Susie Skog knows Lake Norman Real Estate Inside Out

Buying life insurance can seem like a difficult and expensive endeavor if you havent done it before. Both can be overcome if you have a good insurance agent.

Here are nine ways to save on life insurance, all of which you should ask your agent about:

1. Dont smoke: Smokers are more likely to die younger than nonsmokers, making smoking one of the biggest health risks and reasons to have higher insurance rates " at least double that of a nonsmoker.
2. Weigh less: Your height and weight are an indication of the probability of illness or death, so you want your weight to be at a healthy proportion to your height, as measured with a BMI calculator.
3. Avoid risky behaviors: Risky behaviors such as race car driving, scuba diving and flying a plane are considered hazardous hobbies that increase the chance youll die or have an accident. If youre going to keep doing those things, you may need a rider on your policy to exclude benefits if you are injured or die while doing them. Being a good driver can help lower your life insurance premium.
4. No expensive riders: You can also add riders to a policy for activities, though the riders can be expensive and go beyond the life insurance basics of insuring your life for your familys sake.
5. Improve your credit: Your credit score may be used to determine the probability of maintaining the insurance policy. A good credit record can help you get the best insurance rates.
6. Shop around: Shopping around is a smart idea for many purchases, including life insurance. If you have a health condition, such as diabetes, then insurance rates can vary widely by insurer.
7. Buy young: Dont wait to buy life insurance. Every year you wait, your insurance costs rise.
8. Lower the death benefit: The total amount of the death benefit helps determine the premium. Obviously, a $1 million death benefit costs more than a $250,000 one. But choose it carefully. Your beneficiaries may have a difficult time if you dont leave them enough money, and too much money can cost you a lot more in higher premiums.
9. Save money and invest: Building your assets up to a sizable amount over time can mean you wont need life insurance later in life because your family will already have the money they need in the bank when you die.

In fact, that may be the first thing to discuss with your family: How much life insurance you need, if you need any at all. Then, an insurance agent can help you decide how much coverage you need, and should be able to help you wade through these and other possible discounts.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Worn-out or inefficient appliances can lead to high utility bills.

The Environmental Protection Agency created the ENERGY STAR program to encourage companies to produce energy-efficient appliances that use less electricity and water to save consumers money.

ENERGY STAR appliances cost more to buy and repair, but you would have lower monthly utility bills.

Stainless steel appliances are attractive and durable, but they are expensive and show dirt, dust and fingerprints.

Smart appliances run at off-peak times or use low-energy cycles. Many can be controlled through a smartphone app. They can be expensive to buy and repair.

If you’re thinking about upgrading appliances, compare models, features and prices.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Haggling may not be one of the funnest things youll do on any given day, but if youre anywhere near good at it, you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.

For people who dont want to haggle in person or dont want to send emails back and forth, the simplest option is calling on the phone. This can be done to reduce your costs for phone, cable TV, Internet service or other monthly bills, and for big-ticket purchases such as a car or household appliance.

Here are some tips for haggling over the phone:

Research
If youre looking for a better price on your cable TV package, for example, look online for deals your cable provider and other companies are offering new customers, and ask for the same deal. The more information you have, the better prepared youll be to haggle by suggesting youll go to a competitor that has a better price.

Know who to call
Most businesses have customer service phone numbers. If you get lost in a phone tree, press the number 0, which should usually connect you directly to an operator. Ask for a customer service representative. If that person isnt much help within a few minutes, ask to be transferred to their supervisor or a customer retention specialist who can usually offer the bigger discounts that you want.

Dont argue
Dont debate the person on the other end of the line. Being mad will likely cause the other person to lose interest in helping you, so stay calm and on point. Ask for what you want and explain how long youve been a loyal customer and how much longer theyll have you as a customer if they offer the discount.

Use silence
Being silent can give the other person the incentive to fill the space by talking and hopefully offering options. These may include a free add-on service, such as free delivery of a new mattress if youre negotiating the price of a new bed, or they may all of a sudden find a deal on their computer that they didnt offer during the first few minutes of your conversation.

Say goodbye
If the rep or retention specialist didnt offer you the best deal you expected, then thank them for their time and say goodbye and that youll be checking with their competitors. This message that you may soon be dropping their service gives them one last chance to put you on hold and come up with a solution. If they dont, then either go find a better price at another company, or call back a few days later and talk to another customer service representative. The people you talk with later may be willing to help you.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Do you have a room in your house that always seems dark no matter what? Perhaps it’s due to low ceilings or minimal windows. Maybe the walls are painted a darker color than you would like. Whatever the reason, don’t worry. Below are a few simple ways you can brighten the space.

Remove or minimize window coverings. A dark room will only seem darker with heavy window hangings. Choose something light and gauzy, or remove window coverings altogether to welcome the sunlight.

Paint it white. From the ceilings to the floors, painting surfaces a white or off-white color will brighten your space and make it appear larger.

Add mirrors. We all know the old mirror trick can make a space seem larger, but did you know it can brighten it, too? Mirrors reflect light, so the more mirrors, the more light you will have reflected. Try a mirrored wall or a mirror-topped coffee table.

Remove (some) furniture. The less crowded a room, the more space for light to bounce around. Nix any unnecessary furniture, knick knacks or clutter.

Trim the trees. Okay, so you’ve cleared the curtains, added a large mirror and painted your dark wood floors white. Does the room still seem dark? Head outside and look for any trees or shrubs that may be encroaching on your sunlight.

Published with permission from RISMedia.