A Long Drive Home

My husband and I spent the last week in Southern California visiting family. It was wonderful seeing everyone, but not at all restful.

As you read this, please keep in mind that I lived in California most of my life before moving to Arizona. Where I live now, there are usually one or two light snowfalls each winter, so the “Winter Driving Conditions Warning” signs on the highway were a first for us.

We headed home yesterday morning at 7 AM in light rain. The drive from SoCal to where I live normally takes 9-10 hours. Not yesterday!

While still in California, we came across some light snow, which is not common in the area where we were driving. The temperature dropped from 59 degrees when we first left to 32 degrees. For hundreds of miles and a few hours of driving, we had off-and-on light rain.

We stopped a little more than normal, filling up the gas tank when we reached half a tank, “potty” stops and moving around a little to loosen our stiff muscles.

Just prior to reaching Phoenix, it began to pour heavy rain. We could barely see to drive, just a car or two in front of us. (I later learned it had snowed in Scottsdale, Arizona – a rare occurrence indeed.) We drove through the rain and numerous construction zones. At one point, we were having trouble staying alert, so we stopped for pie and coffee at a Crackle Barrel restaurant.

Back on the road, we continued through lots more rain until we reached the Tucson area. Then it began to snow. The snow was sticking to cars and the area surrounding us, but the roads (fortunately) stayed clear. A friend called to tell us the freeway we were on was closed near our exit a few hours earlier, about 80 miles ahead. I checked online and found that the freeway was open however, there was a crash just before our exit. We chanced it and continued on.
We never saw the crash, so it apparently was cleared before our arrival at our off ramp. From that point, it is still about 45 miles to our home through mostly unoccupied land. Everything was covered with snow, and it was beautiful. The very near mountains were thick with it and looked spectacular. All this beauty did not calm my nerves when we saw a snow plow drive by in the opposite direction. A snow plow? In 17 years living in the area, I had never seen a snow plow. We anticipated even more snow ahead. 
The Huachuca Mountains - On the way home...
As we continued on, light snow was falling, but the roads remained clear. Approaching the last 10 miles of the drive, the snow fell heavier and was making it a little difficult to see, particularly since it was just before sunset.

Well, after a 12 hour drive, we made it home safely. We were exhausted and found the steps leading into our house were covered in ice. Since snow is unusual here, we do not have salt. So we took some old towels we had in the garage and covered the snow-and-ice covered stairs. After a very long day, we made it home, and what a luxury it was to climb into a nice warm bed!

Our Back Yard This Morning

************************
To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit  joinxpresshealthcare.com .

To see how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit  ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

YOUR Identity for Sale

I have known for years that identity theft is a huge problem in the United States and most other countries.  However, I was unaware that there are actually auctions held regularly where ID thieves bid for identities.  The auction will go something like this…

The room is filled with many people ready to bid.  The auctioneer will show a picture on a screen of a driver’s license, for instance.  Then, he’ll go on to say, “Mr. Jones has excellent credit, and we are offering all his vital records, including his license, social security and his health insurance card.  Let’s start out the bidding at $500…”  The winning bidder will then set out to destroy your life.

We are all aware that there are thieves hacking into computer records, stealing records from individuals, major corporations and even government data systems.  Did you also know that many of those thieves sell lists of stolen credit card numbers by the thousands, even by the millions, to other thieves?

There are websites called “carding sites” that buy and sell identities.  The Better Business Bureau, FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service and Federal Trade Commission all are investigating and closing down organizations and websites, but the numbers are too huge for them to keep up with them.  Most law enforcement agencies today – from City Police to the FBI – have ID Theft prevention programs in place, but the “industry” is growing constantly.

The Identity Theft business is organized crime on an international scale.  There are even “carding” forums.    These carding sites sometimes offer tutorials to those who buy stolen personal information.  They are showing them how to make crime pay – and all at the victims’ expense.

The U.S. Secret Service conducted an undercover operation and finally shut down one organization that had trafficked in at least 1.5 million stolen credit card numbers, resulting in more than $4 million in losses to banks, financial institutions and credit card companies.

The ID theft problem is big, organized and out of control. Unfortunately, there is no way to totally protect yourself.  There are, however, steps to take that can defeat many scammers.  If you follow these steps, if (more likely, when) your identity is stolen, you can reduce the amount of damage to your credit.

Enter your credit card toll-free numbers in your cell phone contacts, and keep your phone with you.  Keep an eye out for data skimmers that crooks place on gas pumps, even on ATM machines. Don’t allow restaurant servers take your card out of your site.  Instead, go with the server wherever they process your card.  NEVER carry your Social Security card in your wallet!   

Treat every bit of personal information like gold, whether on the phone, in e-mails or postal mail.  Remember that thieves can establish a false identity, make illegal purchases with your credit cards, obtain medical treatment using YOUR health insurance, and empty your accounts.  It may seem paranoid, but it is necessary to be more than careful to protect your personal information today.

When applying for a job, do not provide your Social Security number to the employer!  Only when and if they hire you do they need it.  If your doctor or dentist office requests it, you need not provide it.  In these larcenous times, be sure that antivirus software and firewalls are installed on your computer and current at all times! 

In addition to these steps, be sure that you and your entire family have an identity theft protection plan.  That includes young children!  Oftentimes, when a child reaches 18 years of age and applies for their first credit card, they discover that years earlier their credit was destroyed by a thief.

There are many ID theft protection plans, but the best one available is LifeLock™. They offer a $1 million total service guarantee. Their TrueAddress™ program notifies you when a change of address is filed in your name. They offer WalletLock™ that assists you if your wallet is lost or stolen and their eRecon™ system searches for your information being sold or traded online.  Their members’ junk mail is drastically reduced and they’ll receive fewer pre-approved credit card solicitations.

If you join LifeLock™ through Xpress Healthcare, your entire family will be covered for only $19.95 per month!  Also, when your LifeLock™ membership is through Xpress, you’ll also receive discounted pet care, roadside assistance, free and reduced-cost legal services for you and your family at no additional cost.

It is unfortunate that identity theft is so out of control that we must take all these precautions.  But take them we must.  Protect yourself in every way possible, and please, enroll in LifeLock™ today.  http://ibourl.net/everydaysavings

What's Up Doc?

I am so excited!  I knew it was coming, but this morning, Ed Pettola, one of the Founders of Xpress Healthcare phoned me to tell me that TelaDoc has been approved by the State to be included in our benefit plans!  I had suggested TelaDoc to him several months ago, and as usual, our corporate office pays attention to what their Affiliate Business Owners say.

We have so many fabulous benefits already included in our four different discount plans, and this new one is a winner!  I love the thought that if your child gets sick at 1 in the morning, instead of packing him up and taking him to an emergency room, you can call and get advice, even prescriptions, from a doctor licensed in your own State. 

Or, what if you get a rash on Sunday afternoon that is itching like crazy?  Again, you can call TelaDoc, describe the problem, and a doctor can call a prescription into your local pharmacy for pickup.

This service is accessible to Xpress members at no cost!  Some companies charge their members an extra fee to use TelaDoc’s service.  We will not!  It will be included in our Premium Plus benefit package at the current cost of $29.95 per month PER FAMILY!

Xpress will launch TelaDoc within the next few days, as soon as our websites are updated.  A couple other changes are being made to our plans as well, and I know they will be a big hit with our members.

Rather than explaining more about how the program works, here is part of what it says on the TelaDoc website.

**************************

24/7/365 access to a doctor online or by phone.

Fast treatment. TelaDoc doctors respond within 22 minutes, on average.

Talk to a TelaDoc doctor from anywhere: at home, work, or while traveling.

Save money by avoiding expensive urgent care or ER visits.

When you need care now!

If you’re considering the ER or urgent care center for non-emergency issues.

On vacation, on a business trip, or away from home.

For short-term prescription refills.

TelaDoc physicians can treat conditions like:  Cold and flu, Bronchitis, Respiratory infection, Sinus problems, Allergies, Urinary tract infection, Pediatric care, Poison ivy, and Pink eye.

**************************

We’ve had people ask us, “What will happen now with the new healthcare legislation?”  There is a huge place for our discount health and dental care products and our lifestyle benefits. Benefits such as Vision, Chiropractic, Dental, and other ancillaries - and possibly even Prescriptions are going to be among the first things to go when it comes to the mandatory health insurance plans. And health insurance policies will not include TelaDoc services, especially at no extra cost!

None of Xpress Healthcare’s plans are insurance; instead they can save you hundreds, possibly even thousands of dollars!  Our plans will supplement health insurance, not replace it. 

I use my own Xpress Healthcare membership frequently, and it saved me several hundred dollars in 2012 alone!  Please take a look at our website (keeping in mind that there will be changes in the next couple days) to see the many ways our plans can help you too.  http://familyhealthdiscounts.biz