Life Happens 365 - Are You Managing the Risk?

By Diane Tait Image courtesy flickr One of the biggest items on most American’s shopping list this year was technology.   Whether Santa’s list included a new laptop, tablet or cellphone, the arrival of the latest model leaves most people wondering what to do with the old one.   While selling, donating or regifting secondhand tech sounds like a good idea in principle, I’m here to tell you that if you aren’t careful, you could wind up giving away more than you had hoped.   That’s because computers and smartphones contain sensitive and valuable information on them that can be used to cause you grief.   Before you wind up getting Grinched by savvy cyber-criminals, there are a few things you need to do before you pass on any technology.

By Diane Tait Image courtesy flickr With the onset of winter come cooler temperatures.   While we in Florida fare far better than those who live farther north, even we see nights where the temperature falls below freezing.   To us this means dealing with higher electric and gas bills when our heater fires up more frequently.   One of the conveniences of modern society is no longer having to brave the elements or even stoke the fireplace to stay warm when its cold out.   Our forefathers and mothers would have been green with envy.   Of course, it isn’t only our ancestors who would be jealous about the ease with which modern society stay warm and comfy.   There are still those less fortunate that envy our warm, snug homes.   I’m not speaking of the homeless.   I’m talking about roof rodents.

By Diane Tait Image courtesy flickr With the holiday season in full swing, the sheer volume of delivery trucks is at a fever pitch. Unfortunately, so are porch pirates who make their living pilfering parcels.   With more than 13 billion parcels being delivered in the US every year, I thought it was high time that I showed you a few secrets to scuttle these mailbox marauders.   At stake is some $124 billion, which is how much American consumers spent online during the holidays last year.   If you don’t want your packages to go down with the ship, here’s what you need to know. Sticky Fingers – With more and more people purchasing products online and parcel delivery services dropping off packages at all times of the day and night, it’s no wonder that 30% of consumers report that their goods have been pilfered.   Some porch pirates are brazen enough to tail a delivery driver until they see a package that piques their interest.   Others simply cruise through affluent neighborh

By Diane Tait Image courtesy Pixabay Now that the snow has started falling up north, it’s guaranteed that the snowbirds will descend on the Sunshine State in force.   Between that and the holiday shopping traffic, it’s going to get hectic on the highways in the next few weeks.   So, I thought I’d take the time to point out a few things that all drivers need to heed when it comes to sharing the road.