A Cheaper Way To Homeownership

Buying your next home at an auction can save you a huge amount of cash in your wallets. First and foremost you set your OWN price when bidding on a home. You are not at the mercy of a seller unrealistic “asking price”. Other benefits include: No long negotiation period with offers going back and forth, huge selection of homes at rock-bottom auction prices. The lenders at these auctions are very motivated to sell these homes as soon as possible; lenders are in the lending business not home ownership. And to say the least these events are free, registration, pre-qualification, and admission are all included. Go to www.USHomeAuction.com for more details. When you check in you must have a 5,000 cashier check (made payable to yourself) or (cash equivalent) and checkbook. Keep in mind that 5% buyer’s premium will be added to the final cost of the home. Example if you bid 300,000.00 for a home it actually will be 315,000.00 after the 5% buyer’s premium is added. Realtor’s commissions are 1%. Overall if you are in the market for a home this could provide a viable option for homeownership

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Boost Your Tax Deductions

1. Make an extra mortgage payment. The extra interest you pay will be added to this year’s mortgage interest by your lender, boosting your itemized deductions.

2. Donate to charity. It pays to be charitable, especially at the end of the year. Donating cash is always a good idea. You can also donate household goods, clothing, and other items.

3. Boost your business expenses. Business owners and independent contractors can buy office supplies, invest in new equipment, or pay bonuses to their employees.

4. Pay doctor bills, insurance premiums, buy eyeglasses, or stock up on prescription medications. You can take a deduction for medical expenses exceeding 7.5% of your adjusted gross income.

5. Organize your financial records. Good record keeping can really pay off at tax time. Not only will it make your tax preparation easier and faster, but you might uncover enough tax deductions to be able to itemize.


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How Greener Can The Other Side Be?

Are you one of those who constantly think of ways to conserve energy and save more in the process? Here are a few options you can use to save more on your power bills. Heat or cool your home less. Drive or fly fewer miles. Run electrical equipment less and run less water since pumping water takes lots of electricity. Buy more locally grown food and goods that are manufactured nearby; they’re typically made with cleaner U.S. manufacturing processes, and companies use less fuel to transport them. For appliances buy the most energy-efficient devices you can afford. Look for appliances with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Label. Since 1992 the EPA says that is has help save Americans an estimated 14 Billion dollars on energy bills. The EPA has over four dozen types of products in its program. That includes everything from a DVD player to an air conditioner. The EPA also allows you to monitor your savings with the use of its website calculator so you can create a customize plan for reducing your environmental impact. The biggest annual energy impact in your household comes from climate-control systems (45%), Water heating (13%) and followed by your refrigerator (8%). By using a 25-watt compact fluorescent light bulb vs. using a conventional 100-watt bulb is the equivalent of saving 100 pounds of carbon dioxide. Moving your thermostat 2 degrees either up or down can reduce your energy usage by 1%. Houses that are well sealed and insulated, including heat ducts, use less energy because the furnace does not have work as hard. The easiest way to cut emission from your car is to drive less and use more public transportation and if you must drive consider car pooling. I know that saving money is on everyone’s mind. Discipline and having a plan in place can play a vital role in reducing your energy usage.

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Solar Energy Is Gaining In Popularity And Usage.

Solar energy is becoming more popular by the minute. Besides providing electricity for residential homes, solar power is being used for water heaters to carports. Die-hard conservationist for the most part primarily used solar energy. There are examples of huge savings associated with solar energy.
Case in point: A elderly couple from Long Beach, CA had solar panels installed at their residence. They essentially cut their power bills from $400.00 a month to a mere $1.34. California is one of the most aggressive in offering consumer credits to use solar energy. Solar Energy Industries Association trade group advise consumers to check out installers through their web site, www.seia.org and to make sure the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners certifies them. Companies like Solar City help make high cost of solar systems more user friendly.
Solar City help consumers with remote monitoring of solar production to ensure that the consumer is getting the most out of their solar systems. One option for homeowners who find installation a bit costly is to lease a solar system. Some companies plans to start selling carports covered with photovoltaic cells to generate power for the home and hybrid cars.
Canada’s EnerWorks Inc. introduces older-thermal technology with newer products. They’re marketing a solar thermal water heater called the Space-Saver, which is designed to cut power bills while taking up less room than a traditional heater. The most economical approach is to purchase a new home that is already equipped with solar panels. Lennar Corp is expected to build 2,500 homes in California in partnership with SunPower Corp based in San Jose, CA. Lennar officials say the sales rate for their solar homes is running almost three times greater than conventional ones in a down market.
With other natural resources being stretched thin coming up with a new source of energy is important. Solar energy is a great way to save money while conserving our planet’s environment from pollution


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Improve Your Home Without Breaking The Bank

Homeowners, if you want to makeover your home, but you’re short on cash here are some ideas to consider. Let’s start with the yard. Landscaping does not have to be expensive, by replacing bushes and overgrown shrubs with colorful flowers will add value to your home. Another way to modernize your home is to update your fixtures. Swapping out older light fixtures and faucets will bring a newer look; also you can save more using fixtures that support halogen light bulbs. You can save $500.00 to $600.00 by replacing your floors yourself. Floating floors are options that can be installed on top of boards and linoleum floors this might come in handing in your rec and pantry rooms. One other way to add curb appeal to your home is repainting the trim and the front door of your home. This will take just a few hours to complete and save you a bundle of cash.
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