Advice

The best piece of advice that I can give you today is open your mail.  I am not talking junk-mail.  I am talking about those standard things you get from you car note or your insurance company. 

I have become lazy and rip them open with my finger.  Peek inside (not even removing from the envelope) then throw it in a pile.  Well - its insurance time.  When all the policies have come due.  I have become lazy because I don't pay them.  I pay my mortgage company and they pay them.  So - when I see "this is not a bill" I say - "ok" and pile them away.

So - I am looking into refinancing so I have become interested in how much it cost me to insure my stuff. 

Well first off - I just got a new car.  I received a statement for the old one.  I would have been inclined to throw it away.  I dont have that old car anymore.  Well - it was a cancellation notice with a little "check of love" in it.  I almost threw it away.  And - State farm would have never said anything.  Or placed the credit towards my new car, because duhhhh they already sent me a check.

Second mail flub - this is a biggie.  Some of you know I live near a LARGE body of water.  So they MAKE you get flood insurance.  Just in case a huge wave flys over the big condos and floats my way.  Never paid attention.  I dont pay it (well I do - but since I dont write a check I don't ever look at the bill).  Well - I open - scan - jaw drops to the floor.  If in fact it rains and the ocean decides to do a back flow into my home I only get 10% of my homes value to fix it and you know the furniture and stuff that would be the first to get ruined by the litter box they call they ocean...$1000.00. 

"Hey, Rooms to Go guy, can you outfit my home after this flood I had for one grand?" (can you hear the laughter??)

So I call them - "Uh, did you miss a digit or two or three?" "No, its been like that since the beginning (going on 4 years!).  But - call this man and for a small fee he will come over and we will figure out what we can overcharge ( oh - I am sorry charge) you to increase the number to fit your needs.

(Smacking myself in the head - whap, whap whap) There goes my "check of love".

Then the final one was a HUGE package from another insurance agent - Its the policy they send you every year with all the changes that they made (you can understand it so off it goes in the pile).  So it starts.. Its legalease - blah blah blah. "Sign here and return as soon as possible because your WINDSTORM (hurricane policy) has been REASSIGNED and you will get a CREDIT if you return this to us so we can notify your Mortgage company.  FAILURE  to comply will leave your policy "NULL AND VOID" (which means no hurricane coverage). 

(Smacking myself in head again)

Read your mail!!!