by Mrs C | Feb 18, 2022 | Blog
There is no shortage of expenses in day-to-day life, and if you are a homeowner, then you understand just how expensive these daily expenses can be. When it comes to living your life in your home, it can start to feel like your expenses are taking control of you and keeping a chokehold on your budget. But, with a little bit of planning and a little bit of self-control, you can take control of your home expenses again and reclaim your finances. Here are three home expenses that you have the power to control, and how you can do it.
Repair Expenses
The first home expense that you have the power to control is your repair expenses. While you may not be able to prevent or eliminate repair expenses from your budget, things will happen, but you can control how much you spend. The first step to reducing your repair expenses is to stay up to date on maintenance, which is much cheaper and can eliminate the need for many repairs. The next is to try and DIY repairs that you can handle on your own, which can save you tons of money on unnecessary labor costs to repair.
Your Electric Bill
The next home expense that you have the power to control is your electric bill. This one is awfully difficult since most everything in your home requires power nowadays. A great way to keep this under control is to get solar panels installed on your home. While there is an up-front cost associated with this, there are tax benefits and credits available, and with the lower cost of electric bills, they pay for themselves fast. Plus, you can even generate excess power and make some money. Net metering lets you share excess solar power for an electricity credit.
Landscaping Costs
The final home expense that you have the power to control is your landscaping costs. Your home’s curb appeal is important, and landscaping plays a huge role in your home’s value and quality. But you can easily end up spending ridiculous amounts of money on landscaping without even realizing it. If you can mow your own lawn, and trim and water your plants, then you don’t need landscapers.
There are nearly countless expenses that come alone with homeownership. But with some forethought and discipline, you can cut many of these expenses. Consider these three expenses and what you can do to better control them.
Check out this article on long-term goals your family should be saving for!
by Mrs C | Feb 18, 2022 | Blog
There comes a time in everyone’s life where they start debating something very important – is it time for me to buy a house? It seems like no matter who you are, the expectation is that, sooner or later, you will settle down and purchase a home, with a thirty-year mortgage, and stay for a long time. But with the way the world has changed, the need to buy a home seems like something that is less a necessity and more an option. So, should you buy a home? Here are three questions you should ask yourself before you make the decision to buy a home.
Are You Financially Ready?
The first question that you should ask yourself before buying a house is if you are financially ready to purchase a home. A house is a major financial investment, and for many people and families, a house is the single largest asset that they own – by a lot. So, deciding to buy a home is a huge financial decision that will change your finances. You should have a twenty percent down payment ready to go and know that you can afford your monthly mortgage payments and then some before deciding to buy a home.
What Type of Home Are You Looking For?
The next question that you need to ask yourself before buying a home is what type of home you are looking for. There are tons of options for styles of home that you can purchase depending on your wants and needs. A multi-family or multi-unit home is a great option for homebuyers looking to stay in a smaller space and get rental income to offset the cost of their home. Single-family houses are best for families with kids and make good long-term investments. Think about your wants and needs in a house and figure out what you are looking for.
Am I Going to Live Here Long Term?
The final question that you need to ask yourself before buying a home is if you are planning on living there long-term, for ten years or more. If you are going to be living there for the long-term, you need to make sure you are buying a home that will satisfy not just your short term needs but long term wants and needs. If you are only going to be in a place for a short period, you need to consider if renting might be a better option for you, or at least thinking about your purchase as an investment property rather than a forever home.
Purchasing a home is a major decision that cannot be taken lightly. There are a lot of considerations that you need to make before embarking on your home buying journey. Make sure that you have answered these three questions before you decide on buying a home.
Check out this article on long-term goals your family should be saving for!
by Mrs C | Feb 17, 2022 | Blog
Selling your home can bring all kinds of mixed feelings. You might feel sad to say goodbye to a place that you have truly loved, while excitedly looking forward to what’s ahead. One feeling that doesn’t belong in your experience is confusion. Selling your home is pretty straightforward. Here are three things to be ready for.
Initiating the Process
The first step to selling your home is to find a good agent. While it is possible to do a sale by owner, you will save yourself a huge amount of time and stress by utilizing a professional. Real estate agents can help you know how to prepare your home, offer price suggestions, perform the necessary steps to include your house on top online listing sites, process necessary forms, and help you with every step along the way. Once you choose the agent that you feel will best suit your needs, they can guide you from there.
It Takes Time
Remember that it can take time to sell your house. As you plan your timeframe, include a week to choose your agent, time for repairs and renovations, another week to get the house listed, time for showings, and over a month to work out the details once you have an offer. However, there are ways to expedite this process. First, try to list your house during the best months for selling, generally April-June. Second, get your home in tip-top shape so that it can present a wow factor during showings. Finally, weigh your options if you have multiple offers. The highest offer price is not always the best offer. If time is a factor, a cash offer might be your best option. Selling to a cash buyer can significantly speed up the process.
Plan to be Inconvenienced at Times
If you are serious about selling your home, you should give every prospective buyer an opportunity to view it. You have to be flexible and accommodate their schedules. While effective, this is not very convenient for you. You may have to leave the house for a showing with very little notice, so keep your house clean during the viewing stage. Also, keep a stash of snacks, drinks, and entertainment options in the car to make leaving with the kids more comfortable. Even after the home is under contract, you will need to leave the house for additional inspections.
Selling your home doesn’t have to be overly stressful. Just know what you are doing and be prepared. Before you know it, your current home will be someone else’s home—but it will always be full of your memories.
Check out this article on the principles that will help you save more money!
by Mrs C | Feb 15, 2022 | Blog
Supply chain issues have caused a decrease in supply in many areas while demand has remained the same or even increased. This can affect your family through these rising costs. Supply chain issues are affecting car prices, the grocery store, and at the gas pump.
Car Prices
The prices for both new and used cars have increased. The affordability of used cars is not what it used to be as the value of these has particularly soared. Part of the impact came from the shutdown of manufacturing during the pandemic. A particular piece that was missing was computer chips that go in many cars which led to liquidation of unsold inventory. This increased demand on used cars, increasing the price. Production has ramped up again but hasn’t been able to meet the demand. Having a working car is important so repairs could be a good strategy while the costs of cars are so inflated.
At the Grocery Store
There is not so much a shortage of supply from grocery suppliers, especially when it comes to farms producing food. There is, however, a major gap in the supply chain in not having enough workers to meet demands. This leads to increased prices for goods and shelves running empty. Normally, grocery stores meet the customer demand in real time. The shortage of workers has also extended to the stores themselves and not having enough workers to stock shelves. Couponing is a strategy and watching for sales can help offset these costs.
At the Gas Pump
It is no surprise that gas prices have increased. This can have a big impact on your family because it can be draining to your hard-earned money to fill up your car. Prices at the pump have been affected by many factors. For one, producers of oil and service firms have had labor shortages. There have also been shortages in trucks, electronics, and pumps, further contributing to shortages. There are ways you can help offset the costs of gas. Driving less is the best option but not always feasible. You can look at different cards or apps that have cashback for purchases like gas to help save.
Higher prices can affect your family by decreasing your resources. The supply chain issues have caused prices to rise higher for many goods and services including cars, groceries, and gas. Finding other ways to save can help you protect your resources.
Check out this article on home items you can get from the thrift store!
by Mrs C | Feb 10, 2022 | Blog
There is no room in your home that gets more use or is more important than your kitchen. Which means that the design maintenance and renovations that you do to your kitchen or some of the most important aspects of homemade it’s an improvement that you will perform on your home. Not only is your kitchen the most used space in the home, but it is also a space that can increase the value of your home exponentially if you know what to do. Here are a few expert tips to help you plan your kitchen remodel to get the most bang for your buck and the most use out of your newly renovated kitchen.
Keep Your Costs Down
The first expert tip to help you plan your kitchen remodel is a guiding principle that will help you immensely, keep your costs down. With any home renovation, particularly those to your kitchen, you want to keep the cost as low as possible. This will help you with your return on investment, adding more value to your home than money you spent. Some great ways to keep your costs down when redesigning your kitchen are to focus on quality materials and build rather than brands. It is more important that you have high quality material than a brand name.
Carefully Consider Your Options
The next thing that you should do when planning your kitchen remodel is to carefully consider your options. There are a lot of choices when it comes to a kitchen remodel, from small design choices and details to the major elements of your kitchen. Making the right decisions is essential to having a workable, beautiful, and valuable kitchen. For instance, many people assume that adding a kitchen island is always a good idea. But a kitchen island may cause more problems than it solves. Make sure that you are making choices that work for your kitchen and your situation.
Use the Kitchen Triangle
The final tip to help you plan your kitchen remodel is to use the kitchen triangle plan. This has been a design plan that has existed for kitchens for over 100 years, and no one has been able to come up with a better plan since. The kitchen triangle simply dictates that your fridge stove and sink should form a triangle with no side smaller than four feet or larger than 9 feet away. This helps create a workflow between the most essential appliances in your kitchen, while also providing enough space for each to have its own space.
Kitchen remodels are very exciting. but you must know what you’re doing to get the most bang for your buck. Follow these three tips to ensure that your kitchen remodel goes as well as possible and gives you the greatest return on your investment.
Check out this article on what you should know before planning a dinner party at home!
