Is clutter taking over your life? There is a way to take your life back from the piles of junk collecting in your home and it doesn’t involve all of your things ending up in the landfill. Here are just a few smart and frugal ideas for repurposing old stuff… For Decorating Use old hardware from dresser drawers to hang curtains. Use junk CDs and DVDs as drink coasters. For Organizing Use oatmeal containers and coffee tins to store flour, sugar and mixes. Use old doorknobs to make a coat rack. For Outside Use egg cartons, old jars, tins and yogurt cartons to make functional seed starters. Use old wooden ladders as part of your landscaping, allowing ivy and other vine plants to climb them. Use CDs to scare birds away from your berry garden. Hang CDs from a tree near your berry bushes. The shiny, moving objects will frighten birds, keeping them away from your sun-ripened berries. Use Cooking Spray as an ice repellent. Spray both sides of a plastic or metal shovel with cooking spray and the ice will slide right off. Repurposing items is easy if you start by changing the way you look at things. Next time you think something is trash, stop and think “how can I repurpose this?”]]>
Cutting Costs for Seniors
Retirement can be expensive. Transitioning from a steady income to living on a fixed one can be difficult. If you are nearing or currently in retirement there are some ways to stay within budget and reduce your spending. Here are some tips to help reduce your retirement expenses: Have a Budget The most important and crucial first step is to create and stay within a budget. Over the course of a few months track and review all of your spending habits. Track things like food, housing, utilities, entertainment, etc. and create categories of spending. Analyze how you are spending money and if needed make adjustments to stay within budget. Manage Your Costs If you need to reduce your spending there are some easy ways to accomplish that. Try using coupons, shopping for store brands and even buying in bulk. If you have too much of a bulk item try splitting with a friend. Look for free entertainment in your area at the local library or senior center. Take advantage of shopping senior discounts. Many stores have certain days or hours when seniors receive a special shopping discount. It may also be possible to lower household costs such as electricity, and water by negotiating with your utility company. They may even offer a senior citizens or income discount. Talk to family members about family cell phone plan to help reduce costs too. Manage Your Medication Health care costs are a big concern for seniors. Talk with your health care provider about any generic medications available. Generic medications are often much less expensive. Don’t be afraid to shop around, prescription and medicine prices are not the same at every store. Most of all continuously review your budget and spending to make sure you are staying on track.]]>
Save on Utility Bills
Did you know the average family spends over $1600 a year on utility bills alone? Here are some simple steps you can take to not only save energy but also put some money back in your pocket.
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Put your thermostat to work
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Invest in energy-efficient appliances
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Unplug
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Seal it up
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Slow the flow
Money Saving Tips on Moving
Moving can be an expensive endeavor. Even if you decide to rent a truck and move your belongings yourself there are lots of other expenses that can add up. Luckily, there are a few simple ways consumers can save money hauling their belongings from their current home to the next one. Purge your things. Instead of moving things that you don’t use sell or donate them. If you decide to donate items to charity, you could save lots of time and even get a tax deduction. Move on a less popular day. The most popular time to move is at the end of the month. Since most closings happen and leases are up at the end of the month there’s more competition for the trucks and moving crews. Moving at the end of the month will also cost you more. Choose your moving date midweek, closer to the middle of the month. Packing materials like bubble wrap and foam peanuts are costly. If you are packing your own items use things you have around the house like bed linens, towels and clothing to pad your items. You can also use newspapers and tissue paper from gift bags. Be careful when using newspaper as the newsprint will smudge on dishes and other items. Don’t buy moving boxes check Freecycle and Craigslist for free ones first. Ask around, your friends may have boxes suitable for moving.]]>
A Facelift for Your Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchens sell houses. So having a great looking kitchen is important if you are thinking of putting your home on the market or maybe you just need a fresh new look. Cabinets are one of the biggest expenses in a kitchen remodel but with a little elbow grease and creativity, you can update your kitchen cabinets without going through the hassle of an entire remodel. Here are some tips on how to make your kitchen look like new with a cabinet facelift. Give the wood a Good Cleaning You will be surprised what a good scrubbing can do. Heat, water, grease and food residue all take a serious toll on your cabinets.
Financial Health Checkup
In today’s economic climate protecting your financial health is more important than ever. From health insurance to your plans for retirement, there’s a lot to consider. Here are some tips to help protect your assets and financial future. It is never too early to plan. In order to plan, you need to know what you have. Review your pension plan, 401 (k), IRAs, Social Security benefits and other savings plans to assess whether they meet your long-term retirement goals and will generate an income stream to meet your projected expenses. Curb spending. Time to take an inventory on how much you spend. Keep a log on trips to the market, afternoon lattes, dry cleaning and all of your miscellaneous spending. Try to eliminate a portion of these expenses. Once you track them you will realize you are spending more than you thought. Re-define your financial goals. Ask yourself where you see yourself in five, 10 or 15 years. See if it possible to redefine your goals. You may be able to retire earlier or pay for college. Set goals to achieve the things you want. Get help. Professional advice about investment losses, financial products, insurance coverage and other important issues will help you make the right choices for your current financial situation.]]>
Fuel Economy: Save Money on Gas
When times are tough you look to cut back anywhere you can. The price at the pump can be a real budget buster. There are ways to save on gas and get better mileage from your dollar. Slow down Speed is the biggest factor on fuel economy. Driving at 55 mph instead of 65 or 75 will save on gas. Tests have shown increasing speed from 55 mph to just 65 mph dropped fuel economy from 40 mpg to 35. While driving at 75 mph can cost the car another 5 mpg. Go smooth Keep a steady pace; avoid hard acceleration and braking if possible. Frequent acceleration and braking can reduce mileage by 2 to 3 mpg. Driving with smooth acceleration, cornering, and braking will also extend the life of the automobile. Don’t be a drag When driving on the highway, more than 50 percent of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. Carrying large items such as luggage racks and top-carriers reduce fuel economy. Warm Up Take the time to warm up the engine before taking off. Cars run most efficiently when they’re warm. Stopping and starting the car several times is a big factor, try to combine several short trips into one so that the engine stays warm. Pump up Check your tires. Underinflated tires compromise handling and braking which in turn can reduce fuel economy. Check the pressure of your vehicle’s tires to make sure they are correct. Keep moving Idling is one of the worst things your car can do, when idling your car is getting zero miles per gallon. Turn off your engine if you expect to sit for more than about 30 seconds. Practicing these simple tips should have you putting less money in your gas tank in more in your wallet in no time.]]>
Tips For Your Future Financial Health
In today’s economic climate protecting your financial health is more important than ever. From health insurance to your plans for retirement, there’s a lot to consider. Here are some tips to help protect your assets and financial future. It is never too early to plan. In order to plan, you need to know what you have. Review your pension plan, 401 (k), IRAs, Social Security benefits and other savings plans to assess whether they meet your long-term retirement goals and will generate an income stream to meet your projected expenses. Curb spending. Time to take an inventory on how much you spend. Keep a log on trips to the market, afternoon lattes, dry cleaning and all of your miscellaneous spending. Try to eliminate a portion of these expenses. Once you track them you will realize you are spending more than you thought. Re-define your financial goals. Ask yourself where you see yourself in five, 10 or 15 years. See if it possible to redefine your goals. You may be able to retire earlier or pay for college. Set goals to achieve the things you want. Get help. Professional advice about investment losses, financial products, insurance coverage and other important issues will help you make the right choices for your current financial situation.]]>
Worst Home Fixes for the Money
What will boost your home’s value? You want to add a sunroom but will that bring in the biggest bang for your buck? How about a new bathroom? It’s a common question that many homeowners ask. What will we get back when we sell? This can be a hard question to answer but luckily Bankrate.com and Remodeling Magazine has come up with a list of the worst home fixes for the money. Here are the six improvements that ranked dead last nationally when it comes to getting those renovation dollars back at resale. 1. A Home Office-The standard home office renovation is this year’s biggest loser in the resale value sweepstakes. Nationally, homeowners spent an average of $28,888 and can expect to recoup about 45.8 percent at resale, according to the report. If you want to enjoy a home office opt for something that is easily converted back into a bedroom or den. 2. Backup Generators-This only usually brings about negative thoughts like does this home loose power often? On average, when homeowners have a heavy-duty backup power generator installed, they spend about $14,718, according to the report. The average amount of the price recovered at resale time: 48.5 percent. 3. A Sunroom-While the thought is sitting and enjoying a sunroom may sound lovely to you but the addition of a sunroom is often more than you can recoup. The national average for a sunroom addition is $75,224, according to the report. Homeowners can expect to recoup about 48.6 percent when they sell. 4. A Master Suite-It is the price tag of this addition that can also leave sellers in the red. For a super-deluxe master suite addition — which adds square footage and uses only top-dollar materials — the average cost is about $232,062, according to the report. Sellers can expect to recover about 52.7 percent at resale. 5. An Extra Bathroom-Wait kitchens and bathrooms sells houses or that’s what people say. Bathroom additions are very expensive. For a moderately outfitted addition with synthetic stone or plastic laminate surfaces, plan on the cost about $21,695, according to the Remodeling report. Go upscale, with finishes like premium marble or fine tile, and you can easily spend in the neighborhood of $40,710. You can plan on a return of about 53 cents on the dollar. Look for less-expensive way to get the same results. Try reconfiguring your existing space to add a bathroom for less. 6. A Dream Garage-The price tag for a top-of-the-line detached two-car with all the trimmings is about $90,053, according to the report. This is a garage that is completely top-of-the-line. You can expect to recover about 53.6 percent of that when you sell. Instead go for function over form and stick the basic garage if you plan on a garage project. ]]>
Three Quick and Easy Ways to Change a Room Without Painting