Tag: adulting

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Adulting Decor For the Home Home How To

8 Smart Home Improvement Ideas That Don’t Cost a Fortune

https://www.anniesloan.com/products/chalk-paint/

There’s nothing quite like transforming your home into a space that you love. It can take a lot of time and money, though, which is hard to find when you lead a busy life! Luckily, turning your home into a haven doesn’t have to cost a fortune with a few smart home improvement ideas.

If your home is looking a bit worn down, you may wonder what you can do with a limited budget. Thankfully, there are inexpensive alternatives, meaning you can transform your home with very little effort and spending! Take a look at these home improvement ideas that don’t cost a fortune.

home improvement ideas that don't cost a fortune
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Inexpensive Home Improvement Ideas

1. Upcycle Your Old Furniture

Over time, furniture can begin to look old and worn, but that doesn’t always mean it’s time to replace it. If your furniture still functions perfectly, consider upcycling it rather than replacing it.

Not only will you save a ton of money, but it will give you the chance to get creative. You can turn your old furniture into new things that you will get more use out of. Plus, you can give it whatever look you want, allowing for unique decor in your home.

For example, if you have a crib your child has outgrown, consider turning it into a play station. Use chalk paint, get creative, and see what you can make for your kids.

2. Touch up the Paint

Talking of paint, a quick paint touch-up will make the world of difference to your home. Touch up the walls in areas where it looks dingy, or maybe you could brighten up your coffee table.

A fresh coat of paint will give your rooms and furniture a new feel. Plus, it is one of the least expensive home improvement projects you can do.

If you’re looking to spruce up your kitchen, consider cabinet repainting to give your cabinets a fresh and sleek look. It’s the perfect solution if you can’t afford new cabinet doors and you have complete control over the color. You could also consider painting your countertops.

3. Decorate with Accessories Rather than Carpet or Wallpaper

Wallpaper and carpet can be extremely expensive, and if your current decor is just fine, consider decorating with accessories, instead. You can change up the color scheme of the room, or give it a new style. This simple trick can help you transform your home without unnecessary cost or hassle.

4. Declutter

Sometimes, decluttering your home can make a huge difference in how it looks and feels! It’s easy to collect items as time passes such as ornaments, books, magazines, and even toys for the kids.

Take time to declutter everything, and make sure everything you want to keep has its own space. You will quickly notice how much better your home looks, and you will want to keep it that way. Plus, decluttering and organizing your home may also help give you inspiration for more home improvement ideas!

5. Switch out Door and Cabinet Handles

An easy way to improve your home is to switch out the handles and knobs. You could change the door handles on your kitchen cupboards, replace door handles for regular doors, or update the door handle on your front door!

6. Switch out Light Fittings

Another quick and easy home improvement idea is to change out your light fittings and switches. Over time, they can become grubby with fingerprints and grime from your hands, so changing them will help. This small change in your home is more effective than you may realize.

7. Regrout Your Tiles

Like most things in the home, the grout between your tiles can become dirty or discolored – even with regular cleaning. Grout is very inexpensive to buy, and is extremely easy to reapply! You can watch videos online if you’re not sure how to regrout your tiles.

8. Revive Your Deck

Home improvement ideas can extend to your yard, too. If your deck has lost its vibrancy over the years, you can easily revive it with a power hose. You’ll be surprised at how much dirt and grime you could lift, leaving your deck looking brighter.

home improvement ideas

Inexpensive Home Improvement Ideas

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to make your home improvement ideas become reality. Now that you have some inspiration, what will you do first? Leave a comment and let me know! 🙂

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Adulting For the Home Home

Have You Considered Online Conveyancing For Your New Home?

Online Conveyancing

Finding a high-quality yet low-cost conveyancing service is hard, but it is possible. You might find some with great service but ridiculously high prices. Or, you might find great prices with lacking service. Online conveyancing is an option you might consider if you haven’t already.

It is all about finding a company that blends both great service and low pricing together. You can use a conveyancing fees comparison service to get better pricing ideas, too.

Online Conveyancing
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Have you considered it?

There is no denying that conveyancing services can be inconvenient and expensive. You have to book several meetings which results in you needing time off work.

If that wasn’t enough, these meetings tend to be extremely costly. Usually, you will have to pay every time you see the solicitor, rather than benefitting from one overall cost for the entire service.

With those factors being an issue, people tend to get fed up and frustrated. Online conveyancing services can change all of that, though. This new solution could be the answer to all of your property prayers. 

Online conveyancing ticks all of the boxes. First, it is extremely convenient because everything can be handled online. This means that all you need to do is turn on your computer to benefit from all of the information.

The conveyancer will provide you with regular updates to ensure that you are never left feeling dissatisfied and unaware. Say goodbye to long journeys and the inconvenience of having to attend in-person meetings.

Aside from this, online services reduce the costs traditionally associated with this service. Most online companies will provide you with a fixed, no-obligation quotation. Make sure there are no hidden costs, of course, just like you would any other time.

Couple low fees with the fact that you no longer need the expensive face-to-face meetings, and you see how online conveyancing is the cheapest you will find.

Nevertheless, you might be concerned that you are going to suffer from a lack of quality with everything being handled online. This is definitely not the case. These solicitors are trained in online conveyancing and have plenty of experience. 

What to Look for in Online Conveyancing

Online conveyancing should cover all of the following situations:

  • property sale
  • re-mortgaging
  • property purchasing
  • transfer of equity
  • sale and purchasing

The best conveyancing companies work hard to ensure that each of their customer’s unique needs are catered to. This service should be extremely easy and effective. Most offer an online platform that ensures you are constantly up to date with everything, too.

Online Conveyancing

Online Conveyancing

Have you tried an online conveyancing service? If you have, how was your experience? If not, how was your service with in-person services? Let me know in the comments!

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Adulting Finances For the Home Home How To

3 Simple Ways To Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained

One of the most challenging tasks when owning investment property is keeping your properties well maintained. To do this, you need to consider every aspect of the property and make sure that it keeps functioning as it did when it was brand new.

This will allow your house’s value to be on an increment and when you need to sell, you get a return on investment nothing. Your property’s main areas that require constant maintenance are electronics, drainage, wall paint, and flooring.

Taking good care of these areas of your house will ensure the value never decreases and that you don’t lose money in the investment process. Like the care and attention to detail you embrace when trying to find suitable tenants, you will also have to keep your investment properties well maintained.

Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained
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How to Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained

Electronics

Electronics are always the first component of a property that poses issues for tenants. These electronics include your garage motors, light switches, lightbulbs, and any other electrically powered fixed fittings. It must be said that an annual electrical maintenance check-up by a local electrician can quickly resolve this. 

Plumbing 

The worst problem you may experience is plumbing. This is merely due to the purpose that plumbing fulfills. Plumbing ensures that the household remains odor-free as well as a hygienic environment for living.

When plumbing starts causing problems, a specialist should immediately be called in. To avoid getting regular emergency plumbing services, consider getting sewer drain cleaning done once per year. It will ensure your drains remain clean and that no blockages occur due to dirty plumbing systems. 

Aesthetics 

The finishings on your property are bound to be affected by ordinary wear and tear over time. It means that your tiles will crack, your wall paint will fade, and your roof may start leaking. These things are all normal and should be dealt with right away.

Your house needs to be painted every 5 – 7 years to avoid the paint fading. The roof should be checked immediately when it starts leaking, and flooring must be replaced when it’s damaged beyond repair. These sound like expensive renovations, but they’re not, as long as you deal with them immediately.

Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained

Regardless of what maintenance your property needs, there’s no reward in avoiding it. It will have to be done at some point, but it doesn’t need to be at great expense. There are many surprisingly inexpensive but still high quality and aesthetically pleasing means of keeping your properties well maintained.

Don’t ignore the issues and upset your tenants or let the issues get worse. If you decide to sell and have many issues, you could lose money, too. Start now and ensure that the tenants occupying your property remain happy with the living circumstances your property offers.

Keep Your Investment Properties Well Maintained

Do you have investment properties? If so, how to you work to keep your investment properties well maintained? Would you add anything to the list? Let me know in the comments!

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Adulting For the Home Home How To Life

3 Effective Ways to Make Managing Your Family Home Easier

Make Managing Your Family Home Easier, positive parenting

Despite what social media might lead you to believe, no one’s home looks pristine all of the time – especially family homes. When you’ve got children and pets traipsing through the house, things are bound to get messy and even broken sometimes. There are ways to make managing your family home easier, though.

While this is often the norm for families, it doesn’t make it any less annoying and draining. Constantly having to try and keep on top of everything can be overwhelming. If you’re struggling with it, just know you’re not alone.

While I can’t promise these tips will put an end to the mess and sense of disorder in your home, they just might make things a little bit easier. When you’re a parent, every small win counts, so why not try these and see if they save you even just five minutes a day.

Make Managing Your Family Home Easier
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How to Make Managing Your Family Home Easier

1. Fake it ‘til You Make It

What I mean by this is while it’s nice having natural grass in your garden, it’s a lot of effort. So, one thing that could make all the difference is by saving up and investing in artificial grass. It has a reputation of being hard, fake-looking, and generally a plastic nuisance, but that’s not the case anymore.

In fact, fake grass is often very realistic, super soft, and hard-wearing. Gone are the days of tackling the lawnmower every weekend, spending hours each week watering the grass, and keeping children and pets away while you apply weed killer. You also won’t have to spend 10 minutes scrubbing mud off the floor when the grass is wet.

That’s not to mention the time spent trying to get stubborn grass stains out of clothes. With fake grass, you’ll find managing your family home becomes a whole lot easier in several aspects. So, rather than wasting time cleaning up a mess and maintaining the lawn, you can spend time with those who matter the most.

2. Function Over Form

Sure, we all want a house that looks nice, but sometimes, that’s just not possible. Parents of small children will know that baby proofing can take over the house. So, instead, lots of people choose to do the essentials and leave the rest.

For example, you might have really nice glass decor that ties your living room together perfectly, and you might be reluctant to move it. Instead, you might move it only when your child is in the room and put it back in the evenings or while they’re at school. While this might still allow the house to look good, it isn’t convenient and not always foolproof.

Hot hairstyling tools could be another example, as could a side table in the hallway. Teaching your children to respect their surroundings is important, but you should also consider that children need room to play. Rather than making your house a show-home, try making it child-friendly so that it works for everyone who lives there.

Automate Everything

Make Managing Your Family Home Easier

The great thing about technology is that it can make life a lot easier, especially in the home. If you haven’t already, invest in automatic lights and heating. If you come home with shopping bags in your hands and kids running around, looking for the light switch can be a struggle. Instead, voice commanding the lights to turn on could make your life just a little bit easier.

The same goes for the heating. Rather than rushing to warm the house up when you get home, you can monitor the temperature throughout the day. You won’t need to deal with the thermostat when you get home, and your house will already be comfortable.

Make Managing Your Family Home Easier

Make Managing Your Family Home Easier

Do you think any of these three tips will work for your family? What else would you add to the list?

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Adulting Finances For the Home How To Life

4 Easy Ways to Use Less Energy For Lower Household Bills

save money, household bills, save money on bills, finances

More of us are aware of our impact on the environment and are making changes to our homes to live a more environmentally-friendly life. To make it even more enticing, being more environmentally-friendly can save you money, too. You can use less energy to lower household bills and do your part for our environment.

save money, household bills, save money on bills, finances
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***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

How to Lower Household Bills

1. Turn Down The Thermostat

You don’t have to be cold, but turning down the thermostat for your furnace or boiler by even a small amount makes a big difference. Lowering the heat by only one degree saves energy and money, and you won’t notice the difference. If you can, try turning it down even further as you become accustomed to a cooler temperature.

There are thermostats you can buy that allows you to schedule times for the heat to be lower, too. Then, if you aren’t home, the heat won’t be up so high.

2. Add Insulation

Proper insulation traps heat inside during the winter and helps keep the house cool during the summer. Find out what insulation is in your walls and attic and see if it could be replaced with something more efficient. 

With proper insulation, your heating and air conditioning don’t have to work as hard. Since they don’t have to work as much, it lowers the costs and could save you from calling out 24 Hour AC Repair to an overworked A/C unit. 

3. Save Water

Water waste is a serious problem, and using more water than you need will be pushing up your water bill. Saving water is easy with some small changes. These changes include avoiding the following:

  • leaving the water running when you brush your teeth
  • overfilling the bath
  • leaving the shower running when you’re not in it
  • running the water continually while shaving
  • long showers
  • running half loads of laundry

4. Block Out Drafts

Drafts make a house feel cold, so you spend more on heating. Draft excluders can help keep rooms warm. You could also hang a heavy curtain over doors to the outside to keep the heat in. 

Seal up cracks in floors, walls, or skirting boards. If you have a chimney but don’t use it, get a chimney excluder. It will help keep even more heat in the house, saving you money on household bills.

save money, household bills, save money on bills, finances

Lower Household Bills

These are just a few of the ways to lower household bills. There are many other ways, too! Can you think of any others? Let me know in the comments!

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Adulting How To Life

A Few Basic Things Every Adult Should Know How to Do

Things Every Adult Should Know How to Do

There are a few things every adult should know how to do, no matter what. If you want to live a happy, healthy, and successful life, there are some aspects of adulting that are simply not optional.

Living life to its fullest means you have to be self-sufficient and know how to take care of yourself. Since I turned 30 (OMG) a couple of weeks ago, this has been on my mind more than ever.

If you know the things that every adult should know how to do, you are on the right track. Otherwise, make a note of these things and start learning right away.

Things Every Adult Should Know How to Do

1. How to Cook at Least 5 Meals

Things Every Adult Should Know How to Do
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As an adult, you should be able to feed yourself a healthy diet without any outside help. Sure, eating out may be cheap, but it isn’t always the healthiest option. Plus, if you’re on a budget or you want to ensure the right balance of nutrients in your diet, cooking from scratch is a must.

That means, at a minimum, you should be able to cook five healthy dishes completely from scratch. If you can’t do this, invest in a good cookbook or check out some Youtube cooking tutorials and practice ‘til you’ve got it down.

2. How to DIY

Every adult should know the basics of DIY – things like hanging wallpaper, putting up shelves, and unblocking sinks. Having to hire a professional every time something goes wrong with your home can get pretty expensive. 

Not only will it save you money, but when you know how to tackle projects yourself, you can make quick fixes before the problem gets worse. It will also give you something productive to do when you’re bored, which is never a bad thing.

Things Every Adult Should Know How to Do
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3. How to Handle Disagreements

As a fully grown adult, you should be able to disagree with people without it becoming heated. You should be able to talk to your partner about their annoying habits without it descending into a shouting match. Additionally, you should be able to negotiate with your boss without feeling like you’re going to cry or explode or do something stupid.

So many adults never learn how to do this, and at best they end up ruining relationships, at worst they find themselves talking with an attorney about the code for manslaughter or up on trial for a serious offense. That probably won’t happen to you, but being unable to calmly discuss issues and mediate a rational discussion can and will make your life worse.

4. How to Change a Tire

You should stay off the road if you don’t know how to change a tire. You never know when it will happen or if someone will be available to help you. Avoid being stranded by learning how to change a tire on your own.

This is a basic that will help get you out of tough situations on the road. Plus, it will save you a bunch of money since you can avoid calling a professional for help.

5. How to do Your Taxes

If you’re an adult and you don’t know how to do your taxes, you’re in a tough spot. The IRS takes a very dim review on incorrect tax returns and they will come down hard on you.

You must get it together and understand what is required of you. These days there are various software packages to make the process simpler, but you’ll still need to learn the basics.

Things Every Adult Should Know How to Do

Basic Things Every Adult Should Know How to Do

How many of the basic things every adult should know how to do can you do alone? I couldn’t change a tire until recently, and I was so relieved to learn! Let me know in the comments which ones you know how to do.

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Adulting How To Life

3 Ways To Be A Better & More Competent Caregiver

3 Ways To Be A Better & More Competent Caregiver

Caring for a family member or someone close to you can be a tough ask. It not only asks you to reorient your schedule but to cope with some difficult circumstances. You will feel like there is always more to do, and more things to learn and understand. Even so, you likely want to become a better & more competent caregiver to your loved one.

Be a Better & More Competent Caregiver
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There are many who act as daily caregivers for someone close to them. It’s a tough job, and it takes time. Most personal caregivers don’t have much training in this field either, making it even more difficult.

Personal caregivers do what they believe is right, try their hardest every day, and spend time trying to become a better & more competent caregiver. For this reason, they unlock quality of life for those they care about and are seen as an absolute blessing.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t take away from how difficult the job can be in the first place. For this reason, it’s important that caregivers don’t force themselves to carry the entire world on their shoulders, enlisting help where necessary, and using methods to try and become a better & more competent caregiver.

If you’re reading this post, you’re no doubt much more caring and effective than you’re giving yourself credit for. These tips can help you even further.

How to Become a Better & More Competent Caregiver

1. Use Government Programs To Help You

Listing yourself as a caregiver can often help you unlock access to a range of supplementary programs to make your life easier. This might involve a ‘meals on wheels’ delivery service to make cooking and cleanup much easier.

There are also many excellent support programs (such as one-off payments for heating the home in winter) that you can look into. Speak to your local government about what support options you have – they could make your life much easier.

2. Use The Professionals

It’s fine to admit that a caregiving job may not be totally in your hands anymore. Or, may need to spend more time on other areas of your life. This is where services that offer in-home and professional care for seniors could be effective.

Having a qualified professional take over your most pressing duties and keep up with a daily standard of care that is hard to find elsewhere while still keeping you involved in the process could be a real lifesaver. Many caregivers find they can live a real life outside of caregiving with this kind of aid to support them.

3. Use Covid-Protective Measures

Caregiving has become even more difficult in the midst of the Covid pandemic. Being unable to head out as often, the limited socialization, and the worry of getting sick has been on our minds for almost a year now. However, it’s important to somewhat automate these Covid concessions to make them easier to deal with.

Keeping masks, gloves, disinfectant and antibacterial spray can help you and the person you care for stay safe and healthy. It’s best to not take any chances.

Be a Better & More Competent Caregiver

Being a caregiver is hard work, but you can make it a little easier on yourself. You don’t have to sacrifice the standard of care you give, either. Use these tips to become a better & more competent caregiver. Sometimes understanding and using your resources is all it takes.

Do you have any other tips to add to this? Let me know in the comments!

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Adulting Finances For the Home How To Life

5 Of The Best Ways You Can Save Money On Household Bills

Save Money on household bills

Household bills can quickly add up, and you may feel like there is no way to reduce the financial burden. We tend to let the payments leave our accounts each month without a second thought because the bills must be paid. While it is true that the bills must be paid, there are ways you can save money on household bills each month.

Save Money on household bills
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How to Save Money On Household Bills

1. Meal Planning

Groceries are a big household expense each month (or week). Sometimes, if we don’t spend time thinking about it beforehand, we can spend more than we need to. This is where meal planning can save you a fortune.

It’s all about investing a little time into planning your week. You have to think about the ingredients you already have and which meals you can make out of them, and then writing a list for the rest.

That is the key point. The list is what helps you spend just what you need to. Doing this each week could save you a small fortune over the course of a year. 

*Click here for a FREE meal plan printable.*

2. Making Your Home More Energy Efficient

Energy bills can be astronomical at certain times of the year. Check your house and consider if it is energy efficient or if it is costing you extra money each month.

Check out things like insulation and whether your windows are energy efficient. This is when you may want to update your windows with replacement vinyl windows to help you keep heat in.

Even updating some older appliances could help save you some money. This is because, in theory, having an eco-friendly home should reduce the amount of energy you use.

3. Considering an Eco-friendly Life

You could take the whole eco-friendly thing one step further and try to reduce your outings. This might mean setting up a vegetable patch and growing your own food. Or, it could mean trying to generate your own water supply.

If it’s something you want further information on, then seek out some advice. Other things to consider would be saving your rainwater, generating a supply for things like watering your garden. 

4. Switching Suppliers

We all know there are good deals out there, but some people have the impression that switching suppliers takes time, effort, and could even cost more.

But, there are websites to compare deals that can help you out. They compare all the suppliers and work out the cost based on your usage. Do this often to make sure you are not overspending. 

5. Reduce Luxuries

Things like TV packages and the highest speed internet can be costly over time. If you aren’t using what you are paying for, then reduce those packages.

Reducing the packages might mean reducing the download amount on your internet or getting rid of channels on your TV package. If you don’t use it, you won’t miss it. You will enjoy the extra money in your pocket, though. 

Save Money on household bills

These changes could make a huge difference and help save money on household bills. You work hard for your money, and you should save as much as you can. What are some ways that you have learned to save money on household bills? Tell me about it in the comments!

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Adulting For the Home Home How To Spring

6 Effective Ways to Make Sure Your Home is Ready For Spring

Home is Ready For Spring

With temperatures already getting warmer and the sunset coming later, it won’t be long until spring is upon us. Making the most of it means you should make sure your home is ready for spring. You don’t want to wait until the warmer weather is here to get started or you’ll miss out on some of the beautiful days.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

How to Ensure Your Home is Ready For Spring

1. Redesign Your Yard and Garden

Home is Ready For Spring
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It’s tricky to keep your yard and garden well-maintained when it’s raining or there’s snow on the ground, so you’ll probably have a few outdoor tasks to complete before spring arrives. Once you’ve raked the leaves, weeded the flowerbeds, and pruned overhanging branches, why not take the opportunity to redesign?

Changing the layout, resealing paving, and adding some new features can breathe new life into your space. What’s more – revamping outdoor furniture, adding some patio heaters, or installing sunken seating will ensure you can make the most of your yard this spring.

2. Purify the Air 

Spring can be the most troublesome time of year for allergy-sufferers, so you’ll want to do everything you can to keep your home free from contaminants. Adding an air purifier or air scrubber to your home, or changing the filters on existing appliances can have a big impact on the quality of the air inside your home. By removing pollutants, you can minimize allergy symptoms and truly enjoy the fresh air. 

3. Tackle Pests

Pests can affect your property at any time of year, but a change of season can mean that different pests emerge. Fortunately, a local pest control company can provide all the help you need.

Instead of waiting for an infestation to occur, be proactive when it comes to pest control. A qualified exterminator will be able to tell you which areas of your home are most at risk, which means you can take preventative action to stop pests from taking up residence. 

4. Update Window Dressings

Home is Ready For Spring
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Changing curtains and blinds is an easy way to update your décor with minimal effort. Switching to a lighter color is the perfect way to reflect the changing seasons and a lighter color scheme will be perfect for springtime.

However, you may want to ensure that blinds and curtains are fitted with blackout fabric by the time spring arrives. When the sun rises earlier, it can affect your sleep schedule, but blackout blinds and curtains will ensure you get the rest you need. 

5. Clear Gutters

Gutters fill up quickly during fall and winter, which increases the risk of leaks and damage. When leaves block the gutters, water can easily overflow and cause damage to your property. Taking the time to clean out the gutters, or hiring a gutter cleaning service, will ensure the outdoor drainage system is working perfectly. 

6. Create a Home Maintenance Schedule

Keeping your property in great condition is a year-round commitment, and there are lots of different jobs to consider. To make things easier, why not create your own custom home maintenance schedule? This will ensure you’ve got time to plan, protect your property, and make the most of every season.

Home is Ready For Spring

What are some of the ways you get your home ready for spring? Did I forget anything important?! Let me know in the comments! 🙂

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Adulting Life

7 Smart Things You Can Do Right Now To Plan For Retirement

Plan For Retirement

Financial security in your retirement will need some advance planning, and you’re never too young to start planning. If you prepare in advance for your retirement you can better manage your finances to make your money last as long as possible and plan ahead in case of illness or another incapacity. 

Plan For Retirement
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1. Start saving as early as you can

The earlier you start saving for retirement, the more money you can save. Even saving just a small amount every month can be enough.

Put aside a small amount and stick to it. It’s never too early to start saving. If you start now, you can spread out the cost of setting up your retirement fund. 

2. Pay into your employer’s pension plan

If your workplace has a pension plan, pay into it so they will make contributions, too. You might pay less tax on your contributions, and over time, this can help you to save a lot more. Ask your HR department about any 401k plans they have that you may be able to join too.  

3. Don’t spend your retirement savings

Don’t touch your retirement savings unless it’s an emergency. Once you’ve started saving, don’t be tempted to use any of the money for something else, unless you truly have no other option.

If you dip into your retirement fund, you’ll have less to live on later. If you struggle to leave your savings where they are, a financial advisor can help you to manage your funds better.

4. Take advantage of different kinds of retirement accounts

If possible, increase your contributions to the maximum allowed in your 401k, IRA, or other retirement plans. Try to get enough into your 401k to qualify for any contribution matching your employer will make. The more you can pay in, the more they’ll pay in, giving you more retirement savings. 

5. Consolidate your accounts when the time is right

As you get older, you could consolidate accounts to make it less complicated to manage them. Combine any IRAs of the same type with one institution. Find any old 401k you have with former employers.

Organizing your money into fewer places will make it easier to track how much you have and where your money is. 

6. Shrink your debt

Pay more into your mortgage payments now if you can afford to. Aim to pay it off before you retire, giving you one less thing to pay for. Then, if you decide to downsize when you retire, perhaps to one of the over 55 patio homes that so many people are enjoying, you will be able to put the entire sale of your home toward something that suits you, without having another mortgage.

Avoid running up new debts on credit and instead, try to pay cash for any big purchases you make. No new debt means your retirement income doesn’t need to be spent on interest payments or paying down debt. 

7. Set aside some money for your future care

If you’re worried about how your children will afford your care, set aside some funds. Think of medical bills, funeral costs, or nursing home bills. Emergency funds for paying unexpected health care emergencies or moving to a retirement home are also a smart idea. 

7 Smart Things You Can Do Right Now To Plan For Retirement

Recap: Plan for retirement

If you plan for retirement now, it will make your life much easier in the long run. You won’t have to worry about finances, and you won’t have to spend your later years working.

What are some of the ways that you are planning for retirement? Let me know in the comments!