2 Fish and 5 Loaves

Everyday we get the opportunity to do good in the world, some days we get a chance to right a wrong and occasionally we get to help change some one's life for the better.

This summer the people of Bloomfield, Indiana will get to do some good, right a wrong and change a bunch of lives!  This summer we will join a growing effort to feed the children of families that live under the constant threat of hunger.  The churches, organizations and individuals of Bloomfield are stepping up to take responsibility for making sure our children get the nutrition they need!

Each year 20 million school children get free or reduced lunches in their schools but during the summer, even though the need still exists they don't have that resource.  The USDA offers a free lunch program during the summer but it takes volunteers to serve those meals and resources to prepare them.  Starting the week after school gets out, the people of Bloomfield will start a free lunch program to feed children Monday through Friday and give them a place to go for safe fun and care.

This program will help expand the Bag buddy lunch program that Tulip Church runs during the school year, which sends a bag of food home with kids to supplement their food for the weekend.  Plus the new program will augment the long standing Soup on Saturday program run by the churches of Bloomfield on a rotating basis.  Using this platform we will be better able to promote the existing food programs (such as the food pantry operated by the Baptist Church).

So, if you live in the area and you want to spend a couple of hours this summer to volunteer in the Bloomfield Hunger Project, just send me an email HERE.  We'll let you know what needs to be done and how to get started.  No one should go hungry in Bloomfield Indiana and we want to make sure they don't ... there are lots of ways to help so email me today and sign up.

Like our Facebook page Bloomfield Hunger Project and join us this summer!

J

Getting Mixed Signals?

Ever notice how the guy with no money is an expert on making more money?  Sure he is, just ask him.  The fellow with the crappyest car is knows exactly what you need to do in order to get your car working better.  I mean, live is confusiong enough with all the experts on TV and the web giving out conflicting advice ... go left , go right, stay straight, buy, sell, hold ... take the stock market today, one radio expert tells you to buy gold to preserve your principle and get out of stocks so the market doesn't devalue your cash, the next will tell you to buy all the under valued stock you can so when the market rebounds you'll bring home the bacon.


How do you know who to trust? Good question, here's my advice; if they don't know what you want to accomplish with your money then don't trust them.  A good advisor will ask more questions than you want to answer but that is part of the process, if they don't ask you a lot of questions then how do they know what you need.  If they don't know you, how can they give you advice on financing?  Find someone that you trust and talk to them about what your goals are, and let them help you explore your options.  Don't be afraid to say that you want to think about it, because if the advisor has your best interest at heart he will want you to think about it.  Don't be afraid of scheduling a second meeting, if you want to think about it set up the next meeting at the end of the 1st one.  If you're anything like me you won't give it another though unless you have a deadline.  Finally, if you are married involve your spouse, have them go to the meeting with you, they may not trust the advisor like you do or they may have different concerns than you do.  If you are not married then take your mom or dad or if you are older yourself take your kids.

I don't listen to the radio and TV "experts" because well 'they don't know my life' and they don't ask me any questions.  I also don't take cooking advice from a plumber or plumbing advice from a chef ... be sure the people you are listening to are advisors or agents not the guy in line at Walmart or your friend with the minimum wage job and no money for lunch.  Those folks have a lot to say but it's nothing you want to listen to.

Investing is tough because everyone is different in how they handle the stress of risk, and in what they want to accomplish with their money so there is no magic path that everyone can take, just a lot of paths leading in the direction you want, so follow the guide that makes you feel the safest.

J

Let me ask you questions about what you want your money to do!

What would grandpa do if he won the lottery?

You know it's funny to think about what would grandpa do with $650 million dollars.  But most of us have a different perspective on the matter.  Each of us are in a different place in life; young with a family, single, middle aged with college aged children, empty nesters, or grand parents.  Plus we all have different goals; fun life style, secure future, leaving a legacy for the grand kids.

Very few people have any experience with that much money let alone getting it all at once so finding experts to guide you is important and I mean more than one. 

Some advisers will have a plan for all your money but you are far better off having a couple of different advisers and spreading it around so that you can get more than one opinion and get the advantage of multiple perspectives on your money.  Even if you don't win the lottery you should discuss your financial goals with at least two different insurance agents or financial advisers, even agents that offer financial advising differ in their approach from financial advisers so take advantage of the opposing views. 

For example you might have a $10,000 CD and want to leave as much money as you can for the children, the advisor might say take the CD and roll it into a higher yield variable annuity that will grow with the market and the agent might say that advantage of the tax benefits from a single premium life policy and use the $10,000 to buy a $30,000 death benefit.  Each will bring a different perspective to you and give you a clearer path toward your goals.

Good luck on the lottery and call if you win.

Financial products and advice

Hello ... my name is Bob!

You know this blog really started out as an educational platform for the everyday person to better understand insurance and though I share experiences and thoughts on many subjects it remains the Beginner's Guide to Insurance.  So I thought we'd spend a minute talking about life insurance. 

I just want to put a thought in your head ... what happens if you die?  I know, I know, you've got a ton of life insurance and your loved ones won't ever have to worry or work again, right?

But I'm talking about real stuff, like who do they call?  How long will they have to wait for their benefits?  What should they do with the money?  Should they pay off bills?  Should they put it in the bank?  Buy a new TV ... come on!  Have you talked about this stuff?  or better yet have you written it down? 

Start out by writing down all the life insurance you have through work, on your credit cards, and that you personally own ... put the contact numbers for the agent next to each.  If the contact number is some 800 number that goes to India where a faceless "Bob" will butcher your family name and make you repeat everything twice then perhaps you should consider calling a local agent that you know.  Because a local agent will care that you've just lost someone and they will be easily accessible if you have questions.  They will work with you to figure out what the best use of the money is.  Once you've got that together write down a plan ... what bills to pay and what ones to wait on, what to save and what to spend.

Just a few minutes of discussion and some hand written notes put together in a folder in the lock box will be a comforting reminder that you and your lost love one had a plan even if the worst thing happened.  Who knows may karate lesson will be in the plan.

J

Lets talk about you life insurance program!

The Funny Thing About Food ...

Did your mom and dad make your food fun?  I remember my parents making me meals that looked cool and that seemed to make them taste great.  You know what I mean, fried bologna that looked like pac man, hot dog octopus and broccoli trees.

Not only did we have fun with our food, there was always plenty of it.  Sadly, this is not the case for all kids today.  According to the USDA, over 16 million children lived in food insecure (low food security and very low food security) households in 2010.  This means that they live in homes were they aren't sure where their next meal is coming from.  In fact during 2010 there were over 20 million kids that received free or reduced lunches at school but during the summer when school is not in cession only 2.3 million kids got feed through the USDA's summer food service program.

So only 10% of the kids that get free or reduced lunches at school are getting the same lunch benefits in the summer months.  We want to change that!  Our church and other churches in our town are banding together with others in the county and using the USDA's summer food service program to get those kids in need a free lunch Monday through Friday and perhaps a little fun too.  This summer EVERYONE gets feed!!!  This summer no one goes hungry!  This summer we will be the hands of the church, reaching out to make a difference in the lives of the children of our community.

J

Stop Knocking on Wood!  Call or email me to understand what your coverage is ... No matter who you're with, know what you have!

Be brave for one day and big things can happen!

It's Leap Day ... so do something brave, exciting and fun! Come on, it only comes around once every 4 years so this is a pretty special day. There are times when we need a little push to do something that takes some guts.

Stores advertise that the deals are "limited time only", car dealers shout "once in a lifetime offer", but they are all just trying to help you get brave for a moment, so you will feel that this time is special and commemorate it with a purchase.

Leap Day is a day to be brave ... so commemorate it with some action that you've been holding back on.  Just shut your eyes and jump (figuratively speaking of course).  You can feel safe in knowing that you need not think about it again for 4 full years.

Try the weird food, go on the big trip, sing in public, ask the girl (or guy) out, be brave for one day!  The payout is big, even though the weird food might suck, the big trip might be boring, the song may not get good reviews, the girl (or guy) may say no.  But, it might just be great and turn out better than you ever thought, so go on give it a try.

Happy Leap Day!

J

Is State minimum Auto insurance enough for you?           No!

Click here and lets talk about what you really need to protect you and your family.

Remember the Alamo and Fire the Cannon!

On this day in 1836, in San Antonio, Texas, in an old Spanish mission and fortress called the Alamo, Colonel William Travis issues an answer to General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana's call for surrender with a bold shot from the Alamo's cannon.

That started a battle that emboldened all Texans and while it ended in a devastating lose at the Alamo, the small rebel force inflicted heavy losses on the huge Mexican Army and gave Texas and American the battle cry, " Remember the Alamo!"

One hundred and seventy six years ago today Texas began an new life as an independent state.  Interestingly enough, one hundred and thirty four years and one day from that date my wife started her new life, here on earth. 

I'm grateful to the men at the Alamo for their bravery, and strength of conviction but even more I'm grateful to God that he thought ahead and gave my wife those same qualities.  It's rare to find people of such high moral character and when we do we want to be close to them as long as possible, just in case some of it will rub off on us.  We crave the thrill they bring to the world by their strict belief in right and wrong and their "line in the sand" attitude even in the face of difficult and over whelming odds.

We are lucky to have had great men like those at the Alamo in our country's history and I'm lucky to have had my wife as a friend for all these years, I'm better for it.

Happy Birthday!

J

Few things in life are certain ... make sure your family is protected!