Homeless Prevention Rental Help Available to Ventura County Residents

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Through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Ventura County Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) makes federal funds available to local residents who are homeless or about to be evicted. County and city government have joined efforts to operate HPRP, ensuring that eligible County residents receive help when they need it most.

Basic eligibility criteria includes:

  • Homeless or facing eviction within 21 days
  • Household income limits based on family size
  • You have no other options or resources to find or keep housing
  • Financially able to maintain housing after rental assistance is received
  • Ventura County resident and U.S. citizen or qualified resident alien

Eligible HPRP applicants may receive various types of assistance, including eviction prevention rental payment, rental deposit, short-term rental payment, credit counseling, utility deposit/payment, moving and storage costs and case management. Payments go directly to vendors.

Case managers work closely with clients to develop and implement a service plan to ensure that they receive full benefits.  Through HPRP, clients are stabilized in housing and assisted comprehensively to help ensure that they do not face homelessness again.

Visit www.vchsa.org/hprp or call 805.385.8585 for additional information.

Budget-Friendly Summer Travel Tips

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Budget-Friendly Summer Travel

by Mira Reverente

The New Year usually means a couple of things to me - put holiday decor away and start planning for summer vacation. Actually, even before the onset of the holidays, I usually have my eye on a couple of destinations or adventures already.

I have pretty straightforward criteria: budget-friendly and kid-friendly. A blog post on train travel planted the seed. Considering that his blog post has been shared 3.9 million times already I thought I must be onto something here.

So, I researched rail passes, which I found out you can purchase for 15, 30 or 45 days on amtrak.com, allowing you to make 8, 12 or 18 stops, respectively. I purchased the 15-day rail pass for $459 ($229.50 for children 12 and under), which my daughter and I are planning to use soon to tour the Midwest and the East Coast. You can’t beat that price for a seven-state tour we plan to do.

Blog 56 Pic - Train.jpg

Lodging can get pretty pricey too. Fortunately, we’ll be staying with a college friend for the DC-Virginia-Maryland leg of our tour. For all the other stops, I have found good deals on Airbnb. Depending on your comfort level and privacy needs, you can choose from many options: anywhere from a parked RV to a couch, to a private room or even a villa.

I just keep an eye on extra fees like cleaning, security deposit, extra occupant, etc. because they do tend to sneak up on you if you’re not paying attention. I have had great experiences on Airbnb over the years and have received good reviews from the hosts as well.

If you are the adventurous and outdoorsy type, summer and camping probably go hand-in-hand for you. With a few one-time basic investments - a tent, a sleeping bag and a small stove - you are good to go camping.

In the past, I have found affordable campsites on recreation.gov and reserveamerica.org. The main difference between the two is that the latter includes state and private parks. You can book popular campsites like the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park on recreation.gov. Last summer, our Glacier campsite was only $23 per night, while Yellowstone was $28 per night.

CAMPGROUNDS AND RV FACILITIES IN VENTURA COUNTY AND NEARBY AREAS

From my hiking buddies, I have heard that campendium.com is also a good resource for a listing of free campsites in eight states including CA. Just remember that although there may be no nightly rate for camping, there may be permits needed and they may not always be free. Another site, hipcamp.com, though not free, has an enticing listing of camping deals and new destinations.

More budget-friendly summer travel tips:

  1. First rule of summer travel, avoid it if you can (just kidding). Some child-free friends of mine avoid it by traveling during “shoulder season” like early May or mid-late September when the kids are still or back in school. Prices also drop as soon as summer break is over.
  2. Set a budget and stick to it. We all get carried away by dreamy pictures of the sand, sea and sangrias, but they all come with a price. Get on the same page with your spouse, significant other and family members as to how much you can afford to spend, so there are no surprises long after the vacation thrill has worn off.
  3. Research. Use social media to find good deals and tips. Ask friends if they’ve been to your intended destination/s.
  4. Plan well. If you are planning to visit NYC for three days, for example, and would like to hit the museums and popular landmarks, you can save money by buying discounted passes such as CityPass.
  5. Stay in places which have basic kitchen facilities. Those restaurant meals out do add up quickly. Look for lodging with a kitchenette or a microwave at the very least, for heating up leftovers and preparing basic meals.

Happy summer traveling!

Conejo Valley resident Mira Reverente a.k.a. The Money Savvy Mommy, loves finding and sharing money saving strategies just as much as the next person. Her first book on money and thriving post-divorce is available on Amazon. Get your money savviness fill on themoneysavvymommy.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

California's Low Cost Auto Insurance Program Provides Affordable Insurance for Those Eligible

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Auto insurance is a requirement if you have a valid driver's license and drive a vehicle in the state of California. The California Low Cost Auto (CLCA) Insurance program is a state-sponsored program that makes auto insurance more affordable to those meeting eligibility requirements.

To qualify, you must 1) have a valid California driver's license; 2) own a vehicle valued at $25,000 or less; 3) meet income eligibility guidelines; and 4) be at least 19 or older.

Maximum income requirements are based on the size of your household. As of 2016, that maximum is $29,700 for a household size of 1, increasing by $10,350 for each additional household member (e.g. household of 4 maximum income is $60,750.

Annual premiums vary by county, ranging from $241 to $556 (as of 2016). If you live in Ventura County, have been licensed continuously for 3 years and are not a male 19-24 years of age, your premium is $253 ($319 if you are a 19-24 year old male).

While the premiums are great, the coverage is very limited. A basic policy includes only up to $10,000 per person and up to $20,000 per accident for bodily injury or death and up to $3,000 for property damage. Comprehensive and collision is not included in these policies (they would have to be purchased separately).

Learn more and sign up at www.mylowcostauto.com.

U.S. Mail First-Class Letter Rates to Increase by Three Cents on January 26, 2014

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The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) announced on Christmas Eve that it was approving a U.S. Postal Service request for a 3 cent increase in first-class mail single letter rates effective January 26, 2014. This will increase the price of stamps from 46 cents to 49 cents, or 6.5% (though I'm puzzled by the PRC press release that indicates an increase of 6.0%, which, if you do the math, is incorrect...maybe they need to hire me and my calculator).

This is a pretty significant increase, well in excess of the Consumer Price Index change that is typically uses to justify rate increases. The reason for this is that they are seeking to offset what they call "exigent" losses during the "Great Recession of 2008-2009." 

I had to look up the word "exigent" as it is not part of my limited vocabulary. According to Merriam Webster online, exigent is defined as "requiring immediate attention or action." OK, I guess I could have figured that out.

The PRC indicates that this increase is "temporary" however as it has determined that 25.3 billion pieces of volume were lost between 2008 and 2011 at a loss of $2.8 billion and that this temporary increase in excess of inflation would be put in place until the lost revenue is made up. This could be a few years.

Previous first-class letter rate increases were 1 cent in January 2013, 1 cent in January 2012 and 2 cents in May 2009.

This next month is probably the best time ever to stock up on "Forever" stamps to be the 6.5% price increase. If you don't use mail much, I suspect this will not have too big of an impact on you. If you do plan to mail a lot of stuff these next few years, it is exigent that you stock up soon.

Does it Make Financial Sense to Buy Life Insurance for Children?

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Back in June 2008 I took a look at the Gerber Life Insurance Grow-Up Plan after seeing a TV commercial. I suppose with one kid jumping off the couch and the other one horsing around near the light socket that perhaps I could have been immediately drawn to the plan. But does the average kid really need a life insurance policy? Since 4 1/2 years have passed by, let's take another look.

The plan is summarized at www.gerberlife.com.  It is a whole life policy with coverage ranging from $5K to $50K ($35K in 2008).  You can purchase a policy for your kid or grandkid anytime between the age of 14 days to 14 years (the high end was 12 years in 2008). At age 18 (previously 21) the policy automatically doubles in value as long as you pay the premiums.  Your child can subsequently increase coverage by a factor of 10 at the then applicable rate under the plan when they become an adult.

This time I looked at the $35K policy, which for a boy under the age of one has a monthly premium of $21.05. Hmm, sometimes it pays to be a girl...the cost of a girl's policy is $17.52, nearly 17% less than the boys' policy.

Let's stick with the boy's premium. They say that after 25 years (this was 20 years in 2008) the "cash value" of the policy equals or exceeds the premiums you paid.  So for a 2 week old baby boy that would mean you'll have paid in $6,315 by the time junior is 25 years old in the year 2038.

There's a 1 in 5,555 chance that your child will die between the ages of 1 and 14 in the United States, based on recent statistics (1 in 6,666 chance in California). Inversely, there's a 5,554 in 5,555 chance your kid will NOT die by the age of 14. Those stats change to 1 in 1,900 for teen

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Payroll Taxes For U.S. Employees Set to Increase Beginning January 1, 2013

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The last few years, we have enjoyed (for lack of a better word) a 2 percentage point reduction in our 6.2% Social Security (FICA) tax rate, to 4.2% of wages earned during 2011, temporarily extended through 2012 by the aptly named Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011.

Unless the tax rate is extended again, in 2013 we will once again be paying into Social Security at the rate of 6.2%. That means $1,000 less to spend next year if you make, say, $50,000 per year.

Social Security is also referred to as Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI). Social Security has a nicer ring to it I suppose.

The 6.2% OASDI withholding rate has been in place since 1990. The statutory OASDI rate started out at 1% on employee wages from 1937 to 1949 and increased about 20 times through the years until it reached its current 6.2%.

Though the Social Security tax rate itself hasn't increased over the last 22 years, actual taxes paid have indeed grown as the annual maximum wage base has increased.

In 2013, the FICA wage base increases from $110,100 to $113,700. Th

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California Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) Offers Health Insurance to Residents in High Risk Pools through 2013

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As a result of the federal healthcare reform legislation signed in 2010, the State of California established a federally-funded high risk pool program to provide health coverage for eligible individuals. The program will last until December 31, 2013, when national health reform is set to begin. After that date, there will no longer be a need for high risk pools because federal rules will not allow insurers to reject persons with pre-existing conditions or charge them higher rates than those without such conditions.

This federally-funded program is called the California Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). The PCIP offers health coverage to medically-uninsurable individuals who live in California. PCIP is available for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions who have not had health coverage in the last 6 months. The California PCIP is run by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB).

Here are some additional tidbits about California PCIP:

  • It is available only to individuals with pre-existing conditions. Dependents must qualify separately for PCIP or obtain coverage through other means.
  • You must be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National or lawfully present in the U.S.
  • PCIP premiums in Ventura County range from only $107/month for under 15 years of age to a maximum of $481/month for ages 60+. (Premium
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