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Ready to remodel, but want to save some money on materials?
Whenever possible, make an effort to choose in-stock materials – including tile, wood flooring, entry doors, or cabinetry, when remodeling. Retailers want to empty their warehouses, which means you’ll pay less for the same quality as special-order stuff.
Of course, this does mean that you’ll have fewer choices, but that can be good when you’re looking at a thousand different tile options. This strategy can easily shave $300 or more from the remodeling costs, and you won’t need to wait several weeks for the product to arrive.
As winter approaches, most Americans will be looking for ways to save on heating costs over the cold months ahead. One of the most common trends is to increase the use of wood-burning heat, whether in a fireplace or woodstove.
However, don’t allow your desire to save money to put you and your family at risk.
If you’re burning wood, be sure to have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually, before the first use of the season.
Even if you didn’t burn wood during the previous heating season, there’s no telling what sort of small creatures may have taken up residence in your chimney, or what kind of materials they may have carried in for nesting. This is where the inspection is needed, even if a cleaning is not.
Qualified chimney sweeps aren’t very expensive, and you’ll still save plenty of money even after their fee. And, you’ll also have peace of mind while enjoying those savings, and the heat from your fireplace.
The end of the year is approaching quickly – ready to save some money?
Pay your January mortgage bill in December to take the interest and property tax deductions in the current tax year.
You could save about $500 on taxes, and lowering your taxable income may even qualify you for child tax credits, Roth IRA contributions, or other benefits that phase out at higher incomes.
Many municipalities gladly provide and plant ornamental trees in the swath of grass between the sidewalk in front of your house and the street. With just a phone call to your town’s public works department you can easily save $300 and you don’t have to pay for the tree and a professional landscaper to plant it for you. You get free advice from an arborist on which flowering trees will thrive best along your property’s border, given such factors as sidewalks, power lines, and snowplows.
Natural gas rates have been falling slowly, but consistently over the past months.
Now may very well be the best time to “lock in” your rate. With winter approaching, it’s unlikely there will be any additional significant decline in natural gas prices – at least over the next 6 months or so.
Compare rates from all providers in your area, then lock in with the best offer.
Has the seemingly ageless advice for buying stocks of “buy and hold” a thing of the past?
In many cases, it does seem that may be the case.
Like anything related to investments, there really is no single right answer that covers all possible scenarios. But the “buy and hold” philosophy with stock investments, historically, was the most common method for consistently positive returns.
While we don’t advocate “day trading”, it does appear that a “buy and hold for a short time”, in many cases, is the method most advantageous to “recession-era” investors.
You can now order the 2009 version of The Consumer Action Handbook, either in printed hard copy or downloadable PDF format.
The Consumer Action Handbook is a free government publication, stuffed with advice on filing consumer complaints, finding money for college, resolving air travel issues, funeral planning and much more.
We recommend this handbook to all consumers – and you can’t beat the price.
Grab yours at: http://www.consumeraction.gov/
You can save a pretty good chunk of money by canceling your trash pickup service if you currently pay a private company to cart away your refuse.
Instead, bring it to the dump yourself and you can easily save as much as $450 per year.
Of course, this does work better if you have the appropriate vehicle to move a stack of smelly garbage bags with.
Work with a designer – lighting, kitchen, bathroom, or interior – from the retailer where you intend to buy your products. Many stores, such as Ethan Allen, offer the service for free, while others rebate the pro’s fee against your purchase.
Normally there will be no charge for this service, saing you about $300 per hour that you would otherwise pay for a consultation with an independent designer.
Additionally, these in-store folks know their products well and know what’ll work best where.
Not happy with your property tax appraisal? Appeal your property tax assessment yourself.
One in three homeowners who do so are successful in getting their fees reduced, according to the National Taxpayers Union – many saving as much as $400 per year off their tax bills.
If you win the appeal, the tax reduction will likely last for many years to come, so it will be well worth your time.