Here are some low-effort and low-cost ideas that can quickly transform your space:

1. Switch out lampshades and/or finials or change a chandelier

2. [...]]]> Does your house need a new look? Do you think changing the look will take too much time or money? Using small changes can often have a big effect.

Here are some low-effort and low-cost ideas that can quickly transform your space:

1. Switch out lampshades and/or finials or change a chandelier

2. Reframe or rearrange artwork

3. Have favorite photos printed on canvas and hang them front and center

4. Swap throws and/or pillows

5. Change a rug or pull it up to expose hardwood or tile floors

6. Take out “high-hat” light in living room for a more ambient atmosphere

7. Give your bookcase a makeover

8. Clear the clutter

9. Switch out bar stools

10. Change drawer knobs and/or cabinet handles

11. Put new towels and/or mats in the bathroom

12. Add a hanging pot holder in the kitchen

13. Sew a fabric band to bottom of shower curtain

14. Change the draperies

15. Add flowers or plants

16. Add accessories like vases, sculptures, candles or photos

17. Lean your artwork rather than hanging it for a way to easily move it later

18. Change slipcovers

19. Use sisal rugs, which are inexpensive and in style

20. Put a decorative plate or bowl in the corners of kitchen counters (where tile meets wall) to increase flow and tie a space together

First you will want to determine what you can afford. To do that you will want to get preapproved. That means a [...]]]> Buying a home can be a scary and confusing process. It is easy to get confused by all of the homes, locations, and what is truly important to you when buying a home.

First you will want to determine what you can afford. To do that you will want to get preapproved. That means a bank; mortgage broker or credit union will determine how much of loan you qualify for based on your income, debt and credit score. They will give a pre-approval letter stating how much you can afford.

Now it is time to pick a real estate professional to help you find the right home, negotiate on your behalf and help you navigate through the process. It is important that you choose an agent that is reputable; you have interviewed to find a good fit and is willing to listen to your needs.

Many buyers often confuse their needs with their wants. Making a list of what you actually need and what you want or your wish list is very helpful when looking for a home. Buying a home is typically a process of elimination. Many home buyers often dismiss homes that perfectly fit their needs in search for one that has their wants. This doesn’t mean you can have your wish list, but home buying is more often defined by your budget than wish lists.

To help with this process it is typically helpful to make a list of needs and wants.

Each individual will have a different list of needs and wants. Your own list will help you evaluate homes as you go through the process. Sharing this list with your real estate professional will also help narrow down your search. The goal is to find a house that includes all of your needs and meets as many of your wants as is practical in your budget.

Is clutter taking over your life? There is a way to take your life back from the piles of junk collecting in your home and it doesn’t involve all of your things ending up in the landfill.

Here are just a few smart and frugal ideas for repurposing old stuff…

For Decorating [...]]]>

Is clutter taking over your life? There is a way to take your life back from the piles of junk collecting in your home and it doesn’t involve all of your things ending up in the landfill.

Here are just a few smart and frugal ideas for repurposing old stuff…

For Decorating

Use old hardware from dresser drawers to hang curtains.

Use junk CDs and DVDs as drink coasters.

For Organizing

Use oatmeal containers and coffee tins to store flour, sugar and mixes.

Use old doorknobs to make a coat rack.

For Outside

Use egg cartons, old jars, tins and yogurt cartons to make functional seed starters.

Use old wooden ladders as part of your landscaping, allowing ivy and other vine plants to climb them.

Use CDs to scare birds away from your berry garden. Hang CDs from a tree near your berry bushes. The shiny, moving objects will frighten birds, keeping them away from your sun-ripened berries.

Use Cooking Spray as an ice repellent. Spray both sides of a plastic or metal shovel with cooking spray and the ice will slide right off.

Repurposing items is easy if you start by changing the way you look at things. Next time you think something is trash, stop and think “how can I repurpose this?”

The Benefits

•Solar power is predictable. It is easy to predict how much electricity your system will [...]]]> Everywhere you turn people are saying “go green”. More and more people are looking for alternatives to heat and power their homes. One alternative is solar energy. There are both benefits and pitfalls to solar energy.

The Benefits

•Solar power is predictable. It is easy to predict how much electricity your system will produce because the amount of sunlight that hits your roof doesn’t vary that much. This means it is also easy to predict how much you will save in electric bills.

•Solar power will lower your electric bill. Solar power will offset the usage of conventional electricity especially in places where the price for grid power is high — like California, Hawaii and much of the northeast.

•Solar power is safe and clean. Solar energy systems produce emissions-free electricity.

•Installing solar panels may also help you qualify for a tax credit. For more information on energy tax credits click here.

The Pitfalls

•Solar power can be predictable but it is also variable. In other words, it can be predicted on a long term basis but not on a daily or even weekly basis. For example, solar panels won’t produce electricity at night.

•Solar power can be a more expensive alternative in the short term. The price of solar panels continue to fall but there are many aggressive financing options. If your state has no tax incentives and electricity prices are relatively low solar would be an expensive option for you.

•Some homes just don’t work. The roof must be in good condition with an unobstructed southern exposure. If the house is surrounded by trees and tall buildings solar panels will probably not work. A ground-mounted system is an option only if you have sufficient space in your yard.

It’s everyone’s favorite fantasy: a nice, huge windfall.

Maybe that scratch-off lottery ticket pays off big, or that dusty vase in the attic turns out to be a collector’s [...]]]> Ok, so you didn’t win Mega Millions but just in case Bankrate.com has some tips on how to spend a hefty windfall.

It’s everyone’s favorite fantasy: a nice, huge windfall.

Maybe that scratch-off lottery ticket pays off big, or that dusty vase in the attic turns out to be a collector’s item, or that stock you’ve been hoarding turns out to be worth a bundle.

Suddenly you’re sitting on a nice mid-five-figure gift that you weren’t expecting, and that’s after taxes.

Now what?

Facing this envious dilemma, you might want some savvy guidance. With that objective, Bankrate.com asked several financial experts for their advice for managing a hefty windfall.

Karen Altfest, executive vice president of L.J. Altfest & Co., a financial planning firm in New York, says to concentrate on three strategies.

“What you’re going to do is think of it as pockets,” she says. “You’ve got three pockets, divide the money in thirds. Take the first pocket and use it to pay down anything that you think should be paid down: your child’s education, your debt, your mortgage. Get rid of something and make your life a little easier.

“Then, save for something in your future — your next car, your vacation, your old age. Third is that you’re a good person. Do something nice for yourself now. A vacation or something special you’ve always wanted,” Altfest says.

Sandy Shore, counseling supervisor of Novadebt, a nonprofit, credit counseling agency in Freehold, N.J., says start or supplement your emergency fund.

But how do you determine how much to save?

“You have to look at your individual situation,” Shore says. “Is there another income? If one of you became unemployed, how much of a hole would that leave? How secure is your job? If you’re one step away from being unemployed, I would say look at how long you think it would take you to get a job.

“Six months is a pretty good ballpark for most people,” she says.

Add up your monthly bills and obligations (including taxes), and subtract any unemployment you’d receive. Then bank at least that amount. And if you already have some saved, use the windfall to take that savings to your goal amount.

Dave Jones, president of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies in Fairfax, Va., recommends socking away at least $10,000 into a savings account if you have debts but no savings. Then spend the rest to eliminate or pay down your debts, concentrating on your highest interest rate obligations first.

If you have savings and no debt, you could consider low-risk investments, such as a money market fund or other “balanced low-risk fund,” Jones says.

Almost as important is what to avoid: “impulsive spending on inane perishables,” he says.

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, author of “Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom,” says the best solution is to tackle the problem in a series of steps.

“Get professional financial help. Find a qualified adviser to help you set a budget and do long-term financial planning,” Khalfani-Cox says.

“And give yourself time. Resist the urge to do something – anything — immediately. Don’t feel like you have to do anything at all with the money right away,” she says.

If you decide to invest, plan beforehand. “Be strategic about making any big moves,” Khalfani-Cox says. “Don’t just give in and start buying stocks, bonds or mutual funds without a plan.”

Create a plan to deal with money requests, she says. It takes away the guilt when you want or need to say “no.”

“The idea is to create a buffer between you and all the friends and family who will ask for money,” she says. “Consider using an intermediary — either an individual or an institution — to handle the requests.”

Gail Cunningham, spokeswoman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling in Silver Spring, Md., advises people to approach a windfall by first looking at areas where you are financially weakest. Then, use your windfall to strengthen your position.

Behind on the mortgage? “The best use might be to catch up,” she says. “This will eliminate late fees, which only add to the balance.”

Paying only the minimums on credit cards? “A good use could be to put the money toward the debt with the highest balance,” she says.

Or, pay off a small bill. “This feeling of accomplishment often encourages a person to keep knocking off bills,” Cunningham says.

If you’re financially stable but without savings, you’re “really on a slippery slope,” she says. Using your windfall to start or augment your savings account could create a safety net for emergencies.

If you’re stable financially, consider splitting the money between one of the above and a personal reward. “Treating yourself to a reward for responsibly handling your money can be an incentive to continuing this behavior,” Cunningham says.

Larry Winget, author of “The Idiot Factor: The 10 Ways We Sabotage Our Life, Money, and Business,” says “Don’t buy anything.”

“It’s an opportunity, a real opportunity to fix everything you haven’t been doing right,” he says.

First, pay off your high-interest rate credit card. Then, stash your windfall away. Consumers should create a savings equal to at least three months’ worth of household expenses. Put the rest away for retirement. “That would be the top three things that I would say to do,” Winget says.

“But whatever you do, don’t buy something that’s going to immediately depreciate when you write the check: cars, clothes, food, vacation,” he says.

Ron Phipps, president of the National Association of Realtors, says consumers should pay down their credit card debt.

“Simplify your ongoing financial responsibilities. Make life easier. Reduce your overhead,” he says.

After that, look after your No. 1 investment. Focus on needed home repairs or equity-generating improvements, he says. Or, reduce an ongoing expense like your monthly utility bill by installing energy-efficient appliances.

After that, “I’d probably say if it were truly a windfall, I’d find something I’d like to do that I’d enjoy: an arbor, a garden or a spa/whirlpool,” he says.

If your house and your credit card accounts are in good shape, consider buying a rental property. “The goal would be to take that money and leverage it,” Phipps says.

If your finances are healthy and this is truly extra money, then remember the 80/20 rule. “Save 80 percent, spend 20 percent,” says Wayne Bogosian, co-author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to 401(k) Plans.” “Follow the 80/20 rule and you won’t have any regrets.”

How do you spend it? “Any way you want,” he says. Buy things that last or do some philanthropic giving, he says.

For the savings? Aim to max out IRA and 401k contributions for you and your spouse over the coming years, he says.

“If your income is outside the Roth IRA limits, open a nondeductible IRA and immediately convert it to a Roth IRA,” he says. Your objective over the next eight to 10 years should be to deposit all or most of your 80 percent into a Roth IRA and then into a 401(k).

Wonderful open concept colonial with many updates. Move right in to this [...]]]> View Photos
Starts: 04/07/2012 1:00PM
Ends: 04/07/2012 2:30PM
For Directions: click on the map image or feel free to contact me.
For more information: click here for the full details

Wonderful open concept colonial with many updates. Move right in to this great house with freshly painted rooms and new oak flooring in kitchen and dining area. New windows with updated baths. The heating system was installed Nov 2011.There is an updated electrical system. Nice yard and partially finished basement make this a very attractive home for a new homeowner. very convenient to Rt1, 128 and 95. Not a Bank owned or short sale. Have an answer in 1 to 2 days!