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The Quest For Affordable Small Business Health Insurance
Studies have consistently shown that small businesses are much less likely to provide health insurance to their employees than larger companies. Indeed, the smaller the business, the less likely it is to offer health insurance benefits. As recently as 2003, about 50% of the uninsured in the United States were either self-employed or worked for companies with less than 26 employees.The main reason for this disparity is cost. Health insurance for small businesses is typically more expensive than for larger companies (on a per employee basis) because it is more difficult for insurance companies to accurately predict the average cost of medical care for a small group. That is, risk is greater for insurance companies for small businesses since small businesses have fewer employees to spread the risk of health claims. It only takes one employee with significant health claims to have a significant impact on the overall costs for the group insurance. This is also the reason why small businesses do not self-insure; the financial risk is simply too great for the majority of small businesses.So what can a small business do if it wants to offer health insurance to its employees? Often they have no choice but to pay the premiums. More often than not they will split the cost of premiums with their employees, typically 50/50. Unfortunately, these small business health insurance plans are not only quite expensive, but also include significant deductibles and co-payments for the employees.Small businesses can sometimes reduce their health insurance costs by either joining or forming a purchasing cooperative to negotiate better rates and benefits from companies offering small business health insurance. Depending on the type of business, professional organizations can also offer better health insurance rates to small businesses.In their search for affordable health insurance, small businesses should obtain multiple quotes before deciding on any one small group plan. One of the best places to start the process is online. By using the Internet, within a very short period of time, small business owners can access dozens of quotes from several insurance companies, making comparison of various plans much easier.Of course, as a small business owner, if you are not comfortable shopping for your small business health insurance on the Internet, look for a good health insurance broker. If possible, interview more than one broker, and ask your peers for recommendations.In order to remain competitive in the labor market, small businesses need to be able to offer health insurance benefits for their employees. This is not always easy as cost can be a limiting factor. With some effort, however, small business owners can find affordable small business health insurance. Joining buying cooperatives or professional organizations, using the Internet (probably the most convenient), or contacting a health insurance broker can be effective ways to begin the challenging process of securing affordable small business health insurance.
Traditional Toys – The Best Educational Toys for Kids
For many today the idea of traditional toys seems obsolete – something from the “good old days” but this simply isn’t true. There are still plenty of traditional toys out there – old-fashioned wooden blocks, wooden pull toys, rag dolls, and the like. You just have to know where to find them – or how to make them if you are feeling adventurous! Making homemade toys can be a lot of fun, if you’re up for it! A homemade wooden toy will last a lifetime and can be passed on by your own children. Such items will be cherished far more than throw away plastic alternatives.Traditional toy making refers to hand-made wooden toys, sewn and soft toys, and even a few recycled items. Remember, babies and toddlers in particular don’t need fancy or expensive toys with flashing lights and lots of sounds to have fun. (As you will know if you have ever seen your two-year-old most of the morning playing in and around a cardboard box or the laundry basket!If you go down the route of making toys yourself it will open you up to the world of crafts, which you can eventually share with your children as they get older. Soon, you won’t be making toys for them, but with them! How exciting is that? Sewing projects and woodworking are the two leaders when it comes to traditional toy making. No matter what your skill or talent, there’s something you can make. Look online. There is a wealth of free tutorials, patterns, and instructions. So, go on have a go at it, you’ll be surprised how satisfying it is!When you make old-fashioned toys with a traditional feel for your kids, you’re not just taking a walk down memory lane. Some of these items can actually benefit your kids. Traditional toys, much more so than modern variants, actually help your kids expand their minds and imagination. Plain old sturdy toys are the best educational toys for kids in the long run. They inspire creativity and exploration. With modern toys, there’s often nothing to really think about and most of the time kids are just emulating what they’ve seen on TV.A toy box filled with traditional toys – ones that you’ve made or purchased – invoke your child’s ability to create, innovate, and invent. Traditional toys are passively educational – your child’s imagination will grow and expand without them even realising it! Old-fashioned wooden toys like building blocks, puzzles, and pull-toys encourage lateral thinking, problem-solving skills, and even fine motor skills. Ironically traditional toys are actually often a lot safer than modern ones. There are less choking hazards, less worry about lead-based paints, no leaking batteries or electrical parts, and are less likely to break when chewed on.Ultimately, these types of toys endure the test of time. Though many parents went through a stage of eliminating them from their children’s lives, traditional toys are definitely back for 2012! Sales are rising and the interest in parents making their own toys has soared too.Traditional wooden toys can last generations and stay when modern toy trends come and go. So, if you haven’t already, set aside some time to try and make something, or find a quality shop that specialises in wooden and educational toys, like we do at Little Sardines.