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Top 4 Benefits of Homeowners Insurance

There’s a lot going on when you’re buying a home. Trying to figure out the benefits of homeowners insurance shouldn’t add to that list, so we wanted to spell it out in a short article.

 

Benefit of Homeowners Insurance #1: It Lets You Own

One of the most important things to consider about homeowners insurance is that it’s required. According to the Insurance Information Institute, homeowners insurance is required by lenders because they want to protect their investment.

For example, let’s say a lender gave you a loan and let you go ahead and borrow the money without any insurance. Everything is fine for a few years… but someone accidentally leaves food in the oven and leaves the house. This causes a fire and it’s a total loss. The entire house is gone.

If there’s no insurance, that means you have to pony up all the money yourself to rebuild the home. Not only that, but you’re still paying off the loan from the lender! Do you have that type of money? The vast majority of us don’t. So you may choose to just walk away from the house and the loan.

Now the lender is in a tough spot. They have a loan with you that you aren’t paying. They can’t repossess the home because there’s nothing to repossess! It’s just an empty lot.

If you had insurance, this would be a different situation. The homeowners insurance would pay for the house to get rebuilt. You now have a brand new home and the lender has a home that is a tangible asset they can sell off in case you default on the loan.

So to summarize – the #1 benefit of homeowners insurance is it lets you buy a home!

 

Benefit of Homeowners Insurance #2: Peace of Mind

That scenario we just outlined would be devastating to go through. Could you imagine losing your entire home? Not only that – but if you didn’t have any insurance to rebuild the home, that means you now have double trouble. You don’t have a home and you don’t know how you’re going to afford another one – on top of filling it with a bunch of possessions again.

With homeowners insurance, you don’t need to worry about that. If something bad happens, you know you’re covered. Whether it’s something small or a complete loss, you’re covered. The company will cover both damage to the home and the possessions inside.

No, some things can’t be replaced. But at least you can get replacements for things like your furniture, appliances, etc.

 

Benefit of House Insurance #3: External Structures are Covered

Did you know that external structures can be covered by your homeowners insurance? Typically the value is up to 10% of the value of the home, so that’d come out to about $30,000 on a home worth $300,000. That can cover a lot of different things!

  • A fence around the property
  • A shed, maybe one you kept tools in
  • A detached garage

For some people, this may not be a big deal. But if you have a big external garage or shed with a bunch of stuff inside, you’ll be glad your homeowners insurance covers it in case it’s all damaged, stolen, etc.

 

Benefit of Homeowners Insurance #4: Loss of Use Insurance

Let’s say there’s an incident where water floods across the home. A ton of work has to be done – carpet needs to be ripped up, you need new drywall and insulation, etc.

Do you want to live in a house with that much renovation going on? Probably not. Luckily, loss of use insurance saves the day. Your insurance company will pay for your hotel and meal expenses so you can stay in a hotel until the work is done.

Is living in a hotel fun? Not really, but it beats living in the middle of a renovation project!

 

We Can Help

Would you like a homeowners insurance quote? We’d love to help! Just give us a call at 877-600-7347 or click here to request a quote. Talk to you soon!

 

 

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Bundling Home and Auto Insurance Policies

Thinking you want to bundle insurance, but aren’t sure if it’s the right move? Here are a few reasons why we generally recommend it.

 

Bundle Insurance to Save Money

The main reason to bundle insurance is to save a pretty penny. Since you have to get auto insurance and home insurance anyways, why not find a way to get a good deal? Bundling insurance generally provides that. According to this article on Forbes, you can save between 5% to 25% by bundling insurance.

The insurance company is able to give you a better rate because it’s kind of like shopping at Costco. You are essentially buying a higher volume of insurance, so you get a high volume discount.

That said, the amount of money you save by combining your auto insurance and car insurance will vary from state to state. The thing is, you don’t really know how much you can save until you actually go request a quote. You may live in a state that will let you get a great deal, or you may live in a state where the savings don’t add up to much.

The good news is there is more than one reason to bundle insurance.

 

Bundling Insurance Makes it Easier on You

Anyone who has experienced a meal with multiple young kids knows how hard it can be to please everyone. One kid loves pizza, the other hates it. The little girl wants apple juice but the boy only drinks milk.

This kind of divide puts the adults in a bad spot. Do they give one kid what they want, making the other one frustrated? Or do they take the time to make two different foods to keep everyone happy?

The ideal in this situation – just like with your insurance – is to be able to simplify things as much as possible. You want all of the kids to eat the exact same food so you aren’t dealing with two different dishes on the stove. Likewise, bundling insurance means you only have to work with one insurance company instead of two.

Get in a car accident? No problem – you know who to call, and they know you since you have multiple policies with them.

Have a hail storm and need a new roof? Again, no problem – your trusted agency is there to help.

 

Bundle Insurance to Simplify Your Life

Let’s face it – most Americans live busy lives. School, work, extracurriculars, family, friends, side hustles, hobbies – we have a lot going on. Even during COVID, people were finding ways to get out of the house all the time.

Sometimes the busyness of our lives can get overwhelming and we want to simplify things. Instead of eating different foods all the time, maybe you come up with a meal plan where you eat the same things most days. Instead of going to different events every weekend, maybe you pick your favorites and chill on the others instead of being on the go all the time.

Bundle home and auto insurance to simplify your life. You go from two payments to one. You only have one company to talk to if something comes up or you have questions about your policies. You only have one password to remember (or save somewhere) instead of two.

 

We Can Help

Want more information on how to bundle insurance? Give us a call at (877) 600-7347 or send us an email at info@partnersdirectins.com. We’ll guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have.

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What is Boat Insurance and What Does it Cover?

Want to know a bit about boat insurance? Maybe you’re thinking about buying a boat. Or you’ve already bought one and realized you should probably find a way to protect yourself from financial loss. With 87 million Americans boating every year, there are a lot of people in your shoes. 

The good news is by the time you’re done reading this blog post, you’ll know the key aspects and be able to move forward.

 

What is Boat Insurance?

The whole concept of insurance is that you make relatively small, regular premium payments to help protect yourself from loss. You pay car insurance so that if you get in an accident, your insurance can pay for the major damages. Insurance may also pay at least some of the medical bills if the accident caused an injury. Additionally, insurance covers stolen vehicles.

Boat insurance is similar to car insurance. It’s a way for you to protect yourself in case you end up having your boat damaged or stolen.

 

What Types of Boats Can Have Boat Insurance?

If your boat has a motor, you should probably consider getting a boat insurance quote. 

Do you have a fishing boat to zip around the lake so you can catch “the big one?” Perhaps you’re more of a pontoon boat person and you like to just cruise around? Some people love powerboats so they can do water sports like skiing or wakeboarding. People with a need-for-speed enjoy racing on jet skis.

All of those are covered by boat insurance.

 

How Much Does Boat Insurance Cost?

The short answer to this question is “it depends”. For example, insurance on a small fishing boat will be much less expensive than a cabin cruiser or $60,000 pontoon boat. In general, the best boat insurance will cost you around $200 to $500 depending on factors like the value of the boat, what type it is, the add-ons you include, etc.

 

What Does Boat Insurance Cover?

Every policy is different, but here are the main types of coverage:

Comprehensive  – this is the part that covers you if your boat gets vandalized or stolen. If you have an incident besides an accident, it can fall under this as well.

Collision – just as you’d expect, this is what pays for damages due to some kind of collision.

Bodily injury liability – while it’s unfortunate that boats get damaged during accidents, what’s worse is people getting hurt. In 2019 over 2,500 boating injuries were reported. Unfortunately, this can happen, and you’ll want the bodily injury liability coverage to help pay the costs associated with injuries.

Property damage liability – this is covering the other person’s property. So let’s say you get into an accident with another boat and it was your fault. In that case, property damage liability will pay for damages.

 

What are Boat Insurance Add-Ons?

The best boat insurance for you may be different from one that of your neighbor. Even if you have the exact same boat, you may want different add-ons.

Here are a few things you can include as part of your main policy.

Uninsured boaters – let’s say you get into an accident with another boat. It was their fault but they don’t have insurance to pay for the damages. In that case, you’ll be glad you invested in a policy with uninsured boater coverage! 

Boat and trailer roadside assistance – what happens if your truck breaks down while hauling your boat? Unless you have the right type of roadside assistance, the local towing company will probably leave your boat and trailer on the side of the road! That’s why it can make sense to pay a bit more for this extra coverage.

Emergency assistance – think about this as roadside assistance for your boat. If your engine dies while you’re out in the middle of the lake, this type of coverage gets someone to come out and help.

Pet insurance  – yes, you can cover Fido while they’re out on the boat with you.

There are other types of add-ons too such as hurricane hauling services or wreckage and fuel removal. We recommend asking your agent what they recommend for your situation.

 

We Can Help

Now that you know the basics, are you ready to get a boat insurance quote? The best way to start is by filling out this form and we’ll be in touch very soon!

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Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Need a few last-minute Father’s Day gift ideas? No problem – we’ve got you covered. We grouped these ideas by categories – hopefully, that special man in your life fits into one of these. 

 

For the Dad who Loves Coffee 

Let’s face it – hot, caffeinated drinks are amazing. 70% of Americans drink coffee every week and 62% drink it every day! It’s also reported that the average is more than 3 cups per day. 

 

If you have a coffee drinker in your life, here are a few gift ideas for them:

  • Iced coffee maker – there are a few ways to make iced coffee. Some- such as using an ice coffee maker – work great. Others- such as just pouring hot coffee over ice – don’t work so well, since it dilutes the black gold. Go with the former and invest in an iced coffee maker so it tastes great. 
  • French Press or AeroPress – does Dad usually use a regular drip coffee maker? Consider trying something new, such as a French press or AeroPress coffee maker. They both make coffee taste better and go down smoother. Dad will appreciate it!
  • Travel mug – these are great for all Dads. On the road for 5 days a week for business? Retired but loves to get out of the house to visit friends or family? Maybe Dad likes to do outdoor activities like camp or fish. A travel mug works for all of these situations and more. 

For the Dad Who Loves Tools

Let’s face it – not every man wants to be a handyman. But most men do love having their own tools! When they have to fix something, they don’t want to go out and buy a new tool or borrow one from the neighbors. 

 

  • Magnetic small parts bowl – nuts and bolts have a nasty habit of walking away. These small bowls help prevent that from happening so Dad doesn’t lose his stuff!
  • Wet-dry vacuum – these are super handy to have around. Most of us don’t need to vacuum up water many times in our lives… but when we do, we need one of these. They’re also great for vacuuming out cars. 
  • Multi-sets – most Dads have gotten at least one set of screwdrivers, sockets, etc. for Christmas at some point. But there’s a reason for that – sometimes tools can walk away. If Dad struggles to find the tools he needs sometimes – screwdrivers for example – this is a great gift. 

For the Dad Who Loves to Relax

Most Dads like to sit back and relax one way or another. Here are a few ideas:

 

  • Rocking chair – what’s better than sitting outside on a nice evening in a rocking chair with a loved one? Answer: not much. 
  • Pajama pants or shorts – there’s a psychological shift when you put on your pajama pants or shorts in the evening. Dads always appreciate a great pair of these to help them kick back in comfort.
  • Amazon Kindle Paperwhite – this is a tablet designed for reading eBooks. Yes, there is other functionality such as listening to audiobooks through Audible. But the technology is meant to look like a regular book so it’s great for reading outside in bright sunlight. On the flip side, it’s back lit so you can read it in the dark too. 

Celebrate Dad 

We hope this list of Father’s Day gift ideas was helpful! You know that special someone the best, so our best advice is to think about what he likes as you shop for him. 

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Memorial Day History

Do you know the history of Memorial Day? For some people, Memorial Day gives them a 3-day weekend to spend time with friends and family. While that’s great, it’s also important for us to remember the history of Memorial Day and the reason behind it. Read on to learn about this often misunderstood national holiday.

 

What is Memorial Day?

Taking place on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day is unofficially known as the beginning of summer. It’s heating up outside, kids are almost done with school, and people are excited about enjoying the outdoors more.

 

Because Memorial Day offers a 3-day weekend for most people, it’s seen as a great opportunity to travel. Some people take vacation on Friday, giving them the chance to have a 4-day weekend. Others stay home and plan a big Memorial Day cookout.

 

But that’s not what Memorial Day is all about. The point is to remember the men and women of our military who died in service to our country. They gave the ultimate sacrifice so we can have more freedom than many other people get to enjoy.

 

How Memorial Day Started

The American Civil War was brutal and claimed more American lives than any other war before it. To pay tribute to these fallen soldiers, Americans would decorate the graves of these men with flowers and pray over them.

 

In Waterloo, New York, the first Memorial Day was celebrated on May 5, 1866, one year after the Civil War had ended. Not only did people put flowers on the graves of these fallen soldiers, but Waterloo also turned it into a community-wide event. Businesses shut down for the day.

 

A few years later, General Jon A. Logan called for a national day of remembrance. He determined it would be May 30th. He called it Decoration Day. He chose that day because no particular battle had happened on that date in the past. On Decoration Day, 5,000 people came out to decorate the graves of soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. This movement continued to grow in the northern states over the next few years.

 

While the original focus was on remembering soldiers who had died in the Civil War, the U.S. expanded the holiday to honor fallen soldiers from subsequent wars including World War I and II, the Vietnam War, and Korean War. Decoration Day, which eventually came to be called Memorial Day, was still held on May 30th.

 

How Memorial Day Changed from May 30th to the Last Monday

In 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was passed by Congress, changing Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. It went into effect in 1971. This essentially did two things at the same time.

 

First, it turned this day into an official national holiday. Up until that time, Congress hadn’t been involved and it had been more of a tradition than an actual holiday. Second, this gave federal employees, including the armed forces, a 3-day weekend at the end of May.

 

Conclusion

For some people, Memorial Day is just a day of firing up the barbeque with friends or a good opportunity to travel. While it’s nice to be able to spend time with friends and family, it’s important for us to also remember the history of Memorial Day and the real reason why it exists. It’s a chance for us to stop working and reflect on how blessed we are because thousands of men and women paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

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Celebrate Earth Day by Mastering These 3 Tips

Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd. Let’s celebrate this important day by going over a few things you can do to help keep our planet beautiful and safe to live on.

 

Earth Day Tip #1: Use Fewer Plastics

Plastic is a huge part of our culture. It’s a miraculous invention that makes it easy to carry and store food, drinks, cosmetics, toiletries, etc. The problem is the ratio of time plastic is used vs. the time it takes to decompose, especially with materials considered to be disposable plastics.

For example, take plastic bags you get at the grocery store. You might use them for a total of about 3 minutes:

  • 1 minute of loading them from the grocery store counter to your cart
  • 1 minute of loading them from the cart to your car
  • 1 minute of loading them from your car to your kitchen counter

Once the food is unloaded, you’re done with them. Sure, some people reuse them for other things or recycle them at their local grocery store. However, recycling plastic bags isn’t easy, and most people are just throwing them away. Now you’ve used these bags for 3 minutes, but it will take 500 years for that bag to decompose in a landfill. Plus, it doesn’t completely break down – it will end up leaving microplastics that pollute the environment.

That’s just one example. Plastic straws, silverware, styrofoam trays, and cups are other plastic items we use for a short period of time but would take a very long time to degrade.

 

Earth Day Tip #2: Eat Locally Grown Food

When you take a trip to the grocery store, you’ll probably find food produced from all over the country. For processed foods, there isn’t much you can do. The companies have plants in certain places and may not have something local.

Some foods such as dairy, meat or produce are different. You can probably buy from local suppliers, which is beneficial in several ways:

  • Fewer carbon emissions were required to transport the food
  • The food is fresher and healthier for you
  • It supports your local community

It’s a win-win-win.

Where do you get locally grown food? Google is your best friend. You may be able to find certain stores nearby that provide locally grown food, go to farmers markets or buy directly from a nearby farm.

 

Earth Day Tip #3: Donate Money and Time

The last thing we recommend is donating some of your money and/or time to an environmental organization.

As you do your research to determine which organizations are worth your money or time, you’ll learn a lot:

  • You’ll learn more about the environmental challenges we are facing
  • You’ll learn how organizations are fighting back against the negative environmental impacts we’re having
  • You’ll feel a sense of pride knowing you are doing a good thing for yourself, your family, and mankind as a whole

There are a lot of great organizations out there, so we can’t recommend just one or two. But this is somewhere else where you can learn a lot with a few internet searches.

 

Conclusion

Let’s use Earth Day to remind us how important our environment is. We only have one Earth – we need to take care of it!

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St. Patrick’s Day Crafts for Kids

Wondering what kind of St. Patrick’s Day crafts you can do to keep the kids entertained and make it fun for them? Maybe you want a sweet treat they can munch on while making the crafts? You’ve come to the right place.

Why do St. Patrick’s Day Kids Activities and Crafts?

Most kids like being creative and making things with their hands. That’s why doing some kind of crafts will usually go over pretty well with them.

It’s a win-win for everyone:

  • The kids are engaged and learning something new.
  • It’s something you and your child can do together
  • Everyone gets a little more creative and exposed to something fun
  • You end up with a tangible craft the kids can play with, decorate their room with, etc.
  • It kids your kids away from a screen (video games, tablets, etc.)

The best news is these crafts don’t need to be too difficult.

Easy Craft Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day

In no particular order, here are a few things you can try.

Toilet Paper Roll Stamp

Cardboard tubes like toilet paper rolls are a crafty parent’s best friend. You can do all kinds of things with them – today, it’ll be turned into a “stamp” that can be used to help your kids make shamrocks.

First, fold in part of the roll so when you look through the tube, it’s the shape of a heart. Put a piece of tape across where you just pushed it in to hold the heart shape.

Now that you have your stamp, dip it into some green paint. Stamp the green paint onto some construction paper 3 times, putting the bottoms of the hearts touching each other. This gives you a shamrock shape – you just need to add the stem and color the leaves!

Rainbow Binoculars

This craft is more proof that a toilet paper roll is a great tool for crafty parents. For this project, you’ll need

  • Two toilet paper rolls
  • Six pieces of construction paper (purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red)
  • Tape
  • Ribbon

First, tape the toilet paper rolls together, side by side. Make sure the ends are even with each other.

Next, cut the construction paper into strips and put the red strip around one end. Tape the ends together on the bottom.

Put the orange strip next to red, again taping at the bottom. Continue with the rest of the colors in order: yellow, green, blue, and purple.

The ribbon is optional but we recommend it. It’s a way for your child to hang the binoculars around their neck, so cut a decent length – about 2-3 feet – and tape the two ends to the binoculars.

Paper Plate Leprechaun

For this one, you’ll need

  • Green, black and yellow construction paper construction paper
  • A paper plate
  • Orange paint
  • A black marker or crayons

First, turn the paper plate upside down and paint the outside “frills” orange.

Next, use your marker to draw the leprechaun’s eyes, nose, and mouth.

Use your construction paper to cut out a hat. You need 4 things to make the hat:

  • The tall part (a wide rectangle)
  • The brim (can be a narrow rectangle or oval)
  • The belt (a small black rectangle that goes across the tall part)
  • The buckle (a small yellow square with a hole in the middle that goes on the belt)

Attach the hat to your plate and voila! You have your leprechaun.

St. Patrick’s Day Cookies

Who doesn’t love a good cookie? For this, we recommend keeping it easy.

  • Make your favorite sugar cookie dough
  • Get some St. Patrick’s Day cookie cutters (leprechauns, shamrocks, horseshoes, rainbows, etc.)
  • Use the cookie cutters to make the shapes you want
  • Add frosting to the tops of the cookies after they’re done baking

Simple but effective!

We hope you enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day!

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Celebrating Black History Month

It’s February, and in the United States, that means it’s Black History Month. It’s a time where we spend time reflecting on everything the black community has done for not only the U.S. but the world at large.

History of Black History Month

Every U.S. President since 1976 has recognized February as Black History Month. The roots of this movement are from 1915 when the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) was created. In 1926, the group sponsored a National Negro History Week in the second week of February. That timeframe was chosen due to the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

Every year following, the movement garnered more attention and recognition, until the 1960s when it became what we now celebrate as Black History Month.

How Do You Celebrate Black History Month?

Now that you know a bit about the history, here are a few ways you can support and celebrate this event.

Learn about prominent Black leaders – when you first read that, you probably thought of names like Barack Obama, Rosa Parks, or Martin Luther King, Jr. However, there are so many more names that should be added to that list, including authors, politicians, inventors, actors, and business owners.

Support black-owned businesses – this is one that most people are willing to get behind but have trouble with. How do you know if you’re supporting a black-owned business? One option is to search for the hashtag #blackowned and see what types of businesses pop up. You can also ask around on social media. Your friends, family, and neighbors may also be able to point you in the right direction.

Watch documentaries – these days you can find some great documentaries to learn more about the black community and history, like on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and more.

Read books about black history or from black authors – books are a great way to celebrate Black History Month. If you buy a nonfiction book on the topic, you can learn a lot. If you choose to buy any book from a black author – whether fiction or not – you’re also supporting BHM.

Visit museums – see if any of your local museums have information on Black History Month. If not – or even if they do and you go visit them – you can also check out virtual museums. Thanks to COVID, more and more museums are expanding their offerings to include services like these.

Listen to music from black artists – there are a lot of black musicians out there in all genres of music. You can either choose to listen to them from a streaming service or purchase their music.

Conclusion

Black History Month is a great time of year for us to learn new things and do something different. Maybe you hardly ever watch documentaries, but this month is a good time to watch a few to learn something new and take a break from your favorite sitcom. Or maybe you’ll find a new personal hero as you learn about prominent black leaders from history. No matter how you choose to celebrate and support BHM, you’ll be glad you did.

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2021 Financial New Year’s Resolutions

What are your 2021 New Year’s Resolutions? If you don’t already have resolutions in the financial space – or even if you do – here are a few to consider taking up.

New Year’s Resolution #1: Build an Emergency Fund

If nothing else, 2020 proved to us that life is unpredictable. Even huge, profitable industries such as restaurants, events and travel can be brought to their knees by something like a virus.

That’s why an emergency fund is critical. It exists for one reason: to pay for these unexpected things that will come up in your life.

  • You lose your job or your partner loses theirs
  • Your parent gets sick and you need to take care of them
  • The car breaks down
  • Your HVAC system stops working
  • Your dog gets bit and needs care from the vet

This stuff happens. When it does, you need an emergency fund to pay for it. How do you build an emergency fund? The easiest way is to have money sent directly from your paycheck into the savings account. What doesn’t hit your checking (and you don’t see) you don’t spend.

New Year’s Resolution #2: Pay Down Debt

Debt is a horrible weight on our shoulders that we’re constantly carrying around.

Keep in mind this isn’t just “bad debt” like credit card debt. All kinds of debt- from student loans to car payments to mortgages – are obligations that cause extra stress in your life.

Can you pay off everything in one fell swoop? Probably not – although that’s impressive if you can.

But even if you can’t do it all at once, set a resolution to pay a lot of it off this year. Maybe you can finish paying off that student loan. Or your car has 15 months of payments left, and you think you can find the money to get it paid off in 12.

The key to paying off debt is to be aggressive about it. The faster you pay it down, the more money you can dedicate towards the principal instead of just the interest.

New Year’s Resolution #3: Set a Goal for Retirement Saving

How much money did you save for retirement in 2020? If you’re like a lot of people, that was the least of your worries. Maybe you lost your job so you were just trying to pay the bills. Or you got sick and ended up with a lot of medical bills.

Either way – consider setting a goal for retirement saving this year. Even though retirement may be a long ways away, it pays to save now. Let your money grow so you have enough in retirement to live.

Can you save $100 a month? That comes out to $1,200 over the course of a year.

Maybe you could save $200 a month? Now you’re at $2,400, which is a nice chunk of change!

New Year’s Resolution #4: Cut Down on Bills

How do you get the money for these other things we’ve talked about? The best place to start is by lowering your monthly expenses. Consider not going out to eat quite as often. Cut the cable bill and go with a streaming service instead. Get quotes on insurance to lower your monthly premiums- I’m sure we can save you some money. Just send us an email at info@partnersdirectins.com and we’ll see how we can help.

Conclusion

2020 was a rough year, but 2021 can be incredible. To make sure that happens, set some great financial resolutions for yourself. Happy New Year!

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Tips to Safely Celebrate Christmas

Christmas is right around the corner, and celebrating during the pandemic will be different. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Plan Ahead to Avoid COVID this Christmas

The first thing to do is simply plan ahead. Here are two things to consider as you begin your holiday plans.

Are COVID rates increasing in my destination’s area? If so, you will need to be extra cautious once you get there.

Am I or someone I live with considered a high risk individual? COVID isn’t fun for anyone, but certain people groups such as seniors and those with existing medical conditions are at higher risk than others.

The reason you should think about people that live with you is even if they stay home for the holidays, you don’t want to end up bringing the virus back to them.

Tips to Stay Healthy While Traveling for Christmas

Whether you’re driving or flying, there are a few general principles to follow to help you stay safe and healthy while on your way to and from your destination.

Please wear a mask – The topic of wearing masks is still hot. A lot of people feel like having to wear a mask is encroaching on their freedoms. Please do it to protect yourself, your loved ones and people around you.

Stop as few times as possible – The more often you stop, the more likely you are to be exposed to the virus. This doesn’t mean you need to completely avoid stopping, but see what you can do to minimize the pit stops.

Bring your own food – One way to minimize the number of times you stop is to bring your own food. Nonperishables such as chips, pretzels, protein bars or granola bars are great. You can also bring some stuff in a cooler.

Stop at restaurants with drive-through or curbside service – When you stop for a meal, avoid going inside and sitting down at a table. Opt for drive-through or curbside pickup instead.

Bring hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes – Anytime you have to touch something that a lot of other people do, you’ll want to be prepared to sanitize your hands. For example, you can sanitize the gas pump with a disinfectant wipe before using it. Then after you’re done, use your hand sanitizer. It may seem excessive, but in these crazy times it doesn’t hurt to be extra cautious.

Being Safe at Your Destination

You don’t need to completely avoid Grandma for the entire trip. But we do recommend you avoid excessive close contact with her.

For example, maybe you live in an area where it’s warm enough to hold activities outside. Someone with a big backyard can host, or you can find a local park.

Another thing you can do is try to maintain 6 feet of distance most of the time. That way you aren’t breathing each other’s air constantly and potentially exposing each other to the virus.

Conclusion

This Christmas will look a bit different this year, but it can still be a great time to see family and friends. Just be careful out there!

 

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