.

If you think that you have to take action in a big, heroic and risky way to overcome your fear then that may often lead to more fear and to not taking any action at all.

What to do instead:

A more helpful way to go about things is to not go all in at once. Instead, just dip your toes in and take a small step forward. The important thing is that you do it today (or as soon as you can.)

Take that first step slowly if you like – the most important thing is that you start moving. Start building momentum forward so that you can take more small steps forward. Doing things this way will not only build momentum but also self-confidence and will help you expand your comfort zone. All of this will make it a lot easier to take a bit bigger steps later on too if you’d like to.

Have a great week!

Carlos

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Recap: Money Talks for College Students

Posted on by cvargas

“Many kids come out of college, they have a credit card and a diploma. They don’t know how to buy a house or a car or health insurance or life insurance. They do not know basic microeconomics.” – Jesse Jackson

If you have teenagers that are finishing up high school, or your kids are in the early stages of college, it may be time to sit down and talk to them about money. It’s a necessary evil in life, and the more your kids understand about it the better off they will be to handle life on their own – which is coming up sooner rather than later!

  • Tell them about how important it is to both have a budget and monitor their spending.
  • Encourage them to apply for additional scholarships, and only take out student loans if necessary.
  • Warn them about the dangers of credit cards, and tell them about how credit companies will try to lure them into signing up for cards promising free t-shirts and pizza.
  • Ensure that they see a college education as an investment into their future and that they put their education above all else (it’s easy for students to get diverted away from what’s important!)

If your student needs help with their Boston insurance policies, have them call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655. We can walk them through the importance of having the right insurance protection and get them a quote on a policy that will protect their valuables without emptying their wallets.

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Driving Advice for Elderly Adults

Posted on by cvargas

Are you worried about being a safe driver as you age, or do you know someone in Massachusetts that should consider reevaluating their ability to drive? It’s hard for elderly people to lose freedoms, but there is a point at which everyone should really hang up their car keys in the name of safety. If this is a topic that’s been on your mind recently, here are a few things you should consider:

Health Concerns

As a person ages, changes in their mental or physical state could make driving more difficult. Pain or stiffness in the joints can increase reaction time, as well as make it hard to turn the wheel or shift. The stress involved in driving could also aggravate health conditions.

Older drivers also often don’t possess the stamina to take longer trips. This will likely mean shrinking the area in which you or your loved one drives.

Hearing and Vision

As the body ages, many people find it harder to see and hear as well as they once were able. Elderly drivers need to be aware of the safety issues that come with decreased awareness of their surroundings.

Vision conditions that may affect the ability to drive include cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, among others. Those that feel like their vision is worsening should consult with their optometrist. And (as for any driver) if you wear glasses or contact lenses, always have them on while driving.

Older drivers (especially those with hearing problems) should keep noise in the vehicle at a minimum. This means turning off the radio and discouraging in-car conversations.

Medication Composition

If a senior in your life is still occasionally behind the wheel, make sure that none of the medications that they are taking are inhibiting their ability to drive. Talk to a pharmacist about the ability to drive when prescribed a new medication and avoid driving if a drug’s label warns against operating heavy machinery. Elderly persons should also avoid driving if they feel lightheaded or dizzy, whether the cause is medication or any other reason.

Driving Habits

There are a few things that may start to happen when a person ages that indicate a need for a reevaluation of their ability to drive. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Having an increasing number of “close calls” or “near misses” with other drivers
  • Multiple instances of hitting objects such as curbs, fences, mailboxes, etc.
  • Missing stop signs or running through traffic signals
  • A growing number of traffic violations
  • Various incidents of being lost in familiar areas or having difficulty navigating

If you see these red flags in your own driving or in the driving habits of a family member, it’s time to have a tough conversation about whether driving is a feasible activity for that person.

Set Limitations

Often, there is a gradual transition between being a safe driver and deciding that driving is no longer safe for a person. Because of this, it is often easiest to gradually restrict a person’s driving. This could mean shortening the radius in which the person in question drives, or limiting the times of day behind the wheel, including eliminating night driving, driving during bad weather or road conditions, and rush hour driving.

If you need to talk to a senior citizen about the need to restrict or give up their ability to drive, make the conversation as easy as possible. Make sure to keep the focus on the safety of the person and other drivers. Be supportive of the person’s willingness to lose some independence and promise to help them navigate the transitional period.

Surrendering a License

At the point when a person can no longer safely operate a vehicle, their driver’s license should be suspended. Visit the Massachusetts RMV website for more information, as well as to learn about how to get a state ID card as an alternative form of identification.

Alternative Transportation

Many people view the inability to drive as a loss of freedom. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be! There are lots of transportation options available for non-drivers nowadays. Boston has a first-class public transportation system, including busses, trains, and the T, among other options. Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft are perfect for anyone that can use cell phone apps. The elderly can also investigate the availability of volunteer transportation programs in their neighborhood. The City of Boston’s Elderly Commission may be a good place to start for researching these options.

Elderly Bostonites who are still behind the wheel may wish to inquire about the need for increased car insurance coverage. And it doesn’t matter whether you are a young driver or an elderly driver – you need a top-notch Massachusetts auto insurance plan for your vehicle. If you think you’re paying too much for your current policy, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency 617-298-0655 for a free quote. Our insurance experts can help get you a quote with great coverage and a great price.

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Morning Motivation – Week of August 27, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:

You can read last week’s MMM here to get caught up on my ongoing ‘fear’ series.

Fear-Inducing Habit #5: You push your fear away.

When you try to deny a fear in your life, you may try to push it away or not think about it. This can cause it to grow stronger.

What to do instead:

I have found that pushing the fear away can certainly work and help you to not be paralyzed from taking action. But I have also discovered that it can sometimes be more helpful to accept the fear.

To accept that it is there instead of, for example, trying to tell yourself to focus on the positive like a laser-beam. And by accepting that you may not be good at one task or activity will free you from the fear that may be holding you back from other aspects of your business or personal life.

That may sound a bit vague, so here’s an example of how I do it.

  1. Breathe. Take a few breaths and focus only on the air going in and out to calm and center yourself a bit.
  2. Tell yourself something like: “Yes, the fear is here. It simply is at this point in time.”
  3. Take that feeling of fear in and just let it be there in your body and mind. It will be uncomfortable. But just for short while.

If you do this you will find that after a while – often just after a few minutes of discomfort in my experience – the fear starts to lose steam. It becomes a lot smaller or just seems to float away.

I start thinking about all the happy moments, friends, and loved ones that I have been blessed with. This makes it a lot easier to think clear and constructive thoughts again.

Keep an eye out for next week’s email. It will focus on why you may be making fear harder than it needs to be.

Carlos

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Recap: Healthy and Happy Kids

Posted on by cvargas

“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” – Denis Waitley

Back to School time is upon us, and it’s a great time to take advantage in this change of schedule to integrate something new into your child’s schedule. Keep your kids happy and healthy by taking advantage of some of the following tips:

  • Schedule some free time for your children to encourage unrestricted play and the use of imagination.
  • Set a bed time and explain to kids the importance of getting enough sleep.
  • Make sure that children practice good dental hygiene – these habits will be crucial for later in life!
  • Social interaction is critical in a child’s development, so make sure that your child gets plenty of playtime with other kids their own age to develop necessary social skills.
  • Water can be very dangerous for children, so kids should receive water safety training early. Make sure that a professional teaches your kids, and that they are always supervised when near water.

Will you be integrating any new activities into your kid’s routine as they go back to school for the year? If you want to integrate some new insurance plans into your insurance portfolio, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655. We can get you a free quote for home insurance, auto insurance, and much more.

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Money Conversations with Your College Student

Posted on by cvargas

Are you the parent to a teenager? If your child in their last few years of high school or already in college, it can be difficult to have them sit down to give important life advice. Some teens want to believe that they know everything that they will need to know, but that is almost never the case.

As a parent, you need to make sure that your child is as prepared as possible for the financial challenges that they may face as an adult. Start this financial education journey by discussing one or more of the following topics with your teen:

The Need for a Budget

When teenagers go to college, they will be tempted to buy a lot of things, especially if it will be their first time living on their own. Remind your kids to always keep an eye on their bank account and tell them about how quickly small purchases can add up. They may be more likely to pay attention to their spending habits if their money is broken into monthly or weekly payouts, which is also good practice for when they start working and depend on paychecks.

Ask them to come up with a rudimentary budget before leaving for college. You can explain to them that it doesn’t have to be perfect, and that it can be adjusted in the future as they learn their own spending habits. A good budget is simply a tool for monitoring where money goes and being aware of increased spending in any given period.

The Impact of Student Loans

If your child needs to apply for student loans, they should understand the impact these loans could have later in their life. While in the short term it seems like a windfall, it is critical that college students understand the consequences of taking out such a large loan. Help your student realize the future impact of these loans by explaining the payoff schedule and showing them the additional interest payments that they will owe to the loan provider above the loan’s principle amount.

The Benefit of Scholarships

Unlike a student loan, a scholarship is a gift to students. Students, however, sometimes resist applying for scholarships because of the lengthy application process – especially if the scholarship requires an essay. Encourage your child to look at the benefits of a scholarship as opposed to a student loan, though, and they may be a little more willing to work for the “free” money available to them. Help them search for applicable scholarship using one of the many aggregators available, such as Fastweb and Scholarships.com.

The Danger of Credit Cards

When walking around a college campus, students are bombarded with credit card offers. These would typically be easy to ignore, but these dealers know what college students like, and will offer free pizza, t-shirts, and other gifts to those who are willing to sign up. They will say “You don’t even have to use it!” to lure in unsuspecting SWAG-hunters. Thankfully, your child will know better than to sign up for unnecessary credit cards once you explain to them the effect it could have on their credit score, and the future impact of present bad decisions.

The Significance of Personal Finance Knowledge

Nowadays, it seems that students get a high school diploma without learning any relevant life skills. Ask your student about the importance of auto insurance, or the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA – odds are they will have no idea what to say.

Every person that is coming of age deserves to have a basic knowledge of personal finance to increase their chances of success in the ‘real world.’ If you feel that your child is lacking in this area of their education, advise them to take a personal finance class either at college or even online.

The Thought of College as an Investment

Your student should know that going to college is an investment in their education. They shouldn’t make this commitment lightly and need to realize that their classes ought to come first. Also make sure that they know how to optimize their activities in relation to their resume upon graduation – many jobs nowadays are looking for more than a high GPA. They will look for membership to professional organizations, as well as internships and more. Most college students have access to advisors if they wish to discuss the best path toward employability in their future field.

Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency is also here for all your teenager’s insurance needs as they go to college. This may include updating your home insurance to cover their belongings, or getting them their own renter’s insurance. Also talk to your agent about the best option for your student’s car insurance, as well as if they are eligible for any ‘good student’ discounts.

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Does Flood Insurance Cover the Cost of Associated Medical Bills?

Posted on by agentinsure

Flood insurance is something that is very important if you live in areas where flooding is frequent, and it does cover a wide range of things. Flood insurance covers more than you might imagine and if you take out special policies that cover extra, you can have a policy that is fairly comprehensive. For those that live in the Dorchester, MA area, the agents with Vargas & Vargas Insurance can help you to find the policy that you need.

Flood insurance as a general rule covers things like the repair of homes that have been damaged, mold mitigation; sometimes it covers the cost of a place to stay while your home is repaired and more. In some cases, you can get an illness or medical bills associated with flooding covered but, in most cases, your health insurance is going to cover any medical bills. You can take out particular flood policies that have medical coverage built in, but for the most part, it is going to be best to use your health insurance to cover your costs.

For those that do need to use flood insurance to cover medical costs, you need to make sure your policy covers medical expenses. Most flood policies are only going to include the replacement and repair of items and the home. You need to take the time to really look at your coverage and you need to make sure you understand the ins and outs of flood insurance. For those that live in the Dorchester, MA area, the agents with Vargas & Vargas Insurance can help you to find the perfect flood policy so that you can get the coverage you need to keep your home safe no matter what disaster may befall it.  

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Morning Motivation – Week of August 20, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:

You can read last week’s MMM here to catch up on the previous fear-inducing habits.

Fear-Inducing Habit#4: You misinterpret the information you have.

It is easy to take very few experiences – maybe just one – and start seeing evidence of something permanent and frightening in your life.

What to do instead:

Question your fears and what they are based upon. Again, sit down with that pen and a piece of paper. Think back to what evidence you have in your memories for a fear and a belief of yours. Try to see the situation(s) that created your fear with fresh eyes today. Instead of the way you may usually see them.
Doing this helps us to reduce our fear of business and social rejection. If you look back at some situations from your past that formed and fueled fear you may realize that:

You misinterpreted being rejected in some of those situations, or you were rejected because there was something wrong with what you did, but simply because you were not offering a realistic solution to the problem. Or because the other person had a bad day or because he or she simply wanted to push you down to feel better about himself or herself at that moment.

This will be an eye-opening experience that may help you understand that what went wrong is not all your fault.  And that our memories can often be pretty inaccurate and unhelpful if not reexamined at a later time and our minds love to create patterns and conclusions based on very little evidence or few experiences.

Next week, I will focus on the error of pushing fear away.

Have a great week!

Carlos
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Recap: Apps for Homeowners

Posted on by cvargas

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke

Do you ever wish that you had more help looking after your home? Look no further than your smartphone! There are many apps available that will help you with many aspects of home ownership. Here are just a few examples from last week’s full article on the Vargas Insurance Blog:

  • Bubble Level – A level for your DIY projects, as well as an AR ruler and wire-finder.
  • Centriq – Keep your owners manuals in one place and get notifications of recalls and more.
  • Planner 5D – For all your home décor needs, including using VR to envision new furniture and paint colors.
  • HomeSavvy – A home maintenance task organizer that will also show you DIY videos or recommend local professionals.
  • ChorePad – Chores run smoothly with this app that let your kids earn rewards for doing their chores.

Need a little additional help protecting your home? If you have a question about your home insurance (or if you want a quote for a new MA home insurance policy) help is just a phone call away. Dial 617-298-0655 and talk to a Vargas and Vargas Insurance agent about your needs. Because – while technology is great – sometimes it just can’t replace a little human help.

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Tips to Keeping Kids Healthy and Happy

Posted on by cvargas

Many Vargas and Vargas Insurance customers are parents, and they will be the first to tell you that the start of school is right around the corner in Boston! This time of year, many parents like to reevaluate their kids’ happiness, and make sure that they are still on the path to success. Here are ideas of just a few of the things that you can do to make sure that your kids are happy and healthy:

Inspire an Active Lifestyle

What you teach your kids will act as the foundation for the rest of their life. Nowadays, it is easy to park kids in front of a TV or tablet to entertain them, but it is critical to limit their ‘technology time’ and have them be active. Did you know that (according to the US Department of Health and Human Services) that only one in three children is physically active every day?

Healthy Diets Start Young

Here is a statistic from the Department of Agriculture that may surprise you: “Typical American diets exceed the recommended intake levels or limits in four categories: calories from solid fats and added sugars; refined grains; sodium; and saturated fat.”

It’s no secret that American diets aren’t stellar, but you can set your kids up for success by teaching them how to put the right fuel into their bodies. The USDA’s Choose My Plate initiative is a great place to start for kids. There is even a resource for making small changes to improve a child’s diet slowly over time.

Plan Some Free Time

Planning out free time may seem a little backwards, but kids need unstructured time to let their imagination free. In today’s world, it’s easy to schedule your kids for an unending string of activities to keep them focused (and a few extracurriculars has shown time and time again to be a good idea when it comes to helping children become successful and well-rounded) but don’t pack your children’s schedules.

Sleep is Vital to a Growing Body

It is easy to let kids stay up late when they start to whine about bedtime but think twice about being overly flexible with your kid’s sleep schedule. Sleepfoundation.org recommends that school-age children get between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night. They also note that at this age “school-aged children become more interested in TV, computers, the media and Internet as well as caffeine products” which could result in increased sleep resistance.

Build Healthy Habits

There are several habits that you should instill in your children while they are young:

Setting a foundation of proper oral hygiene is a critical in minimizing how much dental work a person will need as an adult. You should stress this to your child! Kids should brush their teeth twice a day – after breakfast and before bed. Brushing should last for two minutes, so get an hourglass timer or download an app to play a two minute song or short video to cut through the boredom.

Wearing a helmet while on a bike or scooter has been shown to significantly reduce head injuries in children. In the same vein, children should always wear a seat belt when riding in the car.

Help kids stay healthy and avoid getting sick by encouraging regular hand washing, especially before eating. Kids that are sick should stay home to avoid infecting other children and causing an epidemic at their school or club.

Children should also get in the habit of regularly visiting health care providers, like the doctor and dentist. Kids may put up a fight, but it’s a necessary evil in life (even for adults!)

Playdates and Sleepovers Abound

When kids are young, it is critical that they get plenty of social interaction with their peers. While it is important that they focus on their studies, make sure to also recognize that playdates and sleepovers are a critical part of children developing social skills to be a well-rounded adult. And remember – “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!”

Teach Water Safety

When kids are young, they are at a constant risk of hurting themselves. You can do your kids a huge favor by making sure that they are taught water safety at a young age. Even a small amount of water can be dangerous for a child, so make sure that they are taught to swim, and to only go in the pool when an adult is supervising.

From everyone at the Vargas and Vargas Insurance office, we wish you and your children a very happy Back to School season. And remember – if you ever have a question about your insurance policies, we’re here for you! Just call 617-298-0655 to talk to an agent about your insurance questions or get a free quote on insurance that will protect your family.

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Morning Motivation – Week of August 13, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:

Before you read this week’s email, make sure that you have read the first email in the series all about FEAR and how a negative impact it can have on us, which can be found here.

Fear-Inducing Habit #2: You keep the fear a secret.

One of the biggest problems that I feel that we all have with fear is keeping it to ourselves. When you keep the fear to yourself, it can easily take charge of your imagination and build a horrific and paralyzing nightmare in your mind. Being alone with the fear makes it is easy to lose touch with reality.

What to do instead:

Share your fear with a friend, loved one, mentor, or coach. By sharing and getting some level-headed input from someone, your fear can often be quickly deflated and seen for what it really is. Even just talking about it to someone who truly listens will release a lot of your anxiety and inner tensions.

Fear-Inducing Habit #3: You focus on aspects that will keep you stuck.

If you just focus on the negative things that could happen if you face your fear,it will be very hard to start moving forward.

What to do instead:

A change in perspective is needed. Talk to your friend, mentor, or coach and exchange ideas and experiences about what opportunities lie ahead if you move forward and face your fear. Focus on the positive and on the benefits of doing the thing that you’re afraid of.

Here are a few questions that have helped me to find the more constructive and positive perspective when I have faced a fear:

  • What are the potential upsides that I want and can have by taking these actions?
  • What are the potential upsides in one year if I start moving on this path? And in five years?
  • How will my life be in five years if I continue on the fearful path that I am on today?

Talk these questions over with someone, or take out a piece of paper and write down the answers (or do both!)

Next week, I will talk all about the perils of misinterpreting your fears.

Carlos

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Recap: Avoid These Home-Buying Mistakes

Posted on by cvargas

“A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” – John C. Maxwell

Looking for a new home can be a stressful experience, and many people are afraid that they will make mistakes during the process. Thankfully, you have Boston business professionals on your side! We compiled a list of some of the most common mistakes made when buying a home so that you can avoid them. Here are just a few examples. Read the full post from last week for more details.

  • Going to tour potential new homes without a definitive “Wish List” in mind.
  • Forgetting about hidden costs, like closing costs and post-move expenses.
  • Buying a home for your present needs instead of considering the future.
  • Not asking your home inspector questions about the home you’re looking to buy.
  • Avoiding negotiations and agreeing to pay full price.
  • Not buying enough Massachusetts home insurance for your new house.

If you need help with your new home purchase, Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency can refer you to a local professional. We know all the best loan officers and real estate agents in the area and would be happy to share their contact information. Just call 617-298-0655 and ask! Also pick up the phone and call our agency with all your home insurance questions and quote needs.

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The Best Apps for Homeowners

Posted on by cvargas

Owning a home is the American Dream – but just like anything in life that is rewarding, it comes with its fair share of challenges. Thankfully, in this day and age… “There’s an app for that!” Or several, as the case may be.

Many of our clients are on the lookout for ways that technology can improve their everyday lives. Did you know that there are several apps available for your smart-devices that can make owning a home easier? We have collected just a few examples of these apps for our customers that are looking to bring home ownership into the digital age. So, which of the following apps will you download first?

LetGo

Have you ever felt that you have too much junk in your home? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Thankfully, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Find someone that will pay for the stuff you no longer want with the LetGo app on Android or iPhone.

Bubble Level

How many times as a homeowner have you wished that you could have a level without needing to make a trip to your toolbox? Did you know that your phone can be used as a level? With the Bubble Level app, you never need to say that a picture looks ‘good enough’ when you hang it – just pull out your phone and get the job done perfectly every time! The app can also be used as an AR ruler and can find wires inside your walls!

Google Maps

Want an idea for something to do, or maybe you feel like trying out a new restaurant? There is no resource for finding places in your area quite like Google Maps. Just search for what you’re looking for, and it will give you several options, along with reviews and directions. Download it on the Google Play store or the Apple App Store if you don’t already have it!

Centriq

Homeownership in the past meant having a drawer full of user manuals for every appliance you had ever owned. Now, though, you can use the Centriq app to keep everything in one (digital!) place. Add your appliances by taking a photo of their nameplate and the app will catalogue the item, as well as its user manual. It will alert you to any product recalls, and even help you find replacement parts and will show you troubleshooting videos if you have an issue with your items.

Planner 5D

Thinking about redecorating? Did you know that you can use your phone’s Virtual Reality capabilities to help you picture what the rooms in your home could look like with some new furniture or a fresh coat of paint? Download Planner 5D on your Android Phone and start making virtual changes. See what works in your space before you spend any money!

HomeSavvy

Android and Apple users will have an organized home maintenance schedule if they download and use the HomeSavvy app. Just answer a few questions about your home (like “Do you have a pool?”) and HomeSavvy will create a home maintenance schedule for you to follow. You can even schedule reminders and get tips on how to best complete your tasks, or even get recommendations for local professionals that you can hire!

Chore Pad

Chore wheels and charts are a thing of the past thanks to Chore Pad. Your kids will love getting to check off their chores on their favorite device, and you can even set rewards for kids as they earn stars. According to their website, “Chore Pad helps you teach your child responsibility in a way that is fun and engaging.” Just be aware that this app isn’t free – but it could be well worth the price if it gets your kids to do their chores!

Remember the Milk

When you own a home in Massachusetts, there is a lot on your mind. Wouldn’t it be helpful to have an app that could help you remember all the things that you need to do? That’s where this “Smart to-do App” comes in! As the name implies, it is the perfect place to create a grocery list! It is also good for personal and professional use. Remind yourself to make an important phone call, pick up your kids from practice, or write a performance review for work. The app syncs among many platforms, and can even be shared between connected users, making it a great place for your ‘honey-do’ list.

And there’s one more thing that your phone can do – help you get an insurance policy for your home! Instead of downloading an app, open your dialer and type in 617-298-0655 – the phone number for Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency. We can give you a little bit of human help to ensure that your home is fully protected, and that your insurance rates aren’t through the roof.

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Morning Motivation – Week of August 6, 2018

Posted on by cvargas

You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:

Fear. It’s so easy to get stuck in it, to let it hold you back and keep you from being successful! I have been there many times in my life and I am sure you have also.

Fear holds us back from:

  • Trying new things. It has holds us back from trying something new for lunch or starting a new hobby because we fear we would have a bad experience or fail. And so we stick to our usual routine and choices. It also keeps us from moving from our current job to a potential better job.
  • Asking someone for the sale, what I call your “CTA” (call to action). Because we don’t want to risk being rejected or looking like a fool in the eyes of other people.
  • Living our life’s full potential, the fear has held us in its grip and calmly explained to us that it would be best and most comfortable for us to stay where we are and to do nothing new. Many times we have sadly believed the fear and gotten ourselves stuck in a place where we honestly deep down, didn’t want to be.

The fears we have are based on how we think about things and how we feel about ourselves. Sometimes we don’t think that we can ever measure up to make a big move, and these destructive thought habits can create a lot of fear that is really unnecessary and damaging.

But there are ways to handle these habits when they pop up and to – over time – replace them with healthier habits.

So today I’d like to share with you the first of a few destructive and fear inducing thought habits and what to do instead of letting them roam free in your head.

Fear-Inducing Habit #1: You keep the fear foggy and undefined.

As long as your fear of doing something is foggy and undefined and just floating around in your head it will hold you back and often grow stronger with time.

What to do instead:

Ask yourself this question: what is the worst that could realistically happen? Don’t just take a second or two to answer it. Sit down with a pen and piece of paper. Take time to really think about it and to write out the realistic worst-case scenario.

This will:

  • Bring clarity to what you truly fear.
  • Defuse the fuzzy fears or disaster scenarios that may have been bouncing around in your mind.
  • Help you to realize that you can often bounce back pretty quickly even if the worst-case scenario somehow becomes reality.

Next week, I will talk about the second fear-inducing habit: keeping your fear to yourself.

Carlos

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