Turner’s Dairy at the corner of Ontario Street and West 17th Ave

Turner’s Dairy is a new collection of townhomes located at the corner of Ontario Street and West 17th Ave, Vancouver. This project will offer 13 contemporary townhouses, Sizes ranging from 695 square feet to 1,636 square feet. Contemporary and efficient living, designed for the modern family. Progressive meets heritage in these sleekly crafted and thoughtfully created homes. The building’s open and expansive spaces, high ceilings, and vast casement style windows harken back to the lofts and offices that were inhabited by generations of industrial businesses, starting with Turner’s Dairy.

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Turner’s Dairy at the corner of Ontario Street and West 17th Ave

Turner’s Dairy is a new collection of townhomes located at the corner of Ontario Street and West 17th Ave, Vancouver. This project will offer 13 contemporary townhouses, Sizes ranging from 695 square feet to 1,636 square feet. Contemporary and efficient living, designed for the modern family. Progressive meets heritage in these sleekly crafted and thoughtfully created homes. The building’s open and expansive spaces, high ceilings, and vast casement style windows harken back to the lofts and offices that were inhabited by generations of industrial businesses, starting with Turner’s Dairy.

The post Turner’s Dairy at the corner of Ontario Street and West 17th Ave appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

from Projects – Vancouver New Condos https://ift.tt/2M7gIun

Consumers Should Take Advantage of the Stronger Economy to Reduce Debt

As a follow-up to last week's economic update, the 2nd quarter US growth figures were released last week confirming their GDP grew 4.1%.

The post Consumers Should Take Advantage of the Stronger Economy to Reduce Debt appeared first on Team RRP.

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8 Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Travel

You don’t have to spend a fortune to see the world. Instead, here’s a list of 8 tips and tricks that can actually save you money when you travel.

Do you love to travel? Whether it’s around the country or internationally, travel is great for your mind and soul. In fact, more and more studies are coming out saying that spending money on experiences is one of the quickest ways to boost happiness. Of course, we’re all about saving money here, so we want to be sure you’re not spending too much.

That’s why we pulled together this list of 8 tips and tricks to save money while traveling, regardless of how often or where you want to travel.

Pick the Right Destination

Saving money on travel has something in common with starting a business–it’s all about location. Choosing the right destination can get you the experience you want for a price that’s right.

But how do you find the “right” destination? The key here is to shop around. Thinking of a beach vacation? Make a list of beaches you might want to visit. Then make a quick spreadsheet of estimated costs for things like airfare or gas, accommodations, and other attractions at that destination. Chances are some of those beaches will be way cheaper than others.

For inspiration, you can always just Google “cheapest places to travel.” Plenty of travel blogs and magazines consistently compile lists of the cheapest places to travel each year. Or ask friends or family members where they’ve been recently.

Be open-minded about exploring new or out-of-the-way places, and you might be able to see a lot more of them because they’re simply cheaper to get to.

Travel at the Right Time

You can find cheap places to visit no matter what the time of year. But if you’re set on visiting certain touristy locations, timing can make all the difference. Traveling to Europe in the so-called “shoulder” season–in the spring or fall–is typically cheaper than going during peak travel season. And traveling in what is solidly the off season will be cheaper still.

Just keep in mind that sometimes these seasons are shoulder or off seasons for good reason, often having to do with weather. If you want to mostly see indoor cultural attractions, snag that can’t-resist deal for a December vacation to Paris. But if you’re aiming to lay around on the beach, be sure you’re not likely to get rained or frozen out.

Travel timing doesn’t just apply to your overall vacation timing. It also applies to the specific days and times you decide to fly. Midweek flights to and from destinations are typically going to be cheaper because fewer people are using them. So try to be flexible on your departure and arrival dates while planning your travel.

Be Creative About Modes of Travel

Sometimes you just have to get on a plane to go somewhere. But you might be able to save by using an alternative method of transportation, especially if you’re traveling within the United States.

For instance, you can often hop on a train or megabus to take you between major cities. It takes longer, but it can also be much cheaper than airfare.

Even if you’re traveling out of the country, don’t assume you can only take planes to country-hop. Trains, again, are a good option for getting between countries in Europe, and seeing a lot of the scenery as you go. Or you might consider a bus tour of the area you’re visiting. And don’t discount the potential for affordably renting a car and getting around on your own.

The key here isn’t to travel in a particular way versus another way. Just be sure you’re open-minded about this, too. Scope out the ways that locals get around, or ask other travelers how they’ve gotten around a particular city or country once they’re in it. You might be surprised at the cheap, creative solutions you come up with.

One final way to trim costs on getting from point A to point B is simply to do it less often. Instead of going to Europe and trying to cram 10 countries into 14 days, spend more time in a few places. This can be a way to really settle into your vacation and fully experience a place. Plus, it has the advantage of potentially dramatically cutting your overall travel costs.

Think Outside the Box for Accomodations

Besides airfare, your next most expensive vacation cost is likely to be accommodations. But you don’t have to go with the traditional hotel option here, either. If you do, be sure you shop around so you’re at least getting a good deal on that! But here are some other accommodation options to consider:

• Home Sharing: Sites like VRBO and Airbnb are excellent places to find cheaper accommodations, even in major U.S. cities. I recently booked a master suite with its own entrance in San Francisco for $80 per night, which is much cheaper than decent hotels in the area. Home sharing sites are also a great way to find more flexible accommodations, such as apartments that can give you access to kitchen facilities–an excellent way to cut back on your food costs.

• Crashing with Friends: Are your college friends farflung across the country or around the world? Ask close friends if you can stay with them on vacation, maybe in exchange for a few dinners out on you. You’ll save a load on accommodations so that you can afford to treat your hosts while you’re there. Plus, you can get a local’s view of the area where you’re staying, which is a great option.

• Rent an RV: RVing can be expensive, depending on the current cost of gas. However, it can also roll in your travel and accommodations, making for a fairly affordable option overall. RV travel is an excellent option for outdoorsy types. Use the RV as a base camp for your adventures, and travel the country in one.

• Look at Hostels: Youth hostels are less common in the U.S., but they’re everywhere in Europe. And despite their common name, they aren’t just for young people. Anyone with a backpack and a dream can typically stay in one of these hostels, which typically offer dorm-style accommodations, really cheaply.

• Consider a B&B: If you think B&Bs are always more expensive than hotels, you might be in for a surprise. The fact is that they are often a more affordable way to stay. Plus, they come with a built-in breakfast, which can help you cut back on your food costs while you travel.

• Tent Camp: Here’s another option for the adventurous: pack a tent. Tent camping can be an option even if your ultimate goal is to see metropolitan areas. Many such cities have tent camping locations on their outskirts, just a short bus ride from all the main attractions.

Trim Your Food Costs

One of my favorite parts of traveling is eating good food. In fact, it’s sometimes worth cutting back on travel and lodging costs to splurge on food, depending on where you travel. And you can also do a combination, by shopping for cheaper food most of the time but then splurging on a couple top-class meals while you’re on vacation.

One way to save is to ask locals where they go for a family dinner out. These are likely to be relatively cheaper restaurants, but they’re probably comparatively excellent, since locals eat at them often.

You can also get by with stopping at a grocery store for lunches and snacks while you walk around. This can save you money even if you don’t have a fully functioning kitchen in your lodgings. And if you do have a kitchen, take advantage by shopping for interesting local foods at farmer’s markets and the like and then fixing them for yourself.

Prioritize Sightseeing

Of course if you’re traveling broadly, you want to see the sights. But that doesn’t mean you need to pay for every tourist attraction in a local area. Do some digging online to see which attractions are really worth checking out. Then, pick two or three of the must-see attractions that cost money and work those into your overall vacation budget. For the rest, make a list of the free or really cheap attractions you want to see, and prioritize them so that you can set your agenda accordingly.

Use Airline Miles and Credit Card Rewards

As you’re saving up for your next trip, don’t forget to save up your airline miles and credit card rewards, too. If you don’t already have a favorite travel rewards credit card, check out this list to find one that might work well for your needs. These cards will let you rack up rewards and miles for everyday spending. (Just be sure you pay off the balance each month to avoid paying interest!)

Be sure to look for a card that works well with your typical spending patterns. If you rarely eat out when you’re at home, for instance, don’t choose a card that weights rewards for this type of spending, but choose one that gives rewards for grocery spending. And be sure to choose a card that works with the airline you’re most likely to use. Or look for programs that allow for transferring of miles between programs so that you don’t risk being unable to use your miles.

You can also use a cash back credit card to have more flexibility with your rewards. You might just choose not to cash in your cash back until it’s time to book your next trip, so you use all that cash back for your adventures.

Stick to Your Budget

It’s tempting to think really big when it comes to travel. And there’s definitely a time and place for that when it’s in your budget. But don’t start going into debt or starving yourself on grocery expenses just to travel the world.

Instead, make travel a priority by cutting other budget categories. Cut back on how much you spend on groceries. Cut the cable cord. Spend less on clothing and everyday transportation. Then, direct your savings from these categories to your travel savings.

Once you’re ready to book a trip, stick to the budget you have available. This will keep you from going into debt to travel, which will just turn into a vicious cycle.

Even if your first few trips need to be staycations or very local vacations, you can start out on a shoestring budget. Then as you free up more money to save for travel, whether by starting a side gig or paying down debt, you can get to further and more expensive locations.

The bottom line isn’t that you travel to the most luxurious, exotic locations on the planet. Instead, the point is just to get out and experience something new. Who knows where that could lead?

Topics: Travel

The post 8 Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Travel appeared first on The Dough Roller.

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{#TransparentTuesday} I feel fat.

 

“I feel fat.”

This is something I hear allll the time from clients (and friends and strangers and pretty much everywhere, frankly). Women tell me they feel “big” or “huge” or “gigantic.”

Note here that “feeling fat” and actually being fat are completely separate and unrelated experiences— most of my clients feel fat despite being in a completely healthy and normal weight range.

It is assumed of course, that feeling fat is HORRIBLE. Nevermind the super gross and fatphobic implications that assuming it’s horrible to feel fat also assumes that it’s horrible to be fat. (Yes, saying you “feel fat” when you’re not fat is fatphobic, and oppressive to people who actually are fat.)

People make the same assumption about feeling ugly or unattractive. As a woman, feeling like you’re not pretty enough is often the same as feeling like you suck and are basically just worthless as a person.

But have you ever stopped to think about why that is, and what it means?

My clients are often surprised when I ask them to question the idea that feeling (or being!) fat or unattractive is such a problem. I ask them what fat feels like, and challenge them to put into words why that’s such a negative thing.

They often struggle to answer, because “feeling huge” is a common umbrella term for feeling a variety of negative things they don’t actually want to identify, talk about, or deal with, such as feeling isolated, lonely, guilty, ashamed, disconnected, sad, or overwhelmed.

Here’s the thing: fat and ugly are not feelings.

They are descriptions, like “tall” or “blue,” and they are completely subjective. They’re not inherently good or bad, they’re kind of just neutral observations that are designed to help us navigate between relative objects and people.

But the meaning we attach to these words… hoo, boy. That’s where nastiness comes in. We use words like “fat” and “ugly” as elaborate stand-ins; symbols of complex experiences of personal failure and shame

If you think back to childhood, fat and ugly were the two most hurtful insults lobbed at girls. Why? Because we knew even at a tender age that it is very, very important for girls to be small and beautiful.

It was unclear exactly why this was so important, but that didn’t matter. Being called “big” or “fat” or “ugly” was excruciating and everyone knew it, so if someone really wanted to hurt you, those were the insults they hurled at you.

The problematic subtext of these insults is that if a girl has failed to be thin and beautiful then she has failed at her most important job in life, which is to be thin, and beautiful, and to be looked at by other people.

Ew.

If a girl’s most important role in life was to be innovative, create positive change, follow our passions, connect with people, or something else unrelated to how we looked, then these insults wouldn’t hurt us so deeply. I mean, it might not feel awesome to be fat or ugly (just like it doesn’t feel awesome to suck at math or be clumsy) but they wouldn’t cut us to our cores. They would just be somewhat boring facts about us.

Any woman who struggles with feeling fat or unattractive is really struggling with something else entirely, and no amount of trying to convince the woman she’s thin or beautiful will help her with her struggle.

Maybe she feels like a failure because she has internalized this idea that women exist to be looked at, so she feels guilty that she is subjecting the people around her to her ugly hugeness. This is worth exploring though– do the people in your life really expect you to be small and beautiful as if your job is to decorate the world for them? If so, that is majorly fucked up and you need those people out of your life stat.

This is the kind of exploration I help my clients do, getting to the actual heart of their struggles and helping dissolve the blocks to self-love and self-acceptance that reside there.

Often what sits underneath the surface of “feeling fat” or “feeling ugly” is belief that your job is to be living earth decor, or that your worth comes from how pleasant you are to look at. Sometimes it comes from trauma, shame, fear of being looked at or violated, or a deep belief that you would be happy and fulfilled if only you looked different.

Other times, feeling fat is just a big cover-up for feeling sad, or angry. Feeling unattractive is often just a big distraction from feeling insecure about your relationship, or your social skills.

We will never make any headway on body image or self-acceptance if we continue to buy into the lie that a person can “feel” fat or ugly.

I, for one, am tired of the lie.

I want to talk about what’s real. I want to talk about your internalized beliefs, and your feelings, and your trauma. I want to help you discover what thinness and beauty represent to you, and what you think would happen if you accomplished them.

Everyone wants to learn how to “love your body,” but what they really want to know is how to “feel thin” or “feel beautiful.” They want to know how to stop feeling inferior, when the real issues is the paradigm that says being fat or ugly makes a person inferior in the first place.

Body love and acceptance are about something way more important than reframing your flaws, or deciding that you’re beautiful just the way you are.

Only loving your body when you find it beautiful enough is like only loving your children when they’re well behaved– that is not real love.

Real love is about recognizing that your body doesn’t need to be thin or beautiful in order to be worthy of of your love, respect, or care.

Real love is about letting go of the belief that other people have the ability (or the right) to determine if you’re “good enough” just by looking at you, and to let go of the idea that your life would be better if you looked different.

Real love is about basing your self-worth on something other than being looked at.

If you’re ready to learn how to love your body (and I mean really love it, not just “feel thin/pretty enough”) then I created the 12 week online group coaching program Authentic Body Confidence for you.

Enrollment for our fall session (we start August 28th!) is now open– find out all the details and enroll now by checking out the website here!

Hit reply to book a free 20 minute coaching call to pick my brain about the course, and decide if it’s the right fit for you!

Yours in body love,
<3
Jessi

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Best Car Insurance in New Jersey

Residents of the Garden State, are car insurance costs driving you mad? You may be paying too much to insure your vehicle. Find out what other drivers in the state are paying and where you can get the best car insurance in New Jersey.

Table of Contents

• Our Top 5 Picks for the Best Car Insurance in New Jersey
• New Jersey Auto Insurance Requirements
• Average Cost of Coverage in New Jersey
• Cheapest Car Insurance in New Jersey
• Cost of Auto Insurance in New Jersey
• New Jersey’s Unique Car Insurance Rules
• Top Car Insurance Companies in New Jersey
• Customer Satisfaction
• Need More?

What’s the most important thing to think about when choosing an auto insurance policy in New Jersey? While priorities vary from driver to driver, there are a few key factors. Namely, you want to find a company that offers you the right amount of coverage at the right pice.

However, buying auto insurance is about more than just the price tag. It’s important to also find a company that offers excellent customer service, reliability, and even features that will protect you every time you get behind the wheel. Finding coverage that doesn’t break the bank is important, but it’s even more important to go with a company that will protect you when the time comes to file a claim.

Compare Car Insurance Plans in New Jersey

All of the research involved with finding that perfect company can make your head spin, though. Plus, it can take forever to sift through all of the data, determining how much you should expect to pay, and which company can give you exactly what you need. Luckily, that’s what we are here for.

We have invested hours of research into all things auto insurance in the state of New Jersey, bringing you this comprehensive guide. We have pored over pricing data, customer service ratings, state policies and laws, and even applicable penalties. By the time you finish reading, you’ll know the companies that can provide you the best coverage, who is likely to offer the best rates, and the laws you’ll need to follow along the way.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Our Top 5 Picks for the Best Car Insurance in New Jersey

When purchasing auto insurance in New Jersey, you have plenty of options. This is great for finding exactly what you need, but also makes the process more confusing.

That’s where we come in.

We have spent hours and hours sifting through the data in the Garden State, so that we can bring you this article. Not only do we cover everything you need to know about buying your auto policy, but we also offer our recommendations for specific companies.

In naming these five “best” companies, though, it’s important to keep in mind that these are based on our opinions and the data that we have found. Your experience may vary, especially once you take into consideration your own personal factors, driving record, and even your location.

Based on our hours of research, consumer ratings, and price quotes provided by the companies themselves, here are our picks for the best New Jersey auto insurance providers:

• Best Overall Satisfaction: USAA
• Best Customer Service: The Hartford
• Lowest Premiums: Esurance
• Great If You Have a Perfect Record: Hanover
• Best If You Have a Less-Than-Perfect Record: Allstate

New Jersey Auto Insurance Requirements

Before you ever start looking at prices, discounts, or customer service ratings, there’s one key fact you need to know: how much auto insurance coverage you are required to carry by law. Each state has a different set of rules and regulations, so you’ll need to know specifically what your own state mandates.

For drivers in New Jersey, there are a few different requirements. While you absolutely must carry a policy that meets these minimum limits each and every time you get behind the wheel, you also have the option to buy more coverage (and that’s often recommended). At the very least, though, here’s what you’ll need to carry in order to avoid being an illegal driver in the Garden State.

Standard Policy

New Jersey is unique in that they have two different categories of required coverage. The first is Standard Coverage, and is in line with the coverage types and limits seen for drivers in other states.

Coverage Type (Standard)	Minimums
Bodily Injury Liability
Death or injury of one person in any one accident	$15,000 minimum
Death or injury of 2+ people in any one accident	$30,000 minimum
Property Damage Liability	$5,000 minimum
Personal Injury Protection	$15,000 minimum

Wondering about the difference between these three requirements: bodily injury, property damage liability coverage, and personal injury protection?

Property damage liability is coverage intended for, as the name suggests, property. It pays to repair or replace someone else’s property following an accident for which you are liable. Property can include things like someone else’s vehicle, their home, buildings, objects, or even signs and structures.

Bodily injury liability is coverage intended for, you guessed it, bodily injuries. It’s meant to cover the medical and/or rehabilitation expenses of others following an accident for which you’re at-fault. There are two different coverage limits, as you’ll notice: $15,000 and $30,000. The former one is intended for the injuries incurred by one person, while the latter limit is intended for two or more people in the same accident.

Personal injury protection covers you, the insured driver, as well as others that are covered by your policy and may be injured in an accident. While the other driver’s insurance company pays for your injuries if they’re at-fault in other states, this isn’t the case in New Jersey.

That’s because New Jersey is a no-fault state. This means that each driver’s insurance company pays for their injuries, regardless of the fault of the accident. Because of this, personal injury protection can help you get the care you need, whether you or the other driver is at-fault.

Basic Policy

Thanks to the Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act, it was mandated that drivers in New Jersey be offered the option of a more affordable, Basic Policy option. This lower-cost insurance policy offers even less coverage than the Standard Policy mentioned above, and is technically the minimum required for drivers in the state.

The Basic Policy was designed for drivers with little or no assets, who may have trouble paying for more comprehensive coverage. This makes it a good option for students and young adult drivers who are just beginning to work and establish themselves.

Here’s what you’ll need to purchase in order to be covered under a Basic Policy:

Coverage Type (Basic)	Minimums
Bodily Injury Liability
Death or injury of one person in any one accident	$10,000 available as an option, but not included under the Basic Policy
Property Damage Liability	$5,000 minimum
Personal Injury Protection	$15,000 minimum

As we mentioned above, New Jersey is a no-fault state. This means that you will need to purchase medical benefits coverage of at least $15,000, regardless of the type of coverage you choose. This coverage is intended to pay the medical or therapy bills resulting from an auto accident in which you’re involved, regardless of which driver is responsible for the wreck.

Additional Coverage

If you choose a Basic Policy over a Standard Policy, it’s important to note that your coverage options will be limited. For example, if you want to purchase coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists, this won’t be available to you under a Basic Policy. You’ll have to move up to a Standard Policy to even add this type of optional coverage on to your policy.

Additionally, comprehensive and collision coverage options are always available to Standard policyholders in the state. However, if you hold a Basic Policy, these add-ons may or may not be options for you, depending on the insurer you choose.

Penalties

Okay, so we have talked about the type of coverage that you’re required to carry every time you get behind the wheel in New Jersey. Now, let’s talk about what will happen if you fail to meet these requirements and get caught.

First and foremost, you should know that whether you don’t buy a policy at all or if you buy a policy that doesn’t meet the state’s mandated requirements, you’ll be considered an illegal driver. Uninsured and underinsured drivers get treated the same in most cases.

If you are caught driving without the mandatory liability coverage, there will be penalties involved. In fact, this is one of the biggest driving offenses in the state, and it’s punished accordingly.

If you are stopped for a moving violation or found to not be carrying adequate coverage following an auto accident (even if you’re not at fault), here’s what you can expect in terms of penalties for a first violation:

• A fine of at least $300 and up to $1,000
• Community service
• DMV surcharges of $250 for at least three years
• A mandatory license suspension of one year

For subsequent violations, the penalties just get worse. After your second violation, you can expect the following:

• A fine up to $5,000
• A mandatory jail sentence of 14 days
• 30 days of community service
• A mandatory license suspension of two years

After your two-year suspension is up, the DMV won’t just reinstate your license, either. Instead, you’ll need to apply to the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles for reinstatement.

It’s not only fines and penalties that should worry you when driving without valid auto insurance coverage, though. There’s also the concern of getting in a car accident.

If you get in a wreck and don’t have adequate insurance coverage, you can expect to receive a citation. Following that, the penalties above will kick in, and your license will be suspended accordingly. More importantly, though, is that you’ll need to pay for any damages that may have been caused to others or their property, if you’re at-fault for the accident.

Had you carried adequate auto insurance coverage, your policy would have paid for most, or all, of these expenses. However, since you don’t have auto insurance, you’re now on the hook for the bill. If you can’t afford to pay out of pocket, you’ll likely be sued. This means that your assets–such as your home, vehicle, savings accounts, and more–could be taken away.

But let’s say that you’re driving uninsured and are in an accident that isn’t your fault. No, you won’t need to pay for the other driver’s vehicle or injuries, and their insurance coverage should pay for yours (assuming that they are covered appropriately by a policy of their own). However, if you don’t have adequate coverage in the state of New Jersey, you’ll actually lose your right to sue for damages and/or injuries following the accident.

This means that if the other driver doesn’t have auto insurance or doesn’t have enough coverage to pay your bills following an accident for which they’re at-fault, you can’t even sue them for their assets to cover it. If you fail to maintain state-minimum insurance, you essentially waive your right to sue them. This could be devastating.

Proof of Insurance

As is the case in most states, it won’t be a secret if you allow your auto insurance policy to lapse. In fact, insurance companies are required to notify the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission when policies lapse or are cancelled, so they know if drivers are lacking valid policies at any given time.

Thanks to this, you can rest assured that the officer will already know whether or not you have active auto insurance following an accident or during a traffic citation. However, even with this reporting system in place, you are still required to carry proof of your insurance coverage with you every time you get behind the wheel. Failure to do so can result in a citation.

Whether you buy your very first policy or simply renew an existing one, you’ll be given proof of insurance. This comes in many forms, depending on the insurance company and the type of policy purchased. You may get a laminated insurance card mailed to you, you may be emailed or given access to a PDF that you can print out, or you might be able to download an app with mobile access at your fingertips, or all three. However, even if you download an app and have a digital card saved, you’ll still want to keep a hard copy in your vehicle at all times. If your phone dies or is damaged in an accident, you’ll still need to access that proof of coverage when asked.

Regardless of the form of your proof of insurance, it will have a few specific things listed. These include the:

• Name of the insured
• Vehicles covered under the policy
• Policy number
• Dates of valid coverage
• Insurance company’s name, address, and phone number

It may also include your coverage limits or other important details about your exact policy.

Average Cost of Coverage in New Jersey

Once you decide how much auto insurance coverage you need and what you expect from your insurer, it’s time to compare prices. For many drivers, this is one of the most important factors, in fact, and you want to make sure that you get the best possible rate for the coverage you choose. So, let’s take a look at what you can expect to pay when buying auto insurance in New Jersey.

According to data from QuoteWizard, the average auto policy in New Jersey costs $1,265.69 annually. This is considerably higher than the national average of $889.01, so that’s something to keep in mind as you go into your search. Of course, this average takes into account all policies purchased in the state, regardless of the vehicles they drive, the history of the driver(s), the area in which they live, and even the amount of coverage chosen.

This $1,265.69 average can be broken down further, though, to give you a better idea of what you can expect. For example, New Jersey drivers spend an annual average of $869.57 on liability-only coverage. This means that if they purchase the state’s most basic, required auto insurance, they’ll pay about that much each year. Drivers also spent an average of $381.86 on collision coverage (covering their vehicle if they’re in an at-fault accident) and $131.35 on comprehensive coverage (if they want to be protected no matter what happens to their vehicle or how).

All in all, New Jersey drivers pay about $104.72 a month for their auto insurance.

Coverage	Rates
Liability	$869.57
Collision	$381.86
Comprehensive	$131.35
Total Cost Per Year	$1,265.69
Price Per Month	$104.72

Of course, these numbers are just averages. You can (and should) expect that your own policy will vary from this, based on any number of personal factors. Your location, driving history, vehicles covered, and even your age and marital status can all affect premiums.

Plus, there are discounts offered by some companies that you may or may not qualify for, such as safe driver discounts, student discounts, multiple policy discounts, and even discounts for having more than one driver on the policy.

Cheapest Car Insurance in New Jersey

I know you’ve been wanting to know the answer to this question: which company has the cheapest premiums in New Jersey? Well, we’re here to help you find out.

Of course, this isn’t exactly a black-and-white question, but you probably already realized that. While one insurer may be the absolute best when it comes to insuring a high-risk driver (like that 18-year-old in a sports car or the woman with three accidents in the last two years), it may not offer the best price for your parents. There are variables at play, even when talking about the “cheapest” insurance company in the Garden state.

We didn’t want to leave you hanging, though, so we did some research. We wanted to figure out which companies were consistently priced the lowest, as well as which ones offered the best rates for different types of drivers. Then, based on your own factors, you at least know where to start.

Let’s take a sample driver, who we will name Tom. Tom is 30-years-old and single. He has a clean driving record, drives a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and lives in Lakewood.

Very Cheap Cae Insurance

Here’s what we found when we started shopping around for rates for Tom, based on standard, state-minimum coverage.

Insurance Company	Annual Premium
Farmers	$913
Penn National	$996
Esurance	$1,236
Allstate	$1,404
Progressive	$1,412
Encompass	$1,740
Metlife	$1,864
Mercury	$2,288
Plymouth Rock	$2,663
Foremost	$2,968

How different would Tom’s premiums look if he lived in Newark instead?

Insurance Company	Annual Premium
Farmers	$1,543
Esurance	$1,832
Progressive	$1,904
Penn National	$2,124
Allstate	$2,550
Metlife	$2,626
Mercury	$2,964
Encompass	$3,210
Plymouth Rock	$3,267
Foremost	not given

As you can see, Tom is stuck paying considerably more for the same coverage, just for living in a more metropolitan area. Either way, though, it appears that he can bank on Farmers and Esurance for consistently having more affordable coverage.

Cost of Auto Insurance in New Jersey

So, how much can you expect to pay for your car insurance in New Jersey? Well, that’s difficult to say. After all, there are literally hundreds of answers to that question, based on your own personal variables.

Things that impact your premiums include your:

• Age
• Gender
• Marital status
• Driving record
• Education
• Vehicle(s) covered
• Whether your vehicle is financed, leased, or paid in full
• ZIP code
• Whether you own or rent your home
• Miles driven each year and the purpose of those miles (work commute, pleasure, etc.)
• How much coverage is desired

That’s why it’s impossible to truly give someone an accurate estimate of their auto insurance costs, without knowing each of these factors. Of course, as we already talked about above, the average auto insurance price tag runs about $1,265 a year, across the entire state. If you’re only interested in New Jersey liability coverage, your average steeply drops to just under $870.

We’re not really keen on leaving things that simple, though, so let’s try to narrow down your estimate just a bit more. That way, you can go into your auto shopping journey with at least an idea of what you should pay.

Without knowing all of your personal information, this will be difficult. So, we created four different driver “profiles” to use. Each example driver represents a specific demographic, allowing us to easily compare rates based on the kind of driver one could be. While none of these four drivers is likely to be a perfect match for you and your own personal tidbits, you can still use this as a rough guide before looking for your own coverage.

Our Subjects

We’ve taken four example drivers to use in this pricing example. They all live in Clifton, NJ, in ZIP code 07011. We chose this city because it ranks pretty average in the state when it comes to annual auto insurance costs. This makes it a more accurate indicator, versus choosing a more metropolitan area.

First, we have Little Timmy. He’s a young driver stereotype: 22-years-old, in college, renting an apartment, and has two speeding tickets under his belt from the last couple of years. He drives about 15,000 miles a year in his 2012 Chevy Impala (which is financed), and has average credit.

Next, we have John and Jane Smith, 42. They are both college grads with good credit, who own their home. They drive a 2011 Chevy Equinox (paid off) and a 2014 Toyota Sienna (financed), and drive about 16,000 miles a year each. Neither has any speeding tickets, but Jane did have a small fender bender last year.

Straight-Laced Sally, our third subject, is an insurer’s dream. She’s 35, owns her condo, has excellent credit, and is a college grad. She drives about 10,000 miles a year in her 2010 Toyota Camry and has a clean driving record.

Last but not least is Grandpa Joe. He’s 65 with a clean driving record and good credit. He owns his home and his 1998 Honda Civic, which he drives about 8,000 miles a year.

As we already mentioned, you probably aren’t a perfect match with any of these four subjects. However, there’s probably one you can most relate to. So, with that said, let’s see how their premiums compare in the state of New Jersey, and which insurance companies offer the best rates for each. (Quotes provided by The Zebra and Insurox)

	Little Timmy	John & Jane Smith	Straight-Laced Sally	Grandpa Joe
Plymouth Rock	$566/mo	$117	$64	$77
Mercury	$680	$376	$213	$127
Penn National	not given	$178	$110	$82
Allstate	$310	$215	$100	$80
Hanover	$885	$118	$55	$43
Foremost	$702	not given	$164	$92
Metlife	$710	not given	$141	$97
Progressive	$478	$267	$72	$110
Encompass	$1,110	$320	$195	$185
Esurance	$399	$298	$168	$79

As you can probably tell, the results can vary quite a bit from insurer-to-insurer, just based on your own personal information. However, there are some patterns we can derive. For instance, Hanover was one of the most affordable (if not the most affordable) company for everyone except Little Timmy. And Allstate offered competitive pricing across the board, even if they weren’t the cheapest.

Based on what we see with these results, we can assume that one’s driving record plays a significant impact on premiums (poor Little Timmy had better save his pennies or just plan to take the bus!), followed by age.

New Jersey’s Unique Car Insurance Rules

Every single state puts a unique spin on auto insurance laws. New Jersey, of course, isn’t the exception. There are a few rules and regulations that you’ll find in the Garden State that are different from other states in the country.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect to find when buying insurance in New Jersey, some of which might be different from what you’ll find elsewhere. Some of them might even impact your coverage choices and premiums.

New Jersey’s High-Risk Automobile Insurance Option (NJPAIP)

If you’re a high-risk driver in New Jersey–which usually means that you’ve already lost and/or been denied coverage due to a DUI, accidents, or other driving record issues, or that you’ve failed to pay your premiums with a previous policy–you might not be able to find an insurer that will approve you for new coverage. In this case, you’ll need to turn to the high-risk coverage option offered in the state: PAIP.

NJPAIP was designed for drivers who have had their coverage cancelled, non-renewed, and/or have been denied for a new policy due to certain factors. Since all drivers in New Jersey must carry state-minimum liability in order to get behind the wheel, the PAIP option is a last resort.

As with most state-run, high-risk programs, PAIP doesn’t actually offer insurance policies. Instead, they will match you with an NJPAIP Certified Producer, which is an insurer who will offer you coverage.

Credit Can Be a Factor

As is the case in many states, your credit can be a determining factor when it comes to calculating your auto insurance premiums. New Jersey is one of those states, as you may have already guessed.

This means that potential insurers have the option to run a soft inquiry/credit check on you when calculating your coverage pricing. This shows them your financial history, account status (especially with other insurance companies), and overall creditworthiness.

While insurers can use your credit history to help determine premiums, they cannot cancel existing coverage or deny you coverage based on what they find. They can only adjust your price accordingly.

Your ZIP Code Matters

In most states, your exact location matters. In fact, it’s one of the most important factors when calculating your premiums, as metropolitan areas present a higher risk for insurers than more rural areas. Because of this, your premiums can change when you move to a new city, or even just to a new neighborhood that has a different ZIP code.

Your ZIP code is a secondary factor to things like your personal driving record, age, and the vehicle you drive, but it will have an impact on your premiums in New Jersey.

You Have Low-Income Options

If you live in New Jersey and are eligible for Medicaid based on your income, you could also qualify for the state’s reduced-cost insurance program, SAIP. This program, the Special Automobile Insurance Policy, offers limited auto insurance coverage to residents for a lower price.

In fact, if you qualify for SAIP, you can get medical-only coverage for only $365 a year. The purpose of the initiative is to prevent drivers from foregoing buying insurance based on limited financial resources.

To learn more about SAIP, visit the website here.

Top Car Insurance Companies in NJ

Now, you might be wondering who the most popular auto insurance companies are in the Garden State. Well, you’re in luck–we’ve done the research to find the six insurers with the largest market shares.

Of course, the most popular option doesn’t always equal the best one. Let’s take a look at how each company compares in terms of their financial security and their measured customer satisfaction.

Customer Satisfaction

Being the most popular company says something, as does having the best price. However, your satisfaction with an insurance company ultimately comes down to how well they perform when you actually need them. If their customers are usually happy, there’s a good chance that you will also be happy if you purchase a policy from them.

So, of course, we took the time to look into each company’s actual customer satisfaction ratings. We also looked at their financial security ratings, ensuring that you choose a company that can be there if and when you need to file a claim.

To measure each of these, we looked at two leading authorities in the industry: JD Power and A.M. Best. Both of these companies are respected and provide a comprehensive view of each insurer so that you can make the most informed decision.

State Farm

First up is State Farm, the largest auto insurance shareholder in the state. This company holds a leading 11.1% of the market. It doesn’t rank the highest in customer satisfaction, though:

• A.M. Best: “A++” (Superior) financial strength rating and “aa+” long-term issuer credit rating
• JD Power: #13 in the region (out of 14) with only a 2-star overall satisfaction rating

Progressive

Next in our list–in second place–is Progressive, which insures 10.8% of the New Jersey market. Unfortunately, it also brings up the rear of JD Power’s study:

• A.M. Best: “A+” (Superior) financial strength rating and an “aa” long-term issuer credit rating.
• JD Power: #14 in the region (of 14 companies compared) with a 2-star overall satisfaction rating

Allstate

Bringing in a strong third place is Allstate. They’re in the middle of the pack for both the number of drivers insured, at 9.3% of the market, as well as their satisfaction ratings:

• A.M. Best: “A+” (Superior) financial strength rating but “aa-” long-term issuer credit rating.
• JD Power: #8 in the region with a 3-star overall satisfaction rating

Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual accounts for 9% of the New Jersey auto insurance market share. Here’s what customers think about the company:

• A.M. Best: “A” (Excellent) financial strength rating but “a” long-term issuer credit rating.
• JD Power: #12 in the region with a 2-star rating in overall satisfaction

Plymouth Rock

The next company, Plymouth Rock, covers only 7.8% of the New Jersey auto insurance market. This makes it the fifth-most-popular insurer in the state. It boasts a few other impressive 5s, however, especially when it comes to satisfaction ratings:

• A.M. Best: “A-” (Excellent) financial strength rating and an “a-” long-term issuer credit rating.
• JD Power: #5 in the region with a 5-star overall satisfaction rating

USAA

This members-only company is known for its excellent service and insurance products. Since it’s only available to military members and their families, though, it’s a little less popular. Therefore, USAA holds only 3.7% of the state’s market share. What it lacks in market share, though, it makes up for in satisfaction ratings:

• A.M. Best: “A++” (Superior) financial strength rating and “aaa” long-term issuer credit rating
• JD Power: #2 with a 5-star overall satisfaction rating

Need More?

Buying auto insurance can be confusing, whether it’s your first policy or your tenth. If you have more concerns about buying coverage in the Garden State, or have specific questions about the laws of the state, you can visit the New Jersey state auto insurance website.

Topics: Auto Insurance

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2018 Sales Tax Holiday Schedule by State

Looking for ways to save this back-to-school season? Mark your calendars! Here is the latest sales tax holiday schedule.

Each year, several states in the U.S. have a sales tax holiday weekend–or sometimes a whole week! Some states offer two or three different sales tax holidays over the year, often focused on different types of items. Sales tax holidays are an especially big hit around back-to-school season. They are a great way to save as you stock up on school supplies or outfit your kids for the coming school year.

Back-to-school offer – The Chase College Checking℠ account provides students a checking account with a wide variety of tools to manage their day to day finances. Students have access to 16,000 ATM’s and over 5,100 Chase branches along with Chase QuickDeposit, the Chase Mobile App and a VISA® debit card. For a limited time, new students can earn a $50 bonus by signing up, depositing $25, enrolling in paperless statements and making 10 qualifying transactions inside of the first 60 days.

Since we first published this article, we’ve seen some changes in sales tax holidays. Georgia and North Carolina dropped their programs, and several states added or expanded theirs.

This schedule gives you the latest information on sales tax holidays nationwide. A few of the states have not released their sales tax holiday dates as of this update (July 2018), but look for more information on specific dates in the future!

State	2018 Dates	Items Exempt	Maximum Cost* (Per Item)
Alabama (Back to School)	7/20 - 7/22	Computers	$750
		Clothing	$100
		School Supplies	$50
		Books	$30
Alabama (Hurricane Preparedness)	2/23 - 2/25	Supplies	$60
		Generators	$1,000
Arkansas	8/4 - 8/5	Clothing and Footwear	$100
		Clothing Accessories and Equipment	$50
		School Supplies, School Art Supplies and School Instructional Materials	No Limit
Connecticut	Dates Forthcoming	Clothing and Footwear	$100
Florida (Wealth Preparedness)	6/1 - 6/7	Portable generators	$750
		Bungee Cords, Anchor Systems, Radios, Tie-Down Kits, etc.	$50
		Batteries and Coolers	$30
		Gas and Diesel Fuel Containers	$25
		Portable Self-Powered Light Source	$20
		Reusable Ice	$10
Florida (Back to School)	8/3 - 8/5	Bags, Clothing, Footwear and Wallets	$60
		Other School Supplies	$15
Iowa	8/3 - 8/4	Clothing and Footwear	$100
Louisiana (Hurricane Preparedness)	5/27 - 5/28	Hurricane Preparedness Items	$1500
Louisiana (Personal Property)	Dates Forthcoming	Tangible Personal Property	$2500
Louisiana (Firearms)	Dates Forthcoming	Firearms, Ammunition and Hunting Supplies	No Limit
Note that Louisiana tax sales reduce state sales tax to three percent rather than getting rid of it altogether.
Maryland (Back to School)	8/12 - 8/18	Clothing and Footwear	$100
		Backpacks	$40
Maryland (Go Green)	2/17 - 2/19	Qualifying Energy Star Products	No Limit
Mississippi (Back to School)	7/28 - 7/29	Clothing and Footwear	$100
Mississippi (Firearms)	8/31 - 9/2	Firearms, Ammunition, and Hunting Supplies	No Limit
Missouri (Energy Star)	4/19 - 4/25	Energy Star Products	$1500
Missouri (Back to School)	8/3 - 8/5	Computers and Accessories	$1500
		Computer Software	$350
		Clothing	$100
		School Supplies	$50
		Graphing Calculators	$150
New Mexico (Back to School)	Dates Forthcoming	Computers	$1000
		Computer Hardware	$500
		Clothing and Footwear	$100
		School Supplies	$30
New Mexico (Small Business)	Thanksgiving Weekend	Select Items from Small Businesses	$500
Ohio	8/3 - 8/5	Clothing	$75
		School Supplies	$20
		School Instructional Materials	$20
Oklahoma	8/3 - 8/5	Clothing	$100
South Carolina	8/3 - 8/5	Clothing, Footwear, School Supplies, Bed and Bath Linens, and Computers	No Limit
Tennessee	7/27-7/29	Computers	$1500
		School Supplies	$100
		Clothing	$100
Texas (Energy Star)	5/26 - 5/28 (2019)	Energy Star Air Conditioners	$6000
		Other Energy Star Products	$2000
Texas (Back to School)	8/10 - 8/12	Clothing, Footwear, Backpacks and School Supplies	$100
Texas (Emergency Preparedness)	4/27 - 4/29 (2019)	Portable Generators	$3000
		Emergency Ladders and Hurricane Shutters	$300
		Select Other Emergency Supplies	$75
Virginia (Combined)	8/3 - 8/5	Portable Generators	$1000
		Gas-Powered Chainsaws	$350
		Chainsaw Accessories	$60
		Other Hurricane Preparedness Supplies	$60
		Energy Star and WaterSense Products	$2500
		Clothing and Footwear	$100
		School Supplies	$20
Wisconsin	8/1 - 8/5	Computers	$750
		School Computer Supplies	$250
		School Supplies	$75
		Clothing	$75

* The spend limit is for each item sold. This means you can buy multiple items and pay no sales tax as long as each one is below the limit set by the state.

Topics: Taxes

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Lemonade Insurance Review: For When Life Hands You Lemons

Market Update: What the Bank of Canada Interest Rate Hike Means for Homeowners in Vancouver

Let's start with the recent Bank of Canada announcement. Based on strong business and export growth, the Bank of Canada raised its overnight rate to 1.50% on July 11th. Canadian Banks responded by increasing their prime rate by 0.25%.

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The Best Online Stock Trading Sites for Beginners 2018

With the rising popularity of index fund investing and robo-advisors, it may seem the trading of individual stocks is fast becoming a lost art. But tens of millions of investors continue to trade individual stocks and other securities, and that’s why it’s important to do so using the best online stock trading sites.

Whether it has to do with trading commissions, broker assistance, trading tools, or educational resources, finding the online stock trading site that will work best for you can improve your investment returns by thousands of dollars over the years. In this article, that’s exactly what we’re trying to help you do.

Our Selection Methodology

In determining the best online stock trading sites, we looked at 10 popular investment brokerages. We narrowed the list down to the five that provide the broadest range of services, as well as the most attractive pricing. After all, this is a list of stock trading sites, so fees matter.

Overall, we used the following criteria to determine the best online stock trading sites:

• Evaluations and ratings from major financial publications
• Platform pricing
• Range of investment options
• Quality of trading platform
• Availability of trading tools and educational resources
• Areas of broker specialization

Each of the five stock trading sites on this list excel in each of these categories. It came down to relative levels of strength in each, as well as exemplary performance in one or more areas.

Top 5 Best Online Stock Trading Sites

1. Fidelity

We’d like to say this was an easy choice, but it was anything but. It’s a matter of choosing between five very good investment brokerages, and Fidelity won the top spot by no more than a nose.

Fidelity is one of the world’s largest investment brokerage firms, with nearly $2.5 trillion in assets under management. The company started out as a mutual fund family, which is still one of its specializations. But it branched out into general brokerage services, and we feel it’s become the best in the business.

The platform offers something for every investor. You can trade virtually any type of investment, but perhaps what Fidelity is best known for is funds, particularly their own Fidelity Funds. They have some of the best known and established mutual funds in the industry, including the $100 billion-plus Fidelity Contra Fund. And in addition to the Fidelity Funds, they offer thousands more from other fund families.

With the popularity of fund investing–and the fact that Fidelity is the second largest fund provider (after Vanguard)–gives them the nod over the competition.

They also offer all those investment options with trading fees that are at the lower end of the entire industry. Their basic trading fees for stocks, options and ETF’s are at the lower end of the investment brokerage fee range, at $4.95 per trade. Mutual fund commissions are $49.95 per trade, but they offer hundreds of funds commission-free.

Their Active Trader Pro trading platform is one of the best in the industry, and they provide abundant trading tools and educational resources. Fidelity also provides specific tools for mutual fund investors. The Search and Screen by Fund Family tool provides an entire list of all funds available, broken down by fund family. It lists fund performance for one, three, five and 10 years, as well as expense ratios and MorningStar ratings:

Fidelity also enables you to choose funds by specific sector, and provides a list of the highest (four and five star) funds, as rated by MorningStar.

They offer 24/7 customer service, as well as more than 140 brick and mortar branches around the country, a rarity in what is increasingly an online broker universe. As well, Fidelity consistently rates highly among popular financial publications, like Barron’s, Kiplinger, and Investor’s Business Daily.

Related: Read Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card Review

2. Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab virtually invented the discount investment brokerage concept back in the 1970s. But they steadily added services to the point where they are a full-service broker, while still providing discount prices.

Charles Schwab offers everything Fidelity does, and is an even larger firm based on assets under management. But we gave Fidelity the nod due to their stronger position in mutual funds.

But Schwab has plenty of strengths of their own. Their training tools and broker support are second to none in the industry. Their fees are comparable to Fidelity’s, and so is their investment selection.

If you’re a trader, and especially a new trader, they offer some of the best educational and training resources on the web. They also offer the full range of investment products, including stocks, bonds, options, mutual funds and ETF’s. At $4.95 per trade, their commissions are at the low end of the investment broker range. They are however high on mutual fund commissions, at $76 per trade.

But one of the factors making Schwab one of the top firms in the industry is their robo-advisor platform. These days, virtually every major brokerage has one. But what makes their Schwab Intelligent Portfolios robo-advisor stand out is that it’s offered at no fee. The service invests your money in up to 20 different asset classes, including commodities and real estate. It’s a perfect option for a new trader who may want to keep some of his or her money in a professionally managed account, while breaking into self-directed trading at the same time. That’s a big advantage for any investor, but particularly a new investor. And even though we’re primarily evaluating stock trading sites based on actual trading features, it’s always a plus to have a good managed option as well. And one that’s free is even better!

But one area of particular benefit to new traders is customer service. Schwab has it available on a 24/7 basis, and it consistently gets high ratings from major financial media outlets. For example, in 2017, Charles Schwab was rated #1 in customer service by investor’s Business Daily.

They offer a wealth of investment tools, including Schwab Proprietary Research, which provides access to stock ratings, fundamental research, custom screeners, and much more:

Related: Read Charles Schwab Full Review

3. Ally Invest

Ally Invest has come up fast in the investment brokerage space, since its birth with the 2016 acquisition of TradeKing by Ally Bank, immediately rebranded into “Ally Invest”. TradeKing was an up-and-coming discount broker, and the investment service has only improved with the Ally take over.

They offer trading in stocks, bonds, options, Forex and futures. You can also trade in thousands of mutual funds and ETF’s.

Ally Invest is particularly well-suited to active traders, due to its low commission schedule. In addition to their usual low commissions of $4.95 per trade for stocks, options and ETF’s, they also offer special discount pricing for active traders. If you make more than 30 trades per quarter–or maintain a daily balance of $100,000 or more–the commission rate drops to $3.95 per trade. That can make a significant difference in the return on investment over many trades by an active investor.

They also have the advantage of the tie-in with Ally Bank, which offers some of the highest interest rates paid on online savings accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit. You can use bank assets as a high yield and totally safe allocation to go with your equity investments.

Ally Invest is also recognized for having one of the top trading platforms in the industry, as well as 24/7 customer service by both phone and live chat.

Related: Read Ally Invest full Review

4. E*TRADE

E*TRADE is another investment broker that’s coming up fast. E*TRADE made a deep plunge into options trading with the 2017 acquisition of OptionsHouse, a platform that specialized in that investment niche. In fact, E*TRADE has largely kept the OptionsHouse platform intact, while adding its own specific services to the mix.

Much like other investment brokerage firms on this list, you can hold the widest variety of investments through E*TRADE. And while options are their strong suit, they’re also a major force with funds, offering more than 9,000 mutual funds, including more than 4,000 no-load funds with no transaction fees. They also offer a wide variety of target date mutual funds.

With fees, E*TRADE is about the middle of the range of the major investment brokerages. They charge $6.95 per trade for stocks and ETF’s, and $19.99 per trade for mutual funds. For options, they charge the base fee of $6.95 per trade, plus $0.75 per contract.

However, if you make more than 30 trades per quarter, the fee structure drops. Stocks and ETF’s are traded at $4.95 per trade, while options are $4.95, plus $0.50 per contract.

Customer service is available on a 24/7 basis, by phone, email and live chat. They also have more than 30 local branches in major metropolitan areas around the country.

The trading platform is one of the best in the industry, particularly in regard to options trading:

Related: Read E*TRADE Full Review

5. TD Ameritrade

TD Ameritrade might just have the best overall trading platform in the industry. It also has more than 360 branch locations in major metropolitan areas around the country.

TD Ameritrade is particularly strong with their trading platform. They offer overnight trading, on a “24/5” basis – trading 24 hours a day, five days per week. Their “thinkorswim” feature provides professional level trading technology, streaming real-time data, customizable charts and integrated one-click trading. They also offer Advanced Trading, investor education tools, and Technical Analysis (with more than 400 technical studies).

But perhaps most interesting is the TD Ameritrade paperMoney tool. It’s a virtual trading account that lets you test trading strategies before going live. It gives you two accounts, a virtual margin account in a virtual IRA, each with $100,000. It’s perfect either for a beginner or an advanced trader to test various investment strategies without the possibility of losing money in the process.

TD Ameritrade is at about the middle of the investment brokerage range, with a fee of $6.95 per trade for stocks and ETF’s, and $6.95 per trade for options, plus $0.75 per contract. There’s free trading of load mutual funds, and $49.99 per trade for no-load funds.

Related: Read TD Ameritrade Full Review

Best For

Every one of the five brokerage firms on this list is one of the best in the industry, and worthy of investigation, or even as the destination for your investment portfolio. Each is good on multiple fronts. But we’ve identified specific categories where each stands out above the rest.

Here are the categories in which we believe each broker is very likely the best in the industry:

• Active traders: Ally Invest
• Stocks AND funds: Fidelity
• New traders: Charles Schwab
• Options trading: E*TRADE
• Best trading platform: TD Ameritrade

Factors to Consider

There are a lot of good investment brokerage firms available, including every company on this list. But no matter what you hear about a particular platform, the most important consideration is working with one that best suits your needs as an investor.

Some factors to consider:

• If you primarily invest in funds, selecting an investment broker with a wide selection of funds will be more important than choosing the broker who has the lowest trading fees.
• Similarly, if you’re mostly a buy-and-hold investor, specific investment analysis tools may be more important to you than choosing the broker with the lowest fees.
• If you’re a new investor, you might want to go with a firm that offers a combination of strong educational and training tools, excellent customer service, and a virtual trading account that will allow you to learn the ropes without using real money.
• If you’re an active trader, commission fees will be very important, since they will affect the net return on your trading activities. As well, you’ll need a trading platform that will facilitate high-frequency trading.
• For options traders, look closely at the features and tools available at a brokerage specifically for options trading. A platform that’s considered best-in-class based on individual stocks, funds or even low fees may not be your best choice.

Final thoughts on the Best Online Trading Sites

Though we’ve specifically designed this article to discuss the best online trading sites, any of the five would also be suitable for just about any other investment related purpose. Use this list as a starting point for your search.

And no matter how much you may hear that Broker X is the “best”, whether it’s from friends, the financial media, or the Internet, always remember that’s a general assumption, based on the “average investor”. The best online trading sites are the best online trading sites for you. Make sure the one you choose is right for you. You’ll be investing your hard earned money through the broker, and you’ll want to do that with a platform that will optimize your returns.

Topics: Investing

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{#TransparentTuesday} Playing Defense

 

I recently went on a (bad) date, and noticed a few things coming up that I wanted to unpack.

The guy was nice, and seemed very eager to connect; his enthusiasm and interest were actually a bit aggressive. He commented on my freckles (and nail polish, eye color, and curls), he wanted to touch my jewelry and find out what all my tattoos meant, and he insisted on playing me a song on his guitar. It was…. a lot.

It struck me as interesting that while I’m normally a very open, soft, excited, and enthusiastic person, this dude’s energy triggered a complete shutdown on my part. The more he casually touched my arm, scooted closer, leaned in, or otherwise tried to connect with me, the more rigid and cold I became toward him.

Since this guy wasn’t picking up on my non-verbal personal space cues, (whether willfully or cluelessly I don’t know) I found myself in the position of needing to play defense.

This sucks, because when you’re playing defense you can’t actually relax or enjoy yourself.

Like most women, I’ve had to spent most of my life playing defense against clueless and coercive men, and when I was uncomfortable and unable to hold my ground, I would inevitably turn to nastiness, coldness, and (for lack of a better term) aggressive bitchiness. I hated that side of myself, but I had discovered that guys generally back off if you’re cruel to them, and I desperately needed them all to back off because I was terrified.

Since that is not the way I want to live or the person I want to be, I’ve put a ton of work into being clear and assertive enough to hold strong boundaries while staying soft and open, and for the most part these days it works great. I am not afraid to tell someone to stand a bit further away, and I am not afraid to tell someone if they’re making me uncomfortable, and I don’t need to be nasty to do either.

Usually. This guy though…

When I went to show him a photo on my phone, he swung his legs around to be sitting right next to me. When I scooted away, he protested with “what? I don’t bite!” so I told him my phone was private and I wanted space while I searched for the photo. His response was that he didn’t mind seeing naked photos if that’s what I was hiding, and leaned back in. At one point I took his hand off my leg and placed it back on his leg and said “that’s too much.” He just laughed and touched my forearm playfully, as if we were old friends joking around.

Well now, this brought up something old and triggery inside me.

Oh, are my boundaries funny? Are they completely silly and cute to you? Because if so, I can’t trust you not to completely obliterate them. I’m not proud of this, but what happened next came directly from fear.

Instead of authentically asserting my boundaries from then on, I found myself being cold, bitchy, and flat out lying to put some space between us as I figured out a way to leave.

I told him I hate music (he’s a musician).
I told him I hate nature (he wanted to drive to a park).
I told him I don’t allow strangers in my apartment (he wanted to see my balcony), and that I don’t give my phone number to men (he wanted it) and when he called me paranoid for both I just shrugged and said “yep I’m pretty fucked up.”

Oof. None of that shit is true, obviously, but I panicked.

The guy himself wasn’t particularly scary, but I felt backed into a corner, because he had been pushing past my boundaries since he first showed up and he obviously wasn’t concerned with how I felt about that.

After I made an excuse to leave (he protested, obviously), I wondered WTF had happened. When had it gone from “a bit awkward” to “a bit scary”? When had I gone from my normal embodied self to feeling shut down and numb?

That’s the thing, though.

There was no specific moment, because it had been a steady escalation. He started by barely touching my jewelry, and then my tattoos, and then my hair and shoulder and leg. I was ok with the first few touches, so I didn’t say anything, but then it all started to feel like too much– too many touches, too much eye contact, and he was sitting too close to me.

And here’s the thing they won’t tell you about sexual coercion, harassment, assault, and even emotional abuse and domestic violence:

Once someone has pushed past a whole bunch of small boundaries with escalating intensity (a purposeful tactic that’s actually a key part of the pick-up-artist game), it becomes really fucking difficult to just pick a random boundary and put your foot down about it.

It makes you feel stupid and ridiculous… like, oh ok so touching my leg for one second was ok, but three seconds isn’t?

If I establish that boundary now, he’s going to call me on it and make me defend it (he absolutely would have) and I’ll have to come up with a reason that doesn’t sound completely crazy. In fact, maybe that’s what he’s counting on by calling me out: that I would sound completely crazy and discredit myself.

Sigh.

Looking back I’m still not sure if this guy was being intentionally manipulative or just socially inept, but I can say for sure that his behaviors sent up some major red flags about manipulation, coercion, and boundary violation.

It was enough for me to lose access to my body though.

Those trigger spots are still there, even for those of us who have done the work to heal and recover from our traumas.

The worst part is how many other women have experienced something similar, or have had had their boundaries violated by people who feel entitled to their time, attention, bodies, sexuality, emotional caretaking, and more.

So many women have been put in the position of constantly playing defense, and are chronically unable to relax, soften, open, connect to their bodies, or be authentic or assertive.

To be honest, I started writing this from a place of confusion and sadness, but now I’m furious.

We women deserve better than to spend our lives playing defense. We deserve to feel safe, and to have our boundaries affirmed and respected.

We sure as fuck deserve to spend our time and attention on more important shit than keeping other people out of our personal space, or convincing them that we don’t exist for their pleasure.

<3
Jessi

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