Oh, the weather outside is frightful . . .
But the fire inside's delightful . . .
I've always loved that song! It brings to life that feeling of warmth, coziness and love. Winter is such a beautiful season! But sometimes the heating bills can be overwhelming. Here are twenty-two hints to help keep you warmer while paying less.
1) Put that plastic-wrap stuff over your windows. It's a little bit of work that results in a lot of additional comfort and lowered expenses. My power company actually hands this out for free, so you might want to check with yours to see if they do as well.
2) Put some form of draft-stopping on or around your doors. There are various types of draft-stoppers, ranging from the foam rubber you stick to the door, to metal plating you screw onto the periphery of your door. Different doors need different types. I have a steel door; I can't (easily) use the type that's screwed on. But for someone else, this could well be their best option. (I also get this from my power company.)
3) Also thanks to my power company - there are little foam rubber pads that go on the backside of light switch/outlet covers. Yeah, I know - who knew?! But most door and window frames aren't perfectly flush with their surroundings. Siding often isn't either. The air that seeps into the walls can get into your house through your light switches and outlets, because they're also not flush. You put this little foam rubber thing in behind the outlet, and the problem's solved!
4) And - the last thing I got free from my power company - a caulking gun with caulk. You read it right. This is to seal areas around window and door frames, because as I just mentioned, they have little gaps. So does the area where your clothes dryer vents to the outside. Use a bit of clear caulk on it and you'll save a lot.
5) Where does your clothes dryer vent? Did you know that there's a contraption that you can put on the ventilation tube that will keep that nice, moist, warm air in your home instead of putting it outdoors in the winter? Come summer, you can change a few settings and it goes outside again.
6) Another option is to allow your clothing to air-dry on an indoor drying rack. Because the humidity level is lower, they'll dry quickly.
7) Check your insulation. Getting new insulation is a large investment, but over time it pays off.
8) Change the filter in your furnace! I'm bad about this one. The filter should be changed every month to keep your furnace operating smoothly.
9) Get the humidity levels up. Humid air holds heat better than dry air does, and it somehow transmits the warmth to our bodies better, too. This is why 70 degrees feels colder in the winter than it does in the summer. If you have even a cold air vaporizer, this will help the air in your home to feel warmer.
10) Alcohol might make you feel warmer, but it actually lowers your body's core temperature.
11) On the same note, keep your skin hydrated. By putting on baby oil before you get into the shower, you protect your skin from the drying effects of the water, your skin feels better throughout the day, the oil helps rid the shower of soap scum, and you feel better insulated against Jack Frost's nip. Just be careful not to slip!
12) Get a time-controlled thermostat. Some thermostats can be programmed to make your home warm for when you're just getting up, cool for when you've gone to work, warm again when you come home in the evening, and cool during the night while you sleep.
13) If you use the oven, leave it open after you're finished. On the same note, if you hand-wash your dishes, wait till the water's room temperature before you drain it. There's no reason to send all that warmth down the drain right away - let it go into the air.
14) How long are the showers in the morning/evening? You need enough hot water to last for that time frame, not more. If you're having to balance your hot water with cold water by the end of the last shower, consider turning down the heat on your water heater.
15) Obviously, wear layers. The heat stays between the layers, giving us a barrier against the cold. Use wool when possible. Wool is an oldie-but-goodie. It's warm and lightweight. If it gets wet, it still feels warm. And for your feet, try a pair of socks, followed by a plastic bag, followed by another pair of socks. :-) Your feet will not be cold.
16) Thermal blankets and throws are great. :-) No, they shouldn't be left on overnight while we sleep - that's a fire hazard - but many of them have automatic turn-off switches. They're so wonderful for making the bed feel warm when we first tuck in. Once we're asleep, our blankets and comforters can keep us feeling good through the night.
17) Space heaters. These are especially good if you do most of your activities in one room. You just don't want to leave them unattended. I know someone who puts shower curtains on spring rods to keep the air from flowing out of her favorite room. She put the space heater in that room, knocks the heat down by several degrees and she's set.
18) Air deflectors that go over the vent. For the rooms you wish to heat, you want to make sure the warm air spreads out a bit before it rises. Ceiling fans that blow air up can be useful, too, as long as they're left on low. For the rooms you don't need warm, consider using a vent cover.
19) Snow. If it's snowy out, leave that drift against the outside of the house. I once met an Inuit woman who discussed how as a child, her family would pack snow against the house. The snow insulated her home from the much colder temperature of the air, and it kept the heat inside as well.
20) Fireplaces . . . are not all they're cracked up to be. Just as snow can make your home warm, fireplaces can make them cold. But it depends on what type of fireplace you have. If it's the conventional sort, your flue is open. Cold air is coming down into your house and warm air is going up to the outdoors. Your home is actually colder than it was! :-( But there are some fireplaces with blowers. You light your fire, flip the switch, the blower comes on, and the warm air from the fire is blown back into your home.
21) And Ma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap . . .
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.
A nightcap wasn't always a drink. ;-) It was what people put on their heads to retain their body heat as they slept. Those wonderful little hats with the earflaps do the job nicely.
22) But as long as you love me so . . .
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Saving the best for last, snuggle with your sweetie.
I hope your winter is filled with beauty, love and happiness. :-)
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, oh my!!
I promise I won't depress you with my thoughts this time around. :-D Here are some next-to-nothing ways to make some household items we typically buy.
Laundry detergent:
1/3 C Laundry Soda
1/3 C grated Fels Naptha soap (grate it yourself)
1/3 C borax
1 old pan
1 5-gallon bucket
Put some water into the pan and add the ingredients. Heat the water, stirring occasionally, till the ingredients melt and dissolve. While you're doing that, add water to the 5-gallon bucket, but don't fill it all the way up. Allow the stove top mixture to cool, stirring occasionally. (You really do need to stir it here because if you don't, the ingredients all rise to the top, forming a crust. They need to be mixed into the liquid.) Add the warm water to what's already in the 5-gallon bucket and stir. Let it sit overnight before using. It'll end up being kind of globby.
I use an old laundry detergent bottle to put a small amount of it into, as this makes it a lot easier to use on a day-to-day basis, and then I keep the bulk of it in the bucket. Those bottles are constructed to allow liquid to pour into them easily. My family and I have all been using this for about 2.5 years now. Our clothes are still fine and we have yet to run out of the first set of ingredients we purchased, which cost us about $10.00 total at the time.
Shampoo:
1 T Baking soda
1 C water
Stir till the water's clear and use immediately.
Conditioner:
1-2 T Apple cider vinegar
1 C Water
Stir and use. (Yes, you will smell like a pickle!)
Laundry detergent:
1/3 C Laundry Soda
1/3 C grated Fels Naptha soap (grate it yourself)
1/3 C borax
1 old pan
1 5-gallon bucket
Put some water into the pan and add the ingredients. Heat the water, stirring occasionally, till the ingredients melt and dissolve. While you're doing that, add water to the 5-gallon bucket, but don't fill it all the way up. Allow the stove top mixture to cool, stirring occasionally. (You really do need to stir it here because if you don't, the ingredients all rise to the top, forming a crust. They need to be mixed into the liquid.) Add the warm water to what's already in the 5-gallon bucket and stir. Let it sit overnight before using. It'll end up being kind of globby.
I use an old laundry detergent bottle to put a small amount of it into, as this makes it a lot easier to use on a day-to-day basis, and then I keep the bulk of it in the bucket. Those bottles are constructed to allow liquid to pour into them easily. My family and I have all been using this for about 2.5 years now. Our clothes are still fine and we have yet to run out of the first set of ingredients we purchased, which cost us about $10.00 total at the time.
Shampoo:
1 T Baking soda
1 C water
Stir till the water's clear and use immediately.
Conditioner:
1-2 T Apple cider vinegar
1 C Water
Stir and use. (Yes, you will smell like a pickle!)
The Prodigal Blogger Returns!
I'm back! For the past year I've been working. You know, a 'real' job, in the field of my choice. I've gone from being the sympathetic unemployed counselor to being a greatly loathed supervisor. (How'd *that* happen?!) But as we all know, it's a job . . . a paycheck . . . I've been in worse places. I have two more cats and I no longer play Farkle. Instead of looking for ways to live on the dirt-cheap, I look for ways to conserve my time.
There has been an impetus for my return. I recently learned that some of my former co-workers are being laid off. I know them to be intelligent, dedicated, compassionate people who considered their jobs to be their life-missions. I'm sad, not only for the workers but also for the children they helped.
It's a sign of the times. We've gone from the Cold War of the 80's to a state of political and economic resignation of the new millennium. If we so detest communism, why are we giving China our jobs? Why are we buying products from China and investing in firms that support Her? The US economy could come back, but it won't because the politicians and corporations refuse to hear our message. They want us to view it as a new form of colonization - a kinder, gentler, corporate maneuver that's win-win. They even have several economists on their side, because based on the old system, if the corporations win, we all get a piece of the pie.
It *is* win-win . . . the corporations win, and China wins.
But they aren't the only players, and the losses aren't being discussed in their rhetoric. That piece of the pie that corporations used to share with the rest of us is now being shared with China and a few other developing nations. This is a new system. It hasn't been adequately studied, and it's not the economic system studied by the old-school economists. There are additional variables.
The previous trade system was give-or-take, self-contained. In a nutshell, we all bought from the same group of people we sold to. China is playing a different game. Their country rules all entities, corporations included. A Chinese corporation is like a Chinese citizen in that it also follows certain rules and regulations. For this reason, China has kept their currency artificially low. By doing so, they've managed to undercut other aspects of the market.
What I'm saying is that the 'free market' is no longer free.
China as a country has been pulling strings. The US Citizens suffer in that we lose our jobs. We suffer in that we get cheaply made and sometimes unsafe products. We suffer in that with the flailing job market, tax revenues are much lower and the government is left gasping for air.
Our social services are becoming underfunded.
Our military is becoming underfunded.
Our government is laying off employees . . . and before you begin to cheer over an end to 'big government,' ask yourselves where the private corporations are hiring?
Boat to China, anyone?
Any undergrad student of international relations knows that there are a few paradigms by which to examine world affairs. One, of course is to consider the political and military rapport.
Another is to view things according to all the influences and participating entities. For example, a corporation can make a move, as can the Pope, as can a terrorist organization. The US has two superior allies - the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, both of which have buffered us from attacks over the years. Any of these can affect the standings of one region over another.
The third paradigm, which my professor viewed as most accurate, was to see things in terms of history. How, over time, various countries have interactions with one another and things evolve. He viewed this and felt the US was responsible for the world's ails.
I looked at the time reference and combined it with the multi-entitied paradigm instead, and decided that a lot of people did a lot of things wrong over history.
When I apply that perspective to today's events, what I see is that the US pushed for China to colonize us.
Do I need to repeat that? WE pushed for THEM to colonize US.
If I sell you a raw product - say it's timber - and you work on it a bit and sell me back a table, your table costs more than my timber does. You've just made money. This is exactly how Europe and the US made money a few hundred years ago. We made a mad grab for coffee beans! "Give us the beans, and we'll give you money," we told the Africans and Central/South Americans. "Nevermind what you'll DO with it, now that your land is being used for coffee beans instead of the native food-crops. We're not giving you food, we're giving you money. Without good food, your children are malnourished and disease-stricken, but we'll justify that by calling you stupid and filthy. Good thing you're not asking for much money. Great cup of coffee, btw! Too bad you can't afford any."
The reason the industrialize era was such a profitable time for the US is because we were making lots of things to sell! When we take our manufacturing jobs and send them elsewhere, we lose money. Not just the job-holder. The whole region.
Someone's going to tell me that I'm a profit of doom, and they might just be right, but the problem is that I've been saying this stuff for over ten years. And I'm right, too.
There are two paths to take. 1) Do nothing. Eventually everybody in the world will be middle class, and they can all afford to buy everything that's being sold. This, of course, assumes that the market is perfectly free, and we've established that it isn't.
2) Do something. (!!!) This is my favorite. Ok, I have nothing at all against Chinese people. Those I've met have been exceptionally kind, and they deserve to be healthy and well and to live middle-class lives like the rest of us. But since it's not a free economy, I genuinely doubt this will ever occur. :-( What does the Chinese government need the money for? The people generally don't see that money. Are they planning to give out aid to places in need? More . . . weapons?
Why are we all just standing around?
There has been an impetus for my return. I recently learned that some of my former co-workers are being laid off. I know them to be intelligent, dedicated, compassionate people who considered their jobs to be their life-missions. I'm sad, not only for the workers but also for the children they helped.
It's a sign of the times. We've gone from the Cold War of the 80's to a state of political and economic resignation of the new millennium. If we so detest communism, why are we giving China our jobs? Why are we buying products from China and investing in firms that support Her? The US economy could come back, but it won't because the politicians and corporations refuse to hear our message. They want us to view it as a new form of colonization - a kinder, gentler, corporate maneuver that's win-win. They even have several economists on their side, because based on the old system, if the corporations win, we all get a piece of the pie.
It *is* win-win . . . the corporations win, and China wins.
But they aren't the only players, and the losses aren't being discussed in their rhetoric. That piece of the pie that corporations used to share with the rest of us is now being shared with China and a few other developing nations. This is a new system. It hasn't been adequately studied, and it's not the economic system studied by the old-school economists. There are additional variables.
The previous trade system was give-or-take, self-contained. In a nutshell, we all bought from the same group of people we sold to. China is playing a different game. Their country rules all entities, corporations included. A Chinese corporation is like a Chinese citizen in that it also follows certain rules and regulations. For this reason, China has kept their currency artificially low. By doing so, they've managed to undercut other aspects of the market.
What I'm saying is that the 'free market' is no longer free.
China as a country has been pulling strings. The US Citizens suffer in that we lose our jobs. We suffer in that we get cheaply made and sometimes unsafe products. We suffer in that with the flailing job market, tax revenues are much lower and the government is left gasping for air.
Our social services are becoming underfunded.
Our military is becoming underfunded.
Our government is laying off employees . . . and before you begin to cheer over an end to 'big government,' ask yourselves where the private corporations are hiring?
Boat to China, anyone?
Any undergrad student of international relations knows that there are a few paradigms by which to examine world affairs. One, of course is to consider the political and military rapport.
Another is to view things according to all the influences and participating entities. For example, a corporation can make a move, as can the Pope, as can a terrorist organization. The US has two superior allies - the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, both of which have buffered us from attacks over the years. Any of these can affect the standings of one region over another.
The third paradigm, which my professor viewed as most accurate, was to see things in terms of history. How, over time, various countries have interactions with one another and things evolve. He viewed this and felt the US was responsible for the world's ails.
I looked at the time reference and combined it with the multi-entitied paradigm instead, and decided that a lot of people did a lot of things wrong over history.
When I apply that perspective to today's events, what I see is that the US pushed for China to colonize us.
Do I need to repeat that? WE pushed for THEM to colonize US.
If I sell you a raw product - say it's timber - and you work on it a bit and sell me back a table, your table costs more than my timber does. You've just made money. This is exactly how Europe and the US made money a few hundred years ago. We made a mad grab for coffee beans! "Give us the beans, and we'll give you money," we told the Africans and Central/South Americans. "Nevermind what you'll DO with it, now that your land is being used for coffee beans instead of the native food-crops. We're not giving you food, we're giving you money. Without good food, your children are malnourished and disease-stricken, but we'll justify that by calling you stupid and filthy. Good thing you're not asking for much money. Great cup of coffee, btw! Too bad you can't afford any."
The reason the industrialize era was such a profitable time for the US is because we were making lots of things to sell! When we take our manufacturing jobs and send them elsewhere, we lose money. Not just the job-holder. The whole region.
Someone's going to tell me that I'm a profit of doom, and they might just be right, but the problem is that I've been saying this stuff for over ten years. And I'm right, too.
There are two paths to take. 1) Do nothing. Eventually everybody in the world will be middle class, and they can all afford to buy everything that's being sold. This, of course, assumes that the market is perfectly free, and we've established that it isn't.
2) Do something. (!!!) This is my favorite. Ok, I have nothing at all against Chinese people. Those I've met have been exceptionally kind, and they deserve to be healthy and well and to live middle-class lives like the rest of us. But since it's not a free economy, I genuinely doubt this will ever occur. :-( What does the Chinese government need the money for? The people generally don't see that money. Are they planning to give out aid to places in need? More . . . weapons?
Why are we all just standing around?
Monday, November 29, 2010
What to do with the house?
Over the last few years, a lot of people have lost their homes. I mean, a LOT. Additionally, economists are concerned that the housing market could take a second dip. As in, more people losing their homes. If you're seriously down on your luck and expect to lose everything but your name, try to keep your car. Nothing flashy - just reliable wheels. Public transportation in the US is terrible, and if push came to shove, an adult could live out of your car. It wouldn't be comfortable . . . and your kids would need to live elsewhere . . . but you'd find ways to survive. On the flipside, you can't drive with your house. See where I'm coming from? BUT - you may not need to lose either one. A lot of us are under-informed as to the work-out plans a mortgage company has for its mortgagees. I worked at a mortgage company for a few years, and here's an overview of options for homeowners.
Your least expensive option would be to make the payments on time every month. If you can add a bit to pay down the principal early, even better. Now - you could try shopping around for less expensive homeowner's insurance. This would lower the escrow portion of your payment (thus lowering the payment overall). Or if you have a conventional mortgage and if you've paid down at least 20% of the loan, you could ask to have the PMI insurance eliminated. PMI isn't homeowner's insurance - it's basically insurance that the mortgagee pays to cover the investors' pooled risk in the loans they've bought into. (Ironically, the investors are often insurance companies, but that's neither here nor there.) Mortgage payments have principal, interest, taxes and insurance. If you can lower any portion of this, you've lowered your payment.
If the payment's still not affordable, selling or refinancing the place is the best way to go. If your payment's been on time for at least six months, the company is often willing to offer refinancing options, no questions asked. There's an upfront fee associated with refinancing, but if you plan to stay there for more than five years, it's generally worth it.
If the payments fell behind but could be brought current, talk with the mortgage company. They're used to hearing from people who'd lost a job, found another one, and now can make their payments. So they often have repayment plans. These plans wouldn't stop late fees or credit reporting, but they're still better than foreclosure or bankruptcy. Focus on bringing the payments current FIRST. The company will want to get the late charges in there, too. What you want is to avoid being charged for this. Outstanding late charges on a mortgage don't incur more late charges and they don't get reported to your credit record so long as you eventually pay them. This is different from a credit card, where any late charges are added to your balance. Remember the four parts of your mortgage payment? Late fees aren't part of it. I'm not suggesting to never pay these fees, but don't make them a part of a repayment plan. Pay them after the loan is current.
Check for assistance with your favorite organizations. Some churches are great about helping members of their congregation who need assistance. There might also be aid available for food, utilities and medical expenses. While this doesn't help your mortgage payment directly, it helps your budget, which in turn can be reworked to help your home. You don't have a budget? Start tracking your expenses - ALL of them - now. Because if you need to use any of these other options I'm about to discuss, the mortgage company is going to need an updated copy of your budget.
Sometimes there are workout options (for a loan in arrears) that will kinda revamp the entire mortgage. It's still not as cheap as keeping the payment current. This would be a deal where the late payments are put into the future payments, making the payment amount go up a bit. Yes, your credit is affected. However this is still better than foreclosure.
Another version of a workout option is a short sale. This is where the house is sold for less than than the current principal balance of the mortgage. However, it leaves a blight on your credit record that's really close to what a foreclosure would look like.
If someone is stuck between foreclosure and bankruptcy, the bankruptcy is often better than a foreclosure. (Surprised? I was too.) Both will leave a bold black mark on your credit for the next seven years. However, someone who files a chapter seven/thirteen combo ends up with their debt ratio in a very good place. Since they can't file again for the next seven years, creditors consider them a pretty safe risk. Now, the bankruptcy laws are changing, or being better enforced. At one point, it was rare for the courts to actually verify the accuracy of a claimant's alleged financial portfolio. At this point, they do. Just make sure you're being honest in your filings.
Between a bankruptcy and a foreclosure, there are also differences in how expensive it is to change your mind and keep the house. With a bankruptcy, all collection efforts stop. The payments continue to come due on their regular cycle, and they'll need to be made current at some point. This often ends up being a case where the person misses seven payments and then on the eighth month, makes all eight payments at once so they can keep the house.
A foreclosure is more expensive to bring the home current. If someone is due for, say, four payments and their home is in foreclosure, they'll have to pay those four payments, plus the late fees, plus the mortgage company's legal fees. The late fees are usually doable, but the legal fees get to be enormous. These are high paid corporate attorneys we're talking about.
If you and your spouse were to part ways, make sure that the home is either deeded over to you or that it's sold. See, a lot of couples will divide assets and in that process, one person (A) gets the house and the other (B) gets other things to balance the value of the house. A quit-claim is filed to absolve B's claim to the property, and they both go their merry ways. It looks good . . . for awhile. What they haven't been told is that even though B isn't on the deed, s/he is still on the mortgage. So if A defaults on the payments, this still damages B's credit record. Collectors will still call them both over late payments, and they have the right to do that. They are both still accountable for the loan, even though B has been taken off the deed. Now, if A decides to refinance, this will get B's name off the loan. However, it's rare that the couple is this amiable by the time the attorneys get done with them.
Actually, if you and your spouse were to decide to part, the divorce could be mediated for less time and money, and it wouldn't be as horrible - for yourselves as well as the children - as dragging each other through court. But that's a different issue altogether.
Hopefully, you'll never need any of this information, but it's better to have information you don't need than it is to need the info and not have it.
Your least expensive option would be to make the payments on time every month. If you can add a bit to pay down the principal early, even better. Now - you could try shopping around for less expensive homeowner's insurance. This would lower the escrow portion of your payment (thus lowering the payment overall). Or if you have a conventional mortgage and if you've paid down at least 20% of the loan, you could ask to have the PMI insurance eliminated. PMI isn't homeowner's insurance - it's basically insurance that the mortgagee pays to cover the investors' pooled risk in the loans they've bought into. (Ironically, the investors are often insurance companies, but that's neither here nor there.) Mortgage payments have principal, interest, taxes and insurance. If you can lower any portion of this, you've lowered your payment.
If the payment's still not affordable, selling or refinancing the place is the best way to go. If your payment's been on time for at least six months, the company is often willing to offer refinancing options, no questions asked. There's an upfront fee associated with refinancing, but if you plan to stay there for more than five years, it's generally worth it.
If the payments fell behind but could be brought current, talk with the mortgage company. They're used to hearing from people who'd lost a job, found another one, and now can make their payments. So they often have repayment plans. These plans wouldn't stop late fees or credit reporting, but they're still better than foreclosure or bankruptcy. Focus on bringing the payments current FIRST. The company will want to get the late charges in there, too. What you want is to avoid being charged for this. Outstanding late charges on a mortgage don't incur more late charges and they don't get reported to your credit record so long as you eventually pay them. This is different from a credit card, where any late charges are added to your balance. Remember the four parts of your mortgage payment? Late fees aren't part of it. I'm not suggesting to never pay these fees, but don't make them a part of a repayment plan. Pay them after the loan is current.
Check for assistance with your favorite organizations. Some churches are great about helping members of their congregation who need assistance. There might also be aid available for food, utilities and medical expenses. While this doesn't help your mortgage payment directly, it helps your budget, which in turn can be reworked to help your home. You don't have a budget? Start tracking your expenses - ALL of them - now. Because if you need to use any of these other options I'm about to discuss, the mortgage company is going to need an updated copy of your budget.
Sometimes there are workout options (for a loan in arrears) that will kinda revamp the entire mortgage. It's still not as cheap as keeping the payment current. This would be a deal where the late payments are put into the future payments, making the payment amount go up a bit. Yes, your credit is affected. However this is still better than foreclosure.
Another version of a workout option is a short sale. This is where the house is sold for less than than the current principal balance of the mortgage. However, it leaves a blight on your credit record that's really close to what a foreclosure would look like.
If someone is stuck between foreclosure and bankruptcy, the bankruptcy is often better than a foreclosure. (Surprised? I was too.) Both will leave a bold black mark on your credit for the next seven years. However, someone who files a chapter seven/thirteen combo ends up with their debt ratio in a very good place. Since they can't file again for the next seven years, creditors consider them a pretty safe risk. Now, the bankruptcy laws are changing, or being better enforced. At one point, it was rare for the courts to actually verify the accuracy of a claimant's alleged financial portfolio. At this point, they do. Just make sure you're being honest in your filings.
Between a bankruptcy and a foreclosure, there are also differences in how expensive it is to change your mind and keep the house. With a bankruptcy, all collection efforts stop. The payments continue to come due on their regular cycle, and they'll need to be made current at some point. This often ends up being a case where the person misses seven payments and then on the eighth month, makes all eight payments at once so they can keep the house.
A foreclosure is more expensive to bring the home current. If someone is due for, say, four payments and their home is in foreclosure, they'll have to pay those four payments, plus the late fees, plus the mortgage company's legal fees. The late fees are usually doable, but the legal fees get to be enormous. These are high paid corporate attorneys we're talking about.
If you and your spouse were to part ways, make sure that the home is either deeded over to you or that it's sold. See, a lot of couples will divide assets and in that process, one person (A) gets the house and the other (B) gets other things to balance the value of the house. A quit-claim is filed to absolve B's claim to the property, and they both go their merry ways. It looks good . . . for awhile. What they haven't been told is that even though B isn't on the deed, s/he is still on the mortgage. So if A defaults on the payments, this still damages B's credit record. Collectors will still call them both over late payments, and they have the right to do that. They are both still accountable for the loan, even though B has been taken off the deed. Now, if A decides to refinance, this will get B's name off the loan. However, it's rare that the couple is this amiable by the time the attorneys get done with them.
Actually, if you and your spouse were to decide to part, the divorce could be mediated for less time and money, and it wouldn't be as horrible - for yourselves as well as the children - as dragging each other through court. But that's a different issue altogether.
Hopefully, you'll never need any of this information, but it's better to have information you don't need than it is to need the info and not have it.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Good driving makes good cents.
My speeding ticket felt like tissue paper in my hands. I should be at work, not sitting in the glossy pew of a courtroom. "This is the emptiest I've ever seen traffic court," murmured the woman next to me. True enough. The room was at approximately twenty-five percent capacity, which meant that the great majority of my county was smarter than I.
Of course I took the supervision option. Of course I paid the fine that day. But the point is that I'd lost $97.00 because I hadn't seen a sign telling me when the speed limit changed.
Our driving habits can cost us. We're all alert to the dangers inherent to driving while intoxicated, texting, using our cell phone, or doing our nails. The cost of a ticket - or worse - an accident is enough to instill some common sense into us. So let me steer past the obvious and look at some other ways we overspend while driving.
I'm not a purist about gas mileage. I know to drive a consistent speed, and I know my car does best at 47 miles per hour. But sometimes I just need to get somewhere. Even so, small changes can make a difference. How about all those times you accelerate on your way to a stop sign? The acceleration uses unnecessary gas, followed by more wear on your brakes. Anytime you brake, you're wasting gas. Sometime, try seeing how far your car can coast. You'll be surprised. If I'm going 20 miles per hour turning into my street, I can allow my car to coast up the hill for two blocks before settling into my driveway.
In the summer, having the window open versus using the air conditioning are about six-of-one-a-half-dozen-of-another regarding gas mileage. If you're going to do either, do whichever makes you more comfortable.
Increasing your travel distance is safer and it allows you more flexibility as to when - or if - you brake. Also, when you stop behind another driver, allow enough space for you to see the pavement in front of your car. If you were to be rear-ended, you're less likely to hit the car in front of you. Sure, the insurance companies might absorb the bills, but your neck will fare better if it's only subjected to one collision instead of two.
Somebody in Detriot is going to hate me for saying this, but keeping an older car in good condition is more green-friendly than buying a new hybrid. Why? Because it taxes the environment to manufacture a new car. Disposing of old cars also creates more clutter for the earth to absorb. Additionally, it's probably better on your pocketbook to keep an older car going. So don't skimp on maintenance. Most cars can be safely driven into extremely high mileages if you're dedicated to getting the oil changed quarterly. Because I'm not mechanically inclined, I like to also get my belts and filters inspected and I get them changed when they go bad. Keeping the car longer is more important to me than keeping a filter longer.
I have two mechanics. One is a garage with several employees and a business manager. The other is a guy who makes housecalls. Guess who's cheaper if my car can't start? Yup. And he's the same guy I bring with me to advise me about used car purchases. I suspect his life may have taken him down a few dark alleys in the past, but he's never done me wrong.
A few years ago, I caved and got a GPS. It was a Christmas present from my folks, with them paying for part of it, and me paying for the rest. Not only does it tell me where I'm going, but it also tells me of places I can stop. It also lets me know if I'm exceeding the speed limit.
If you travel frequently, getting an auto club membership can also be cost-effective. It not only provides free towing, but it offers discounts at many hotels.
Driving in inclement weather isn't the same as driving on dry pavement. There are three S's to consider - starting, stopping, steering. All of these change either the speed or the trajectory of your car. Do them with slowly and evenly. Try to avoid driving closely to other cars and limit any distractions. Bring your cell phone, a large jar candle with a lighter, some blankets, a flashlight, pull-on boots, a 'call police' sign and food. Make sure your tank has plenty of gas. If you go off the road, you have a few options. If the incline isn't sharp, you might be able to get yourself back onto the road. Drive parallel to the road in an up-and-back pattern so that you're edging yourself toward the road a bit at a time but not taking the entire hill at once. But if you can't do this, you may need to call for help. Put the 'call police' sign in the back window and flip on your blinkers. If it's cold outside, pull on the boots, get under the blankets and light the candle. This should offer enough heat to prevent you from freezing to death before help arrives. I like to carry a battery flashlight as well as a crank-powered flashlight/radio. If the batteries go dead, I have a backup.
Last but not least, the best way to save money when you drive is to bike or walk.
Till next time! :)
Of course I took the supervision option. Of course I paid the fine that day. But the point is that I'd lost $97.00 because I hadn't seen a sign telling me when the speed limit changed.
Our driving habits can cost us. We're all alert to the dangers inherent to driving while intoxicated, texting, using our cell phone, or doing our nails. The cost of a ticket - or worse - an accident is enough to instill some common sense into us. So let me steer past the obvious and look at some other ways we overspend while driving.
I'm not a purist about gas mileage. I know to drive a consistent speed, and I know my car does best at 47 miles per hour. But sometimes I just need to get somewhere. Even so, small changes can make a difference. How about all those times you accelerate on your way to a stop sign? The acceleration uses unnecessary gas, followed by more wear on your brakes. Anytime you brake, you're wasting gas. Sometime, try seeing how far your car can coast. You'll be surprised. If I'm going 20 miles per hour turning into my street, I can allow my car to coast up the hill for two blocks before settling into my driveway.
In the summer, having the window open versus using the air conditioning are about six-of-one-a-half-dozen-of-another regarding gas mileage. If you're going to do either, do whichever makes you more comfortable.
Increasing your travel distance is safer and it allows you more flexibility as to when - or if - you brake. Also, when you stop behind another driver, allow enough space for you to see the pavement in front of your car. If you were to be rear-ended, you're less likely to hit the car in front of you. Sure, the insurance companies might absorb the bills, but your neck will fare better if it's only subjected to one collision instead of two.
Somebody in Detriot is going to hate me for saying this, but keeping an older car in good condition is more green-friendly than buying a new hybrid. Why? Because it taxes the environment to manufacture a new car. Disposing of old cars also creates more clutter for the earth to absorb. Additionally, it's probably better on your pocketbook to keep an older car going. So don't skimp on maintenance. Most cars can be safely driven into extremely high mileages if you're dedicated to getting the oil changed quarterly. Because I'm not mechanically inclined, I like to also get my belts and filters inspected and I get them changed when they go bad. Keeping the car longer is more important to me than keeping a filter longer.
I have two mechanics. One is a garage with several employees and a business manager. The other is a guy who makes housecalls. Guess who's cheaper if my car can't start? Yup. And he's the same guy I bring with me to advise me about used car purchases. I suspect his life may have taken him down a few dark alleys in the past, but he's never done me wrong.
A few years ago, I caved and got a GPS. It was a Christmas present from my folks, with them paying for part of it, and me paying for the rest. Not only does it tell me where I'm going, but it also tells me of places I can stop. It also lets me know if I'm exceeding the speed limit.
If you travel frequently, getting an auto club membership can also be cost-effective. It not only provides free towing, but it offers discounts at many hotels.
Driving in inclement weather isn't the same as driving on dry pavement. There are three S's to consider - starting, stopping, steering. All of these change either the speed or the trajectory of your car. Do them with slowly and evenly. Try to avoid driving closely to other cars and limit any distractions. Bring your cell phone, a large jar candle with a lighter, some blankets, a flashlight, pull-on boots, a 'call police' sign and food. Make sure your tank has plenty of gas. If you go off the road, you have a few options. If the incline isn't sharp, you might be able to get yourself back onto the road. Drive parallel to the road in an up-and-back pattern so that you're edging yourself toward the road a bit at a time but not taking the entire hill at once. But if you can't do this, you may need to call for help. Put the 'call police' sign in the back window and flip on your blinkers. If it's cold outside, pull on the boots, get under the blankets and light the candle. This should offer enough heat to prevent you from freezing to death before help arrives. I like to carry a battery flashlight as well as a crank-powered flashlight/radio. If the batteries go dead, I have a backup.
Last but not least, the best way to save money when you drive is to bike or walk.
Till next time! :)
Friday, December 25, 2009
Time for Christmas!
It's been awhile since I last posted, but I'm very excited to point out the obvious: It's Christmas! And it's time to start shopping.
Start?! I hear people saying as they read this. But I just got done!
Hey, it's ok. The beauty of starting now is that you're under no deadline to buy. The next time you run to the store to pick up toilet paper, browse the clearance aisle. You'll find plenty of end-of-season deals being sold for cents on the dollar. For now you're seeing what's out there and picking up the things you like.
But . . . my credit card's maxed out and my spouse will KILL me if I get anything more.
These are valid points. Notice that I only mentioned that it's time to start. We don't need to be finished till next Christmas. In the meantime, there are a lot of deals, steals, and homemade projects to take advantage of. My organizational plan is to keep a list of the people I buy for, and throughout the year, if I see a deal that someone would like, I get it. Then I write it on my Santa List for that person, including the price spent, and where I put it. (That last part is crucial!) Come December, I shop to fill in the gaps in my list. This way, you can take advantage of every deal you find.
If you were to divide your typical "Christmas-plus-birthdays" spending by twelve, this is the amount per month you need to save for your gift shopping. The first year you shop in advance, you'll need to employ some solid financial discipline to both purchase your gifts and to pay down your bills. However, once this system is running smoothly, you'll find that you've saved not only by paying a lower price for the gifts, but also by paying no interest on them after the fact.
You mentioned steals?!
I'd never suggest that anybody break the law, but one way to get stocking stuffers is to go to your search engine and type in 'free samples.' You'd be surprised by how much is available for free. This is especially true regarding toiletries and items for children. However, this is not an impulse buy. The shipping usually takes 4-6 weeks, and some items are out of stock. Some freebie sites advertise that they only link to products that have no shipping and handling charges. I recommend these as a good place to start, however sometimes the few dollars spent in shipping and handling is well worth the product you receive. You be the judge. Myself, I refuse to pay for trial products. That's not even about the products themselves. It's just that once the fantastic plastic is in full view, it's a lot easier to use it repeatedly.
And the craft projects?
I have a few hobbies that make nice gifts. Fabric painting and beading jewelry are high on my list. Yes, there is a start-up cost involved, and the products are rarely on sale. I suggest buying the products only after you have a project in mind, and then sticking to the shopping list for that project. But the beauty of homemade gifts is that you can tailor them to the recipient, your own talents are showcased, and if your hours have been cut at work, this gives you something to do - often even with friends who also enjoy a good craft project. Start these in advance. They can be time-consuming.
But I never know what clothing sizes to get for the kids.
And you won't. Children's clothing is best purchased or made near the time they plan to wear them, as they change size quickly and often unpredictably.
As is the case with everything, this system may not be 100% workable during the first year. If you were even able to do this for 50% of your gifts, you'll notice feeling more on the ball, less stressed out, and your finances will start to look up as well. Use this approach to the extent that it makes sense for you to use it.
In the meantime, Christmas is a celebration of love, not of presents. I hope your Christmas is filled with joy, beauty and all the people who are special to you.
Start?! I hear people saying as they read this. But I just got done!
Hey, it's ok. The beauty of starting now is that you're under no deadline to buy. The next time you run to the store to pick up toilet paper, browse the clearance aisle. You'll find plenty of end-of-season deals being sold for cents on the dollar. For now you're seeing what's out there and picking up the things you like.
But . . . my credit card's maxed out and my spouse will KILL me if I get anything more.
These are valid points. Notice that I only mentioned that it's time to start. We don't need to be finished till next Christmas. In the meantime, there are a lot of deals, steals, and homemade projects to take advantage of. My organizational plan is to keep a list of the people I buy for, and throughout the year, if I see a deal that someone would like, I get it. Then I write it on my Santa List for that person, including the price spent, and where I put it. (That last part is crucial!) Come December, I shop to fill in the gaps in my list. This way, you can take advantage of every deal you find.
If you were to divide your typical "Christmas-plus-birthdays" spending by twelve, this is the amount per month you need to save for your gift shopping. The first year you shop in advance, you'll need to employ some solid financial discipline to both purchase your gifts and to pay down your bills. However, once this system is running smoothly, you'll find that you've saved not only by paying a lower price for the gifts, but also by paying no interest on them after the fact.
You mentioned steals?!
I'd never suggest that anybody break the law, but one way to get stocking stuffers is to go to your search engine and type in 'free samples.' You'd be surprised by how much is available for free. This is especially true regarding toiletries and items for children. However, this is not an impulse buy. The shipping usually takes 4-6 weeks, and some items are out of stock. Some freebie sites advertise that they only link to products that have no shipping and handling charges. I recommend these as a good place to start, however sometimes the few dollars spent in shipping and handling is well worth the product you receive. You be the judge. Myself, I refuse to pay for trial products. That's not even about the products themselves. It's just that once the fantastic plastic is in full view, it's a lot easier to use it repeatedly.
And the craft projects?
I have a few hobbies that make nice gifts. Fabric painting and beading jewelry are high on my list. Yes, there is a start-up cost involved, and the products are rarely on sale. I suggest buying the products only after you have a project in mind, and then sticking to the shopping list for that project. But the beauty of homemade gifts is that you can tailor them to the recipient, your own talents are showcased, and if your hours have been cut at work, this gives you something to do - often even with friends who also enjoy a good craft project. Start these in advance. They can be time-consuming.
But I never know what clothing sizes to get for the kids.
And you won't. Children's clothing is best purchased or made near the time they plan to wear them, as they change size quickly and often unpredictably.
As is the case with everything, this system may not be 100% workable during the first year. If you were even able to do this for 50% of your gifts, you'll notice feeling more on the ball, less stressed out, and your finances will start to look up as well. Use this approach to the extent that it makes sense for you to use it.
In the meantime, Christmas is a celebration of love, not of presents. I hope your Christmas is filled with joy, beauty and all the people who are special to you.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Sleeping at the Wheel
Sometimes I fall asleep at the wheel. I also sometimes sleep through alarm clocks, which is a more common problem for me. So a few months ago, when I needed to leave at 2:00am to catch a flight for my aunt's wedding, I simply opted not to go to bed at all. I could always sleep on the flight, right? The first two-thirds of the drive was fine. However, when I neared the Illinois/Missouri border, fatigue claimed me before I realized what was happening. Sweetly slumbering at 70 miles an hour, I was awakened by a forceful jolt accompanied by a loud thud. My car veered the other direction across the pavement, cruise control still engaged. ***$#!+***!!! What was that?
Sitting bolt upright, I tapped the brake, got back into a lane and looked around . . . like the outstretched fingers of a ballerina, lights reached toward me, their reflections spanning the still-black surface of the pre-dawn Mississippi. I was somewhere near the center of the river, and my car had smacked into the side of the bridge.
If I could just get to the airport. If I could just make my flight. That's all I really wanted to do then, was to just get to that wedding. I would have checked for damages in the lights at the parking lot had I made it that far, but my tire went flat. What a pain. I mean, I truly couldn't believe it. Even with roadside assistance, I missed my flight. And the tire was ripped to shreds. I only hoped that the rim could be salvaged. I didn't have the money for this!
That's right. I had just crashed into the bridge over the Mississippi River while driving 70 miles per hour, and I was completely unharmed. But I was still upset about my ruined tire. Sometimes, things are a matter of perspective. And sometimes, perspectives change over time.
Losing my job felt horrifying. I'd really wanted to work there! I liked my co-workers and I liked working with my clients. Yes, it was stressful at times, but I felt a sense of purpose in helping people, and over the years several of my clients had asked me not to leave. Yeah, there were things about the place I'd hoped would someday be different, but every job has frustrations. That's why it has a paycheck.
While a paycheck is essential, so is sleep. About 10 months after I had started that job, the agency mandated the full-time clinicians to carry the night/weekend pager. If the pager went off, we got out of bed, got dressed, drove forty minutes (for me, at least) to the site of the emergency, and spent the next few hours assessing and often hospitalizing the individual in crisis. And then we went back home, as the agency refused to provide an on-site place for us to sleep. If the pager went off a second time in the same night, we repeated the process. The last few months I'd worked at this agency, the pager had gone off two or three times nearly every night I carried it.
Now, with winter approaching, I find myself thinking back to the time I made that drive at 3:00am during a blizzard. Despite having the interstate to myself, the road was a sheet of ice, with snow covering it. I left the heat off and the radio on high, hoping to stay awake. Earlier that night, I'd put boots in the car, as well as a blanket, a candle, a lighter, my cell phone, and a sheet of paper with emergency contact numbers. I sincerely hoped not to need any of these. It wasn't safe . . . but all I really wanted to do then was to just be good at my job. (After this point, the agency made suggestions for how to respond to pager calls during inclement weather.)
Thankfully, I have more than one talent. Thankfully, I have amazing friends and family who have been very supportive and very willing to help however they can. And thankfully, I now have a part-time job, a home-based business, and I've been interviewing for two jobs that both sound interesting. But even now, several months into a difficult job search, mandates that compromise my safety continue to be a deal-breaker. When I compare my life today with the struggles I know my former co-workers continue to face, I don't envy them. Sometimes, a job loss isn't as bad as it initially seems.
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