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Myths are the lies we tell ourselves to get through our lives with the least fear and pain. Sometimes, the truth is just too hard to bear. Take the idea of acne. Almost as soon as we are old enough to look in a mirror and understand the image as ourselves, we learn about the risk that smooth skin could be covered in spots that will swell and ooze and generally make us look as if we are escapees from a movie set filming a zombie movie. These stories are told to us out of kindness. We need to be prepared for the reality which is that, even if we are lucky and only have a mild outbreak, we will still get all the unkind comments. It’s all part of the ritual of growing up – that we will be unkind to each other as the acne spreads around the classes at school. Those whose outbreaks are more serious can be damaged psychologically as the abuse continues. The only thing that keeps most people going through all this distress is the belief it will soon all be over. We tell ourselves the lie that adults do not suffer from acne.

It’s now become more apparent that adults can and do suffer acne attacks. The current estimate that it’s a relatively small number of men but up to 15% of all women. Why is this? Well, there are flocks of experts who travel from one daytime TV show to the next to explain that we are all suffering from stress, we eat a poor diet and, perhaps surprisingly we are obsessed by the notion we should exercise to lose weight. Except these are yet more myths. There’s absolutely no scientific evidence to show a link between the type of food we eat and the condition of our skin. Assuming we don’t rub greasy food on to our faces, what we eat goes into the stomach and then out again. The stories about too much alcohol are also untrue. The question of stress is more difficult. Obviously, the appearance of acne produces stress. . . but stress as a cause? Well, higher levels of anxiety can trigger the release of adrenaline and can undermine the operation of your autoimmune system allowing more infections to affect the body. The story of excessive exercise is the suggestion that if you fail to shower after activity, this can lead to a blockage of the pores and so start an acne attack. There’s no real evidence this is true. (more…)

Many people look at all kinds of cost cutting tips when they are trying to trim their insurance premiums. Is that the best option?

What about an entirely different kind of insurance?

This week, Progressive announced that it is adding itself to the growing list of insurance providers offering pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) insurance policies. Many people are able to save hundreds, even thousands, a year in insurance by using PAYD. Could you?

What is Pay-as-you-drive Insurance?

This is a type of usage-based car insurance. It’s been used in Europe for a while, but is just now catching on in the United States. Here’s how it works:

• You drive
• Your miles are recorded/li>
• Your miles are reported to the insurer
• You pay a flat rate for how many miles you drive

Why is this cheaper?

With traditional auto insurance, you pay a premium for coverage over a set period of time. While rates are partial determined by your annual mileage, many people actually pay far more for coverage than they actual use on the road. Drive 100 miles? Pay for 100 miles. Drive 10, pay for 10. It’s that simple.
By paying by the mile, you pay for exactly what you use. If you barely drive one month, you won’t pay much at all.

People who drive less than the average driver can save good money with PAYD. For people who barely drive at all, you can save over a thousand dollars a year.
If you have a bad driving record, PAYD allows you to really control your rate by driving less.

How are miles recorded and reported?

This seems to vary by company. There are several methods:

• Checkups
  You check in with an agency approved mechanic, dealer, or agent to have your mileage recorded. They send it to the insurance company, who then send you a bill.
• Honor System
  Smaller insurers may simply ask you to look at your odometer and tell them what it says. While it seems like they are just relying on you to be honest – and I’m sure most of you are honest – if the numbers seem off, they will not let it go. Should you file a claim and the insurer find out you’ve been lying about your mileage, they can drop you and stick you with the bill, claim unpaid.
• Black Box
  A black box is a GPS chip that automatically reports the whereabouts of your vehicle to the insurer’s computer. This also tracks your mileage automatically.
  This also makes it easier to recover a stolen vehicle, which saves the insurer some money. As a result, your theft coverage will be very inexpensive.
• OnStar
  PAYD insurance through GMAC for vehicle with OnStar is easy and cheap. OnStar automatically reports your mileage to GMAC. Since it’s OnStar, you can talk to an operator at any time to get your current money owed. (more…)