The Benefits of Freelancing

One thing I've learned since becoming a freelancer is that if you don't give yourself benefits no one will. Health insurance, life insurance, retirement plans. All of this needs to go into your business plans so that you're ready when the money gets tight. If want the best benefits you need to do some research. Part of that research is finding the best rates for insurance - both health and life. I periodically research insurance quote to make sure I'm doing the best I can. So far I've never changed my policy, but because I consistently research I feel confident that I'm getting the best rates for the least output on my part. Getting an online quote is as simple as accessing the site, entering some general health information - age, height, weight, etc. - and getting the quotes from different partners.

Another plus? Nobody bothers you. Once you've entered the info, the quotes appear on the screen and you have the choice of asking for more information from the quote company. No pushy salesmen, no phone calls. Just a quick and easy quote.

I Guess I'm Just Boring...

So my birthday is right around the corner and everyone-and-their-mother has been asking for a wish list. I guess I'm just boring because I can't think of a thing I want! And maybe that's because I'm an impulse shopper and everything I want I buy. Seriously, the hubster and I suffer from the same disease - Can't Wait-itis. He wanted an iPhone for his birthday and ... voila, six weeks before the big day, he bought it. I wanted an e-reader and... voila, three weeks ago I bought it. And my birthday isn't for another two weeks.

So I've been racking my brain and online-window-shopping for ideas. One thing the new house is missing, because I periodically discard them, is candle sconces. I love candlelight and firelight, so we do use sconces, votives and burners a lot. And during the winter months I'm expecting to run the fireplace at least once each day. So I think I'll add candles/sconces/votices to my birthday list...now to find a few more ideas like this one...

Good Directions...

I'm a direction girl, not 'north south east west'. Actual direction. Turn left at the big, red barn, take the left dog-leg. That kind of thing. Probably comes from growing up in a rural area...and being a blonde at heart, if not at head. So GPS comes in handy for me because everyone in my life insists on giving me north-south-east-west directions. Don't they know me? Anyway! For Christmas, I invested in gps systems for the hubster and he returned the favor (for my car) on Valentine's Day. Maybe it's a non-romantic gift, but I love it anyway because no matter what kind of directions someone gives me, I can punch in the actual destination address and badda-bing, badda-boom, Travelin' Tessie (yes, I named my GPS) tells me when to turn left, when to turn right and when I've arrived!