Tips for Lighting up the Holidays

by Maegan Wyrzykowski on November 17, 2016 Home Decorating

Before Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb, candles were used to light up trees during the holiday season. Can you imagine having candles burning on a tree inside your house? As I’m betting you can imagine, this led to many house fires. Thanks to Edison and his friend Edward Johnson, the first-ever string of electric lights was put together in 1882.

Holiday lights aren’t just used for trees anymore; they’re used in many different ways. From decorating stairs to lighting up the outside of your house, string lights have become a necessity when the holiday season rolls around. If you’re anything like me, you’re busting out the lights and decorations on November 1 every year.

Here are some safety tips, tools and trends for lights during the 2016 holiday season.

Safety Tips from Mr. Electric

• Read labels. When hanging lights outside, read the back of the packaging to make sure they’re safe for the outdoors.
• Don’t use metal. When hanging lights outside, using a plastic or wooden ladder helps prevent electrical shocks.
• Don’t overload extension cords. Having more than three strings of lights on one extension cord can cause overheating and could potentially start a fire.
• Don’t leave lights on. Always remember to turn your holiday lights off whenever you’re leaving the house or going to bed. If you’re forgetful like me, opt for an electric timer and program it to turn your lights on and off at specific times.
• Examine all wires. Whether they’re new or old, always examine your wires before plugging them in since frayed wires are a fire and shock hazard.
• Buy new lights regularly. Older lights are a fire hazard. Buying new lights every year may be expensive, so wait until the end of the season when lights are on sale and save them for the following holiday season.

Holiday Light Tools

• Command Brand hooks and clips are something to consider if you don’t use them
  
  already. They’re a great way to hang up lights indoors and outdoors, with no damage to your house. Command Outdoor Light Clips stick to siding, windows or gutters, and they are specifically designed for outdoor use, so you don’t have to worry about your decorations falling down.
• Twist and Seal products are a great solution for protecting plugs outside from shocks and shortages. They’re weather resistant and come in green so that they can be easily hidden by trees and bushes. Twist and Seal also has a new cord protector made for protecting extension cords.
• There’s nothing worse than untangling your lights, only to find out that a bulb is dead. The LightKeeper Pro is a great tool for this situation. This device sends a pulse through the entire string of lights, finds the dead bulb and fixes the shunt.

2016 Trends

• According to the DIY Network, LED lights are better than incandescent. They might cost more than incandescent lights, but they last longer. They can also save you around 80% on energy costs.
• The debate over colorful lights versus white lights is still ongoing. Personally, I love when I drive past houses with strings of colorful bulbs wrapped around the façade and in the bushes because it reminds me of a gingerbread house. Both types of lights have their proponents, so use whichever suits your fancy.
• I’m sure you’ve seen the videos of houses with Christmas lights that turn on and off to the beat of songs. This has become increasingly popular over the years. With the help of GE holiday lighting products, you, too, can have a spectacular show on your front lawn! GE Color Effects products come with a remote control, allowing you to choose from six colors and 40 functions.

FHA Loan? Refi and Keep Your Low Mortgage Insurance Rate

No one likes paying for mortgage insurance. To that end, I’ve got some good news!

If you have an FHA loan endorsed prior to June 1, 2009, you have the opportunity to do a rate and term refinance while keeping the same low mortgage insurance rate you currently have.

This is a huge savings opportunity for homeowners with FHA loans. With an FHA loan, there are two different rates you should look at when determining whether refinancing makes sense: the interest rate and the mortgage insurance rate. Mortgage insurance rates have been pushed higher since June 2009, but homeowners with these loans who are looking to refinance have been given a reprieve from the higher rates. Now that you know your mortgage insurance rate won’t change, why would you refinance? Let’s talk about interest rates for a minute.

Interest Rates Are Great

Simply put, interest rates have rarely been better. Now is a great time to refinance to either lower your payment or pay off your mortgage sooner.

When you close, you can choose to pay for prepaid interest points in order to get a lower interest rate. One point is equal to 1% of the loan amount. For context, let’s take a look at where rates were in the final days of May 2009. If you paid for half a point at that time, your rate would have been in the mid-5% range.

Now fast forward to today. For a 0.375 point investment, rates are around 3.4% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. Imagine how much you could save on interest by refinancing with a lower rate. They’re even lower if you choose to go to a 15-year term. Those rates are in the high 2% range.

There’s even the possibility that you can accomplish the same benefits – such as a lower rate or shorter term – with an FHA Streamline refinance. This doesn’t require an appraisal, and less income and asset documentation may be required.

So what are you waiting for? If you have an old FHA loan, go ahead and refinance now to save yourself some money.

Can Money Management Programs Help You? Yes, if You Follow Their Advice

by Dan Rafter of Saving Money

It’s a common problem: You vow to spend less each month than what you earn. Or maybe you plan to stash at least $300 at the end of the month in a savings account that you can tap for unexpected financial emergencies.

But then the end of the month hits, and you’ve spent $300 more in groceries, $50 more in entertainment and $40 more in gas than you’d planned. You no longer have any money for savings. In fact, you don’t even have enough to pay off your credit card balance in full.

The truth is, creating a budget and then actually sticking to it isn’t easy. We can all use help at times.

Fortunately, such help exists in the form of money management software. This software, such as Mint.com, YNAB and LearnVest, helps consumers create budgets, track their spending and set financial goals. Some programs even send consumers alerts when they're in danger of spending too much on clothes shopping, dining out or gas for the month.

Consumers and financial advisors alike say that these money management tools can help users not only set realistic financial goals but also stick with them.

Magda Walczak, chief customer officer for Chicago-based software company Search Party, said she began using Mint.com, one of the most popular of the online money management programs, about eight years ago when her credit card information was stolen during a trip to Africa. Walczak didn't find out about the theft until 10 days later, when her statement came and it listed several purchases that she hadn't made.

"No one called or e-mailed me before that, so I decided that I needed something that would help me understand where I stood financially on a more real-time basis," Walczak said. "Ever since then, every account I have is hooked up to Mint."

Walczak today has several alerts set up with Mint. The program will send her a message when she's close to breaking her monthly budget, for instance, on clothes shopping.

"You set your goals on what you are saving for," Walczak said. "The program helps guide you. It pushes you on the right path to those good habits. After that, it's up to you."

Financial advisors agree that budgeting and money management software can provide a boost to consumers hoping to get their spending under control and increase the money they save each month.

But for this software to do its job, users have to actually adjust their monthly spending. No software can force consumers to do this.

"I don't think there's a better tool out there right now," said DeDe Jones, managing director and registered investment advisor with Lakewood, Colorado-based Innovative Financial. "But like any tool, you can use a hammer wrong, too, and have bad results. If you ignore what the software is telling you, you won't get the results you want. But if you use these tools properly, it can make a significant impact."

There are plenty of programs that can he popular programs to help you decide. But remember what financial pros say: The program you choose is not as important as whether you actually pay attention to what these services are telling you about your finances each month.


“I work with many types of clients, some who use automated money management tools, some who have their own spreadsheets and others who use nothing,” said Diane Nissen, founder and owner of the Alexandrite Group in Rochelle Park, New Jersey. “In all cases, the use of something to keep track of their spending is vital to understanding what they need to change.”

Mint.com: This Web-based tool is free and easy to use. Just sign up, and you can quickly connect your important accounts – your savings account, checking account, mortgage loan, auto loan or whatever you want – to your new Mint.com account. Once you do this, your financial information is updated automatically every time you make a payment, deposit money or make a withdrawal.

Mint shines when it comes to budgeting. The program allows you to create your own financial goals. Mint will then track how well you’re moving toward them. Say you want to limit your spending on dining out to just $100 a month. If you get too close to this limit, Mint will send you a warning.

It’s easy, too, to create a budget with as many categories as you want. Mint will track how much money you’ve spent in each category so that you can easily see how well you’re meeting your budgetary goals for the month.

LearnVest: The online money management program LearnVest isn’t as well-known as Mint, but it’s still plenty useful. It even offers a few options that its more popular competitor doesn’t, though they’ll cost you.

The basic version of LearnVest is free. And like Mint, you can use the program to track your monthly expenses and income. Unlike Mint, though, LearnVest aims to be more of an educational tool. All the budgeting and tracking features that it offers come with financial strategies and information designed to boost the financial literacy of its users.

You can even sign up to work with a financial advisor through LearnVest. This service, though, isn’t free. You’ll have to pay a $299 charge to first connect with a financial advisor. You’ll then have to pay a fee of $19 a month to continue this service.

YNAB: YNAB, which stands for You Need a Budget, is a good budgeting tool for those who don’t feel comfortable with connecting their bank and financial accounts to an online service such as Mint. YNAB is an offline app. You’ll have to manually enter your account information and input any purchases or deposits in the same way.

But if you’re disciplined enough to do this – and can track your funds without the benefit of the automatic updates provided by other budgeting software – then YNAB is a great alternative. That’s because the program’s budgeting software is powerful and can help you track as many categories of expenses and revenues as you can dream up.

The program isn’t free. You’ll have to pay a one-time fee of $60 for it. In addition to its budgeting features, YNAB features video tutorials and informative articles that can give users a crash course in personal finance.

BudgetPulse: There are plenty of free competitors to Mint today. BudgetPulse is one of them. This program is a no-frills budgeting tool that works just fine if you find that you aren’t using most of the extras that programs like Mint offer.

BudgetPulse is actually a good choice for consumers who only want to track their spending or savings in certain categories. When you set up BudgetPulse, you might choose, for instance, to track only what you spend on entertainment or dinners out in a given month. Maybe you’ll only track how much you spend in transportation costs or grocery shopping. BudgetPulse lets you do this easily and quickly.

You can also use BudgetPulse to set up your personal savings goals, much like you can with Mint. Once you do this, you can access graphs that will tell you exactly how close you are to meeting your goals.

Doxo: Free service Doxo is a little different from the rest of the budgeting programs out there. That’s because it’s better described as an online filing cabinet that lets you automatically pay your bills for everything from your mortgage and auto loans to your credit cards and utilities.

The goal is to store your most important household documents in Doxo’s online filing cabinets so that you always have easy access to your most important money information. You can also use Doxo to track recent payments and account balances. You can use the service to track whether you’re behind in any payments. And using the mobile app means that you can track your payments no matter where you are.


You can’t use Doxo to track how much you’ve spent on groceries for the month, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not useful. In fact, using Doxo in addition to a free budgeting tool such as Mint or LearnVest can give you even more control over your personal finances.

Inexpensive Halloween Decorating Tips

Planning on dressing up your house for Halloween -- but doing it in a way that doesn’t stick its fangs into your bank account to drain it dry. Are you also looking for Halloween décor that doesn’t make you shriek with sticker shock?

The great thing about Halloween is that things can look sloppy. I mean, did you ever see a neat, pristine haunted mansion or abandoned graveyard? Cobwebs and decay rule the day. So just by virtue of being neglectful homeowners, you could have a fabulous haunted house! Hardy har. Here are some actual ideas for low-cost Halloween embellishments.

Mummy Door

Make your home scary starting with the front door! Wrap paper streamers or white packing tape around your front door to make it look like a mummy. You may even find giant eyes to slip into the bandages for an extra-freaky effect!

Haunted Portraits

These are so hilarious, it’s scary. Do a Google Images search for “Oil Painting Portrait” or  similar, and find something that will look somewhat spooky in the right environment. Download the image, blow it up as big as you can, and print it out. Don’t worry if it’s blurry, poor-quality, or uneven: That just adds to the effect. Use spray mount to stick it onto cardboard, and make a fake-fancy gilt frame to go around it (gold spray paint topped with Sharpie details). If your crafting skills are more advanced you can create glowing eyes out of LED lights; I’m not that advanced, but if you’re full of the spirit, go for it and let me know how it works out. Hang these portraits in your newly haunted mansion… so spooooky!

Balloon Ghost

Hang up some ghosts by tying a piece of white garbage bag or paint cloth over a balloon and tying at the neck.

Mad Scientist Specimens

I know you, like me, have many large plastic toys of dubious origin. If not, there are loads of them at Goodwill or recycle shops. Pop them into glass jars, fill the jars with water, and add green food coloring. Put them in front of a spooky light source for maximum scary effect.

Zombie Trees

Head out to the woods and get some great branches, especially ones that have enough appendages to look like trees. (Note: Do not kill a tree to do this! There should be plenty on the ground!) Drag them home and stick them into buckets, planters, or other big tub-type containers filled with sand, rocks, or dirt to keep them upright. Spray paint the branches black and drape them with cobwebs. Or make them gray and hang creepy ornaments on them -- eyeballs, hands, whatever suits your fancy. So scawwy!

Spooky Alternatives to Construction Paper

I really can’t be bothered with orange construction paper. Seriously. A trip to your local

Home Depot or Lowe’s can provide you with better-value and stronger stuff for your dollar. For instance, you can get wallpaper and paint samples for $3-$5, and sometimes they’ll have a clearance bin with odds and ends that are even cheaper. Wallpaper is great because it’s so much stronger than construction paper, comes in bigger sheets, and offers textures and colors more likely to spark your imagination. Paint chips are also free, and are perfect for details (like eyes), and for mobiles, garlands, and wreaths.

The Un-Dead Lurking in the Shadows

Every other house has old clothes stuffed with newspapers, set to look like a zombie sitting on the porch. Yawn. But what if you tacked those clothes to the walls of your house so they looked like ghostly people standing in the shadows? What if you had them dancing with each other? What if you had a black dress that you draped onto a mannequin and then stood in an upstairs window, back-lit in red with parasol in hand, like a headless widow searching for her long-lost husband? (I have no idea how she lost her head. Let your imagination run wild.)

Pumpkin Candle Holder

Use a mini-pumpkin to make a cute candle holder. Carve a hole in the top just large enough to hold a votive candle. Leave plain, or draw on a Jack 'O Lantern face with a sharpie marker.  Burn the candle and let the wax drip down as shown here.

BOO

Mortgage Pitfalls

In the 1980s, there was this video game called “Pitfall.” To beat the game, you had to traverse various levels while avoiding the big black holes that would lead to your character’s demise. The more you played it, the more you got used to the challenges. You could plan ahead.

The mortgage process is the same way. It’s easier to avoid the pitfalls if you know what to expect. You can have a game plan to avoid them.

Quicken Loans Senior Purchase Banker Patrick O’Connor pointed out the most common challenges clients face and how a little preparedness can help you avoid missteps.

Gift Funds

Normally when we get a gift, we’re not supposed to consciously keep track of its value. That’s not the point. We’re taught to just let friends and family do something nice for us.

With a down payment gift, you absolutely need to document everything.

“A lot of times people are getting gift funds to purchase a home,” O’Connor said. “Maybe they’re not initially looking to do that, but a family member finds out they’re buying a home and wants to help out. We have to show a paper trail for all the money that’s gone into their account for the last 60 days.”

You can’t bring recently deposited cash to the closing table. It can sometimes complicate things because the cash used for close has to be documented and in your account for a period of time. If it isn’t, you may not be able to use those funds to finish the loan process.

Avoiding a Sour Gift

So how do you avoid a problem and still let someone help you with your down payment? Start getting everything down on paper in the form of a gift letter.

The gift letter should include, among other things, the amount of money being gifted and who or where it’s coming from, as well as a statement that the funds don’t have to be paid back.

On an FHA loan, lenders also need to see bank statements from the donor showing that they had the funds in their account for at least 30 days prior to the gift.

What do you do if you suddenly come into some money – maybe from your birthday or the holidays – that you would otherwise put toward your down payment, but can’t document on short notice?

O’Connor recommends you spend this money by taking a page out of Destiny’s Child’s book and start paying those “bills, bills, bills.”

While this can be a helpful guideline, you also don’t want to pay off something like your car or student loans in full with that money before closing. Funds used for the purpose of fully paying off accounts have to be documented.

“Avoid cash deposits that are around $400 or $500 or even a series that adds up to that,” he said. “Spend saved up cash on bills so you can have sourced paychecks build up in your account.”

Successful Sales

Another common issue O’Connor said people run into is when they sell assets in order to quickly boost the funds available for a down payment. If it’s your stuff, what’s the problem?

First, you can’t sell that pool table your wife wants you to get rid of for cash. The transfer has to be somehow documentable in the form of a check or other transfer medium that leaves a paper trail.

The second and perhaps more sticky issue is that you have to be able to document that what you’re selling was indeed yours to sell. Otherwise, the lender has to treat it like a loan, which can’t be used for a down payment.

Things like selling your used car are easier than selling something like furniture because you have a title and a bill of sale to which you can point back. Maybe you have the receipt for the pool table and a way of documenting things, but probably not. You also have to be able to show its value.

Reserves

The last important thing we’ll cover around sourced funds here are reserves. Reserves are evidence that you have the money to make your mortgage payment for a while if you lose your job or experience some other hardship.

What’s covered in your reserves and your mortgage payment in general is best remembered by the acronym PITIA. Since I “pity the fool” who doesn’t understand what PITIA stands for, let’s briefly cover it here.

• Principal
• Interest
• Taxes
• Homeowners insurance
• Homeowners association dues (if applicable)

Depending on the type of loan you get, reserves may be required. Even if they aren’t, O’Connor said having a couple months of payments can strengthen your case for approval because you look better prepared.

Appraisal Problems

If a client has an appraisal come back lower than expected, it can cause an issue during the buying process because you can’t get a mortgage for more than the value of the house.

If this is the case, O’Connor said clients have some options. The first two may not be preferable: walk away from the deal or bring the difference between the appraisal and the purchase price to closing.

There is a third option, however. You can work to renegotiate the deal with the seller. If they are serious about moving, they probably don’t want to have you back out of the deal. You also have some additional leverage because you can now point to a document that gives the house a definitive value that’s lower than the sale price.

Dodging Credit Conundrums

It’s also important to avoid doing anything that could cause a potential credit hit during the mortgage process. This is particularly important if it takes longer. You could have a bit of trouble finding a house, for instance.

Lenders try not to pull credit more than once. However, one of the more common reasons they might have to do it is if your credit report expires due to a longer loan process.

If it takes a little longer, you don’t really have to worry as long as you don’t take on any new debt that could mess with your credit report or debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. This means not buying a new car and not opening up any new credit accounts until after the loan is closed, no matter how tempting the financing deals may seem when you’re shopping for appliances.

You should also avoid charging more to credit cards and using and using too much of your available credit at any time as this can drop your score. A good guideline is to use no more than 30% of your available credit on a monthly basis. The key is really to try to maintain a status quo in your credit during the buying process.

Hopefully these tips help you get a head start in the mortgage game so you can level up and get into your own home. 

Budget-Friendly Tips on How to Improve Your Home

by Alison Hamilton on June 28, 2016 from Quicken Loans

Improving and redecorating your house may seem like a lot of work that just leaves your wallet empty. But with a little effort and a mind for saving a few bucks, there are plenty of home improvement projects (including some that are even tax-deductible) that can spruce up your space – and you can start working on them today.




Install a Removable Backsplash

Installing a new backsplash may sound time-consuming, but according to the DIY Network, it can often be done quickly and taken down just as easily. If you’re not feeling your current backsplash, why not install a chalkboard backsplash? Installing a backsplash is a perfect project for those who enjoy change. For example, you can easily switch to a pegboard backsplash to have nifty storage space for your kitchen utensils. And whenever you’re feeling like a décor makeover, you can simply take down the backsplash and replace it with another style that suits your fancy.

Use Mason Jars in a New Way

If you’re running out of space to store the miscellaneous items throughout your kitchen and other knick-knacks, how about a cheap twist on a classic way to store your stuff? Use empty mason jars or baby food jars to create some homespun storage by hanging the jars on the underside of a shelf. You can hang your mason jars in your bedroom, garage or kitchen – or anywhere you need extra storage space! With the simple turn of an electric screwdriver, you have a convenient storage solution that also looks artsy.

Add a Creative Flare to Your Headboard

If you’re looking to make your bedroom more luxurious, vintage, happy or alternative, try throwing a quick and easy headboard up on your bed. If you’re looking for an antique style, use an old closet door that’s been sitting around – just turn it sideways and mount it on the wall. Or to display a more expensive look, hang paintable wallpaper along with a wall décor piece behind your bed. To get a stately and creative headboard style without the high cost, HGTV offers up budget-friendly headboards that spruce up your bedroom and match your bedroom to your personality.

Use Gel Stain to Update Your Garage Door

The outside appearance of your home is just as important as the inside décor. Over time, the paint on your garage door can start to peel and age your house. Instead of spending a lot of money on a can of paint, you can follow Domestically Speaking’s advice and purchase a quart of gel stain. A gallon of high quality exterior paint can cost around $40. And that’s not including paint brushes! But you can avoid buying pricey paint and renew your garage door by purchasing a quart of gel stain with brushes, all for under $20.

So the next time you want to update your old home, remember: You’re not the only one in the world with good taste and a tight budget. There’s a world of quick DIY projects out there just waiting to be tackled. And to avoid breaking the bank and getting overwhelmed, keep in mind your goals and budget, the cost of materials and the labor involved.

5 Financial Moves to Make Before Turning 30 (though it's never too late!)

We all have different life goals, but everyone wants financial security, especially with regard to retirement. When you’re in your 20s, turning 30 may seem a long way off, making it easy to procrastinate on getting your finances together. But before you hit that milestone, you’ll want to make sure your personal finances are off to a good start.

To ensure you enter your 30s on the right track with your money, consider these five expert-recommended moves before you blow out your birthday candles.

Contribute Regularly to a Retirement Account

When you’re young, it can be hard to even imagine retirement. But “time is only your friend if you start preparing for retirement now,” says Roslyn Lash, a financial educator and coach at Youth Smart Financial Educational Services in Winston-Salem, N.C. Your 20s are the best time to start contributing to an IRA or 401(k) because you can harness the power of compounding – earning returns on your returns. In addition, “the earlier you start investing, the more you will be able to handle the fluctuations of the market that may occur,” Lash says.

So how much should you have saved for retirement by age 30? “By age 30, the balance in your 401(k) should be equal to at least half of your current annual salary,” says Steve Branton, a certified financial planner and senior financial planner at Mosaic Financial Partners in San Francisco. If you haven’t reached that milestone yet, it’s time to increase your monthly retirement contribution, Branton says. And make sure to take advantage of any employer matches, since it’s free money.

Stockpile Emergency Savings

If you’re not prepared for a financial emergency such as a broken-down car, a lost job or an unexpected health issue, you may be forced to rely on credit cards or expensive payday loans. Building up savings throughout your 20s makes it more likely that you’ll hit 30 with a buffer so you can handle emergencies without going into debt.

A good rule of thumb is to have three months of living expenses saved by the time you turn 30, Branton says. Lash says that it’s better to have eight months of emergency savings, if possible, and that the ideal savings rate is 15% of your net income. If that’s not possible for you, she suggests simply starting with a goal of setting aside $1,000.

This account should be for emergencies only, she says, and “once you’ve borrowed from this account, you must develop a budget or spending plan which allocates money for you to pay back the funds.” If you’re saving for other goals, such as buying a car, it’s best to keep that money in a separate savings account and not mix it with your emergency fund, Lash says.

Consider Buying Rather than Renting

For some, the flexibility and freedom of renting make it the superior choice. But if you’re still renting at 30, it’s worth doing the math to see if it makes more financial sense to buy a home. Lash points out that spending $800 a month on rent may fit well in your budget, but after five years, you’ll be out $48,000 with nothing to show for it. If you’re planning to live in the same city for several years, consider looking into whether you can afford to buy a home. Owning a home allows you to build equity and gain tax benefits such as deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes, Lash says.

We're here to help you with your planning

If you’re interested in buying a home, the first step is to apply to get preapproved by a mortgage lender. “This analysis determines the amount of mortgage that you can afford based on your income, debts, savings and credit history,” Lash says. “This is an important step because it tells you how much the bank is willing to lend.” You’ll find out if you’ll qualify for a mortgage and, if so, what price range you can afford to spend on a home.

Keep in mind that while a monthly mortgage payment can sometimes be less than your monthly rent check, owning a home also means extra expenses such as property taxes, homeowners insurance and possibly homeowners association fees, so compare costs carefully.

Get Your Debt Under Control

Many people in their 20s struggle with budgeting and credit card debt. By 30, aim to get this under control. Branton advises getting current on debt payments such as car loans and student loans and not carrying a monthly balance on credit cards. “If you are carrying a monthly balance and not paying off the amount in full, you need to review your budget to find out where you are spending too much and make the appropriate reductions,” he says.

Lash adds that by 30, it’s wise to create a spending plan or budget you can stick to so you know where your money is going and how much you can afford to spend. “Keeping track of spending and minimizing your debt is an essential part of building wealth and becoming financially mature as you age,” she says.

Look into Life Insurance

Life insurance may be the last thing on your mind in your 20s, but it could be worth buying to protect your family as you near 30. If you have children, it’s especially important to have enough life insurance to ensure your spouse will be financially stable without you, Branton says.

If you don’t have any dependents, Lash says it’s smart to get a simple, inexpensive policy that will be enough to cover your burial expenses. “Having a policy or money allocated for your final expenses will relieve your family of the financial burden should something happen to you,” Lash says. She notes that if you can save up enough money to finance your own burial expenses, you can cancel the policy. While some employers provide life insurance as a benefit, you lose it when you leave, so it’s best to purchase your own policy, Lash adds. Additionally, the younger you enroll, the lower your premium will be.

There are no guarantees in life, but tackling these five financial goals by age 30 – or at least making strong progress toward them – can help your future look a lot brighter.

Deciding Which Rental is Best for You

By Chris Beringer

You’ve found some great places and you’re ready to make a decision. But how do you know which rental is the best for you?  It might help to revisit these basic questions:

Is it what you had in mind?

Before you started your search for a rental apartment or house, what was most important to you? Did you need a certain number of bedrooms or more storage space? Does it have the parking you wanted? If you’re choosing between a few places, revisit or create a list to see which place ticks most of your boxes.

Does it fit the budget?

Before you sign the rental lease agreement, think seriously about how the rental home fits in your budget. It’s recommended to spend no more than 30 percent of your income on a rental home, but if spending more on a rental means spending less on transportation, that may be something to consider. Typically, though, it makes sense to choose the budget-friendly rental home so you can more easily pay bills, build some savings and have money for entertainment and travel.

Is it close to necessities?

Think about all of the places you regularly go every day or week. How convenient would each rental be to work, school, groceries and entertainment? If you are the type of person who often forgets things at the grocery store, for example, it may not be wise to be 30 minutes away from one. Or if you need to pick up kids for after school activities, it may be essential your home be near school.

Does it feel safe?

A rental home may be beautiful and have all the necessities you need on the inside, but is it safe and secure? What security does each building offer? Check online to learn about area crime rates, and take daytime and evening walks around the neighborhood. Do you feel comfortable or is it a place you’ll want to run to the door late at night?

Does it feel like home?

Sometimes, you have to throw the lists aside and just go with what really felt like home when you walk in – the rental where you can picture your furniture or that has cute little quirks you love. No rental is perfect, but this is the place where you want to start and end your day. That’s where you should end your rental search.

4 Garage Dangers You May Have Overlooked

By Tarsila Wey, First Alert, Allstate Insurance

Do you cringe when you open your garage door? All of that clutter - from gardening tools, old furniture and sports equipment to half-empty paint cans and pesticides - limits the usability of the space and, what's more, it's exposed for all your guests and neighbors to see.

Rolling down the door won't make that mess, or the potential safety hazards, disappear (trust me, I've tried). So consider devoting some time to making your garage safer and more functional. Here are a few garage organization and safety measures to guide you:

1. Clutter

You don't have to sell your car in order to have super-sized storage capacity. Separate items into categories such as auto supplies, lawn and garden tools, holiday decorations and sports equipment. Then pitch, donate or sell the items you don't need or use. Invest in wall organization and storage solutions such as shelving units, cabinets or peg boards to keep the floor clear of clutter. This can also help reduce the risk of people tripping and falling.

2. Fire Hazards

Garages aren't exempt from the rules of fire safety. Combustible chemicals such as fertilizer, paint thinner, pesticides and gasoline can create especially dangerous fires. Identify, organize and properly store all flammable products (in a well-ventilated area, in their original containers). Follow disposal instructions on product labels and properly dispose of old materials that are collecting dust or have expired. I recommend keeping a fire extinguisher on hand - but make sure you have the right kind. Fire extinguishers are categorized into five general classes; you may want to consider Class B/C extinguishers for the garage because they are able to fight fires involving grease, oil, gasoline, kerosene and flammable liquids, as well as energized electrical equipment.

3. Carbon Monoxide Fumes

In attached garages, fumes from vehicle exhaust can build up quickly and seep inside your home. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced through fuel-burning equipment and engine-powered machines, including portable generators and cars.  Having carbon monoxide alarms installed on every level of your home and near sleeping areas can be crucial to ensuring your family's safety in the event that fumes do enter your home. This colorless, odorless gas can only be detected through the use of alarms. But, even with CO alarms in place, remember that it's never safe to leave a vehicle running while parked in the garage, even if the garage door is open.

4. Security Breaches

Garage doors can provide easy entry points for burglars. Never leave your door open after you leave the house. The door leading from the garage into your home should always be locked, too. Installing motion sensor lights above your garage door can also help deter a nighttime break-in through the garage.

Garage safety can be easy to achieve with a few simple steps. So, set aside some time, get organized and reclaim that space.

Gardening's Fun With the Right Tools

5 Gardening Tools the Pros Love
by Victoria Slater on June 17, 2016Lawn & Garden

Homeowners across America aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty in order to enjoy a flourishing garden. But with all the different tools out there, which ones are the most useful? We chatted with a few professionals to find out which tools are their favorites so you can get the most out of your efforts.

Gardening Gloves 

A good pair of gardening gloves is essential. Heavy-duty gloves work well for clearing brush or pulling thick weeds, while lightweight synthetic gloves are better for pulling smaller weeds and planting flowers or seeds. The best gloves are lightweight with a protective coating on the palm and fingers, allowing you to pick weeds and plant seeds easily while also protecting your fingers and hands.

Trake: a Trowel and Rake Combined

A trowel and a rake combined into one, the ergonomic trake has a pointed, scoop-shaped blade on one side and long prongs on the other. A trowel is perfect for digging, mixing soil and moving plants from one area to another. The rake is used for cultivating, loosening and leveling soil. Combining these tools into one allows you to plant in tight spaces and minimize plant damage while avoiding reaching around for a new tool. Compared to other tools, it’s lightweight and easy to use. It’s important to select a tool that feels natural in your hand, as it will be used frequently. Test several different trakes before you make your purchase.

Weeding Tool or Cultivator

Having a weeding tool is essential, as weeds will always find their way into your garden. It’s better for your plants and the environment to use one of these instead of spraying chemicals to get rid of them. Depending on the size and quantity of weeds, you can choose a larger weeder, such as a CobraHead Weeder, or use something smaller, such as a Ring Weeder. Kenan White from the Growers Exchange recommends the CobraHead Weeder, which has a narrow blade head and pointed tip that allows you to not only weed but also cultivate, edge and harvest with ease. The Ring Weeder, on the other hand, fits over your gardening glove and can be used in areas where larger tools won’t fit, ensuring nearby plants aren’t damaged.

Mattock

Used for any gardening application, the mattock’s pickaxe-like shape chops, digs, weeds and cultivates soil. Tony Smith from Nursery Enterprises highly recommends the mattock, which is one of his favorite tools. It’s perfect for hand-digging transplants and is particularly useful for working in between plants. It drastically cuts down on time spent weeding. While the trake also allows you to dig and transplant, the mattock is much heavier, and according to Smith, it’s “far more efficient than any trowel – you can get all of the roots with it.”

Hand Pruner

Sometimes referred to as clippers, pruning shears or scissors, pruners are some of the most useful gardening tools. They’re used to trim and shape plants and small branches and to cut out dead or damaged foliage, allowing you to perfect even the smallest of details in your garden.

Anvil vs. Bypass Pruners

Two basic types of pruners are the anvil and the bypass. Bypass pruners are better for cutting green (living) wood. They allow for a more precise, cleaner cut, which is essential for smaller flowers and growing culinary plants such as herbs. On the other hand, the anvil pruner is better for cutting tree branches and dead or old wood. They are oftentimes less expensive than bypass pruners but harder to handle.

It’s important to select a pruner that fits your hand size and grip strength in order to reduce wrist strain and obtain leverage. It’s also imperative that you keep the blade sharp for maximum efficiency. Some of the more expensive pruners have blades that can be easily replaced should they become worn or damaged. This might be more cost effective in the long run than purchasing a less expensive pair that has to be replaced in its entirety every so often.

Gardens and gardeners are all different, so we recommend testing different tools to determine which ones are best for you. After all, they’re supposed to make gardening fun and simple.

Homeowners and Appraisers Grew Further Apart in June

by Kevin Graham of Quicken Loans

The gap between homeowners’ expectations and appraisers’ opinions grew slightly in June, as appraised values were 1.93% lower than homeowner expectations. In comparison, the difference was 1.89% in May.

Home values were up 0.84% since last month. This is a 4.47% rise since June of last year.

Home Price Perception Index (HPPI)

Although a 1.93% difference in the opinions of homeowners and appraisers is certainly not a huge gap by any measure, it does represent a widening of the gap month to month, with May coming in at 1.89% lower than expected nationwide.

Quicken Loans Chief Economist Bob Walters said even small differences in opinion potentially have a huge impact by the time buyers and homeowners reach the closing table.

“Perception is everything. It can make or break a home sale or mortgage refinance,” said Walters. “That’s why it’s so important for homeowners to realize how they perceive their home’s value could vary widely from how an appraiser views it. If the estimate is lower by just a few percentage points, the buyer could need to bring as much as another several thousand dollars to the table to avoid having to restructure the loan.”

If you take a look at the regional differences, the West remains closest to equilibrium, with the residents rating their homes just 1.70% higher than appraisers. In the South, the difference was 1.90%, followed by the Midwest at 2.02%. The Northeast brings up the rear, with homeowners overestimating their property values by 2.14%.

If you look at metropolitan areas, homeowners in Denver have the most undervalued homes, with appraisers reading home values 3.23% higher than homeowners. Philadelphia may be the home of the Flyers, but its residents really need to ground their appraisal expectations, as they’re valuing their homes 3.40% higher than appraisers do. Sunny San Diego wins the prize for closest to the bull’s-eye, undervaluing their homes by just 0.11%.

Home Value Index (HVI)

Home values continued their rising trend in June, up 0.84%. In the past year, values have been up 4.47%.

Walters said nationwide value trends are definitely affecting local opinions.

“Nationally, home value increases are well within the healthy range,” said Walters. “Although, the variances across the country can influence owners’ perception. Owners in the West, where appraised values are rising more quickly, tend to underestimate their home’s value. The opposite is true for those in the Northeast, with appraised values showing slower growth.”

The West leads the way again in terms of price appreciation, up to 1.45% for the month and 5.84% on the year. The Midwest played runner-up, rising 0.87% in June and 3.57% annually. The South came next, rising 0.66% month-to-month and 4.62% on the year. Finally the Northeast was up 0.17%, with a modest 2.07% yearly price growth.

Helpful Maintenance Tools for First-Time Homeowners

You’ve closed on your house and are about to move into your own version of the American Dream. Congratulations! And while you may be obsessing about moving logistics, furniture and any touchups the house may need, there’s one area new homeowners shouldn’t overlook – the garage.

It may seem like an afterthought with first-time homeowners, who have so much going on around them. “Who has time to think about tools?” you might be thinking. But the well-equipped homeowner takes the time now to save time down the road. Below, we’ll describe that list of tools to keep you in DIY or “yardening” mode from the moment you move in and for years down the road.

Establish the Essentials

Whether you keep a list in your head or on paper, there are tools that should be part of any basic setup. With these tools in hand, you can then take time to explore more specialized equipment. In the meantime, though, make sure you have these items:

• Power drill and drill bits
• Screwdrivers (both Phillips and flat head)
• Pliers (needle nose and channel lock)
• Flashlight
• Socket wrench set
• Hammer
• Wall anchors
• Stud sensor
• Ladder
• Work gloves

You know, the basics. With a solid set of tools to handle routine maintenance and repair tasks, you’ll be able to tighten anything that’s loose, mount framed artwork to the wall and find your way through the dark (in the event that you blow a fuse or two). The list above is helpful for most repair jobs around the home’s interior. Stepping outside opens up a different landscape of tool needs.

If you maintain your own property, you’ll need these tools:

• Lawn mower
• Leaf and lawn bags (if your area offers curbside recycling)
• Garden hose
• Rake
• Snow shovel, snow thrower or snow blower
• De-icing materials for the sidewalk, stairs and driveway
• Lawn edger.

“Most first-time homeowners know they need a lawnmower but don’t realize that they need an edger as well.” You’ll need one to keep your sidewalks, driveways and beds with nice, clean, well-defined edges.

A good unit costs around $150, and they come in both electric and gasoline-powered models.

Don’t Overlook the Silent Threat (Radon)

It bears mentioning that every home needs a smoke detector and functioning fire extinguisher. In addition to those, there’s a device many homeowners might walk right past at the hardware store: a radon detector.

Radon is an odorless cancer-causing radioactive gas. It cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. Radon’s damaging effects have been illustrated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as the Office of the Surgeon General.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking) and has also been linked to blood cancer in women.

When left undetected in a home over time, it can cause serious health concerns, More than 21,000 people die due to radon every year in the U.S. alone, which is more than from home fires and drunken driving combined.

Radon detector prices range considerably, from $40 – $350. Corentium’s Home 223 radon detector is a top seller on Amazon.com and is considered one of the best on the market.

Advanced Tools

Once first-time homeowners have their basic tool kits stocked, they can move on to more specific equipment, which can include power saws (miter, circular and reciprocating), drain snakes, leaf blowers, work benches and tool storage units.

From small stuff like hammers and nails to big-ticket items like lawn mowers and power tools, your first-time homeowner tool kit is ready to go.