Queercents

Self employment offers many benefits. You can be your own boss, set your own hours, and even control your income to some extent. Unfortunately, it also means walking away from corporate benefits, including health insurance, 401K plans and more. While you can easily save for retirement with an IRA, finding good quality and affordable health insurance for you and your family is much more of a challenge. Explore your options and consider what you can do to keep critical health care protection in place without draining your bank account.

If you are just starting your own business, you may be able to continue health care coverage from your previous employer for up to 18 months using COBRA. This option can be cost effective, depending upon the insurance plan. It can also prevent any lapse of coverage. In any case, this is a short term solution to a long term issue for entrepreneurs and the self employed.

Health insurance can be purchased via an online or in person insurance broker, much like home owner’s insurance or auto insurance. Insurance brokers can assist you in finding a plan that meets your needs for the best price available. Include only services that you will need and use in your coverage, if at all possible. A single man has no need for maternity coverage. Consider joining a trade or small business association for group plan options. Some trade associations offer group health insurance or discounts on individual plans. You might also consider checking with your state. In some states, health insurance plans may be purchased directly through the state for individuals without access to group plans.

Many entrepreneurs opt for catastrophic care coverage. These plans have a higher deductible, but much lower premiums. While this sort of health insurance is not ideal for anyone with regular health care needs, it can be quite adequate for young and healthy individuals. Catastrophic care insurance can be combined with a Health Savings Account can provide an affordable alternative to more comprehensive insurance plans.

If you have pre-existing conditions that preclude purchasing standard health insurance, see if your state offers a guaranteed-issue plan. While treatment for your condition may not be covered, unrelated health issues may be.

See insureuonline.org/smallbusiness for further tips and information on health insurance for entrepreneurs, freelancers and others without access to group plans.

While the current economy has made starting a small business harder than ever, many people are considering venturing out on their own. A job loss or fears regarding job security may push a thought into action, but regardless of the motivation, learning how to access the funds to start your own small business is a critical first step. Where to get small business start up loans may depend upon how much you need, your credit, and what you intend to do.

The first place to start if you are considering a small business loan is sba.gov. The Small Business Administration offers resources for new entrepreneurs, including information about start up loans and financing. Once you have a basis of knowledge, you are ready to move on to considering your financing needs in more detail.

Make a business plan. This is a critical step, and no one will offer you small business financing without a plan. Consult entrepreneur.com for assistance with your business plan. Find out what legal steps are necessary to protect your home and assets when starting up your business and taking out small business loans. You should also secure any licenses or paperwork required. If bonding is necessary for your business, be aware that the Small Business Administration offers a bonding assistance program.

If you are starting a very small business, your start up costs may be quite low. Consider asking a family member or friend to invest in your new business, if you are comfortable doing so. A microloan of this nature can allow you to start your new business with less effort and stress. Be sure to create a loan agreement in writing, complete with terms in case your business does not succeed. Avoid these sorts of personal start up loans if you need a substantial sum.

Check the possibilities for community resources in your area. In some areas, financing assistance is available via a small, community organization. In some cases, these even specialize in helping new businesses get the financing they need, especially those in poor neighborhoods or with other qualifications. While loan amounts are typically smaller in these instances, they may offer loans with easier credit requirements and some start up grants may even be available.

If a small business start up loan is not available through any of the resources in your community and you have determined in your business plan that financing is critical, visit banks in your area. Ask about the borrowing terms for a small business loan. You should be aware that your personal credit will be relevant at this point and they are unlikely to lend to a borrower with poor credit.

Happy Groundhog Day, Queercents readers! It is I, your friendly neighborhood vlogger, back from hiatus with a new blog post on holiday credit card debt.

I know the holidays are long gone, but if you’re young and just went through your first holiday season without school as an excuse, you probably racked up the charges on your card. It’s okay. I wouldn’t recommend doing it again, but it’s understandable. You’re not alone! Millions of others do the same thing. The only thing is, millions of others are in credit card debt and don’t save any money. Don’t be like that! Nurture the sugar daddy within. And please, follow my advice, which follows below.

Do you ever feel like you’re uninspired in the kitchen? I’ve written about getting into a food rut before, but this is a constant challenge that all home cooks face from time to time. Food ruts can be dangerous, because it’s easy to start relying on convenience foods and restaurants to fill the void – and there goes the food budget.

One of my goals for 2010 is to try at least one new recipe each week. So far, I’ve been exceeding my goals. I’m so excited about trying new recipes that I’ve been making 2-3 new things each week. I’m still in the honeymoon phase of my New Year’s resolutions, but I think this one’s going to stick.

I think that one of the biggest hurdles that people face when they start cooking for themselves is the overwhelming fear that you’re going to fail. Don’t worry if a recipe doesn’t come out great – you don’t have to be perfect. Even experienced cooks make mistakes. Last week I made bowtie pasta with pesto and peas. Not the best thing I’ve ever eaten, but at least I tried something new. If you make a dish that doesn’t turn out the way you anticipated, just move on – it’s not the end of the world! Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine you’re a renter. You’ve been paying your rent faithfully every month. Then you come home from work one day to find an eviction notice on your door. Your landlord has defaulted on the property, a bank is the new landlord, and they’re forcing you to get out. What do you do?

For the past two years, the headlines have been dominated about housing foreclosures. One of the aspects of the foreclosure crisis that has received very little attention, however, is the role that rental properties have played in the housing slump. Many landlords have seen their properties go into foreclosure, and as a result, many tenants have found themselves in very dire straights. In Minneapolis alone, 65% of foreclosures have been on rental properties. Nationwide, it is estimated that 40% of people to lose their homes to foreclosure are renters. And according to a report by the Center for Responsible Lending, the number of rental properties going into foreclosure is expected to rise.

Fortunately, renters have very specific rights when it comes to the foreclosure process, thanks to a bill passed in April.

Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009
According to the Protesting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009, banks or owners who obtain a property through the foreclosure process do not have the right to evict a tenant if a lease is still in effect. The exception is if the new owner wants to live in the property. In this case, tenants have to be served 90 days notice – which is much longer than the typical eviction process. In summary:

• Leases would survive a foreclosure — meaning the tenant could stay at least until the end of the lease.  The lease survives and ends as it would had there been no foreclosure.
• Month-to-month tenants would be entitled to 90 days’ notice before having to move out
• Any state legislation that is more generous to tenants will not be preempted by the federal law
• These protections apply to Section 8 tenants, too

Relocation Assistance
If Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac owns the mortgage on a foreclosed property, renters should consider themselves lucky. Both agencies have vowed to assist renters with the relocation process by providing money to help renters pay security deposits and first months’ rent on a new place to live. The only way that a tenant would know the details of their landlords’ mortgage is to wait for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac to contact them. That can be a bit unsettling, because you may not have an exact time frame for that knock on the door. One real estate appraiser I talked to said that their office is so backlogged with foreclosed properties that it can often take 9-12 months before Fannie Mae takes action on a foreclosed property. However, the standard is that Fannie Mae will contact the tenant within 30 days of the property going into foreclosure.

To find out if you are eligible for rental or relocation assistance from Fannie Me, click here. Although Fannie Mae will allow you to sign a new month-to-month lease in order to keep people on the property, you should be aware that the property will be on the market, and that you would have to be willing to allow real estate agents to show the home.

If you’re living in a rental property that has undergone foreclosure, here’s wishing you the best as you and your family relocate.

Additional Resources:
NOLO
Legal Assistance Resource Center

I recently had dinner with a friend who asked me if I could teach her how to cook. She and her husband eat out every night because neither one of them knows how to cook, and it’s really taking its toll on their budget. “I need to know how to cook cheap, healthy food, and it has to be easy.” I think it’s great that she has specific goals in mind, and I’m really excited to help her achieve them.

One of the first things to consider when you are learning how to cook is making a meal plan. A healthy meal has three components: protein, starch (aka “carbs”), and fruits/vegetables. If you think of your dinner plate as a map, half of your plate should consist of fruits/vegetables, and the other half is equally divided between protein and starch.

I know that many of us are avoiding carbs like the plague, but complex carbohydrates really are the cornerstone of a healthy diet. The key to carbs in picking whole grains. For instance, brown rice is healthy than white rice. Sweet potatoes are better for you than white potatoes. And wheat bread is healthier than white bread. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s the New Year, and many of us are making resolutions for 2010. My 2010 goals are very similar to last year, but I’ve added some new goals, too:

• Track all my expenses
• Spend $350 a month or less on food
• Put $200 a month in savings
• Try one new recipe each week
• Write every day
• Read every day
• Meet my goal weight of 165
• Practice daily spirituality

The goal of putting more money into savings is going to be a challenge, but it’s a challenge that I am excited to meet.  It will mean slashing our entertainment expenses and keeping our utility costs in check, but I would much rather see our money going into savings than into the coffers of the electric company.

The first book that I am reading for the new year is Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. The book has a lot of information in it about the belief that your thoughts can literally effect the outcome of events. Although the book is fictional, it has a basis in reality. A few years ago the film “The Secret” enjoyed a wave of popularity, and many people, Oprah included, were turned onto the idea of sending positive intentions out in to the universe in order to attract abundance into their lives.

The basic premise is that our thoughts are like magnets that have the ability to attract actual matter. It’s simply a question of switching your mindset and the way that you think about your life. For example, if you constantly think about all the debt that you have, you are going to be attracting more debt, because that is the energy that you are sending out into the universe. However, if you flip the script and start expressing gratitude for your ability to meet your needs, you will start attracting more prosperity. Read the rest of this entry »

As the New Year approaches, many of us are reevaluating our budgets, looking at our goals from the past year, and setting resolutions for the year to come. Maybe you stuck to all of your goals, and maybe you fell off the wagon near the end of the year. Either way, January is a great time to recommit to fiscal responsibility.

Setting a food budget is an important part of your overall budget. Unlike your rent, insurance, or cell phone bill, your food budget is unlikely to be a fixed amount each month. You have more flexibility with this spending category, but that can be both a pro, and a con. How do you decide what a realistic number is for your household’s food budget?

Each year the USDA compiles statistics about the average cost of food in the US, and it offers guidelines for families to help them set a realistic food budget. In 2009, the average household of two probably spent $350 – $450 a month if they were on a thrifty or low-cost eating plan. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been doing a lot of research lately about cell phone providers because my contract with AT&T expired several months ago. I want to find the best deal possible, but I also want to make sure that the money I pay the phone company each month isn’t going towards political causes that hurt the gay community.

A recent issue of Consumer Reports rates the four major cell phone providers in the US in terms of cost, service coverage, and overall customer satisfaction. Verizon rates the highest in terms of customer satisfaction and cost. AT&T is the best in terms of smart phones and internet accessibility. Sprint and T Mobile are at the bottom of the barrel in every category. The article also compared the major service providers against pre-paid cell phone services and found that for customers who simply want phone service without any of the bells and whistles, pre-paid service is a very suitable option.

The article did not, however, factor in the question of politics. Queercents readers have often been asked if they would boycott a company if it supported anti-gay causes, regardless of whether or not they were cheaper than a gay-friendly company. The feedback has been mixed, but pretty heavily in favor of boycotting anti-gay companies. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re in a rush to get some last minute gifts together, either for a friend or a coworker, or you just want to get down with your bad self in the kitchen, fudge is an awesome holiday present. Although the fudge is easy to prepare, you do want to budget enough time for the candy to cool before you cut it and package it up. I would plan to make the fudge the night before you plan to give it away.

Here’s a recipe for grown up fudge. Just a few tips before you get started. For starters, use a larger saucepan than you think you will actually need. Think twice as big. The first time I made fudge, I ended up with hot chocolate lava all over the stove, counter, and kitchen floor because I didn’t use a big enough pan.

Second, you’re going to need a kitchen thermometer that reads up to 236°. (This is not the same kind of thermometer that you use to take your temperature.) You should really consider keeping one in your kitchen, anyway, so that you can ensure that you’re cooking meat to the proper temperature. Maybe you already have one with your BBQ grill. If you’re got a digital thermometer, you won’t need to calibrate the thermometer before you get started. The easiest way to calibrate your thermometer is to stick it into a glass of ice water and set the needle to 32° when the needle stops moving on its own. And always make sure you sanitize your thermometer before and after each use.

OK, now for the good part: the fudge! Oh, did I mention that this recipe is vegan? Read the rest of this entry »