Money Saving Tips for the Homeowner

As the holidays quickly approach, we will continue providing you with money tips from National Access Long Distance.

Losing weight. Finding a new job. Spending more time with the family. A new year means setting new goals. Why not make saving money one of them?

If you're a homeowner, there are many ways you can cut costs and still live comfortably. The following tips will help lead you to financial success.

* First, set a budget. Figure out exactly how much you spend on the upkeep of your home. Compare each month's expenses with the previous month's to get a better idea of how much to budget for each necessity. Then, see what costs you can cut. Once you set a budget, stick to it.

* Save energy. You might be losing a substantial amount of energy dollars during the winter and summer because of air leaks. By caulking, sealing and weather-stripping all cracks and openings, you can save 10 percent or more on your energy bill.

Also, look into replacing older appliances with newer, more energy-efficient alternatives. Your light bulbs can make a difference, too. Fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. 

* Refinance. Shop around to see if you can replace your existing home loan with one that has a lower interest rate. You can easily save hundreds of dollars each month by refinancing your home.

* Purchase a home warranty. Most homeowners don't account for possible repairs in their annual budget. There is a 68 percent likelihood of a home system or appliance failure in a given year. The average replacement cost of one of these systems or appliances is $1,085. A home warranty is your best defense against unexpected and costly repairs to your home's appliances and mechanical systems.

The American Home Shield Home Warranty, for example, ensures you get the best possible service through the company's network of pre-screened technicians. The minute something breaks down, you can contact American Home Shield and a local service technician will schedule an appointment that fits your schedule. The warranty covers a multitude of household systems and appliances, regardless of age.

The American Home Shield Home Warranty is a one-year contract that requires no home inspection to enroll. Several affordable plans are available to fit every budget.

Remember!  Save money also with the low rates on long distance from National Access Long Distance!

Your Service, Your Choice

          Have you ever had to make a choice on which phone company to go with?  Have you ever wondered how you even have that choice?  You may have heard of it.  It’s called deregulation.  Deregulation broke up big monopolies where one company gave customers one choice on one kind of service for their utilities, even the telecommunications.  The telecommunications act of 1996 opened up doors where customers had the choice of providers, advanced services, and competitive prices.  Deregulation was great for the marketplace and consumers alike and as you read on you will explore why.

          First of all deregulation gave customers the choice of providers.  This is great because a customer does not have to settle with one type of service.  If a customer is not satisfied with a provider in any way they have the right to shop around.  For this reason it forces companies to stay competitive and strive for higher quality assurance.  This is greatly beneficial to the customer and insures they have greater experiences with their chosen provider.

          Another great outcome of deregulation is the advanced services and technology that has become available.  Before when big companies controlled everything in their market it left little or no room for anyone or anything else.  For example, before the bell companies were forced to divest they controlled everything down to the actual phone in the house.  They would rent this out to the customers and not allow them to alter or change it in any way.  This hindered the creation of the answering machine and fax machine as well as the evolution of the technology that we have today.  Deregulation has helped clear the way for the advanced services we have today.

          Last and probably most importantly deregulation has forced companies to price competitively.  With most utilities the product is the same and a company must distinguish itself by its service and pricing.  It is simple to see that a company with better service at lower rates will gain more customers.  This competitive pricing leaves you with better service for less.

          Deregulated utilities are great and beneficial to all of us.  Remember the next time you are looking around for a utility company it was deregulation that made the choice of providers, advanced services, and competitive prices available for you.  For more information on saving money on your long distance bill contact National Access Long Distance. 

Financial Planning For Retirement: For Worry-Free Retirement

Planning can be a tedious activity especially if you are planning for retirement. Many people realize how advantageous financial planning for retirement can be while others find it mysterious.

In fact, most experts say that for people who are only making enough money to make due payments in each month, then it means that they should start contemplating on how they can still make money even if they are already retired.

Surveys show that almost 75% of the American population is earning enough money to pay their monthly bills. This means that they do not have any extra money to put in a bank or in any financial institution that could provide them enough profit after their retirement.

What's more Social Security is not enough guaranteed income for retired people to live on. Actually, it is still a big question if one’s Social Security will still exist when the retirement day comes.

Hence, it is extremely important to generate some methods that will provide an individual a reasonable amount of money in the future. This should be done regardless of how much an individual earns, the important thing is to start saving today.

1. Visualize and calculate

It is important for a person to visualize his or her own situation after retirement. Then, you can calculate how much money is needed to live on after retirement. Furthermore, people need earnings that compensate 75% of the present amount that he or she is expected to take home.

2. It is important to seek the help of a financial planner or any person competent in financial planning.

By asking for advice from the experts, you will be able to gain more knowledge know how to proceed for you situation. These people are proficient and knowledgeable in all kinds of financial planning and they can provide the most feasible and workable approach for your individual needs.

3. Get rid of loans, debts, and other financial obligations in as little time as possible.

By simply paying off all debts, loans, and other financial obligations in a shorter period of time, you can realize a substantial amount to invest for that retirement. A good financial planner will know exactly how to direct you so you can meet your retirement goals.

Plan for your future with your landline.  The landline is a great way to communicate with keeping your finances in mind.  Save money on your long distance bill with National Access Long Distance.

Peace of Mind for the Parent

            Parents always worry more than their children in college about safety and security. One way a caring parent can provide an added layer of protection while their child is way at school is by providing a landline for emergencies.

            The world we live in is fraught with dangers. Though we cannot shield our children from all hazards, the availability of a landline safeguards a student. They are anchors to the real world, sure connections to loved ones, and, perhaps most significantly, assist first responders in emergency situations.

            As young adults leave home and transform into the adult they choose to become, a landline can be a “home base” to which the student can return and reenergize. A landline gives a sense of being connected even when the student needs to unplug from the whirlwind of modern social media.

            Landlines provide a stable and secure access point to friends and loved ones, providing a connection that is not susceptible to dead batteries or “out of service” messages. Parents can encourage their children to pass along important messages in person or on a recording without the fear that their child will simply press “ignore” and the opportunity will be lost.

            One of the surest protections is that a landline will more effectively interact with local officials and emergency responders in case of emergency. Wireless phones are, by their nature, mobile. Operators for 911 rarely receive accurate location information from cellphones; this is especially true in metropolitan areas where jurisdictions overlap. Precious time could be lost explaining your loved ones whereabouts. And what might be the result if your child is badly hurt and unable to speak? Landline addresses pop up immediately on a 911 operator’s screen, providing an added layer of protection for your child. To ensure your college age student’s safety and security and to save money on your long distance service, contact National Access Long Distance. 

Family Safety Tips

National Access Long Distance presents Family Safety Tips!

Have a Plan

• Make sure your family has a plan for every type of emergency.
• Create mapped out scenarios and routes for each room of the house.
• Pick a meeting area for once the house is evacuated.
• Provide each family member with their own plan.

Build a Kit

• Create different kits for all different emergencies.  
• Research which emergencies are most common in your region and what would be needed for these.
• For hints and tips, visit www.redcross.org.

Suggestions to Include:

• Water
• Food
• Flashlight
• Candle
• Batteries
• First Aid Kit
• Tool Kit
• Hygiene Items
• Cell Phone and Chargers
• Radio
• Contact Information for Family Members
• Blankets, Pillows
• Map
• Cash

Stay Informed

• Make sure you are aware of weather during different seasons.
• Create a community or neighborhood weather watch so everyone is aware of emergencies.
• Download an app that alerts you of an emergency in your area.

Invest in a Landline

• Corded landlines work without power.
• When cell phone towers are jammed during emergencies, landlines are still able to make and take phone calls.
• Landlines give exact locations to the 911 dispatcher to increase accuracy and response time.

Don't Limit Yourself, Get a Landline

While cell phone have many advantages with mobility, they have many disadvantages with the use they were created for…calling someone.  You can do just about anything on your cell phone these days except call the person you need to get ahold of.

The reasons vary but all seem to have the same problem of not being able to get in contact.  Your battery is dead, you are out of minutes, there is no signal, etc.  When you need to get a hold of someone, you don’t want to hold your phone in the air searching for a signal. 

Your landline doesn’t have access to Candy Crush or work as a calculator; however it does make a phone call when you want it to.  Isn’t that what you wanted from your mobile phone originally?

We understand you aren’t getting rid of your cell phone; we just want you to remember not to get rid of your landline.

The landline provides clear phone calls every time you call no need to worry if you are roaming.  You pay per minute with the landline at a reasonable price.  There aren’t overage fees or roaming fees.

If your objective is to get ahold of someone when you call them, keep the landline around for all your home or business calling needs.  Save money on your landline with long distance by National Access Long Distance!

Family Communication Needs

An important feature offered by landlines is the security of communication available to your family 24/7.  The power can be out or the cell phone misplaced, and you can still rely on the permanent landline. 

Every family can benefit from the availability, convenience and functions a landline phone offers the household.  It’s a fact that elderly residents mostly prefer owning a landline phone over a cell phone for the convenience.  Have you ever considered that they might be on to something? 

With the added threats in society, the landline provides an added safety factor to your household.  With a landline you can keep track of your children’s phone usage, who they are calling and how long they are talking.  You can make sure you also have a phone in case your cell phone is lost or stolen throughout the day.  A weight is lifted off your shoulders when you call your house phone and hear your child’s voice on the other line confirming that they are at home. 

Our family’s communications needs are important and their security is even more crucial to your peace of mind.  Maintaining a landline phone for your home will give you a great communication experience.  Don’t worry about a dropped call, poor signal strength or concern yourself with the battery life.  The landline phone is a time-tested piece of equipment that has proven itself over and over again.  Make sure your family recognizes its need for a safer house with the landline. 

Contact National Access Long Distance to save money on your long distance services.  

Top Ten Reasons for Having a Land Line Phone

You know every time the topic landline comes up it is usually met with thoughts of but it’s not as convenient as my cell phone.  Contrary to popular belief, there are benefits to having one. So here are 10 solid reasons to maintain a landline phone:

1. Works Better for 911 services: When you call from a landline, it will automatically go to an enhanced center. This proves to be important when you or the person cannot speak. The landline also will allow the dispatcher to have an accurate address whereas the cell phone only gives a general area.

2. Its Stationary: It's based in your home so you’re not going to misplace it. It is not going to be stolen nor will you leave it at the restaurant or office. It's usually centrally located and multiple lines can be throughout the house for easy access.

3. Better Connection: You get the clearest and most stable calls on a landline with better volume, especially if you use a corded phone. 

4. Security: Landlines ensure more security when doing phone business like banking or social security issues?

5. Easier to use: Since a landline phone only makes calls, it makes it a lot easier to operate. This proves to be handy for emergencies with children making the call. It also makes it easier for elderly people to see and operate.

6. Natural Disasters:  Cell towers are subject to the weather more than anything. Even an ice storm can affect its ability to function.  It is true that landlines are subject to weather, especially tornados; service crews for landlines have a much quicker response time.

7. Reliability: Even though many will use cordless phones as their landlines. You still can always have one outlet with a corded phone in case the battery dies, you can go to the speaker phone on the base of most cordless phones.

8. Value: There is no need for insurance, no data plans or over use charges. No extra accessories like covers, extra chargers, screen covers, etc. is required to extend the phones life either.

9. Power: There are no worries when the power is out because the landline phone will still be working in most instances. The local landline carrier provides local emergency backup systems. No need to worry about batteries and chargers.

10. Lower Cost: Landline phones are amazingly more affordable than most cell phones. There’s never a roaming charge. This comes in pretty handy when you have a whole family using the same phone making hours of calls a day.

So regardless if you talk a little or if you are a blabber mouth, the landline can provide an all-around cost effective option and security for all of your talking needs. Please think about this list before you consider discarding your landline. And if you want keep you landline cost low by saving more money on your long distance service, contact National Access Long Distance.

Did you know about your landline?

A landline provides security that a cell phone doesn't have.  One of the ways is the 911 service that is especially useful if you live in an apartment (dorms count too).  Check out this video on the ways that landlines come in handy! 

The Family Phone

Does my family still need a landline? Are we paying for something we do not need? Many families are considering these very questions when it comes to their home phone service. More and more families are canceling their home phone service and just using cell phones to make all calls. Before you completely give up your family's landline service, there are some things you should consider.       

    

The most important thing when you have a family is keeping them safe and always being able to get ahold of them when you need to. When it comes to reliability and dependability you can't beat a landline. Your landline does not lose signal or reception and you can always count on being able to make or receive calls when you need to do so. Your landline is stationary; it’s always at your house; it can't get lost or stolen.

What if something happens at home and your cell phone is with you? How will your family get the help they need? When raising a family you never know what or when something could happen. When your family is in danger or in need of medical attention and seconds count, it's important to be able to get the help you need when you need it. Keeping your home phone you have peace of mind knowing your family will always be able to get ahold of you or anyone they may need in a true emergency.

In today's economy making every dollar count is also important especially when you have a family depending on you to meet all their needs. You may think that by cutting your home landline off you will be able to save some extra money each month. Yes, this is true; however, what many families do not realize is there are ways to keep the reliability of a landline and also save money each month.

The family phone is affordable and reliable with National Access Long Distance as your long distance carrier.