5 minute read
For Your Benefit
Discounts for members on goods, services and vehicles
Home/Business Savings
Members save on meals and more with Member Deals Plus®
Virginia Farm Bureau’s exclusive Member Deals Plus® benefit uses the nation’s largest private discount network to save you money on meals, clothing, vehicle care, and other goods and services. It uses “show your phone” mobile deals that can be accessed anywhere and redeemed from a smartphone at the point of sale, or from a home computer.
Members can enjoy Member Deals Plus savings at more than 100,000 locations nationwide.
How to get started
To register as a Member Deals Plus user, visit vafb.com/benefits, and click the Member Deals Plus link near the top of the page. Then, on the Member Deals Plus website,
1Click “Register” in the top right corner, and use your Farm Bureau membership number.
2Once you’re registered, you can start saving immediately. Then, to save with a mobile device,
1Download the “Member Deals Plus” app from the Apple App
Store or Google Play.
2Sign in with your email address and password you created on the website.
For assistance, contact Member Deals Plus customer service at 888-275-9136.
Member Deals Plus and Member Deals plus are registered trademarks of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.
Rewards program savings through John Deere
Current Virginia Farm Bureau members* are eligible for a complimentary John Deere Rewards upgrade to Platinum 1 status, which unlocks extra discounts on equipment, parts and merchandise.
You can save on the following equipment: • $150 to $250 off tractors • $550 to $1,400 off compact construction equipment • $100 to $250 off utility vehicles • $200 to $1,700 off commercial mowers • $50 to $150 off residential mowers
Visit JohnDeere.com/FarmBureau, and have your membership number handy. *Must be a member for at least 30 days to qualify.
Get $500 off a new truck
Whether you’re hitting the open road or hauling stuff around, you may want to do it with a Ford pickup truck.
Farm Bureau members are eligible for $500 Exclusive Cash Reward to use toward the purchase or lease of a new Ford Ranger, Maverick, F-150 or Super Duty®.
Log onto Ford’s Farm Bureau member *website at fordfarmbureauadvantage.com. You must use your membership number and ZIP code to generate a certificate to present to your local Ford dealer. You also must be a Virginia Farm Bureau member for at least 30 days to qualify.
*Ford’s $500 Exclusive Cash Reward is exclusively for active Farm Bureau members who are residents of the United State. The incentive is not available on F-150 Lightning, F-150 Raptor, F-650 and F-750 Super Duty. Travel Services
Hit the road, and save on rental cars
Save up to 30% off Avis base rates with Virginia Farm Bureau’s Avis Worldwide Discount number. In addition, enjoy additional offers like dollars off, a complimentary upgrade or a free weekend day.
Call 800-331-1212 or visit avis.com/ vafb to make a reservation.
Save up to 30% off Budget base rates with Virginia Farm Bureau’s Budget Customer Discount number. Plus get other great offers like dollars off, a free upgrade or a free weekend day.
Call 800-527-0700 or visit budget. com/vafb to make a reservation.
Your Virginia Farm Bureau Avis Worldwide Discount number and Budget Customer Discount number are available from your county Farm Bureau and in the “Membership at Work” section of vafb.com (Register as a member on the site, and log in first).
Keep fire prevention in mind throughout the winter
BY ADAM CULLER
During the cold winter months, many homeowners try to provide a warm, inviting environment for family and friends.
While warming your home, it’s important to prevent house fires, which spike during the winter.
When creating a fire prevention plan, a great place to start is by making sure your home’s smoke alarms are in working order. To ensure smoke alarms are fully functional, the U.S. Fire Administration recommends alarms be tested monthly, and batteries should be changed every six months.
Statistics show functioning smoke alarms can cut the risk of house fire fatalities in half.
“Those smoke alarms located around your home are going to be the first indicator of a house fire,” said Scott DeNoon, senior farm product and underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “Fires don’t always start in conspicuous areas like the kitchen or living room, which is why you need to make sure every alarm in your home is tested regularly and is equipped with new batteries.”
As effective as smoke alarms are in alerting homeowners to house fires, they won’t stop them from occurring. This is what makes fire prevention key, DeNoon said.
The National Fire Protection Association reported cooking was the leading cause of house fires from 20142018, contributing to an average of 172,900 fires and $1 billion in property damage annually.
Unattended cooking increases fire risks, so DeNoon recommends individuals should never leave the kitchen when cooking. He added that if a person must leave their kitchen, they should turn off their stove—no matter how long they intend to be gone.
Cooktops should remain unobstructed by flammable objects such as food wrapping, potholders or towels, and food should be checked regularly as it’s cooking.
Winter weather also leads to increased use of home heating systems, fireplaces and stoves, which also create fire risks. Regular maintenance and inspections of heating systems can mitigate these risks, and annual chimney inspections conducted by certified technicians will help ensure fireplaces and wood stoves are safe.
Chimneys should be cleared of combustible buildup or debris before use, and fireplace hearths should be kept free of flammable materials such as holiday decorations. Heating vents in the home also should not be covered by flammable materials or furniture.
When using fireplaces or wood stoves, make sure there’s enough clearance between the flame and combustible materials, as well as ceilings, floors and walls to prevent combustion.
And, in case of emergency, it’s always a good idea to have a fire extinguisher on hand.
“Some folks wait all year to sit by a fire or enjoy the warmth of their home during the holidays,” DeNoon said.
