5 unusual ways to save money

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save money with your business piggy bank

save money with your business piggy bank

If you’ve ever lived paycheck-to-paycheck or wanted to sock back money for the future, you may know the struggle of finding ways to cut corners. You don’t have to squeeze every bit of enjoyment out of your life to save a few dollars, however. Enjoy your fresh fruit and fancy cereal, and try other, less painful methods of saving money.

If you’re a little too close to throwing your calculator out the window, here are a few tips and tricks to saving yourself, and your wallet, from tons of stress. While none of these methods are foolproof, if you combine them with your existing ideas and tips from friends, you can put together a plan that will have your piggy banks stuffed in no time.

  1. Shop less. When you stop picking up extras from the store, you might just see the potential hiding in unlikely places. Force yourself to think about what’s in your pantry, and come up with fun new ideas for dinner. To spice things up, and try websites to find recipes for what you can find in your fridge.
  2. Stuck on delivery? Don’t feel ashamed! Many busy adults just don’t have the time to make meals or go on thoughtful shopping trips every week. Skip the pizza and the frozen foods, and try looking at online delivery services. If done right, these delivery services can actually save you money and time in the long run.
  3. On Wednesdays, we shop. If you’re trying to set a date for your weekly shopping trip, the middle of the week is always wise. Stores start to put out new deals for the end of the week, and coupons from last week may still be redeemable.
  4. Take an odd job for your next vacation. While may craigslist ads may seem strange at first glance, house sitting for an eccentric old lady may be interesting, as long as you’re not allergic to cat hair. Just be sure to water the plants, and spend your vacation relaxing on someone else’s couch.
  5. Utilize technology. Apps and price-saving websites exist for a good reason, why not take advantage? Use price-comparison tools on your browser when you do retail therapy, and be sure to check the store apps before you head in for a shopping spree.

Not interested in these methods, or want a package that includes even more? 2BenefitU offers a plan for the most frugal shoppers, so don’t miss out on all the great deals and discounts.

Fall Travel Tips: Roadside Safety in Case of Breakdown

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What should you do in case of a vehicular breakdown on your cross country fall road trip? All breakdowns are not equal – there’s not one size fits all procedure, However, there are some safety measures that apply just about to any occasion, so find out what you should do in case you have a breakdown.

Turn Your Hazard Lights On

Visibility is key, so make sure those hazard lights work and turn them on at the first sign of trouble. The flashing lights let people know to slow down and pay attention, and you can often signal with your arm out the window to indicate a need to cross lanes and get off the road if people are going slow enough.

Pull Over as Far as Possible

Pull onto the shoulder if at all possible to prevent your car from becoming a road hazard to other drivers. Get as far off the road as you can. For some reason, especially at night and in bad weather, a pulled over vehicle acts like a magnet if a driver is impaired or tired, and more accidents happen involving pulled over vehicles than you would think.

Make Yourself Even More Visible

Lift the hood, tie a white rag or cloth to an antenna, and place road hazard triangles to the traffic side of your vehicle if possible. This lets people know to be wary and makes you more easily seen by assistance or police.

Decide Whether or Not to Stay in the Car

If you feel there is a chance your car will be hit be oncoming traffic, get out and move to a safe place. If you are in a rural area or well off to the side, staying in your car may be the best bet. Keep your seat belt buckled if there is lots of traffic around you just in case the car is impacted. Don’t stand behind or next to the vehicle.

Change Tires Carefully

If you just have a flat, know how to change a tire, and have all the appropriate tools as well as a spare on a rim. You may decide to change the tire yourself. Make sure you are as far off the side as possible, and have a spotter watching traffic if you have someone else with you.

Don’t Flag Down Strangers

The National Safety Council recommends to not try to flag down other vehicles or solicit the help of passing motorists. Call for help using your 2BenefitU Roadside Assistance Benefit and wait patiently for help to arrive. You will soon be back on the road, or safely towed.

Tax Tips

Fourth Quarter Tax Tips for Small Businesses

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October through December is the fourth and final quarter of the tax year. Planning ahead can help your next fiscal year start off properly, so here are some tips and important dates to remember before wrapping up your small business’ books for the year.

File any unfiled taxes. October 17 is the deadline to file the previous year’s individual federal income tax returns through automatic extension.

Pay any anticipated taxes. October marks the final due date for quarterly taxes; if you know you will owe, estimating the total and paying ¼ of it every quarter can keep you from having penalties.

Delay additional income. If you think you will fall into a lower tax bracket in the coming year, delay any bonuses if possible until after January 1st. This can keep your taxes owed on additional income at a minimum.

Maximize tax benefits. If you can recognize a loss on stock transactions to offset gains, do it; also remember to check for capital loss carryovers from previous years that could affect this year’s final records.

Take advantage of pre-tax sheltering. Start a 529 plan for a child in your family, or set up an FSA for employees to contribute to.

Give money away. Charitable contributions to qualifying organizations are tax deductible. Top off your charitable giving before the end of the year. You can also gift up to $14,000 a year to anyone you want, without any tax consequences.

Are you eligible for Medicare? If so, annual open enrollment begins in October, and ends in early December. It’s time to figure out what this means for you, and make plans for your future health care options.

Pay outstanding medical bills. If you are under your cap, paying bills before year’s end can increase your total deduction in the following tax filing.    

Check your stock losses. November 30 is the last day to figure out if your stock trades are subject to “wash sale” rules – losses are disallowed if buying and selling of identical securities happens within a 30-day period.

Pay off any tax deductible amounts owed. Anything tax deductible paid by December 30th can be deducted from next year’s taxes.

Remember, if you have a tax question or need help, 2BenefitU’s Tax Helpline Benefit can give you peace of mind and steer you in the right direction.  

Pet Ownership Costs

Understanding the Lifetime Cost of Pet Ownership

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Whether you have a Fido the dog, a Fluffy the Cat, a Thumper the rabbit, or a Sprinter the pony (or any less usual pet including lizards, birds, fish, rodents, or llamas) the cost of their care, feeding, and vet bills over their lifetime can certainly add up.

The lifetime cost of owning a dog, for an easy example, will certainly depend on the type and breed of the dog, its size, and life expectancy, with larger dogs costing more and often living longer – however, the bulk of certain costs will occur in the first 12 months of life, when most shots and basic needs like neutering or spaying and microchipping are done and capital costs for carriers, beds, shelter, and other instant needs are accepted.

After that, it’s a known quantity for food, plus an unknown quantity for vet care. Food can range anywhere from $150-$1500 per year depending on the size of the dog; health care will vary wildly depending on the health of the animal, any accidents, and where in the country you live.

Other potential costs include pet sitting, pet walking, pet grooming, and other incidentals like toys, treats, outings, leashes and collars that have to be replaced, items for travel and car rides, and more.

Cats have slightly lower costs, but veterinary care is often higher – although cats may not get as many off the cuff injuries as dogs, they are susceptible to more kinds of illnesses and ailments as they get older which can rapidly rack up vet bills.

Exotic pets can cost a pretty penny at the vet as well. Unless you have a local vet who treats exotics, travel time will have to be factored in.

With the Pet Benefit from 2BenefitU, at least the veterinary portion of your lifetime pet responsibility budget can be cut down, as well as some of the ongoing costs for replaceable items that wear out, and services your vet may offer that aren’t directly health related- and you can even take advantage of the ID tag and pet finder system.

With this benefit, you can enjoy:

  • 25% off medical procedures at participating veterinarians
  • 10% to 35% off pet services and supplies
  • Free ID tag and 24-hour pet location service

Vet not in the network? You can nominate him or her and get the savings, and get them more business, too. Caring for a pet lasts their lifetime, so it only makes sense to get as much savings as you can.

Considering Becoming a Multi-Dog Household- Be Prepared with these 9 Tips

Considering Becoming a Multi-Dog Household? Be Prepared with these 9 Tips

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Dogs can be amazing companion animals, and it’s easy to want more than one. However, adding a new dog to a home where another already rules the roost should be done carefully. These guidelines can help you safely introduce a new dog to your existing one!

  1. Consider your current dog’s temperament. Does he get along with other dogs? If you aren’t sure, try taking her to a dog park to play. If that goes well, ask a friend who owns a dog to bring theirs over to visit so you can see how territorial your own is. If that goes well, your dog will probably accept another dog.
  2. Consider the kind of dog you are going to get. If you have a rowdy Labrador, a tiny Pekingese might not be the best second dog – she’d be outmatched even in a playful game of roughhousing. If you have an older dog, a high energy puppy might not be appreciated.
  3. Consider your time. It’s not fair to your existing dog to ask him or her to share you if you are already only around a few waking hours of the day. Make sure you have the time as well as the emotional reserves to handle dishing out love to those under your roof!
  4. Once you’ve decided on your new dog, plan on bringing her home early on a weekend or during a few days of vacation so you’ll be around to ease the transition.
  5. Choose a neutral space for the initial meet, like a park, or – if you are adopting from a shelter – see if they have a socialization room you can bring your dog to in order to meet his prospective new roomie.
  6. Feed both dogs before you introduce them, and spend some time petting each one so they can feel loved and safe. Go back and forth between them in separate rooms so they can smell each other on your clothes.
  7. When you bring your new dog home, bring your current dog outside to meet her before taking them both inside. This will cut down on territorialism.
  8. Make sure your current dog has a safe space of their own they can retreat to and not be bothered, and prepare to help them defend it if necessary against the newcomer.
  9. Give your dog a few days to get used to the new dog in the house, and be sure to provide plenty of love, pats and treats so he knows he’s not being supplanted.

Remember that if the worst happens, and your two dogs get in a scuffle, that your Pet Care Benefit from 2BenefitU covers all of the pets in your household. You can always bring your new pet in for her shots and any other needs, and she’ll get the same great care and discount. They’ll be best of pals in no-time!

Are you a VIP- You should be! Make These VIP Savings Work for you. (1)

Are you a VIP? You should be! Make These VIP Savings Work for You!

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Our parents clipped coupons, but today a pair of scissors and the Sunday paper isn’t enough. We’ve been conditioned to expect savings in all kinds of formats: from the shopper cards we scan at the grocery, pharmacy, and pet shop, to the various membership clubs we belong to, to the deals that pop up on our cell phones in text form or with a handy QR code, we want all the savings we can get!

However, remembering and keeping track of all of our customer rewards, loyalty discounts, and member benefits can be tricky. It can be time consuming and boring to spend hours before each purchase going through all of the different options. Wouldn’t it be great if something were invented to do that for us?

Enter VIP Savings. This benefit combines dozens of sources into one easy to access destination that keeps you up to date on where to find the best savings – whether it’s at your local market, the mall up the highway, a Groupon, or a sale on bulk items you just can’t miss.

With VIP Savings, you never have to settle for full price again! Shop using this functional saver, and you get cash back on all purchases made through a convenient online mall, plus savings of up to 80% when you factor in the promo codes, special member deals, and free shipping offers that are automatically collated for your perusal.

The VIP Savings benefit provides access to savings in many ways:

  • The online mall, with over 3,000 familiar stores participating
  • Cash back every month on your purchases
  • Early alerts for Groupons and other online deals that can be grabbed and downloaded to your phone or other mobile device or printed out for use at local retailers and service providers
  • Free shipping on thousands of items every month
  • Access to special deals and discounts
  • A virtual “coupon clipper” for your favorite stores with a “print now” option
  • … and more.

When you shop like a VIP, you can cut down on time, money, and gas spent driving from store to store and enjoy the benefit of cashback that can be collected every month (for balances of $15 or greater.)

This is one of our customers’ most beloved benefits, as they can often save the cost of monthly membership to our largest benefits package just off this one feature. When you sign up at the $24.95 per month level, you get this benefit plus Teladoc, Pet Care savings, Roadside assistance, Health Advisor and more – it’s a bottomless well of savings for your whole household!

Have Peace of Mind with Global Travel Assistance

Have Peace of Mind with Global Travel Assistance

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Got a trip planned? Protecting yourself and your loved ones is one of the first thing on your mind. What if someone gets sick or injured? What if passports are lost in a foreign country? What if you need translation and can’t find an interpreter? All of these kinds of situations can be covered under one simple benefit form 2BenefitU.

With Global Travel Assistance, you can have full family coverage anytime you travel 100+ miles from your home*, with a strong, reliable, global network of doctors, assistance personnel and emergency benefits.

2BenefitU has just added this amazing benefit to the Ultimate Plan, which brings the number of benefits up to 23 for monthly plan members. To use the Global Travel Assistance benefit, all you have to do is call the number on the back of your card when you need assistance.

Global Travel Assistance will help with any type of illness or injury, regardless of the severity. The organization has a global network of over 50,000 providers, and their network contains hospitals, clinics and doctors, as well as other providers in the travel insurance industry, such as air ambulances, house call doctors and medical escorts.

A wide range of services are covered for members and their families. You can expect help with any of the following needs:

  • Emergency medical evacuation
  • Monitoring of treatment
  • Replacement of lost or stolen travel documents
  • Transportation to join a family member in the hospital
  • Return of minor children
  • Pre-travel and security information
  • Coordination of hospital payments and insurance
  • Medications and vaccines
  • Transfer of money
  • Translation services
  • Return of mortal remains

Global Travel Assistance members are referred based on the medical specialty or other mode of assistance needed, location, language, office hours, training, etc.

The medical part of this benefit is one of the most helpful, especially compared with the restricted and weak travel plans many people rely on that come with their credit card or AAA membership. With Global Travel Assistance, you can expect:

  • Coordination of all billing and insurance verifications, including settling any guarantees of payment. This ensures that there is no delay or denial of medical treatment because you cannot make the up-front payment or your insurance is not recognized.
  • Monitoring of your care and the details of foreign hospitalizations. They will promptly speak with the treating doctor to assess your condition, treatment plans and whether or not an evacuation is necessary. Global Travel Assistance will update your family, employer and personal doctor as needed.
  • Evacuation if needed due to localized weather emergencies or inadequacy of local facilities. A Global Travel Assistance Regional Medical Advisor will report on the safety of an evacuation, any medical needs you may require en route and evacuation plan details. Global Travel Assistance will consult with all parties involved and fully manage your safe evacuation.**
  • After your medical event, Global Travel Assistance helps you until you have returned home or have received final treatment.

Don’t travel without a robust global travel assistance plan. Sign up for 2BenefitU today and start using this and 22 other benefits immediately!

*Home is defined as the address listed on member’s ID (Driver’s License or Passport)

**Global Travel Assistance cannot help you if you’re traveling against the advice of a physician, need assistance related to a natural disaster or traveling to a country that is not deemed safe for travel.