Name: Alliance Financial & Insurance
Address: 423 W Main St, Lowell, MI, 49331
Telephone: 616-897-1515

Happy Fall Y’all

Posted on November 18, 2019November 18, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

It seems more like winter now in Michigan but technically it’s still Fall and we’re getting ready for Thanksgiving! We have this blog ready to help everyone have the most prepared and easy going Thanksgiving that you’ve ever had! This way we can feel prepared for Black Friday shopping without any stress from the previous day.

We’re hoping to help you have a very relaxing holiday and we’ve made a couple lists for you!

Ideas for an organized Thanksgiving:

Do as much delegating as possible. Everyone brings a dish. Your family can help clean. You can put someone in charge of decorations. There’s something for everyone and you don’t need to do it all yourself.
Have a list of all the dishes and who’s bringing what. Creates less confusion for you and serves as a reminder that everything is taken care of. Also, this will make grocery shopping easier.
Do as much as you can prior to Thanksgiving Day. Get everything ready that all you have to put the turkey in the oven and wait!
Have your black Friday planned so that you can discuss that as well and have a game plan. If you have this ready then you don’t have to worry about trying to plan that during the Thanksgiving festivities.
Have your conversation starters ready so that you’re not anxious beforehand and also so that you’re not stressed in the moment. (see below).

Thanksgiving Conversation Starters:

What will we do with all the leftover turkey?
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?
What’s your least favorite Thanksgiving food?
What are you MOST thankful for?
What were your top 5 favorite things that you’ve done in the last month?
Do you like Black Friday shopping? Anything in particular that you’ll be looking for?
Is your Christmas shopping done already or are you just getting started?
What will you be doing for your next vacation?
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
What’s your favorite season?
What’s your favorite dessert?
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving Tradition?
Do you like to start Christmas before or after Thanksgiving?
Did you watch the parade this morning?
Did you go hunting at all?

Wishing you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Pumpkin to Talk About

Posted on October 3, 2019October 3, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

Fall is here and times to transition our lives for the season change! We’re putting away summer clothes, getting out the winter clothes, prepping our homes for winter, and setting up holiday décor. It’s time to update your insurance policies as well!

Do you have a vehicle to put in storage or take out of storage? Do you want to add coverage to your vehicles for the winter months? Have you double checked your home insurance coverages to make sure you’re okay in the event of a loss? Have you prepped your home for winter? Do you need to add drivers to your policy? It’s always better to be prepared for the worst so you can have peace of mind if an accident occurs. Call your insurance company to review your policies before winter hits!

If you’re wondering what to do to prep your home for the winter months, we’ve made a quick list for you! This list will vary based on your home but these are just some things to be considering during this time of year.

Check your heating system.
Paint, caulk, and seal everything. This is Michigan and you don’t want water, snow, or cold air getting in anywhere.
Clean your gutters.
Check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
Clean chimney and order/chop wood.
Shut down pools and sprinklers. Drain outdoor faucets.
Prep lawn, gardens, and trees for winter months.
Make sure attic is clean and sealed to prevent critters from sneaking in there.
Prepare for snow. Get the garage cleaned out and the snow blower ready.
Check your energy usage.

Back to School

Posted on August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

Summer seems to be in full swing here in Michigan and we’re living for it! After the extreme winter weather that we experienced, this sunshine has been welcomed with open arms from us Michiganders!

August is upon us and it’s almost back-to-school season. This is just your friendly reminder to update your home and auto insurance policies! New school year brings new changes that you’ll want to address, here are a couple of examples:

You have a child getting licensed that needs to be added as a driver
You’re purchasing or selling a vehicle
You have a household member moving out or someone else moving in
You have a college student and are eligible for the good student discount
You’d like to add or remove any vehicle coverages

It’s always good to contact your insurance agent when you’re making any changes to your household. If you have anything new going on just give us a call to make sure that your insurance is accurate!

We’ve also put together a short list of back to school items for those of you who are looking forward to sending your kids back to school!

Pencil and pens
Highlighters
Binder
Notebooks
Index Cards
Folders
Ruler
Calculator
Planner
Backpack
Lunch Box

EXTRA CREDIT – it’s always kind to bring some extra supplies for the classroom too. Tissues, dry erase markers, colored pencils, staples, etc. There are many classroom essentials that the state no longer provides and teachers are responsible for getting. Many hands make light work, if everyone pitches in and donates a little to the classroom then your child’s classroom environment will be a much more positive place. This way the teacher can start off the year right and your child can get the education they deserve!

For those of us in Lowell, be sure to check the school website for all events coming up! It’s the start of busy season and we want to be prepared! http://www.lowellschools.com/

Spring Refresher

Posted on May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

We’re finally starting to see some sun in the state of Michigan, thank goodness! Everyone is getting more excited and more proactive as the weather warms up. We’ve got a big holiday weekend coming up here that’s going to be the start of Michigan’s outdoor season! This is when we break out our tents, RV’s, and recreational vehicles for the summer months.

Along with this means it’s time to update your insurance policies. You need to make sure you have the correct vehicles on the road and the correct vehicles in storage. You have to have all of your recreational products insured to verify that they’re safe to be driving on the trails. If you have a pool or trampoline, make sure you’re covered for those on your home insurance and ask your agent about an umbrella policy to guarantee that you’re covered for everything.

Remember, this weekend is going to be a fun time with friends and family. Safety is the key to a good three-day weekend. Always keep the nearest hospital in mind when settling down in an unfamiliar area. Make sure to review fire, boating, and camping safety tips prior to engaging in the activities.

Have a great weekend everyone, and drive safely on the busy roads!

Spring, taking us by Storm

Posted on April 22, 2019April 22, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

April showers bring May flowers, right? Maybe not in Michigan because it still snows half of the time! Regardless of whether we have snow or flowers, the storms will come. The thunder, lightning and wind are going to “rain” down on us again! If we know that every Spring, the storms are on their way then we should prepare for them as best as we can in order to avoid any unfortunate events.

How to prep your home and yard for storm season: Make sure you’re completely ready for the powerful rain and the wind gusts of lake effect storms! Make sure your roof is up to date and that none of the shingles are curling at all. Loosing shingles in a storm is messy to clean and hard to replace. Keeping an updated, quality roof over your head is going to be key if you’re living in Michigan! Also, make sure any large or leaning trees are removed if they’re even remotely close to your home or any outbuildings. Getting these removed ahead of time will cost about the same as it would to remove them but without the stress or damage that they would cause if they came crashing down. For further help on how to prepare for storms and wind, check out this guide!

https://www.newjerseyrealestatenetwork.com/home-high-winds-preparation/

What to do when a storm starts getting out of hand: Make sure you have an EAP (Emergency Action Plan) for your household. Whether it’s simply going down to the basement or designating jobs to people to ensure that everything is okay, it’s always best to have a predetermined plan in the event of an emergency.

What to do if damage occurs: If you think that you have a potential claim on your hands then call your insurance agent. Give them as much info as you can and make sure you’re able to describe damages. You should have an idea as too how much the fix should cost and also how much your deductible is. Filing claims on your home is risky business so it’s best to stay well informed. A claim has to be sudden and accidental, so keep that in mind when assessing the damage. If there’s a ton of damage and it seems to be urgent then it’d be best for you to call your agent asap. If your agent isn’t available then call the company directly so you can get everything taken care of, make sure you still report it to your agent as the earliest convenience. You’ll want to take lots of photos of the damage no matter what. If it’s damage that doesn’t need immediate attention then it’s best for you to have an estimate done so you can better determine if you’d like to file a claim or not.

What does it mean to file a claim on your Home Insurance: When determining whether or not you’d like to file a claim on your home, first find out the cost of the damage. You’ll need to subtract your deductible from that total amount and then decide if that’s an amount that you’re able to pay to fix or if you’re going to need some help from your insurance company. Home claims are okay if it’s only 1 or 2 within a 3 year time span but any more claims could cause your home insurance to drastically increase and/or nonrenewal from your company. So it’s important to be cautious and informed when filing a home claim.

Surviving the Winter of 2019

Posted on February 13, 2019February 13, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

Last Week Michigan got hit with some of the coldest temperatures and LOADS of snow and ice. Everyone was stuck inside with a lot more down time than we had planned, and you should stay inside to be safe! Most of us were somewhat unproductive during that time, posting on Facebook, eating, watching movies, etc.… but we have a couple of things that you can do during a Polar Vortex to help you get ahead! You may even be looking forward to the next polar vortex!

Update your schedules: I’m sure we all have plenty of times that we’ve “made plans” with someone and then not followed through. Now is the time to sit down and analyze your calendar. You want to be spending time with friends and family so schedule them in! Make your doctor/dentist appointments too while you’re at it! We can always stand to get our eyes checked or our teeth cleaned.

Clean: You have an entire home to clean and all of the supplies with you! Get to work! You’ll function better with a clean home and you don’t have much else to do when stuck inside.

Restock your home: I do this about every other week. It keeps me relaxed so that I’m not running out of random things. I just go through and make sure that I have all of the basics (toothpaste, deodorant, plastic bags, etc) and then I double check that I have a spare of everything.

Family time: What a great time to have some family fun! Break into the game cupboard or bake desserts together! This is the perfect time to take advantage of the bad weather and use it to build stronger bonds with family.

New recipes: I’m sure we all have a couple of fun things saved that we’ve been waiting to make! If you have extra time then you can make one of those recipes that takes longer than usual and master something new!

Call your insurance agent: It’s always good to review your coverages and make sure you’re completely up to date. Especially with this crazy Michigan weather, make sure your vehicles and home are covered properly!

Pay your bills: We all dread doing this task but if you get this done on a cold day in then you’ll feel accomplished and prepped for the rest of the week!

Do your taxes: It’s that season! We’re all working so hard and yet we HAVE to make time to do this. Sooner is better than later and once it’s done you’ll instantly lose the stress that this puts on you. It’s best to get it done now instead of putting it off until the last minute!

Make a budget: This is a great way to get organized and get productive! Everyone should have a budget so if you don’t have one then now is the time to make it! If you already have one, then you should update this every year and tax season is the perfect time to get it done!

Online shopping: We all do this with our spare time already, there’s no shame in online shopping when it’s too cold to go out. Find those things that you’ve been wanting and have them delivered! We all love this activity and it’s easy to lose track of time while filling up your cart.

4 Different Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 13, 2019February 13, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

Valentine’s Day, the holiday that most people either love or loathe. There’s not much in between. People go nuts over this holiday, buying flowers, balloons, chocolate etc. to shower your significant other with attention and romance. Meanwhile, others hate all of the lovey dovey stuff and prefer to celebrate February 15^th when all of the chocolate is 50% off in the stores. There are many different ways to celebrate this time of year and we have 4 of them right here for you! Now is the time to start preparing for it!

A Romantic evening out with your significant other. Get dressed up, go out, and have fun celebrating your relationship! This is the time to really show off and be proud of what you have with them! This is usually the most common thing to do on Valentine’s Day and it’s still always one of the best.
Stay in and spend some quality time with your significant other. Some people look down on this choice but it’s a nice change and it’s also very relaxing and fun! You just want to spend time alone and relax together, there are a lot of date nights that you can have in the comfort of your own home and you won’t have to worry about being around anyone else! This is pretty common for the introverts or those who are just tired of going out and want a change of pace.
Celebrate it as more of a friendship, family day like they do in many foreign countries. Not as common of a choice but in many other countries, they celebrate Valentine’s Day as less romantic and more “I love you as friend and family” type of a holiday. This is a wonderful way to spend that holiday because there are many people in your life that you love and often don’t show enough appreciation to. This is the time to get that done!
Have an Anti-Valentine’s day party! Get out your black heart shaped balloons and black streamers, it’s time to celebrate Anti-Valentine’s day! An up and coming idea for those who may be a little salty about the holiday, this involves a lot of celebrating of independence and freedom. It’s often used for singles to celebrate with their friends and have a good time on the holiday even when they don’t have the cliché date night with a loved one.

If your significant other is moving in or if you’re getting engaged then there are some potential changes to your insurance in the future! While all of these exciting things are happening, make sure you call your insurance agent to verify that you’re covered properly!

We want to know how your Valentine’s Day goes so please let us know!

Keeping your 2019 Fitness Goals

Posted on January 15, 2019January 15, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

Its half way through January so we’re all starting to wear down a little on our New Year’s Resolutions of staying fit and eating clean. You may be needing a little more push to keep your momentum going, and this is it! You want to feel and look your best, and I’m sure you’ve been doing so well, but it gets tiring and hard to keep going. We have some endurance tips to help you keep pushing yourself to reach and keep your goals. Keeping your health up is more of a mental game than it is physical.

You can create a habit in 21 days. Keep going! It’ll get easier! Don’t think that after 21 days it’ll magically become easy as pie but it’ll gradually get easier the farther you get.
The better you feel, the more painless it’ll be. The more you eat clean and work out, the less difficult it’ll get. Eating those foods and making time for exercise will become more routine and less work for yourself. You’ll start to feel less like you’re working so hard at it.
It’ll keep your immune system up so you should be less susceptible to that winter drag cold and flu stuff. When you get sick, you give up a little and stop trying so hard. It’s an easy excuse for yourself to not exercise and eat something that’s quick and easy. Eating healthy foods and working out with strengthen your immune system and keep you healthier.
Schedule your time appropriately. You can schedule long and short work outs for specific days. Be sure to schedule yourself some time for fun activities, and some quiet time for yourself. Enjoy a night off from your hard work!
Make sure to reward yourself as you go. Sometimes the finish line seems too far away and it gets hopeless. A small reward can keep you going and motivated for a long time!

We’re working our hardest to make this year the best year yet! While you’re on your productive streak here in January of the New Year make sure that you update your home and auto insurance. It’s always good to look over your coverages and make sure that it’s exactly what you want, if you need to make any changes you can get that done asap. You’ll also want to make sure that all of your winter toys are insured and all of your summer toys have storage coverage on them!

If you have questions or need help then call us at 616-897-1515, we’re your local, Lowell insurance agency!

How to Make New Year’s Resolutions and Keep Them

Posted on January 3, 2019January 3, 2019 by Heidi Leonard

Happy New Year’s everyone! What an exciting time. We’re sad to see 2018 go but we’re also so excited for what 2019 will bring! Most of us are taking this time during the cold weather to prepare for the New Year, set our goals, and then make plans for how we’re going to accomplish our goals. This is our fresh start, now we keep our momentum going and we spring into 2019, ready to get things accomplished so we can grow!

I’ve already started my long list of things that I want to accomplish in 2019 and it’s a mix of a Goal List and a To Do List. It isn’t limited to “New Year’s Resolutions” but can also include goals, bucket list activities, normal activities and to-do items that you need to get done! Either way, all of our lists are pretty similar. So we have 3 tips to help you make your list in a way that you know you can done in 2019!

Make your resolutions obtainable. You don’t want to set yourself too many, or too high, of goals. Your list may start to look impossible and it’ll much harder for you to get started. Fighting procrastination starts with setting obtainable goals that still push you to work harder. After you’ve made your list, take a second look at it and make sure that you aren’t getting ahead of yourself.
Set a timeline or schedule for yourself with milestones to help reach your goal. Again, these milestones will need to be set at a pace that will make you work hard but that isn’t too much for you to handle. Make sure you’re being realistic with yourself so you don’t fall too far behind or get too ahead either. Slow and steady wins the race.
Set rewards for yourself as you go and one big reward for once you reach your goal! These will be incentives for you to help push yourself through the tough times. When you’re really struggling, you’ll have that small reward to look forward to and help get yourself across the finish line.
Spend some time on your resolutions. If you can’t put the time in now, you won’t be able to put the time in that’s required to actually accomplish your resolutions. Make sure you take your time and get them right this time so that when December comes around you won’t be wondering why you haven’t gotten anything done yet.
Find someone who motivates you and share your resolutions with them. They can help keep you on track, remind you of your priorities, and pick you up when you’re feeling down. When there’s two of you, you can count on each other to keep going, don’t’ give, and work harder. You’ll definitely want someone around to keep you accountable by the time Spring gets here and your life speeds up.

Here’s hoping that everyone had a wonderful New Year and that we all recover quickly from the weight we gained over the holidays!

Happy New Year!

Turkey Dinner Giveaway 2018

Posted on December 27, 2018December 27, 2018 by Heidi Leonard

It’s our favorite time of year, it’s time for our Turkey Dinner Giveaway! On Christmas Eve, every year, the Kyes family donates 250 Turkeys to families in Grand Rapids who needed a meal. Once again, we did this for the 2018 holiday season and our team had a blast!

Such a good time for fellowship and community! We handed out turkey dinners to people who asked for them through the schools and then we handed out turkey dinner’s door-by-door to those who said they’d like some. This is all thanks to the Kyes family for encouraging the giving spirit and for allowing the rest of us to come alongside them and help prepare that and experience it as well.

We’re so grateful for this tradition and we hope that it inspires other to show their giving spirits during the Christmas season as well!

Alliance Financial & Insurance

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Author: Heidi Leonard

Happy Fall Y’all

Pumpkin to Talk About

Back to School

Spring Refresher

Spring, taking us by Storm

Surviving the Winter of 2019

4 Different Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Keeping your 2019 Fitness Goals

How to Make New Year’s Resolutions and Keep Them

Turkey Dinner Giveaway 2018

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