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nerdygaymormon · 7 years ago

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My Eulogy

Hi. My name is David. You probably already know that. This is my story. And like all stories, it’s subjective; meaning I chose what to include based on my own feelings and opinions. I’ve had a lot of nicknames: D Diddy, Master D, Double D, D Dog, and Chuck (short for Chuckles). Isn’t it weird that Dave was never my nickname? I guess I should start at the beginning. I was born in Alberta, Canada in November 1970. My parents wed in February of that year…you can do the math. My dad once told me that he and my mom each brought a lot to the marriage, but that’s what it was, two people with their own histories. He said I am the first result of their marriage, the thing which changed them from two people into one unit, a family. I always liked that thought. My earliest memory is when my mom, with tears in her eyes, told me and my sister that Jesus is important to her, wanted us to learn about Him. I also remember her speaking on the phone and saying that our reaction was basically “Yep, we know, we learn about Him at church.” I went to kindergarten in California. I had a teacher named Ms. Berry, but I called her Ms. Strawberry. One day a bunch of dads came and taught us skills. I was so excited my dad was there and showed us how to hammer nails. I still feel comfort and love when I remember laying in the top bunk at night as my dad vacuumed the bedroom, and how he’d look over at me and smile. At the age of 8, I was baptized by my dad in Alabama. My family moved a lot. I don’t really know why. Thinking back on Halloweens, the one candy I always dreaded getting was those peanut butter-flavored sticky candies that come wrapped in orange or black wax paper. Who even likes those? If someone out there does, you gotta be the KING of Halloween candy trading. “Hey, you like these? Here, I’ll trade you them for that mini Snickers and a Blow Pop.” “Okay, fine, I’ll take just the two Hershey kisses. At least I got SOMETHING for them.” I began Junior High in Texas. It was horrible. I knew I liked boys in a way other boys didn’t. I tried to hide that from everyone, even from me. Eighth grade was the worst. I wanted to die. Some of the guys in my gym class caught me sneaking glances at a dude in the shower. That got around the school and I was shamed and harassed. One person was especially hard on me, not just about that, but about everything. I faced him in a wrestling match and was determined to get him back. I dominated, all I needed was for him to bend his elbow and he’d be pinned. I pressed down hard and…Snap! That crack of his bone was loud. He immediately went limp in my arms. I felt sick to my stomach. I really hurt him. I also felt joyful vengeance. I’d been good at wrestling, but I stopped. I didn’t like the monster I saw I could become. So school sucked. And scouting, I hated it, and we did that every Wednesday at church. Like the school day wasn’t already bad enough and then scouts on top of it. Oh, there was one really cool thing that happened related to scouts. In church we had a lesson that the quorum president is the leader, the adults were there to guide but the power rested with us. The quorum president said, “In that case, we’re done with scouting.” He asked if the rest of us sustained. We voted to end scouting! Unfortunately my dad and a few others didn’t take that well and I was forced to go to a different scout program in the stake. One of the bright spots of my Junior High & High School years were piano lessons. I excelled with a teacher who was quick to praise, which helped boost my very bruised self-image. Developing your gifts and talents isn’t selfish, it’s actually a great gift to other people. Another bright spot were my friends. If you’re hearing this and you are a teenager, reach out to the youth around you. No matter how nice the leaders are, they can’t make up for feeling left out by other teens. Trust me. At some point I realized a lot of our culture honors those who stand up against the norms, admires those who live life on their own terms. I made a list of 5 actions, actually non-actions, I would take to make me different. 1) Not go to Prom 2) Not go to Homecoming 3) Not get a driver’s license 4) Not go to graduation 5) No open house when I leave for a mission. I didn’t tell anyone about this list and my poor dad, he would get excited for these things, like Prom, and get me a tuxedo only to be bewildered I wasn’t going. I kept 4 of those 5 stupid, pointless goals. My parents did make me get a driver’s license so they could stop carrying me to 6am seminary class. I didn’t realize until too late, the point of being different is to replace frivolous things with something deeper, better, more meaningful. I loved art class even though my grades were so-so. One day my art teacher asked me to explain the print I made, what was my thinking behind the design. After listening, she said the skills of how to use the different tools and materials can be learned and that my classmates are all better at using them. But I have something they don’t have, something that can’t be taught. Art comes from the head and heart, it requires creativity and a different way of viewing things, of having something to say, a story to share. What I heard was my classmates were all better, I was the worst. Later I understood what she meant. She’d actually given me the greatest compliment of my life. I have something worth sharing, I just need to learn how. After years of crying for God to fix me, to make me normal, I eventually accepted that a homo is what I am. I didn’t choose it, in fact had fought it. I guarded this knowledge, it was dangerous. But owning this is part of me gave me power even as it complicated church and my life. Church is where my friends were and it was okay except when terrible things were taught about people like me. Why do we let harmful words go unchallenged? Hearing bigoted, intolerant words really feels isolating. I know it’s hard to stand out and be different, to rock the boat. But doing nothing, being silent—to the person feeling attacked, it’s not viewed as neutral. Choosing not to speak up is taking sides. Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes. Immediately after high school, I got arrested, actually spent time in jail. Shocking, right? I shoplifted a shirt. That’s sort of a harsh punishment, don’t you think? Fortunately a plea deal was made and I avoided a criminal record. I’ve paid this forward, twice I’ve agreed for charges against a young adult to be dropped so they could have a second chance at a clean record. When my bishop called me in to talk about preparing for a mission, I went home and prayed hard. I asked if God loves me, loves me for who I am, all that I am. Warmth radiated across my body. I knew with certainty that I’m loved and I am not broken. Serving a mission in Korea is one of the great adventures of my life. I learned so much about myself. I rose to the challenge. I worked hard and made some life-long friends. Weekly service at orphanages really buoyed me, I loved playing with those kids. While I was in Korea, at a branch conference, the members voted to not sustain their branch presidency. In other words, they voted out their branch leaders! I didn’t even know that was possible. I mean, yes, we get to vote, but it’s always more of a formality. I hadn’t realized we have power. The name of our church indicates this is the case. It’s the church of Jesus Christ AND it’s the church of the latter-day Saints. In brief, here is the top highlight of my mission. I met a man at a bus stop. I was going to give him a Book of Mormon, but a voice in my ear very clearly whispered not to. Twice that happened. The third time I was reaching to get a book out of my bag to give to him despite that voice. My arm froze and the voice said if I gave him the book, the consequences would be on my head. Message received loud and clear, no book given away that night. He eventually got baptized, and I was still in Korea a year later when he got married. Receiving the phone call from him that he was being sealed to a wife in the temple was the happiest day of my mission. Hearing that voice in my ear would happen again and again over the years. Not very often, but always significant. I’ll include a few more examples. Next I was off to college, which I loved! In January 1993 I arrived in Idaho to attend Ricks College (now it’s called BYU-Idaho). I’ve never been so cold my entire life. If I walked outside with wet hair, it’d freeze! My first roommate was soooo handsome. The girls called him “Ken” because he reminded them of Barbie’s boyfriend. We became great friends. I had a crush on him. At the end of the semester he told me he’s bi and our relationship changed. I was willing to leave behind church and family to be with him. He decided his life would be easier if he pursued a relationship with a woman and so left me behind in Idaho. After “Ken,” my next roommate was Futoshi from Japan. He became my best friend. Many years later I attended his wedding in Japan. In fact, our tradition is to send each other a package of Halloween treats (and no, I’ve never sent him those terrible black-and-orange wrapped candies). I was walking down the sidewalk at Ricks College and a voice in my ear whispered I should call Memo from Mexico to be my 1st counselor in the elders quorum presidency. “Yes,” I thought to myself, “he’s an excellent choice.” Wait. What?!! MY counselor? That night I got a phone call, I was the new Elders Quorum president. Half the ward was in my quorum (the other half were women). I visited with each person in the quorum every month. I liked them. I knew them all. Ah, Rexburg, home of BYU-Idaho. Does anyone know if they ever renamed Beaver Dick Park? So many unfortunate (or fortunate, if you know what I mean) double entendres. After Ricks, on I went to BYU in Utah. Futoshi came, too. I wanted to date and kiss and all the things my friends did, except with men, and that was explicitly banned by the Honor Code, even things like holding someone’s hand was out of bounds. I feared the Honor Code Office, they sometimes ran undercover stings trying to catch gay students. While in Provo, I had a faith crisis. Being in the heart of Mormondom, I had access to information that showed a different sort of story than I’d been taught in Sunday School, like the way Joseph Smith translated the gold plates. What to do with this messy history? How do I fit into the Plan of Salvation? Retaining faith, in many ways, is a choice to accept the complexity, to give up black & white for nuance. As for me, I hold on to the times I’ve seen God’s love, mercy, and justness come through the lives of flawed individuals who learn to measure up and do profound things. While a student at BYU, I got a job at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) teaching Korean to missionaries. I loved it. That place is a spiritual powerhouse and I was able to plug in every day. And I was there when my brother came to the MTC as a new missionary. I was able to eat lunch with him every week. And what’s funny is the missionaries I was teaching knew he was my brother and every morning would give me a report on what they’d seen him doing. So at Friday lunch I was always able to say things like: “Elder, I hear you were throwing snowballs.” He’d always respond “How can you possibly know that?” “The Lord sees all, Elder.” Working at the MTC meant, like the two years of my mission, I was back to wearing a white shirt nearly every day. When I stopped working there, I threw away all my white shirts and never looked back. Wearing colorful shirts in this church is unusual for men. It was a way to mark myself as different; a way to show my experience and journey is not the same as those around me. When someone at the podium looks out and sees a purple shirt, I want them to think, “Oh, there’s David.” Yes, see me, notice me! I matter, I belong. Please see I’m doing my best and even if I am different, I am here. I have 6 brothers and sisters. They married and had babies. Those nieces and nephews are the greatest blessings in my life. I thought I’d be a good dad, but I am gay and marriage equality didn’t come until too late. So I was the best uncle, involved in their lives, making sure they know they’re loved. One thing I like about kids is they ask really personal and fundamental questions. “What’s your favorite color?” Mine is yellow. Isn’t it a lovely color, so warm and inviting. All the different shades from cream and pastel to golden or bright sunshine, yellow is beautiful. Learning to play the piano, speak a language, ride a skateboard, drive a stick-shift car, ride a bike, hit a ball or most any other skill will require mistakes, thousands of them, maybe even hundreds of thousands. It can be embarrassing. Give yourself credit for trying. Attempting something that is challenging is what you should take pride in, not ashamed that I didn’t do it perfectly the first time, or every time. I don’t know why I’ve stayed in church all these years. That’s not true. But it is complicated and this doesn’t seem to be the time to get into it, I’m trying to tell my story. The anti-gay restrictions are strict and do a number on a person’s mental health. I wish my church and my orientation were more compatible. I don’t think God finds them incompatible. In fact, He loves me in a way my church is only just learning to do. I’ve spent more of my adult years in Primary (what we call junior Sunday School) than anywhere else. They even got me to serve as an assistant scoutmaster over the 11-year-old patrol. I couldn’t believe of all the things, it had to be scouts. I was determined that it was going to be fun for those scouts even as we were being productive, not how I experienced it. Those scouts were a joy to be with. One of them often said things like, “Knives? They NEVER let us play with knives in cub scouts.” “Hey, if I see you playing with it, game over. These are tools, not toys.” At the end of the day, I’m my longest commitment, it’s only proper that I make myself a priority. I went back to school and earned a Master’s degree from the University of Florida (Go Gators!). That was hard work. That degree helped me land a job at a university. I love working in an environment that is open and accepting. I also really appreciate knowing my efforts are going towards the university’s mission of gathering, applying and disseminating knowledge. And it’s fun to work somewhere with a fight song and a mascot, I recommend it. When my grandma died, I played a piano piece at the funeral. Afterwards a lady came up and thanked me for all the years I spent practicing, sitting there alone at a piano when I could’ve been doing something more fun. What an unusual compliment, she put thought into it, and I appreciated the recognition that playing on that day didn’t just happen. That’s how life is, you’re preparing now for things you don’t even know are on your horizon. Try to be the best you can be. My favorite hero of fiction is TRUTH. I just think a great novel contains life’s important lessons and meaning wrapped in entertaining adventures and mysteries. Harry Potter & Huckleberry Finn not only transport us to another place, but leave us with deeper understandings. I love Harry Potter. Those books and movies teach so many important life lessons, some in a straightforward way and others you have to think about. Here’s a for instance, we learn that the thing Neville fears most is Professor Snape. This kid went to class for years with that professor. No wonder the Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor; he was one of the bravest characters. Aren’t we all brave in this way, at least sometimes? I was asked to be a counselor in the stake young men presidency. I turned them down. It took two hours of convincing before I agreed to give it a try. I said they had the wrong guy and in six months when they recognized it, they could release me, no hard feelings. I couldn’t imagine that I’d have anything to offer. Turns out it was the right calling for me. I feel like I blossomed. I was no longer just existing, merely surviving in this church. At one point, a voice whispered in my ear that I was going to be stake young men president and I am an unusual choice and would only serve a short time. I knew by “unusual” that meant because I’m gay. I started thinking of how I’d do things differently if I were in charge. Six months later I became president and I had a plan and hit the ground running. One way I was a different kind of Stake Young Men President is I applied my experience from when I was an Elders Quorum President all those years ago, of how I used to talk with everyone each month. As stake young men president, I visited every ward at least monthly, usually twice a month. This meant every month I had contact with nearly every young man in the stake, and many of the young women, too. It was a pleasure to work with the ward young men presidents, bishops put top-shelf people in those positions. I really liked getting to know the youth. I tried to be protective of teens who struggle. I want them to know they are seen, they are loved, and there is hope. Turns out a short time was exactly one year. I was very sad to be released, my church life had found meaning. When my stake president told me “with every calling comes a release,” I blurted out, “But I just bought a Chewbacca shirt for the Star Wars dance!” “Well, wear it on casual Friday,” was his response. I was asked to be the secretary to the stake president. It’s a lot of work, definitely not a favorite calling; I’d rather be back in Primary. He said many people could make appointments, but he wanted me to be stake executive secretary so my viewpoint is present in all the top councils of the stake. I attend stake presidency meeting and some of those meetings go on and on. “Dear Lord, as we begin this meeting, please help us not to be bored. And for them to keep their stories to a minimum so we can get out of here at a decent hour.” I’ve thought about praying for those things, although never was brave enough to actually do it. One night it was late, and the stake president asked who can say a short prayer. My hand shot up so fast! Early one chilly Florida morning, I was grumbling about how cold the steering wheel was as I’m in the McDonald’s drive-thru lane. I saw a man walk out the side door, past my car, to the homeless man sitting directly ahead of me. The homeless guy had no blanket or hat, just a sweatshirt for warmth. His reaction at receiving a cup of hot coffee and a warm sandwich really touched me. I was ashamed. Why wasn’t I more like that guy? I talk a good game, but true religion requires action. The world needs more Christ-like love like that. Sometimes I wonder if the things I hear at church align with the God I know. Does it fit with the two great commandments to love God and to love one another? I try to focus on the love, that is God’s primary attribute and the one I try to emulate. If your heart ever tells you that something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it. Over the years, if I’d read a story or seen a video about someone who is gay & LDS (or even formerly LDS), I sometimes tried contacting them. I never got a response. I have a blog where I write about being gay & Mormon. I wrote about an experience I had when I got to meet a church leader, Elder Joaquin Costa of the Seventy. The whispering voice prompted me to tell him I’m gay and he showed me a great deal of love. That blog post went viral. If you want to see it, do a search for “Nerdy Gay Mormon”. Because of my viral blog post, I was contacted by many people, hundreds of them. And I responded. It’s been incredibly rewarding. For the first time I had actual friends who are LGBTQ+ and LDS. I think if the teenage me who contemplated suicide could see how my life developed, he’d be surprised at how much better the future turned out. A job I like, the favorite uncle of 14, I am well liked across my stake and make a positive contribution. I’ve lived through a difficult but special time to be gay in the Church as it’s been transforming. Wanna hear something funny, one time at church my little nephew said, “I’m hungry. How much longer to the snackrament?” Life doesn’t wait until we’re perfectly prepared and feel totally up for what’s ahead of us. In fact, life is messy. It’s not been an easy path, but it’s been MY path. Being gay in a time of unacceptance helped me gain empathy for others. I’ve tried to be a good and kind person. Living within the restrictions placed on me by my church; it’s been difficult. I’ve tried to make a mark on the world. My one great regret in life is not having children. Even so, Primary teachers and scout leaders are important to children. I may not be the main gardener in anyone else’s life, but I nurture and water others. There’d be some pretty meager gardens without people like me. If you’re hearing this and are queer, I have a message for you. Being gay or trans or whatever is not a sin, it is not the result of a lack of faith, it is not a punishment. God created you and me as glorious, eternal beings. I am a son of God. I am gay. I am known and loved by Him. He is rooting for me. If the choice comes down to suicide or your church, choose to live. Protect your mental health by taking a break from religion. God created you. You determine if this will be a blessing or a curse in your life. Enjoy it. And to everyone, be kinder and gentler. Leave the enforcing of church boundaries, of judging, up to the bishop. Don’t tell a kid that he shouldn’t be wearing that or commenting that “someone” smells of cigarettes. If this is God’s church, then there should be room for all His children, all should feel welcome. Mormons have a way of obsessing over details that don’t matter. I wish we spent more time obsessing on how to love. That’s it! It feels like this story needs an ending, a concluding sentence, something snappy. I hope I have time to think of a good one.

#tried not to be preachy or boring #hope my personality comes thru #included some life lessons #hope this isn't needed for many years #I've never heard a eulogy like this

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beardedwinnerobject-blog · 6 years ago

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Cheap car insurance for a 17 year old?

"Cheap car insurance for a 17 year old?

Hi iv just bought a Volkswagen Golf S 1.4l engine and can only get quotes for car insurance of around 4k - 11k. Does anyone know of any insurance companies who can offer a lot less on insurance for teenagers? Thanks

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://salecarinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr

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I'm going to buy auto insurance and the rates I'm getting are pretty low, $72.00 per month (Progressive) and $92.00 (Geico). But I picked the state's lowest minimum coverage that was available, and I was wondering if it's safe/okay to do that? Thanks :)""

Do landlords usually have homeowner insurance?

Do landlord usually have homeowner insurance? Also is it true that most homeowner insurance have liability coverage? And if they took out a mortgage does the mortgage company require them to have some kind of homeowner insurance?

Where can i get cheap car insurance?

I keep trying to find a cheap car insurance as a new driver but the cheapest I get is bloody 3000 pounds .

Home Insurance/Replacement Cost of Manufactured Home?

Is it normal for a manufactured home to have a lower replacement cost limit calculated from a cost estimator than a normal home?

What happen if I don't pay my car insurance?

I woul like to switch to another company that's going be cheaper, but I was wondering can I just not pay my old car insurance and start laying my new car insurance company, or do I need to finish with all the months that they gave me the insurance card for (it was for 6 months, 3 months left).""

Do you know any Insurance companies that would do 6m Car Insurance?

For various reasons, I would like insurance quotes for my car for 6 months. Has anyone had any dealings with companies that have or would? It's not a money saving exercise, thanks :)""

Is there any user friendly and cheap motorcycles out there?

Hi, I'm 17 years old and looking to get a motorcycle. I have good grades and will only drive a motorcycle when the conditions are right. Like weather, cars on the road Sat. Sun. which has less cars, and going to school and to work. I don't care if I die and I'm not afraid to die. I have $7,000 saved up in the bank and would like to buy a Ninja 250 for $3,500 -2008. Plus $400 for gear and classes. I will get my driver's license this December and will take the MSD courses in spring of 2010. I can't find any used or cheap ninja 250's around my area and I think I would rather go stright to the dealer rather then the seller because of too much red tape and work. I think my insurance will be cheaper because I will ride only to school and work and I have good grades. Even though I am young. SO, is there any place I can find any user friendly bikes or cheap ninja 250's?""

Best/cheapest car insurance for new 20-something year old New York driver?

20-something New York driver - I need car insurance. If I get insured here, it's bound to be THOUSANDS (probably around 5) :( Who do you suggest I go with? How's esurance?""

""21 Year old, Need Car, Low Insurance Please Help! :(?""

Ive now had 3 years driving experience initially on my car, under my mothers no claims, then my (then) girlfriends 2 cars. However, during that time I have accrued no no claims and it has been a year since I've been insured on any. I know how to drive, I need a car. Since then it is not possible for me to get a quote on any car I try which have included family cars, small cars and even extended to classic cars in order for classic car insurance. My grandfather said I could use his no claims, however my quote goes up?! No one else has any NCB years for me to use. I have had no prior crashes, I also live in a good area for insurance. At this stage I will gladly accept a car that would get be under 1.8k on the insurance, So I'm looking for any suggestions! PLEASE HELP :(""

""Why is it that I am still able to be sued for an auto accident if I live in Florida, a no-fault state?""

I've been in 2 accidents. The first was very minor; I rolled into the bumper in the car in front of me at a stop light and scratched their bumper. No damage was sustained to my car, but I am at-fault. The second I was cutting through an intersection that was at a red light and was about to pull into the left-turn lane when the woman in the car that was coming down the lane wasn't looking forward and hit the driver side door of my car. I was already halfway in the lane trying to straighten out into the left-turn lane but I couldn't move when she was coming, because if I moved back I might have hit someone and if I went forward she would have hit me anyway. At the scene the policewoman told me I was at fault, but when I talked to my claims adjuster, she told me that there is some negligence on the other party's part because if I had just randomly pulled out into traffic, the other party would have hit the front of my car, not the driver-side door. I am being sued by the first person and I found out just now I am being sued by the person in the second accident as well. I was told that since I am registered under my parents insurance, the other party can see that they have a lot of assets they can sue for from my parents. My question is, why are they able to sue me so easily? I've done research, and I know Florida is a no-fault state, meaning drivers cannot sue each other unless serious injury occurred, such as loss of life, limb, permanent injury, etc. In both accidents, I did not get ticketed, and I believe no police report was written, only exchanges of information.(Police were called, however. I did not leave the scene) Also both of the other parties did not ask for an ambulance or medical assistance(I know about the feeling pain later thing) but I'm sure if someone was suing for something as serious that can be listed as loss of limb or death, they would have showed some indication of injury at the scene. Both people stepped out of their cars and were fine, however.""

""My teen had a minor accident, will my insurance go up?""

My daughter who is 16 yrs old tapped a car from behind at a stop sign. There was no damage done to either car and no injuries. The guy said he was not going to do anything about it since there was no damages. My daughter gave him her information (insurance etc). I called the guy to make sure everything was ok, he said nothing happened to his car or himself but he went ahead and opened a claim with my insurance because he thought he had to do that. I know that if he decides to ask for damages the insurance will pay. My question to you is if he decides not to ask for damages, will my insurance still go up and will she get points in her driver's license. Also, I'd like to add that we live in California. I have not talked to my insurance (AAA) yet. Thank you""

Car insurance question (just turned 16)?

So I just turned 16, and am about to purchase a car after saving up for the past year or so. I just have 2 questions. 1- Im planning to get a 1991 Nissan 300zx, there's a 2 seater-2door and a 4 seater- 2 door version of this car. Planning to get the 4 seater, and from what I've heard, insurance will be a tad bit cheaper with the 4 seater, is this true ? And for the more important question - Im underage obviously, so I have to go under my parents for insurance. Thing is, my dad has a HORRIBLE driving record, 1 accident that was his fault and a heaping amount of tickets. And my parents' insurance has gone up from that.. But is his driving record going to affect my insurance? Like will I have to pay more than expected due to his bad record ? Sorry for such the long question..""

On average what does a automotive insurance adjuster/or a body shop estimator make annually?

Car insurance to help disabled grandparents?

My grandfather is ill in hospital and my nan is finding it difficult to drive to the hospital and back on a daily basis. Aunt has MS so she cares for her too, thus I was wondering if anyone knows of a type of car insurance that will enable me to help out with their daily living. I obviously know that standard insurance would work, but I'm a 21 yo male and don't have the funds to get full independent insurance. Thanks for any help.""

Will my car insurance change if?

I have two cars under my insurance .. one has had an accident and the payments went up.. now if I remove that car from my insurance cuz I wanna sell it does the other cars payment go up..

Renters insurance cant get homeonwers?

im about to payoff my mobile home and own it but i cant get homeonwers insurance since i own my mobile home could i just get renters insurance and protect my belogings inside my trailer. keep in mind in paying a month lot rent fee for my trailer to sit on someone elses property.

Why cant I find cheap car insurance?

I am 17 and just about to pass my test, I am after a 1 litre to 1.2 litre small ish car. I can afford the car which is no problem but when I look for car insurance its bringing quotes up at the cheapest 4500. Is this becuase I have not passed yet and they cant find my details on their system so they are just giving me a high quote or is this really what I will have to pay? I dont see the point in learning to drive if this is the case. Anyone have ad ideas or suggestions, all my friends seem to find cheapish insurnace but a few other people are in the same situation as me. Thanks""

17 year old male car insurance? UK?

What is the cheapest anyone my age (17) has got their car insurance, what car and how did you get it cheap? The best quote I have got is 1200 for a 1.0 litre saxo, and 1700 for 1.0 litre polo's, corsa's and fiesta's""

How much auto insurance premium go up after an accident?

I got into a car accident about a month ago. I totaled my car and damaged another. A passenger also got hurt in the other vehicle and filled a claim but it doesn't look like hes suing. The accident was clearly my fault. I currently pay $160 a month for two cars and I'm 24 years old. Anyone have a rough idea as to how much it will go up? Thanks.

Cheap car to insure for 17 year old boy?

Please just say a few car names and not your not geting any for cheap

How much is it to get painting and remodeling permit and insurance in seattle WA?

Vestaburg Michigan Cheap car insurance quotes zip 48891

SR-22 Insurance help?

Got pulled over in the state of Iowa for not having a license, but I did have insurance should I deserve to get SR-22 insurance?""

Will my insurance rate go up if i recently got stopped for a failure to obey stop sign? More details!!?

i am 17 years old and i got a ticket for failure to stop at a stop sign but i could not find my papers. so the officer never scanned my insurance card. will my insurance rate go up? ps... im not on the insurance policy, it was my mothers car and i am a new driver.""

How much will car insurance be for a VW Polo for a 17 year old?

I will be turning 17 in a year and a half and i am set on getting a 2006 Volkswagen Polo because i don't need much more from a car. It will mostly just be used for short drives through my town and city and I will be parking it on the road. I'm hoping to find one with a 1.2 engine and no higher because i know that is a dramatic factor in the insurance cost. I was just wondering, as a rough estimate, how much per year (in British pounds) would the insurance be?""

Im 19 years and i need a car but im woried about the insurance?

Hi im 19 years old. I have a good job but no credit. i recently saw this 2000 dollars car. how much could i be paying for the insurance.

Cheapest car insurance?

Whats the cheapest car insurance for a teenager? Permit .....

Drink driving insurance?

I was convicted of drink driving last year. Just got my driving licence back. Does anybody know where I can get cheap car insurance, theres loads of companies that say they specialise in convicted driver insurance but some of the prices I have been quoted have been astronomical. 1000+, Ive tried all the comparison sites, is there any companies out there that specialise in providing insurance for convicted drink drivers?""

Hey how much will car insurance be when i start driving at 16?

ok heres the thing,ill be 16 years old when i get my dl,our insurance is mercury,and i am gonna drive a 1991 civic hatchback,or a 1992 integra any clues o how much per month""

Is 21st Century Auto Insurance a good company?

I'm asking because I just switched over from progressive to 21st and now I'm a little worried because I've seen a lot of negative comments on their facebook fan page and after reading some of the things about their roadside assistance works I'm wondering if I made a mistake. My policy with progressive didn't cover much and the one I have with 21st gives me more coverage for the same price so idk. Is 21st as bad as they're making it out to be?

Car accident will his insurance pay for the rental?

I got hit by a Semi the police came we exchanged insurance info I got estimates faxed them to his insur and they paid me but now the Body shop guy say's its gonna be a week to fix ...show more

Car insurance with dwi?

I went to a bar in upstate ny to see a friend's band play. I was drinking at the bar, so I decided to stay at a friend's house down the road (walk there obviously). Someone I thought was my friend took my car to go home ( I left the keys in the ignition ). I know I'm a dumb *** for leaving the keys in the car, don't flame me for that please. Anyways this guy got pulled over by the cops and got a dwi. The car was legally parked when they pulled him over so it didn't get impounded. My question is will my insurance go up? I wasn't driving the car and this guy had no license or any kind of insurance whatsoever. He was also under 21 if that helps and no I didn't report the car stolen. But when the cops questioned him he just told them he took the car.""

Where can I get temporary car insurance in the US?

I currently live in PA as an exchange student. My roommate owns a car and he would let me drive it but I am not covered by his insurance. What I need is a temporary car insurance for foreigners that don't own the car they want to drive. Any help is much appreciated!

What do you mean by car insurance quotes?

Sportbike Insurance...?

Where is a good place to have motorcycle insurance through. My husband is looking into buying a Suzuki gsxr and we are trying to find something cheap or reasonable.

How much is insurance on 2003 lexus IS300?

wondering how much i might be paying a month if im getting a more expensive car..?

Do you pay a fine if you dont have health insurance in the U.S.?

and in california? i heard that you have to have health insurance or you will have to pay a fee/ fine or something is that true? it doesnt make sense because people who dont have health insurance cant afford it but now there's medicare and obamacare so does that mean you are forced to have health insurance?

My sister insurance covering my brother car but she wants to cancel?

She is cancelling her insurance for a lower rate with a new company and he wants to have the car insured in his name. The car is registered in his name. How would they go about this? can she say she no longer wants to insure the car?

Who makes the best affordable medical oxygen concentrator?

portable preferred

Advantages and disadvantages to insurance companies choosing to be on price comparison websites?

In a particular country, price comparison websites have just arrived to compare insurance products. Companies are not obliged to have their prices quoted on a price comparison website but if they do a commission is paid on any sales through the website. For motor insurance there are a number of companies supplying insurance. Of these insurance companies, company A has chosen not to be on comparison websites but company B has decided to be on the websites. Explain possible reasons for these companies decisions.""

How much do you pay for car insurance?

How much do you pay for you're car insurance 17+ ? & names of insurers!?

Hey, I'd like to know some of you're insurance quotes and where from? Looking around to find some places! Cheers in advance 10points for someone who helps!""

I dont understand why my car insurance quote is so high?

i'm almost 17 so ideally i would like to get a car as soon as possible. I've been looking around for insurance and the cheapest quote i have got is 4000 for a 1.0 volkswagen lupo? I know the price varies with what area you live in, but when my sister first got insured she payed around 1000?""

Medicaid insurance with another insurance?

I was wondering what the qualifications are for Medicaid. Specifically, I have UBH insurance...since I have insurance already, would I still qualify for Medicaid? I am 19 years old and live on my own now.""

Insurance Cost For 16 Year Old Boy 2008 Nissan Rogue?

Im a 16 year old boy with a 2008 nissan rogue, my parents aren't letting me drive without them in the car yet because we still need to get car insurance for me. About how much would it be to insure me? I have a 3.75 highschool GPA and Im an honor roll/mostly A average student. no driving incidents either""

Where should gain on life insurance be located on the income statement?

The item reads as follows: When one officer died, the company realized $110,000 from an insurance policy. The book value was $50,000. My gut feeling tells me it should be placed under other comprehensive income, but the solution to my homework problem says it should be under non-operating expense. Why is that? Shouldn't it be under other comprehensive income because the company doesn't really have control over it? I think it is under non-operating because it's REALIZED. Is that enough of a reason? Thanks.""

How come Obama will now allow the same insurance coverage that he was against before?

If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period""

Vestaburg Michigan Cheap car insurance quotes zip 48891

Whats the cheapest place in rochester ny for car insurance?

im 18 with a permit and i want to put my 1988 audi quattro 90 on the road,,but i was wondering what would be the cheaest place in rochester ny to go to?""

Where should we keep car insurance papers and license plate registration?

My husband and I live in Ontario and currently share one vehicle. He insists on keeping the insurance papers and plate registration in his wallet but if I need the car I have to get them from him each time (of course, if we get stopped we can be ticketed for not having the papers). The problem is, we are both extremely busy and sometimes forget to give them back to each other and find ourselves driving without the papers. My question is, where is the best place to keep these papers (I've heard you shouldn't keep them in the car in case its stolen) AND/OR are they valid if photocopied and one of us keeps THOSE copies in our wallet? I've heard that using a true copy, whatever that is, is accepted but that some police officers won't accept them at true if you're stopped. This is becoming a real problem for us...please help!""

NCAP rating effect on car insurance.?

I'm looking to buy a car and noticed that some of the models I favour, such as Ford Puma; Vauxhall Tigra, have not been crash tested by NCAP. Does a car which has not been crash tested by NCAP necessarily attract higher insurance premiums?""

Can you give me an estimate of how much car insurance would be.......?

lets say a guy under 30 in california with a 2002 BMW 325i sedan how much would insurance be?

Roughly how much is car insurance for a peugeot??

please help, i only want roughly""

Switching car insurance?

I am thinking of switching to Esurance, it's about $25 a month cheaper than my current insurance. Anyone have any experience or knowledge of Esurance? How hard is it to switch?""

Can i register a car under my name but put it under my parents insurance?

hi i live in New York and am about to buy a car but im not sure how to insure it. im am currently under my parents insurance as a secondary driver. if i register the new car under my name can i stay a secondary driver or will i have to change to primary driver? being a secondary driver is obviously way cheaper than primary. also does anyone know how to transfer ownership of the vehicle when i buy it? i know i need a bill of sale but how to transfer the title? and is there anything i need to do? i went to the DMV website but its pretty confusing. thanks in advance

Car Insurance problem?

Yesterday my dad was in a car crash but thankfully no injury. The victim who crashed into our car had escaped and dashed off bout 6miles. The point of this story? The victim had stolen a car from a rental place and had been driving really fast probably. Figuring that this guy has no money and insurance, can not pay for the damage of my car. (I had bought it about a year ago, and used car) It seems Like we would have to pay 1mill yen (Japan) for this whole crap. Obviously this does not seem right at all, and should not be paying anything at all! Our insurance covers the accidents we get into, but not the damage of our car. So that means, our insurance doesn't cover it, the victims or the company (toyota) might not be covering it either. This case is rare supposedly and we're still figuring it out. And their on a hunt for this guy so hopefully we'll see what he has. Can you hear me out on this one? Can you give me things that might question this case? thnx a lot""

Does anyone know the penalty for a motorist not having auto insurance in Texas?

The auto is insured, and the driver is authorized to drive it. Got speeding ticket and showed proof of insurance for auto. Went to get deferred adjudication and included copy of insurance card where authorized user but now being asked for insurance on driver.""

Can anybody give me an idea on car insurance?

Im 18 year old and am from the uk i want to buy a mazda 2. i hold a clean uk driving liscience and would like to no if anybody has a rough idea how much per year i will pay for car insurance.

Looking for insurance?

I'm self employed and I drive for a living, I own a freightliner and it has 90k miles on it. My warranty is going to run out and I'm looking to get a extended warranty but no success. I was thinking I could get insurance to cover it. Does anybody know of anything else! I'm just trying to protect my business.""

Affordable term life insurance quote?

What good is affordable term life insurance?

What auto insurance are in FL? I been through almost every single one of them and no one will take us. help?

I need some names of FL auto insurance companies who will take someone whose had PIP claims.

Lower insurance for young driver?

so i know when you are under your parents it isn't as high i know people paying 50 dollars a month or something like that my situation though i just turned 21 im in need of a car but im the only driver in my family (single mom never got her license) i know that one-way coverage is about 300 something a month but if i finance a car i need full coverage which the price is crazy expensive something like 800-1100 a month is there anyway i can get lower insurance rate or something of the sort ?

Motorcycle Insurance?

I'm wanting to get a motorcycle license, motorcycle, moto insurance. Isn't the pricing ridiculous for insurance if I add motorcycle insurance to it? Of course the insurance company's price differs but generally what is it like? -Thanks""

I got my 1998 hyandai elantra tataled how much should i get from the insurance company?

it has 119000 miles on it but is still in good condition and has no recorded crashes or anything on it well until now that is. and the totaling was not my fault

Lapsed car insurance ?

I never received bill or warning in the mail or phone call from my agent. Either they made a mistake or my parents thought it was junk mail. Over 6 months have gone by. Should I call my agent or the insurance company? I figure rates will go up even though I didn't do anything wrong.

Should I accept this settlement offer from an insurance company?

I was in a car accident when a girl blew a red light and smashed into my side. $10,000 in auto damages that was fixed rights away. (btw she admitted fault to police so im 0% at fault legally) I went to emergency room for precautionary reasons. That cost $1450. Then little by little the pain started to kick in. I had neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and terrible pain in my knee. I had MRI on back, knee and neck because those were the worst. That total was about $1800. I was told by the doctor that the mri on my back said I have two herniated disks and I should do therapy. I listened to him and went four times per week for four months. The Mri on my neck came back good. But my knee showed a tear in mcl. I had surgery on that and had to see the surgeon in his office twice plus hospital bills which equals a bill of $14,500. I then needed 2 months of therapy on my knee. Also all the pain meds ive been taking through out the whole process is around $600. I had a ekg for my nerves to test if they were good and that cost $800. So after doing my research I find websites that say the settlement amount s should be all bills multiplied by 3 depending on the persons insurance carrier and coverage. Well this person has $200,000/$200,000. So far all my bills have been paid through my insurance. When I do the math for what all the bills are is comes to roughly $28350. I didn't include the four days per week for therapy and seeing the doctors. That has to be a big chunk also. My lawyer called me and said he was made an offer of $42,000. He gets a 1/3 of that. I think they low balled me soooo bad on this. If i use the X3 multiplier method then it should have been somewhere around $85,000 offer. Remember I didn't even include all the visits to the therapy. Is this a good offer or should I decline and wait for second offer? My lawyer thinks we should wait it out because he has such a big insurance policy that we can get much more especially since that was our first offer.""

""What is the most reliable, low insurance, cheap small car-max budget 1200?""

I have an 'N' reg Nissan Micra, had it for around 4 years now, it's costing me more than it's worth in repairs and I need to get rid of it! It has been incredible reliable though, engine wise, just other stupid things (no doubt, age related) clutch has just gone and I could have done without that this side of xmas :( but at the moment, not in the position to replace it til next year. Trying to do my homework on cars til then, I have narrowed it down in this order: Volkswagen Polo Suzuki Swift Nissan Micra (obviously, a few years newer) Seat Ibiza (I know, budget pushing it on that one!) and finally, Ford Fiesta (don't know why, i find them so boring to look at, hence last on my list) Any view on above cars would be much appreciated, or other suggestions also. I need the car to be very low on insurance and economical to run as well.""

Looking for Dowa Insurance?

Also looking for for a Mrs.Mary Blair of Dowa Insurance

What happens if you switch car insurance?

Had a policy with my mother and due to conflict between the family I got my own policy and she moved out of town and has her own. However, she was behind on the payments (I had no idea, I just gave her the money every month in the form of a check) and after splitting the insurance I'm stuck with a $400 dollar bill just to continue my insurance that wasn't paid by my mother. I would like to somehow get around this and I was wondering what the consequences were if I were to not pay this payment and get car insurance elsewhere.""

How can I put my girlfriend (8 1/2 years and still going strong) on my health/dental insurance?

Hi guys, so I have asked my job and it seems the only way I can add her to my health/dental insurance is if 1) we are married or 2) if i provide proof of living with her for a certain amount of years. There has to be some loophole because I really think it is ridiculous that we have been to together since we were 16 and I cant add her or help her in such a way. There is no possible way, in timeline, for us to qualify for such rules. 16-18 years old (in high school and lived with parents), 18-23 years old (Attended separate universities and lived in different cities), 23- 24 1/2 years old, (both living with parents back home, we alternate and stay at each others place, so have no set home or bills in our name, such as direct tv, electricity, internet, you name it. we are blessed with awesome parents) and yes we have though about just getting married, but no way... we are waiting until we are established and can fend for ourselves to make a decision like that, but yes we do want to get married some day, but not over screwing the government or other reasons. Also we live in california if that helps, since i know every state varies, thank s guys!! ^_^""

""Thinking of buying Subaru Impreza WRX, What are upkeep/maintenece and servicing costs/?""

I am thinking of buying an impreza and have tried to find info online about servicing and upkeep costs of them. I have been looking at both 2.0 wrx 03-05 models and also the newer 2.5 wrx 55-07 model (havent decided which yet!!). I have an insurance quote fro around 750 for both and I am happy with this. I have seen a few cars that I like. One of which is an 03 reg 54,000 miles. the other is the newer model 06 reg done 54000 miles and another of the same model thats only done 45000 miles. Can anyone tell me what the maintenece costs would be on this with doing about 6000 miles a year? When would the next service be due and what are the likely costs of these? Regards""

Can I ride my motorcycle with just a bill of sale and insurance?

Hey I just bought a 2004 r6 and I live in georgia. I bought it from alabama and the old owner is mailing me the title in a couplle of weeks but I'm wondering, if I have a bill of sale and proof of insurance can I go ahead and ride the bike??""

What affordable dental insurance covers ortho? Can you suggest any?

I am looking for affordable dental insurance that covers ortho. I'm 29 yrs old and interested in getting one. I do have dental insurance - HMO, (BLue Cross) does this cover ortho?""

Vestaburg Michigan Cheap car insurance quotes zip 48891

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/affordable-liability-insurance-small-business-hailey-mccormick/"

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decadenttimetravelmentality-blog · 7 years ago

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Where can I get low cost life insurance for my parents?

"Where can I get low cost life insurance for my parents?

My parents are getting older now and I was wondering where was a good reliable place I can obtain low cost life insurance for them in case something happens to take care of their bills and wishes? I've seen ads on TV and the internet, but I can't tell who is a reliable company and it would be great if they don't have to go through a medical exam. I'm not looking for a million dollar policy or to get rich, just something reasonable to help take care of their bills and stuff should the worst happen.

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://salecarinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr

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I have bought a new (second hand!) car and will be going to get it today. Not having changed my car before, I have a question. Just before we go to pick up the new car, we will be changing our insurance in town from our old car to the new car. If I change my insurance to the new car, how can I then drive my old car as it will be uninsured? We will need the old car to drive a few miles outside town to get the new car! Is there a special way that this has to be done so that the the old car is still temporarily covered? We will be going to get the new car immediately after sorting the insurance. Please give as much details as possible of what I have to do.""

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Insurance costs for a 1999 ford mustang gt?

I am just wondering what the insurance cost would be for a 1999 ford mustang gt would be for a 17 year old male. I get a's and b's on my report cards. Also, would the insurance costs for a 1999 ish Ford Mustang base(not gt or cobra) be lower? Thanks, Alec""

How much more does motorcycle insurance cost than car insurance?

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How much would my car insurance cost?

All I need is an estimate. Well Im looking forward to buying a 2005 honda civic 4dr & it has a salvage title

Cheap car insurance PLEASEEE :(?

I passed my driving test yesterday and now really finding it hard to get insured, its so expensive what ive been quoted is redictulos, its like 3000 up to 12,000 !!! can anybody help me and tell me how to find a very cheaop car insurance place, i am only able to afford around 2000 a year but i need to pay monthly. i live in the UK Thanks guyssss much appricaited xxxx""

Does Progressive raise your insurance rates for no reason?

I got a good quote from them online, but the main complaint I have heard is that they raise people's insurance for no reason. They got good initial quotes, but a couple months later, they raise them. Anybody know anything about that?""

16 yr old..car insurance rate?

I am a 16 (almost 17) year old girl. I just finished all of my hours/behind the wheel/drivers ed. I would not be the primary driver and I would not have my own car. I am an honors student with pretty decent grades. About how much money would it be for me to get car insurance?

""My husband is retiring next year and I am unemployed and only 55, how do I get affordable health insurance?""

I have alot of health issues and I need to make sure I have coverage. I have been looking for a job with benefits, but so far no luck. I am 55 and my husband will be 63 when he retires. I need an insurance with no prior health exceptions.""

Cyclist and insurance?

I am having a debate with a few people about cyclist with insurance, One thing I would like to know, If I hit a cyclist and damage his bike, Would my insurance cover the cost of a new bike? or injury? This is for the UK""

Retiring at 62 need health insurance?

I live in Florida, work at Walmart. How can I get health insurance if I retire at age 62?""

Cheaper car insurance?

I'm an 18 (almost 19) year old male living in Ontario, Canada, and I'm on my parent's insurance policy. I'm looking into buying my first car. It's not just some old beater, it's a car that I would definitely enjoy driving. It's a 1999 Chevy Cavalier with a bunch of modifications to it. I'm worried about what I will be paying monthly in insurance. The guy I'd be buying it from told me as long as your insurance company doesn't ask for pictures of the car, in order to keep my premium low I should just lie about what's in/on the car. He said tell them you bought it for the black book price without any mods ($1200 - $2100), and state the only addition being a body kit. MY QUESTION IS: Could I get in any trouble if they ever found out about all of the modifications to the car that I didn't list? What would happen?""

Advice for health insurance please? (community college student with low-paying part-time job)?

I haven't had health insurance since I turned 18 and no longer qualified for my family's health insurance plan. I wasn't really concerned at the time, but now that its been a few years (I am almost 21 now), I am in need of dental care. My problem is that I don't know what my health insurance options currently are. I am a college student, although my community college does not offer any health plans for students. I do have a part time job at a daycare that offers health insurance, however its price is far too high for my income. The insurance company is Aetna, and would cost me $16.92 for the lowest medical option, plus $4.61 for dental. So that would cost me $21.53 weekly, which doesn't sound too bad, except I only earn about $120 every two weeks....reducing my paychecks to about only $76 every two weeks....which just isn't enough for me to live on considering that I pay for my own food and everything else needed. So.... does anyone know of health insurance companies that have options for community college students like me? I know state insurance may be an option, but I have a feeling I don't qualify for that since I'm not legally an independent, yet I can't afford to move out and become independent. See the nasty cycle now? lol. And no, earning more money and finding a better paying job is not an option for me at this time. I can't transfer to a college that does offer health insurance for another two years either.. If anyone can give me advice, I'd be very grateful. Thank you in advance =)""

UK ONLY: Cheap car insurance for 17 years old male?

I passed my 1 and half months ago, and insurance seems to be no less than 3000 on every sites i look. I havent bought a car but the car im looking to insure is 00-02reg VW Polo 1.0ltr or 00-06reg Vauxhall Corsa 1.0-1.2ltr Both of them are manufacture standards without any modification or accidental repaired. I dont think i will be buying a car before i find a cheap and affordable insurace, happy to pay under 2000 Cannot have an additional driver as my parents do not drive. So can anybody please help me out or recommend me a company? Thank you in advance.""

Are there any insurance companies that offer discounts for drivers of hybrid cars?

I know Traveler's does but their rates are really high to start with, so 10% off that is actually a ton more expensive than my regular insurance. I'm looking to insure a 2005 civic hybrid. (which for fair note I love!) Thanks in advance!""

""What is third party car insurance? Can I, with no insurance, drive someone else's car, if they have insurance?""

So heres the deal. I don't have car insurance, my friend does. He seems to think that because he has third party insurance , I am able to drive his cause because the third party insurance will cover me in case of an accident. I don't think he's correct but, I'm not entirely sure how it works. So, what is third party insurance? Can I, with no insurance, drive someones else's car, if they have insurance? If they have third party insurance? Is there anything at all, in any kind of insurance that would allow me to drive his car, without me having insurance - even though he has inurance? So I've said the same question 10 times but...can someone who is uninsured drive someones car, if the owner of that car is insured?""

Insurance.?

Does anyone Own a Mustang GT Bullitt and by any chance happen to know how much the insurance usually is?

How high are insurance rates for a 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer GT?

Its a car with the whole package; mags, sunroof, skirt, spoiler, sound etc. It's a 4 door 2.0L 4 cylinder. I'm wondering how much insurance I'll be paying in comparison to a Hyundai Elantra GL to which I was quote 1300 a year for - yikes! Anyone own this vehicle in Canada? Btw I'm 20, clean record, been driving for 2-3 years (dont even remember honestly).""

Where can I find affordable insurance for my dental practice?

Where can i get cheap car insurance?

im driving a six years old Saab aero convertible.and on red 'p' and im 26yrs old.i was told i have to pay near $5000 a year .is there any other way to get around it?

Car insurance. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

I pay $177 for just liability with progressive through my mom. I need a cheaper insurance so I wanna switch. I've never dealt with this before so do I get one agent or do I have to get agents from each insurance company to find out which company would be cheapest?

Car insurance for 18 year old male?

Hi I live in Windsor ON. And I need car insurance I have a 96' Ford Escort 4 door lx. Everywhere I have called has given me very high rates. Please help :)

Where can I get low cost life insurance for my parents?

""My dad is the main driver on vehicle insurance, and i am the named, am i aloud to drive the car more than him?""

Ive just passed my test and looking for cheap ways to get cheaper insurance. Can i do it so my dad is the main driver and im the named, but i will be using the car much more than him? is this illegal? The car is in his name and everything but didnt no whether he has to cover more miles than me in a year with it being in his name? thanks""

2003 Mustang GT insurance cost?

I am looking at a 2003 Mustang GT with 93k miles on it. I am a 16 year old boy and we are looking to add this to my parent's current policy. I have good grades, we will have multiple cars and home insurance with the same company. Any idea on an approximate cost per month for insurance on this car?""

Why is car insurance so expensive of or young people ?

I don't think it is fair it seems like a lot of things are expensive for young people I mean it is even unfair when your in a job and you get paid less becaues your young

""After buying a car, can you immediately drive it, without switching insurance?""

Or do you need to buy the car, go to the insurance company, switch it over, go back to the dealership, then get the car? I live in AR if that is relevant.""

Got a fine for no car insurance.?

I got a fine for no car insurance in CA, what will possibly happen to me? I'm fearing the worst...although there should be no excuse for it I didn't have the money at the time.""

Are auto body parts that are taken off covered by insurance for wind damage?

i was changing my fuuel pump on my truck. we took off the bed and stood it striaght up on the lawn. we didnt finish it right away. it was a couple of days before i got the new pump. one of those nights it blew over and tweaked the bed rails a little bit. id hate to file a claim and they would say its your fault and raise my insurance rates. i have full collision.

How much should a Insurance CSR make?

I live in a little town in California, I have been working for well established Insurance agency since May 2012. I just recently got licensed so now I carry my P and C license. I am getting 12 an hour plus health insurance, am I being under paid? Im not getting commission even though I have brought new business in and have written policies. Your answers are very much appreciated. Thank you.""

Good place to buy car insurance for an 18 year old?

I'm 18 and just recently passed my driving test. Problem is, my Dad wants to put me down as a second driver on his car but it's a BMW sport with a 2L engine. The cheapest quote I could find is 4,500 annually, which my Dad is not prepared to pay of course. Some companies were even asking for 40,000 which is just a joke! I have been driving this car for over a year and now that I finally have my license, I'm pretty annoyed that I'm not able to drive the car that's just sitting outside. Anyone know any other routes I could take? Weekly car insurance? Monthly? Ideally I'd like to have a quotes of less than 1600 annually, but now it seems unlikely. Buying another car is not an option as I'm going to Uni in a couple of months and will not be needing it anymore. Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks.""

Is car insurance sexist?

im a guy trying to get a car and am being penalized on car insurance being quoted 10k for a 400 car yet the insurance quoted offers the same coverage for only 5k if i selected gender ...show more

How much do you pay for motorcycle insurance?

I'm trying to get an idea of how much I'll pay for motorcycle insurance. I'm 20, with a good driving record, who is looking to buy a honda rebel as a starter bike. So, if you could tell me your age, gender, insurance company, and how much you pay, it would be greatly appreciated. Please only serious answers. TIA""

""Before Obamacare, my health insurance premiums were stable...?""

...this year they went up 17%. How can this be, if Obamacare was supposed to make everything more affordable?""

Pontiac Grand Am GT Insurance?

I am 20 years old. Looking at a 2 door coupe Pontiac GT. Never been in an accident, never had a ticket. Was wondering what the insurance is roughly going to cost me a month? I have All State. My dad doesn't want to call them because we just called them yesterday about another car, and we don't have the vin number. Thanks! Oh! It has power locks, a spoiler, and a sunroof too! As well as a single disc CD player.""

How much can i expect to pay for insurance?

Hi, Well im about to finance a Mercedes-Benz C300 and wanted to know how much should i expect to pay for insurance. Im 19 by the way, have a credit score of 710, dont know if insurance companies look at scores, but finally, this will be my first car. Hope that helps. Thank you!""

""Are most companies going to switch to Obamacare, for their insurance coverage plans.?""

Are most companies going to switch to Obamacare, for their insurance coverage plans.?""

How Much Will My Car Insurance Be?

I am a 21 year old male with a very clean driving record, no DUI or tickets etc. Buying a 2004 Honda Civic DX 4D Sedan used for $11,000. What's the cheapest full cover car insurance out there for a guy like me? Any suggestions?""

Do you need private insurance?

if you have to go in a nursing home for a long time does medicare cover this,permatently or do you have to have longterm care insurance.we pay-out 1600.00 dollars every 4 months.please some answer thanks.iam 89 spouse is 86 thanks""

Where have you gotten your cheapest car insurance from? Who has the best rates?!?

Help i need cheap auto insurance.?

i have a 2001 pontiac grand prix gt and i am 19 years old and i live at zip code 48726 i need cheap car insurance can you help please

""Having a driver's license, but no car? Insurance question.?""

I'm 18 years old and currently have my driver's license and pay car insurance on it under my parents insurance plan. I want to know if it's possible to sell my car and stop paying for the car insurance. Is it possible to have a drivers license, but not be paying for insurance? I wont be driving any cars, I'm going to get a motorcycle. I live in Florida.""

Insurance.............?

cheap bike insurance for a scooter in uk,any ideas?""

How much is car and home insurance?

sorry this is kinda long.. but... im doing a project for economics class. and we have to figure out our future, like make a resume and a job app a cover letter, and all this other stuff after we picked a career we are interested in doing with our lives. so, we have to figure out our budget like housing stuff, housing bills, transportation like car insurance and car payment. investing and miscelaneous like cell phone bills internet and entertainment to name a few.. after this. we take our total monthly net pay, and subtract our total monthly expenses and thats our remaining income just for whatever. but i am having trouble finding house insurance, and car insurance. all i am getting from searching is quotes, and i dont need that.. i jus need a straight up dollar amount. if anyone can help.. that would be great.. thanks.""

Why do people buy insurance?

is it for saving or protection of life? What are the reasons that motivate people to buy insurance?

Truck Insurance CHeaper then car insurance for a male?

is truck insurance cheaper then car insurance for males, and why?""

Can I get liability insurance if I do a roll over?

I'm currently financing a vehicle and I simply can't afford it anymore. I'm considering doing a trade in for a cheaper car. I would be trading in my car which has a higher value than the car. So there will still be a finance going on but it would be a rollover. Will the other technically be paid off meaning that I'd be able to get liability on it? I just need to lower my payments because it's too much to handle right now so even some ways that I can lower my payments or insurance would be nice.

Buying a car + insurance?

I currently do not have a car nor insurance. If I buy a car, am I supposed to get insurance first and then the car, or a car first and then insurance? How does this work? This is in Washington.""

Where can I get low cost life insurance for my parents?

Affordable health insurance?

I have no insurance, been unemployed over a year, no dependents, am not pregnant, and have no serious medical issues I'm aware of. If it matters, I'm not a US citizen, I'm a permanent resident alien. Which means I can work and pay taxes, but can't vote and don't get called for jury duty. I live in California. How do I find decent affordable health insurance? Are there any sliding scale clinics in San francisco for someone in my position? There seems to be options if one has kids, is pregnant, has a serious illness, or is a vet. I'm none of those. Also, I'm way past the time period to sign up for Cobra. Thanks in advance!""

Motorcycle insurance question?

I recently had an accident on my 2003 Harley Davidson. It is essentially totaled. How much on average will my insurance cover. I have relatively good insurance. Just wondering what you thought.

Report old ticket to insurance company?

I am looking to get new car insurance, and I had a failure to control ticket over 2 years ago, which means that it is no longer on my driving record in my state. When filling out insurance information, it asks me to report any violations in the last 5 years. If my ticket is not on my record, should I still report it to the insurance company?""

2004 Mazda rx8 monthly insurance price?

Im 39 years old and haven't had a wreck nor got a ticket since 1982, I have perfect credit. I was wondering about how much it would cost every month for a 2004 Mazda rx8 with geico, or an estimate for another company.""

Does a full license reduce insurance premiums over a provisional license(NOT learners permit)?

In my state and probably many others now as well, there are three License tiers: Learners Permit, Provisional Drivers License, and Full License. Learners permit is pretty much self explanatory, you have to drive with a parent/guardian only and must hold it for 9 months to get to the Provisional License in the middle which allows you to drive fully unsupervised after you turn 18 with many restrictions before 18 but still carries increased penalties(what they consist of I am not sure but they are nonetheless there only for Provisional Licenses) even after you turn 18, and then after you hold a Provisionals for 18 months, you can finally get a full license. Obviously not having increased penalties would be nice but I'm wondering if Full License status would also reduce insurance rates since it shows that you were able to hold a Provisionals for so long without moving violations and are therefore not quite as problematic of a driver as someone who has not yet passed the 18-month probationary period required for a Full License. Clarification on what a Provisional License is for my age(20): The Provisional License is for all intents and purposes basically the same as a full drivers license after you turn 18 with the exception of enhanced penalties for moving violations which remain possible until you get a full license. I'm just curious if there are insurance benefits that come with a full license as well or if, for some absurd reason, they still base it on the old learners-then-license system, and then they go up after you get a full license because they think you are suddenly unsupervised, which is not the case with a Provisional License moving up to a Full License.""

""Car accident person at fault has no insurance, what now?""

had a car accident a week ago, minor injury to wrist havent gone to doctor, other persons fault, person B failed to yield while turning left and drove right in front of me. I have full coverage on my part, however fault being hers i made a claim to insurance she provided to police report. the thing is that the owner of vehicles insurance policy does not have person b listed on that policy but person b has same home address as policy holder so technically theyre insurance will not cover me. they have restricted non standard policy, and i do not have uninsured motorist coverage on my policy nor car rental coverage. their insurance is investigating this in he meanwhile so they say. i am not sure whether i should get my insurance to handle this, if i do i would have expect higher premium, pay deductible, rental car and medical fees out of pocket. I am wondering if i should have patience or start looking for a lawyer and forget my own insurance.""

Would a Hyundai Genesis coupe be considered...?

How much would my car insurance go up if I got a mustang?

I'm 24 years old, have a good driving record, and I am currently on with my dad's insurance. I have a 2005 chevy aveo right now, with almost 75,000miles; and I pay $110 a month for insurance. Unfortunately, my car may be reaching it's end, and I may have to get a new car. I've found a used 2002 ford mustang, 2 door and 14,633 miles on it. How much do you think my insurance would go up? My dad says it would sky rocket... But I figure I'd ask anyway! Thanks!""

My clutch & break failed can i get insurance !?

how i can get the insurance cover of my car maruti wagon r vxi purchased in 2012 !

Question:How much does it cost to get a cheap but decent car and for insurance?

I really need to know how much money insurance would be for a car if you have a new license and how much for a decent used car that won't break down on you and what coverage would you have if if it did break down?Also, gas is pricey but i know a lot of people i've seen who are poor and are able to afford this all but how?I don't want to prostitute that is disgusting and violating to me but ineed some extra money,suggestions on how to get it in a respectful way??Can you buy a car without a license and how long do you have to register it i'm clueless about cars and need to know more!!!!""

Insurance cost of 06 Cobalt SS?

I am 19 and have no tickets... was just wandering a guess at how much it would be?

""Any opinions on good home insurance companies in Anchorage, AK?""

Just shopping around for good home insurance. Currently have accepted offer for our first home, and want to get the best home insurance rates.""

How long can I drive my car with out insurance?

I am buying a used car that isn't from a dealership. How long can I drive the car before needing to buy car insurance?

How pleased are you with your health care insurance?

Please rate 1-10 (1 being you do not have health care coverage and 10 you are very pleased Also Please give your age and nationality

Covered California individual plan?

Hello, I am a grad student with no income currently. I'm signing up for covered ca for an individual plan. It is asking for number of people in household, do I just put one for myself or am I supposed to write all family members even though it is for an individual plan? From the research I've done it seems I probably won't be eligible for obamacare and may have to sign up for medicaid. My mother is currently putting me through school and paying for my current health insurance. If I don't qualify for Obamacare couldn't I just sign up with a new plan under my current health insurance provider that my mother will pay for or would it be better if I just went with medicaid? Thanks for your advice.""

Health insurance for someone under 25 in Georgia?

I was told today that there is a new law in GA that states that if you are under 25 (whether a full- time student or not), that you can stay under your parents insurance. Is this true? If so, when does it take effect?""

Can I get health insurance for only my baby?

I just need a little guidance right now so I know what to do when my child is born. I'm due at the end of next June. I want to get health insurance for my baby because I'm not trying to pay an arm and a leg every time I take her to the doctor. However, I only need the insurance for the baby. I'm covered until I'm 25, even after I give birth, under my mother's insurance. (I'm 22 now.) Her insurance is through her job, she works for the State of Colorado. I already checked into adding the baby under her plan, but my mom would either have to be my child's legal guardian or adopt it. I don't want or need her to do that. I just keep hearing different things about being able to get it's own policy. Can anyone tell me if this is possible??""

Cheap car insurance for an 18 year old?

I'm hearing so many different things. Some people say you can use part of your parents' no claims to bring down the price, but I can't find any sites online who say that. Does anyone know of any cheap places or best companies to try by phone to get a realistic car insurance quote for an 18 year old? Thanks in advance.""

Can health insurance companies request medical records from other health insurance companies?

When I was in college I was in a relationship that made me really depressed, and the psychologist on campus referred me to an outside therapist with a diagnosis of major depression --the outside therapist corrected it and said she believed i had circumstantially-related depression, but she told me she coded the claim with the referring guy's major depression label so the insurance company wouldn't hassle me about the paying the claim. I worked with her for a 6 months --no medication, just got out the relationship--and am happy and healthy :) Now I'm reading all kinds of scary stuff about MIB, retroactive declining of coverage, etc and I currently have new individual (underwritten) coverage--I can ask her to correct the claim with my old company, but it seems like any action might rock the boat and I'm scared--if they didn't notice it, should i leave it be? or is there a chance that if i (god forbid) get something serious down the road that my current insurer will dig up my records from my old insurer to look for a reason to not pay? she was trying to do something to make my life easier but this whole thing has turned into such a mess!""

I canceled my auto insurance b/c I moved to a different state where the policy was considerably cheaper..?

I then unexpectedly moved to my original state. Although I was paying a cheaper insurance, how much grace period time do I have to insure my vehicle in my current state where the insurance is more? Thanks.""

Car insurance for teens?

I'm 17 have had my license for about 8 months and hit a car in a parking lot. my car has no damage, the other car has damage to the side. any idea how much my insurance would go up? i know it depends on a lot of factors but in case someone has experienced something similar and can give me an estimate that be great""

Can I borrow money from my life insurance policy?

I have had a life insurance policy since 2002. It is only for $50,000.00. I have always paid and never been late. I am now in a bind and need this money to start up a business. Being that I have had this policy for now a little over 8 years, can I borrow the full amount?""

How much is insurance for a motorbike?

I am 18 years old, own a 125cc 2011 brand new honda cbr, currently m1 license holder. Live in the suburbs, so not a lot of traffic. That's all the info I can think of that's relvent. So can anyone with information tell me how much insurance might cost a month?""

For Lexus owners: Is it expensive to maintain a Lexus?

Don't bother with saying, If you are thinking about buying a Lexus, you should be able to maintain it. If not, shop for something else. I love the Lexus IS design, both outside and inside. And I'd love to get myself one of these beautiful cars. However, before I take one of these cars in my driveway, I want to make certain I am not making a mistake. These are the questions I want you to answer: 1. I heard the price for one tire is $300... Is this true? If no, how much does one of these tires cost? 2. I heard the price for oil change is $110. If this is not true, how much does it cost you for oil change? 3. I heard if either the front bumper or rear bumper needs replacement, the cost would be $5000. If this is not true, how much do you think a bumper replacement should cost? 4. Although the amount you pay for car insurance is based on your driving history, I heard that the quality of a car does play a major role. I am 27. So, in your opinion, how much do you think I will pay for car insurance for the 06 Lexus IS 250? My driving history has a clean record. I have yet to receive a ticket. 5. What other things I need to know about owning one of these cars? Please answer my question.""

Whats the best dental insurance to cover for braces? AmeriPlan?

braces for adults in general...? and what exactly is AmeriPlan... if they are not insurance...what are they? and are they dependable?

Where can I get low cost life insurance for my parents?

What is the cheapest car insurance place?

Does anyone know a good cheap insurance company for state minium in Tulsa, OK? I pay 150 a month now. i have tried places such as Safe auto, Farmers. etc. All those places are way to high. Im 19, drive a Saturn L300. If that helps with anything. Im looking for something Cheaper than 150. Thanks guys.""

How much cost an insurance car in North Carolina?

Can you or spouse be denied group health insurance?

I have stage 4 cancer. I have insurance through my husbands job. If my husband changes jobs and is offered insurance at the new job can I be denied insurance due to the preexisting condition? I live in Georgia. I already checked and got information on cobra.

""I'm a 20 year old girl who has just passed my driving test,whats the best small car for insurance,as I dont kn

The car will be roughly 5 or 6 years old it goes by insurance band levels WHICH i AM LOST WITH

How much would insuracne cost on a 2010 Chevy Camareo for a 17 year old?

What are some nice cars that arnt sports cars? Insurance costs alot for a 17 year old with a sports car

Do I need public liability Insurance ?

We are starting a service that matches companies to website designers. Its an online service. Theoretically there could be issue between the companies meeting through our service. Would we require some sort of public liability insurance to cover us for such issues ? or maybe some other sort of insurance.? regards Ashley

Do I need to change car insurance?

Right now Im going to school in tampa while my home town is about 2.5/3 hours away. Im currently residing in the dorms on campus but next semester (january) I was going to move into an apartment. I know Ill have to change my drivers license but will I have to change my car insurance policy too? I know one of my classmates did and it went up considerably because of the move to tampa.

Average living costs for a UK 16 year old girl on the following things?

Ok, I'm planning to move out at the age of 16 and go study at collage in Poole 3 day's a week and also have a few job's on the go to! I'm looking at roughly the living costs (Rent, food, Car or transport, Car Insurance, TV Licence and Internet Bills ect.) Website links would be brilliant and any advice would also help! Also If I could get any help financially by the government for paying the rent as i won't be earning much, about 7,000 a year? Many thank yous in advance :) I'm figuring the earlier i start budgeting, the better""

What is the average cost of car insurance?

I was hit by a car. Which insurances should be reported?

Okay... I was driving my parents car to work. I am 19. No tickets or crashes since I was 15 and a half. I was rear ended when I stopped for an ambulance. My parents have insurance on that car, but I am not on their policy. I did have my mother's permission to use the vehicle. I have my own liability insurance but on a car that I sold several months ago. I maintained that insurance just in case anything happened. The woman that hit me immediately admitted blame. She also admitted blame to the officer that came out to see us. In fact, she cut him off to admit blame. I hope I am good to go as far as any sort of payment for damages. I understand if I get ticketed for not being on their policy... I just don't want to have to pay for my parent's car out of pocket, I can't afford that. Do all three party's insurances need to be reported? My dad is trying to tell me that my insurance is the only one that needs be reported as well as the woman's that hit me. I disagree. I think that all three need to be - but he's older and wiser than me. I think he just doesn't want his rate to increase so he's trying to make me call the woman and tell her to not report their insurance. Fml, i'm confused. thanks.""

How much is a insurance for a mustang?

And the parts for it cost a lot

What is a good cheap car insurance?

I live in indiana if it matters

Explain why auto insurance costs are so high for young drivers?

please EXPLAIN in the longest way possible

Does U.S. car insurance (Allstate) cover you in Puerto Rico?

I'm going to be renting a vehicle from Thrifty car rental in Puerto Rico next week and I would like to just use my own insurance for the car. Does anyone know if Allstate covers driving in Puerto Rico? Thanks.

How do traffic tickets affect insurance premiums?

So if you get a traffic ticket you generally get: a fine, driving school and it makes your insurance premium worse. Is this always true when it comes to the insurance? Is this a rule defined by the insurance or can something be done to avoid that insurance thing? The state is CA btw.. if that matters..""

Can i get a motorcycle insurance without having a license?

Or how else am i going to take the bike for the skills test

""Just a stab in the dark, anyone care to share what their insurance cost is on a Honda S2000?""

I'm looking at 2002 S2000. I m 36, good clean driving record.""

Cheap car insurance!!!?

hello i am a 17 year old boy looking for cheap car insurance what is the best car and the best company to go with with to get the cheapest prices.

""What would motorcycle insurance cost for 17 yr old guy, kawasaki ninja 250R?""

what would an average motorcycle insurance cost for me? i am looking for a ball-park estimate and understand that there are MANY other factors which matter... If anyone has an idea, what would be like the MAX price for a good insurance... i've seen that insurance prices can range from 200-400 yearly, but i want to make sure that after i get the motorcycle i dont find that the insucance is like 1000 /yr. Thanks""

Renter's insurance. are these really needed?

never used them, but is considering of using them one day. how much do they cost on average per month?""

Going to buy a new car tomorrow. Insurance Question.?

I will be getting a new car tomorrow. (It is actually a used one from a dearership, but new to me). Anyways, I was wondering about insurance. I live in Minnesota where it's state law to have insurance and also I need insurance because I took out a loan. My plan was to get the insurance the next day. Would this be a problem? I would be driving my car around without insurance for a whole day. I still have my current car which is covered and I will be getting rid of quite soon but I wont be driving that tomorrow after the purchase is made. My questions are, would I get in trouble if I were pulled over and don't have insurance, and what happens if I get in an accident on my way home from the dealership?""

How much insurance cost for an infinti g35 coupe?

i am 19 years old about to turn 20 in a couple of months and have state farm insurance. i am tryin to get a infinti g35 coupe. 2006 black infinti 2 door thanks.

Can I drive my car with full insurance on a provisional licence?

I have bought full uk licence insurance on my car. I pay fully comp price's (500 a month), But, Im still on provisional licence.. Can I keep my full insurance and drive with my L plates on with a driver with a full UK licence who's held it over 3 years in with me still? They are also named drivers. Thanks!""

Enterprise Rent a Car Insurance?

I reserved a rental car in California with Enterprise. The price was $9.99/day because of a weekend deal . When I checked in at the counter the agent told me that I needed to either provide proof of FULL COVERAGE insurance or purchase their insurance (which would raise my daily rate from $9.99 to $40)!! If I didn't do either then they wouldn't let me rent a car. I thought that was ridiculous and decided not to rent a car. I've never been required to show proof of any type if insurance whether it be liability or full coverage when renting a car. Was there some recent law that I missed or were they scamming me?

Question on Divorce and Auto Insurance?

Background: My wife left me and is filing for divorce. She took her car which is a marital asset that both of us own. She has since left the state to move in with a friend and I cannot get a hold of her as she will not return my calls. Update: Our current auto coverage is set to expire on 10/17. I have taken out coverage on myself through a different company, set to start on the 17th. As of the 17th she will be uninsured unless she takes out her own policy. Is is my responsibility to make sure she is still insured on my policy? She won't return my calls or the calls that my new agent has left for her so my hands are tied. I just want to make sure I'm not doing anything that may bite me later. I also don't want to have to foot the bill for her portion of the insurance given that she doesn't live with me anymore and doesn't even live in the same state. Anyone have any thoughts or has anyone been through a similar situation??""

Where can I get low cost life insurance for my parents?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/car-insurance-rate-toronto-18-year-old-zerneisen-sasha"

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rebeccahpedersen · 7 years ago

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Household Debt vs. Mortgage Debt: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

TorontoRealtyBlog

After the two stories from Monday’s blog, and my obvious dislike of the new mortgage regulations implemented on January 1st, I think you all have an idea where this is going.

While not exactly about real estate, those stories did serve a purpose in the conversation about debt in Canada, which of course, is a major driver of real estate prices.

Allow me to open today’s blog with a third story, and then explain where all this is going…

Do I tell a lot of stories about my mother on TRB, or what?

Hey, I’m just like any other 37-year-old who thinks that his mom is the best mom ever.

And don’t wives just love that about their husbands?

My mother, if I could describe her in a word, would be simple.

That word could take on many meanings, but I’m using it in a sense that she’s content, uncomplicated, easy-going, happy-go-lucky, easy-to-please, and the like.

For years, she had an old-school “box” television, when just about everybody on the planet had a flat-screen.

Around 2009, I showed up at her door one day with a 42-inch flat-screen, and she looked at me like I was crazy! “I don’t need this,” she told me. But it was too late. I was already inside installing it.

Last year, on Black Friday, my Mom was grocery shopping at a Scarborough mall, and she called me upon returning home.

“David,” she asked me, “Do you think I need a new TV?”

“Do you want a new TV?” I asked her. “Does your TV work? Is it large enough?” I asked.

“Yes, yes of course. It’s not even ten years old!” she said, showing why I think she’s so content.

“So then why are you asking, Mom?” I inquired.

“Well,” she told me, “I was at Metro today, and there’s an big-box store next door. There were all kinds of people streaming out of the front door with massive TV’s! All these people, wheeling out 60-inch Sony’s and Panasonic’s in grocery carts and loading them into their cars!”

“So what does this have to do with you?” I asked.

“It just got me thinking,” she explained, “All these people are buying these massive TV’s on their credit cards! I even went inside and watched them! Then they come out and put them in their beat-up old cars. I just sort of thought, well, if they can afford a new TV, then should I get a new one too?”

I love my mother dearly. She’s just so cute, so simple, so well-intentioned.

And she couldn’t help being susceptible, seeing other people absorbing all that consumerism has to offer, and she was wondering if she should follow suit.

“Mom, you’re almost 70-years-old,” I told her. “You’ve been working since you were nineteen. You have an RRSP, and a pension, and your monthly expenditures are minimal. You can afford a new TV, but do you want one?” I asked.

There was a long pause, and she said, “No…not really,” and laughed. “Nevermind,” she said. “It was just a thought.”

Just a thought, there, in that moment.

But I can’t tell you how many times she and I have come back to that story, and how many times we’ve talked about this in the context of consumer debt.

Back in May of 2017, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a warning to Canada regarding both housing, and household debt.

In response, Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, said the following:

“What the IMF has said is … that there’s a level of household indebtedness in Canada that is significant, something for us to watch. The housing market, of course, is something we’re paying close attention to.”

In September of 2017, Equifax Canada reported that non-mortgage debt rose 3.3% in the second quarter of 2017, to an average of $22,595 per person.

In November of 2017, The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned against the rising level of household debt in Canada, which was among the leaders in the world. They noted that consumer debt topped 100% of Gross Domestic Product in Canada.

In December of 2017, Statistics Canada announced that debt as a proportion of household disposable income increased to 171.1% in Canada, which represented an all-time high.

There is, without a doubt, no question that Canadians are taking on too much debt.

But what kind of debt they’re taking on, what kind of debt they should scale back on, and what kind of debt is acceptable based on an individual’s circumstance, isn’t something the government seems to be interested in.

As I alluded to in Monday’s blog, I believe that there is “good” debt, and I believe that there is “bad” debt. And if you want a simpler and more agreeable way of looking at it, let’s just say that there is better and worse debt.

While you might be quick to suggest that if I were to claim that mortgage debt is “good debt,” it’s only because I sell houses for a living. If that’s your assertion, then you haven’t been reading TRB for long. But if you need more convincing, then let me explain.

What I was talking about on Monday had more to do with “financial literacy” than it did with debt, since I was identifying that most people in society today aren’t competent enough to run their own personal finances.

So if the government – and it’s an “if” depending on how you view the government, and their role, is going to tackle household debt, then where do they start?

When I look at debt, I look at several features prominently:

1) Interest rate 2) Amount 3) Security 4) Purpose 5) Term

When we think of debt, some of us look at the purpose first, ie. mortgage debt, credit card debt, student loan, construction loan, refinancing, etc.

But then some of us consider the interest rate first and foremost, since that’s really what debt is all about.

What about the term, ie. how long you have to pay it back? And what about the conditions associated with the payback, and penalties?

And is the debt secured? Like a mortgage, is there a hard asset to which you can tie this debt?

Do you care about the amount? Will you suggest that taking on a $500,000 mortgage at 2.99%, for a $650,000 purchase, is more or less threatening than putting $10,000 on your VISA at a 29.99% rate?

And it’s that latter question where many of us would begin to disagree.

Everybody has his or her own idea of the purpose of debt, as well as a risk tolerance, and that “I need to be able to sleep at night” sanity-check, that really separates people in the example of the $500,000 mortgage versus the credit card balance.

You already know how I feel about the implementation of the “stress-test” in the mortgage market.

But let me tell you why.

Debt has always existed in society, and always will. And while debt exists, it’s affected by both rules that governments enact, as well as the desires of individuals borrowing.

The desires of individuals, can be affected by the rules that government enact.

And therefore the end result is the ability of individuals to borrow, in certain amounts, with certain terms.

While I’m not a huge fan of the government intervening in free markets, I think that if they have a mandate, it has to make sense.

The banking system in Canada has never been safer, and the lending space in which banks lend, has never been as tight.

And yet in society today, exist many individuals who take on far more debt, at far higher rates, than the paltry 2.99% that Joe Average pays down, secured against his home, with his 20% down payment.

Consumer debt is the worst kind of debt. It is the “bad” debt I speak of.

Take the average Canadian, and hand them a VISA with a $5,000 limit. What they do with that $5,000 in front of them will be affected by their level of financial literacy, and their level of self-control.

People don’t need new flat-screen televisions to replace their slightly-older, slightly-smaller flat-screen televisions. But with low levels of both financial literacy, and self-control, they seem to be buying these things in droves!

Should the government monitor the purchase of flat-screen televisions? Of course not.

But should the government be more involved with how credit card companies operate, how they lend, what their lending criteria is, and so forth?

Ordinarily, I’d say “no.” I really don’t care what other people do with their money.

But here’s my issue, folks. If the government is going to make it more difficult for buyers of real estate who have saved a 20% down payment, after paying taxes, to qualify for a loan, then why aren’t they heavily involved in all the other areas of consumer debt, that have far higher rates of interest, and far lighter lending standards?

Have you ever gone to a Leafs game, and seen the table and the banner for MBNA Mastercard, where signing up for a credit card gets you a free t-shirt? Ironically, one that you’ll probably never wear, because it has advertising on it?

Who’s fault is it when somebody signs up: the person offering the card and the t-shirt, or the person signing up?

If you said the latter, then I agree, whole-heartedly.

But what about when these companies set up shop on university campuses, targeting 18-year-olds with no financial literacy? Is it a different situation then?

What if a credit-card company specifically targeted the poorest, and least-sophisticated members of society, demographically and/or geographically, and set up shop right there, wherever “there” is? Is that a different situation?

Or is this all business as usual, whereby the government need-not take notice?

Have you ever heard those annoying radio ads for a credit agency where the voice on the radio keeps saying, “Approved”? It’s annoying, but catchy, and I’ve heard it so many times, that I know it’s for Alpine Credit.

They advertise that you’re automatically approved so long as you own your own home.

How many of the people listening understand the concept of “equity,” and that a $100,000 in cash sitting on your kitchen table, and a $500,000 house with a $400,000 mortgage, both represent the same thing?

How many people are going to Alpine Credit to accept worse lending terms than what is provided by their bank?

And who believes that if the bank won’t qualify you for a home equity loan, that a company advertising on the radio is going to do anything but rake you over the coals for that “loan for college tuition, or to start a business,” as their website advertises?

How regulated are those companies with their loan criteria? Where’s the upheaval over that?

What are the rates of interest, and the loan-to-value ratios, charged outside the “normal” lending sphere?

Sure, a bank might only loan 95% LTV. But other lenders will loan 100%. Or 120%. Or 150%.

Somewhere, there’s a guy selling used jewelry, who also loans money that is secured against your home, for an amount well above the property’s value – at absurd rates of interest.

Are you familiar with usury?

It’s the practice of making immoral monetary loans, often unethical, that are absurdly in favour of the lender, and seek to exploit the borrower.

Many countries have their own usury laws, and Canada is one of them.

Section 347 of the Canadian Criminal Code makes it a criminal offence to charge more than 60% interest per annum.

That’s absurd, right?

60%?

We were just talking about a 2.99% mortgage, and a 30% rate on a credit-card.

Now we’re talking about 60%?

Short-term loans have skirted the usury rules in Canada since their inception, and the government, while implementing new legislation in both 2006, and 2018, has really yet to do anything tangible about this problem.

“Problem,” if you see it that way, of course.

But if we’re going to call putting 20% down on a condo purchase without qualifying at a rate that’s 2% higher than the contract rate, a “problem,” then so is 14,000% effective annual interest.

Money Mart, Payday Loans, Cash Money – all of these cheque-cashing and short-term loan operations are charging criminal rates of interest, that are beyond comprehension.

The interest rate doesn’t surpass the 60% usury threshold.

But if you consider the additional fees, and annualize the amounts, we’re getting into the thousands of percent range.

And just think: before 2006 in Canada, there was nothing in the Canadian Criminal Code about the short-term loan industry!

In 2006, a class-action lawsuit against a short-term loan operator made it all the way to a provincial supreme court. Take a look at this:

On August 14, 2006, the Supreme Court of British Columbia issued its decision in a class action lawsuit against A OK Payday Loans. A OK charged its customers 21% interest, as well as a “processing” fee of C$9.50 for every $50.00 borrowed. In addition a “deferral” fee of $25.00 for every $100.00 was charged if a customer wanted to delay payment. The judge ruled that the processing and deferral fees were interest, and that A OK was charging its customers a criminal rate of interest. (Wikipedia)

That case caused each individual province to enact their own legislation dealing with short-term loans.

In 2016, the average payday loan in Ontario was $435 over 16 days.

It’s absolutely predatory, and the government, apparently, has set it straight.

Ontario enacted the Payday Loans Act in 2008, to limit the fees charged in loans in Ontario to $21 borrowed for a period of two weeks. The effective annual interest rate was 14,299%.

Effective January 1, 2017, the maximum total cost of borrowing for a payday loan was reduced to $18 per $100 advanced (7,383%).

Effective January 1, 2018, the maximum total cost of borrowing was again reduced to $15 per $100, or 3,724%.

So while you might suggest, “David, the government is doing something about these predatory lending practices,” I still point to the 3,724% rate, and compare it to the 2.99% rate on a 5-year mortgage – the latter of which the government has sought to make more difficult to obtain!

And the irony is, the very people in society today that the government is trying to help, are often the ones most taken advantage of.

My wife is a social worker, and many of her tenants receive government cheques every month for assistance. The problem is: many of the tenants don’t have bank accounts, as they are either turned down by the banks, don’t have the requisite identification, are mentally incapacitated and incapable of opening and operating an account, or in some cases, are just too goddam lazy.

So where do these people go to turn their government cheques into dollar bills?

You guessed it. Money Mart, Payday Loans, and Cash Money.

You would think if the government were giving away our tax dollars, they might do a better job ensuring it arrives, in whole, at its intended destination. But no. Every time a cheque is issued to one of these poor folks, 15% of it immediately goes to a cheque-cashing boutique.

So after discussing credit cards companies, private lenders, home-loan experts, short-term loan operators, what is my point?

Blog reader Ralph Cramdown wrote on Monday’s blog:

Here’s David, who plays a swashbuckling free marketeer whose government is too big and too intrusive 364 days a year. And today he says the government’s role is to serve and protect the people from those dastardly forces of supply and demand of consumer credit?

Totally fair.

I’m not a fan of big government, and I’m not a fan over over-regulating. I’m really not interested in any of this government intervention.

But my point is that if the government wants to do something about debt, then stepping into the safest, least-vulnerable space in the market – those with a 20% down payment, and making it harder for them to obtain a mortgage is not the way to go about it.

Remember the quote from Bill Morneau:

So where is Mr. Morneau “watching the level of household indebtedness?”

Blog reader Libertarian wrote on Monday’s blog:

Sadly, I believe that financial literacy will get even worse because Trudeau and Wynne have made it their mission to take care of every one. “Don’t worry about earning income, we’ll increase minimum wage. Don’t save for retirement, we’re expanding CPP. The gov’t will take care you at every step along the way. Just sit back and relax.” Yikes!!

It’s as though the words came directly from my mouth.

This government, at both levels, seems to be completely unwilling to rock any boats, to address any problems when they arise, but rather want to patch them up once they spiral out of control. In most cases, that means raising taxes, creating new taxes out of thin air, and refusing to earmark tax dollars for long-term projects that voters won’t “feel” during a given politician’s tenure (ie. a 25-year transit plan).

Don’t even get me started on the public education system in Canada, specifically Ontario, which I believe has become a race-to-the-bottom, placating the lowest common denominator, in attempts to provide a forced equality that goes against human nature. But, I will say that I have no idea why there isn’t a mandatory, province-wide Grade 12 course called “Personal Finance.” Probably because the people who set the curriculum don’t understand their own personal finances, and are too busy bubble-wrapping the playground.

I believe that if the government is going to tighten the safest lending space there is, then they should simultaneously be looking at predatory lending among recognized credit card companies, seriously consider instituting true usury laws for short-term loan providers like Quebec did, and making financial literacy the cornerstone of today’s high school education.

Otherwise, they’re guilty of selectively creating legislation, in part to show voters they’re “doing something” about a perceived problem (that they can’t fix), but primarily because it’s the lowest-hanging fruit.

Okay, you guys have heard enough from me on this.

And while this is a real estate blog, I pride myself on providing important, timely, and thought-provoking content, and this is exactly that.

On Friday, I’m going to sit down with my mortgage broker to get his thoughts on the matter. If you’re interested, email me with direct questions and we’ll have them answered.

The post Household Debt vs. Mortgage Debt: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly appeared first on Toronto Real Estate Property Sales & Investments | Toronto Realty Blog by David Fleming.

Originated from http://ift.tt/2EseD7Y

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mamajeanetc · 7 years ago

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Hoi An, Vietnam

We left home on a Saturday morning and took a short flight to Kuala Lumpur. We had a two hour layover there before a 2.5 hour flight to DaNang. We were flying Air Asia -- a cheap regional airline that offers only basic service. So, I figured our layover would allow for a decent lunch. We didn’t realize that Air Asia has their own terminal in the KL airport and the service in the terminal is about as a basic as the service on the flights. There were only a handfull of places to eat -- about 1/2 of them were closed and some only took cash (and we didn’t have any Malaysian ringgits on us) which left us one option. And they were sold out of our first 2 options on the menu!! It was not a great start. But there was one saving grace in the KL airport:

Nothing like a good chocolate chip cookie to make things better!! Credit cards accepted!

We landed in DaNang and I had arranged for the hotel shuttle service to pick us up and drive us to our hotel in Hoi An, about 1/2 hour down the coast. Our driver didn’t say a word, but he got us to our destination!

Hoi An is rather uniquely situated with the sea and multiple rivers running through the area. Our hotel was in that little triangle between the crossroads and the big curve in the river just to the right and below “East Sea”, overlooking the river and about 50 yards down the road to the beach.

We arrived at the River Beach Resort about 4:00 and were given their traditional welcome drink as we checked in -- a nice refreshing glass of Tang! This was the view from the lobby:

We were then shown to our room -- very clean and spacious. We were on the 3rd floor with a balcony overlooking the river.

This was definitely feeling like a place we could tolerate for a few days (at about $45 US/night, great breakfast included)!

Hoi An means “peaceful meeting place” -- a name that reflects the influence of various cultures in the area. Originally, it was the principal port of the Cham Kingdom, which controlled the spice trade with Indonesia between the 7th and 10th centuries. The rivers and canals were used to transport goods between the highlands and inland countries of Laos and Thailand, and the lowlands. The Cham people most likely originated from Java and were Hindu. But during the 10th century some of the people converted to Islam due to the influence of Arab traders.

Another major cultural influence came from Chinese traders and others trying to escape the Ming Dynasty armies. They settled in Hoi An for some years before moving south and creating Saigon as their major port.

During the 16th and 17th centuries Hoi An became a major trading port as Portuguese, Dutch, Indian and Japanese traders settled here.

In the late 18th century a new emperor, to thank the French for helping him win a rebellion, gave them exclusive trading rights in nearby DaNang. DaNang became the new center of trade and Hoi An did not change much for the next 200 years.

In 1999 the Old Town of Hoi An was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it was a well-preserved example of a SE Asia trading port between the 15th and 19th centuries with buildings that display a unique mix of influences. Since then, due to the increase in tourism, most of the houses have been sold and turned into shops, restaurants and art galleries. But the architecture has been largely perserved.

After settling into our room we decided to walk to the Old Town for dinner. Our hotel was about 4 kms. from Old Town. At 6:00 on Saturday there was quite a bit of traffic between the beach and town -- some cars and an occasional tour bus, but hundreds of motorbikes and bicycles being ridden by both tourists and locals.

Not far from our hotel we had to cross a bridge which isn’t wide enough for 2 cars to pass. Cars on one end are forced to stop and wait until there is a break in the traffic; then the direction of traffic changes.

Crossing the river we could see a couple of fishermen on the river as the sun was going down.

We had expected that being farther north we would have longer daylight hours, but by 6:30 it was almost dark.

We had dinner at an outdoor restaurant on the river. Hoi An is also known as “the lantern town” because there lanterns of various shapes, colors and sizes everywhere. While we waited for our food I tried to get a photo of some the various lanterns and the moon in the background.

For dinner we ordered a famous local dish, cao lau, which consists of rice noodles topped with slices of roast pork, dough fritters, fresh herbs and vegetables. The secret to making authentic cao lau is using water from a special well in the city. We also had some stir-fried vegies.

While we were eating dinner a large family came into the restaurant. We learned they were celebrating a birthday when all the lights in the restaurant went out and the wait staff came out carrying a cake with candles and singing “Happy Birthday” (in English).

Deciding we’d prefer to explore Old Town in the daylight, we got a taxi back to the hotel after dinner. Since it was still early, Tim suggested we sit at the outdoor bar and play Canasta. I went up to our room to get our cards while he ordered drinks. I returned just as the waiter set our drinks down. Tim explained that they didn’t have any wine so he had ordered me a Seabreeze, which is cranberry juice and vodka. I took one sip and I’m sure it would have knocked my socks off if I had been wearing any. I took my glass over to the bar and asked the bartender if he could add some more cranberry juice. He picked up a bottle of alcohol from the shelf and started to take the top off. Putting my hand over the glass I explained that I did not want any more alcohol; I’d like some more cranberry juice. He didn’t have any cranberry juice . . . or any other juice . . . or soda . . . or anything without alcohol except tonic water. So, we added some tonic water and I returned to our table. It was still horrible. So, we proceeded to play cards while a group of 4 or 5 young couples entertained us with quite possibly the worst karaoke EVER!! The bartender noticed I wasn’t drinking so he brought over another glass, apologetically saying he had tried again to make me a Seabreeze and assuring us we would not be charged for a second drink. It was very nice of him to try, but it was still undrinkable! When we got the bill, it suddenly became clear . . . instead of cranberry he had mixed vodka with “Campari” -- a liqueur made by infusing herbs and fruit in alcohol and water. It’s red (so it looked like cranberry juice) and it’s about 25% alcohol (which is pretty strong, especially for someone who very rarely drinks hard liquor)! I’ll probably never drink another Seabreeze without fondly remembering our first night in Vietnam!!

Sunday morning came early . . . really early. Light started to peek through the shutters on our balcony door around 4:00 a.m. and by 5:00 a.m. it was full daylight. Not long afterwards we heard kids playing, and when we went down to breakfast at 6:20 I counted 16 kids in the hotel pool!! Looking at a map, Vietnam is east of Singapore -- you would expect it to be one time zone ahead of Singapore. But in fact, it is one time zone behind Singapore. So, as I expected, daylight did last about 2 hours longer there than it does in Singapore, it’s just shifted earlier which seemed quite strange. We have no factual explanation, but our theory is that the government made the decision about the time zone because it is so hot -- people get out and work in the fields, construction, etc. very early before it becomes unbearable.

Tim wanted to go scuba diving so I had booked 2 spots on Sunday with Blue Coral Dive Shop. I’m not as comfortable in the water and it takes me a couple of days to get comfortable diving. Since we were only going to dive one day I had opted to not get stressed about it and just enjoy the day on the boat and beach. The dive shop picked us up in a van and we drove about 15 minutes to a pier where we boarded a good-sized boat with about 30 other people.

When we boarded the boat there was an orange life vest on every seat and the boat crew made sure everyone put theirs on before we pulled away from the dock. Once we were outside the harbor area they collected the life vests and stowed them away. We saw this happening on other boats going out as well. There must be a law requiring life vests in the harbor, but once you’re out in open water it’s OK to let the tourists drown!

We saw several other boats of varying sizes leaving the harbor and everyone was headed to the Cham Islands -- a small group of islands about an hour out on a boat where the best diving and snorkeling in the area can be found. We stopped at 2 different locations for the divers and snorkelers to do their thing.

I had considered snorkeling but when I saw how many people there were (not only our boat, but 3 or 4 other boats anchored nearby) I was happy with my decision to stay on the boat with my book.

My decision was reaffirmed when the snorkelers started getting back in the boat after a short time, many of them complaining of itching and stinging. Apparently there were tiny jellyfish type creatures in the water. The divers were wearing wetsuits and weren’t bothered, but most of the snorkelers couldn’t tolerate being in the water very long.

Both the tourists and staff on the boat were an eclectic mix of nationalities -- US, Chile, Ireland, Britain, Australia, Germany, Norway, Canada, Korea, Japan, China, Singapore and Vietnam. This made for some interesting conversation and some good people-watching. I found this Korean mother and daughter who spent much of their time touching up their make-up (to get in the water) and taking selfies particulary entertaining.

After the 2 dive stops we went to the largest island to enjoy a seafood lunch on the beach.

We then had a couple of hours to hang out on the beach and swim before our boat headed back to Hoi An. I went for a swim, but encountered the same pesky little jelly-fish guys (they looked like little air bubbles in the water) so didn’t last too long. Apparently Tim is immune to such things as he spent most of the time swimming back and forth along the shoreline and had no problems. It appeared that the boat operators in Hoi An must have an agreement and schedule as this island had a steady stream of tourist boats coming and going during the 3 hours we were there, but there were never too many people to be seated at the one eating establishment at once.

As our boat headed back to Hoi An we could see dark clouds gathering in the distance. We made it back to our hotel about 3 minutes before the wind started howling and the rain pouring. We enjoyed the storm from our balcony and later walked to a nearby restaurant on the beach for a quiet dinner. We had a good chuckle when looking at the menu and enjoyed the food. Apparently if it comes with noodles it’s “nooded”!

On Monday we did a half-day bike tour with our buddies at Grasshopper Adventures. After meeting our guide, Ky, and fellow bikers (a Dutch family of 5) at the bike shop in town, we made it through a couple of precarious intersections, crossed a bridge and soon found ourselves pedaling on a quiet path along the river.

After riding a few kilometers we stopped at a house in a small village where the couple makes rice cakes and rice papers for the locals daily breakfast.

The man showed us how he grinds the rice (which has soaked in water for about 2 hours to soften) into a paste.

He made it look easy, but I gave it a try and it wasn’t. He runs this grinder for about an hour each day. My arms were tired and I’d worked up a sweat after about 2 minutes!

While he grinds the rice each morning, his wife gets the fire going in the “kitchen”.

They burn the rice husks for fuel and afterwards use the ash as fertilizer.

The wife showed us how to spread a thin layer of the rice flour paste on a hot skillet.

After putting the lid over it and letting it cook for a minute, you have to gently slide the “magic wand” under the middle of the rice paper . . .

and lift it off the griddle!

Ky showed us how to put one of these “pancakes’ between 2 layers of another type of rice paper which has been dried and grilled so it’s crunchy -- you smash it all into pieces and then dip it in a special sauce and you have a very typical local breakfast.

After our second breakfast, we got back on our bikes and rode a few kilometers through fields and villages to our next stop -- a family temple. The owners of this house have 10 kids and 28 grandkids. Rather than going to a temple to practice their religious traditions, which are a mix of Tao and Hindu, they built a temple on the side of their house.

Those are tombstones in the foreground -- a number of family members are buried there. This is inside the temple:

There was a smaller shrine off to the side. My understanding was that it was built to honor a stillborn child with the hope that his next life would be better.

We continued riding through the countryside

Ky stopped us as we approached another river and told us to ride in the middle of the bridge (because it’s not very wide) unless there’s a bike or motorcycle coming toward us -- then we should move to the right, but not too far or we’d end up swimming! Gotta love those guardrails!!

Our next stop was at a place where they build boats. We were surprised at how big the boats are. It takes about 6 months to build a boat.

It was interesting to see how they bend the wood and piece it together to make a hull. And naturally we were very impressed with all the sturdy scaffolding and ladders, safety harnesses, hard hats, steel-toed shoes, etc. -- OSHA would have a field day!!

As we left the boatyard Ky told us that our next stop would be in a village where they specialize in making sleeping mats. On the outskirts of the village we saw a woman cutting the grass that is used to make the sleeping mats.

Nearby we saw several bundles of grass by the roadside.

The bundles are taken to the village where each one is split in two lengthwise. Then they are laid out to dry for 4 days. We saw them in various stages of drying along the side of the road.

Once dry, some of the grass will be dyed various colors, others left natural, and then woven into a sleeping mat. The locals use these mats on the floor or a wooden frame, but do not use mattresses.

We stopped at a home and met this 91-year-old woman who weaves 2 mats/day. She has been doing this since she was 13 years old and now her 13 year-old granddaughter is helping her and learning the family trade.

Cycling on to another village, we prepared for our final stop in the countryside -- which would include rice wine tasting right where it is made! Once again the home proprieter walked us through the process. He uses 2 kinds of rice -- the darker one is from Laos and produces a higher grade of wine; the white rice is Vietnamese. Both rices are steamed and then spread out to dry.

The rice is then put in buckets with water where it ferments for several days.

Finally, he runs it through his distillery.

He produces variations by adding varous herbs, fruit and lizards. Yes, you read that right -- take a close look at the bottle on the left. They’re a bit difficult to see, but there are 2 rather large lizards in the bottle.

We tasted a couple different wines, but passed on that bottle!

The son of the winemaker is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. His medicinal supplies took up one wall in the front room of the house.

After our wine-tasting we rode our bikes back to the river where we boarded a “ferry” to take us across the river and back to Hoi An. We passed another ferry that looked similar to ours:

Our boat operator had a high tech accelerator system which he operated by pulling a string. Once he reached crusing speed he just held the string in place with his foot, but as we neared the dock and conditions required a bit more finesse he took off his shoes and used his toes!

We docked near the Japanese Covered Bridge. A famous landmark in Hoi An, it was built in the early 1600s by the Japanese community and includes a pagoda (temple) on one side.

We then rode a couple of blocks to the Grasshopper office and said good-bye to our guide and fellow riders. We decided to walk around town a bit and gradually made our way to the other end of the Old Town, where the hotel has a shuttle pick-up/drop-off point 4 times/day.

There are 2 small islands just across the river from Old Town. We walked across the bridge to one of them. This is the view looking back across at the Old Town riverfront.

The streets in the Old Town area are pedestrian only, which is nice. But they are crowded with tourists. There are tailors making custom-clothing everywhere you turn -- I read somewhere that there are 600 shops selling clothing and shoes in Hoi An.

We returned to our room mid-afternoon and enjoyed the air-conditioning! After a shower and a nap Tim wanted to get a haircut so we went in search of a barber. We walked a couple of miles on the beach and frankly, I wasn’t all that surprised that we didn’t find one. As we returned to the hotel I pointed out that every other shop on the street was a “spa” -- there were signs all over the place offering manicures and massages.

I said, “Surely one of these places can cut your hair.” There was a young lady in front of the shop directly across the street from the hotel. I asked if they could cut Tim’s hair. She replied, “Of course! And you ma’am should get a foot massage while he is getting his haircut.” That sounded like a good idea so we headed into the shop. Then she informed us that it would take a few minutes for her haircut gal to get there so “Sir, you could get a foot massage too, and THEN get a haircut!” We laughed and agreed! We started with soaking our feet in hot water with some kind of herbs, followed by a half hour foot and leg massage. As they finished our massages another gal walked in carrying a folding chair and some electric clippers, ready to cut Tim’s hair.

When she finished she told me to go to the restaurant next door to pay. We owed 590,000 VND (Vietnamese Dong) for all our services, which is about $25 USD! Our friendly saleslady was there as the restaurant is also owned by her family. They didn’t have the correct change in the restaurant so she went to the next shop (where they arrange local tours) and got change from another family member who owns that shop!

We had enjoyed our “nooded with vege” (and other dishes) so much the night before, that we decided to return to the same restaurant for dinner. We started with their special “Hoi An Spring Rolls” -- shrimp, pork and vegetables in a unique, kind of lacy, rice paper.

We enjoyed another good meal as the sun set and then walked along the beach in the moonlight.

We had no plans for Tuesday -- just relaxing. We slept in, had a late breakfast, skyped with Kelsey and then headed to the beach around 10:00. It was already so hot that we could not walk on the dry sand barefoot! Tim had a good workout -- swimming several hundred yards down the shore, then running back and repeating the process several times.

I alternated between cooling off and doing water aerobics until those little jelly-fish beasties got to me, and reading my book until the heat got to me! There are several restaurants with beach chairs and umbrellas you can rent for the day. The hotel we were staying at has a deal with one of the restaurants so we could use their “private” beach for free.

By noon we decided it was time to visit our air-conditioned room! Thinking it was a good day for a full-body massage I stopped by the shop across the street. Our saleslady greeted me with a hug and “My friend, how are you today?” When I told her we’d like to both come for massages at 3:00 she said, “OK. I will turn the air conditioning on for you!”

They were ready for us in a cool room when we returned. Unfortunately, about halfway through our massages the power went out. It got a bit toasty, but we enjoyed our massages. Then returned to the hotel, put on our bathing suits and cooled off in the swimming pool.

We went back into town for dinner that night. There was one more local specialty I had read about that we hadn’t tried yet -- “White Rose” is a type of shrimp dumpling made from translucent white dough that is bunched up to look like a rose.

Wednesday morning it was time to head home. After an early morning swim and run on the beach and a leisurely breakfast, we headed to the airport around 10:30. Our flight from DaNang to KL was delayed about 20 minutes, but we had about 2 1/2 hours in KL so we weren’t worried. This is the view out the window shortly after takeoff. You can see the city of DaNang with the sea on one side and mountains on the other -- very lush and green.

When we landed in KL we learned that our flight to Singapore was also delayed. Knowing there was not much beyond security, we found a sandwich shop outside security where we had some better dinner choices and a comfortable space to hang out for a couple of hours. Tim needed to do a little work so I wandered around a bit and decided that some things are worth 2 times through security, namely chocolate chip cookies!!

Wednesday was National Day in Singapore (and the reason we had a holiday and made it a long weekend). When I booked our flights I thought we might be able to see the fireworks from the plane as we came in. With our delays we were too late to catch the show, but we did get a nice view of the Marina Bay area as we returned to Singapore, grateful for another fun adventure!

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umichenginabroad · 8 years ago

Text

England: Round 2

One of my goals while in Europe was to find some places to hike and, if possible, to camp. Even though I typically have long weekends and can travel, getting to a suitable hiking destination is still often not reasonable. This past week was my spring break, meaning I actually had the time to do something bigger than visiting a city or two.

During my research, I found that the outdoor culture is not quite the same here in Europe and that it varies significantly by country. Camping exists, but not in the same capacity. There are paid campsites, but not very many places where backcountry camping is legal - the Scandinavian countries being the exception. In the US parks, there are often designated backcountry spots along trails. Based on that, my timeframe, budget, park pages, and discussion boards, I decided I'd head to the Lake District in England, where camping is... tolerated.

Trying to work out an itinerary

The park is in the north of England, so I had to consider my means of transportation. After quite a lot of research and coordination, I eventually settled on a series of buses and trains to get me from Troyes to the district. The trip there was not without issues, which started from the very beginning. The first challenge was simply getting out of Troyes. My apartment is a couple of miles from downtown, so I had to stay with some friends in order to get to the train station for my 5:12 AM departure. I thought I'd get to bed early and rest, but that did not happen. Instead, we stayed up until 3 AM talking, and I woke up an hour and a half later to head to the station. I was tired, but the conversation we all had was worth the fatigue.

One of my hosts, Carlos, was kind enough to wake up at the same time to take me on his bike. I told him he didn't need to do that, but he said that you can't say no to your Mexican host. (I did get out without him giving me any food that morning, though.) We arrived on time, only to find that my train had been cancelled - a great start to any trip.

At the train station, I (finally) met Christian, a student from Canada, who was also supposed to take the earliest train. Sadly, that wasn't his first cancelled journey in the past 24 hours. To our relief, we were able to board the next train and make it to Paris with enough time to get where we each needed to go. Having avoided any significant problem, I thought my troubles were done there, but I should have known better.

After spending the next night in London with my friend, Elli, and her visiting parents, I made it to the Victoria Coach Station to learn that my ride had already left. I realized that I had entered my bus trip in my calendar for Central European Time. I made the mistake of not adjusting for the one hour difference and didn't double-check the actual ticket, thus I showed up too late. Unlike the French train, I had to buy a new ticket to try to make my next connection in Manchester. It was a slightly stressful journey that came down to about 10 minutes, but I did make my train.

I shouldn't have been surprised to have issues. Every real backpacking trip has bumps in the road. In fact, it's not a good trip without difficulties; they make for better stories. I have always maintained that backpacking is about lending perspective. It is often enjoyable, but it can be equally miserable, making you appreciate what you normally have in life. Perhaps difficult travels are the same. Maybe they make you thankful for the little things: punctual transportation, fast bus drivers, etc.

At the Lakes, there are more sheep than people.

One of the first things that sticks out about the Lakes is the animals. It's really just hiking through sheep. They are EVERYWHERE. There was also a trail that took me right past some cows. I felt very out of place at that point, but I realized that it's just the nature of the park. In fact, I had a discussion about that idea with some other hikers later on. We talked about how the parks in the US are different; they can be truly wild. It's simply the result of being a younger nation.

In places like England, there were already developments all over when the idea for national parks came about. Because of that, there is an understanding between the landowners/farmers and the National Trust, which runs the park. So if you find yourself in someone's backyard next to their cows, you didn't necessarily make a wrong turn.

Even way up here there were sheep and lambs all around.

The hiking in the district can be tough. There is a lot of elevation change on many of the paths. It's not at altitude like other mountain ranges in the world; the highest peak is only at about 3,300 feet. However, climbing 3,000 feet can still be tiring.

My days were filled with all sorts of ups and downs, literally and figuratively. It was like doing stairs all day with 30 pounds on my back, and my feet paid for it. I ended up with some wicked blisters, which will hopefully go away soon. Sometimes morale was low, something that can be harder to change when you're going solo. I learned that when I started to feel grumpy, it was generally time to eat something.

Sometimes the path was not exactly a trail, but rather the way that looks least unpathlike, if that makes any sense.

The weather contributed to some of those ups and downs - and to the blisters. I experienced it all (sun, rain, snow, wind, cold), some of which was more extreme than I had imagined. The lady at the border control stop did warn me. When I told her where I was going she said, "Still pretty cold up there." And of course I brushed it off, reassuring her, "It's okay. I'm from Michigan."

She was right. It was cold. My first night was a bit of a shock. It was cold enough that it was snowing when I woke up, and with the wind, I reckon the wind chills probably dipped below 20°F during the night. Despite that, I knew I'd be fine. I slept with more layers after that and was much warmer.

The nighttime temperatures were a small challenge, but the dampness from the rain and snow was the worst. Wet hiking and camping is pretty miserable, stretching Type 2 fun to its maximum. After the first night, I ended up going to a store in town to buy some nicer gloves because I knew it would be a long trip without them. Waterproof and much warmer than my others, the new gloves felt much better. After also putting on dry socks, I was reinvigorated and ready to tackle more steep climbs.

Always remember: happy feet + happy hands = happy hiker

Besides the second night, which was miserable due to the fact that everything that wasn't damp from before got wet when I had to set up in the rain, the rest of the trip's weather was manageable. In fact, I even got a slight sunburn on my face at the end of the trip. It was sort of like Michigan, I suppose, where you get a taste of everything.

Precipitation presents challenges when backpacking, but it also presents some opportunities for good stories and a few cool pictures.

By the end, I was ready to be done. It's an inevitable feeling. As I mentioned before, the park is located in a district with farms and establishments. There are little towns throughout, making it impossible to avoid signs of civilized life. I took that as an opportunity to eat lunch each day that wasn't food from my pack. But even with those meals, I still went many days without showering and was sleeping in a tent, so I was really looking forward to cleaning up and resting. That "end of the trip" desire was summed up perfectly by Georgia, a girl I happened to meet on the road.

"A bed provides the comfort of a cloud/pillow fort/duvet burrito," she explained. And oh how I enjoyed my duvet burrito that first night after I left the Lakes.

Georgia and I also agreed the hat hair look is in.

As I mentioned in the beginning, there are other possible destinations for camping, but what really sealed the deal for this trip was the opportunity to spend some time in Manchester. It just so happened that Manchester United had a Europa League fixture during the week against a Belgian club, Anderlecht. Once I saw that and realized I had a chance to hike and to go to a game, I knew I couldn't pass that up.

After my time at the Lakes, I made my way to Manchester (in less of a hurry). Normally, I would have walked all around the city, but my feet needed to recover. I decided to relax and study a little, instead. Then I made my way to Old Trafford in the evening.

I could feel myself smiling as soon as the stadium came into view, and I think I sort of stayed that way the entire time. I haven't followed the team nearly as much as I used to, but I felt as invested as ever while there.

Going to a game at Old Trafford has been a dream of mine for years, and to be honest, I got so caught up in the experience that I only took three pictures. But that's okay. That was one of my goals, right? It was a great game that ended up going to extra time, where United won 2-1. The perfect end to a fantastic trip.

"U-N-I-T-E-D, United are the team for me!"

I'm back in Troyes now, but only temporarily. I have a lot to do in a short period of time. Some unpacking and cleaning, studying and work, research and planning for trips, and then packing for Italy next week! History, art, food, AND Michigan football in Rome!

A la prochaine,

Cole Schneider

Materials Science and Engineering

Université de Technologie de Troyes

#UmichEnginAbroad #IPEtroyes #Cole Schneider #IPE Winter 17

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