Tag Archives: saving

A Quick Home Maintenance Guide For Homeowners

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A Quick Home Maintenance Guide For Homeowners

Homeowners need to get to grips with home maintenance if they’re going to keep their home running well and comfortable enough to live in. This quick home maintenance guide can give you a few useful tips that will help you to keep on top of things now and in the future:

Keep Your Furnace And HVAC Filters In Working Order:

If you don’t stay on top of your furnace and HVAC filters, dust and grime will accumulate and this will mean they run less efficiently, costing you more money. Allergens and pollutants can also get trapped, and you don’t want those being spread around your home. All you have to do is turn off the system and look at the filters to see if they are grimy. Check these over every year and be sure to schedule an annual maintenance check with your preferred home heating and air professionals to ensure that everything is in working order.

Recaulk Your Windows:

Heat loss in the winter happens due to cracks in the windows 80% of the time. Sealing the space around them will help you to solve this issue quickly, so you can keep your home warm and save money. Make sure that you choose the right caulk by speaking to a professional so that you can get it right the first time. If you book in a professional home inspection, they’ll look for this and give you tips on maintaining your home to help protect your investment.

Check Wooden Decks For Moisture:

Wooden decks must be sealed and stained to stop rot and permanent water damage. A splash test will give you a good idea if the sealant is still doing its job. You’ll see droplets on the deck if it’s working. If not, then you need to take the time to reseal your deck, doing this every 2-3 years in total.

Clean Out The Gutters:

Guttering is one place that often goes unattended due to it typically being out of reach and sight. However, cleaning out gutters is essential, especially if they’re not closed off. From the weather and elements, a lot of debris can become clogged up in the guttering and with rainfall, it can seep into the walls and internal structure of the home. Get up on a ladder to remove it yourself safely or seek guttering services to get it done professionally.

Check For Water In The Crawl Space:

You want to avoid mold and water damage to your house as much as possible, so just grab a flashlight and take a look. Have a look for changes in color, the corners, and the edges. You can also use your fingers to see if you feel any dampness. You need to make sure this is fixed by a waterproofing company in Arrington, TN or your local area before rainy weather comes, as you don’t want to let any more moisture in.

Touching Up Your Exterior Paint:

Your paint greatly contributes to your curb appeal, and staining will help to protect your home from rusting and rotting. Take your time and look for chipping, peeling, blistering, or cracking on every part, every summer. You may, then, need to take your time sanding, scraping, patching, priming, and re-painting small areas.

Maintain Your Fireplace:

If your fire isn’t running the way it should, it could go as far as killing you with toxic gases. At the very least, it’ll take up a lot of energy. It’s always better to build a relationship with a professional that you trust to help you with this. If you have a wood burning fireplace, then it’s especially important to stay on top of maintenance. Creosote is a by-product of burning wood and this can build up in your chimney and create a fire hazard.

Keeping up with simple maintenance will keep your home running smoothly and will save you money in the long run.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Stop Replacing Clothes So Often With These Longevity Hacks

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Stop Replacing Clothes So Often With These Longevity Hacks

Do you wish that your clothes would last you for longer than they do? If they did, you wouldn’t have to replace them quite so often, which would help you save a whole load of cash. So, imagine if there were ways that you could prevent all of the wear and tear that your items of clothing have to go through.

Well, there are a few ways you can do just that! And don’t worry, you don’t have to spend a lot of money trying to increase their longevity and lifespan. In fact, these simple hacks can help you see a big difference when it comes to making your wardrobe last longer.

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Cuuuute!

Know What To Fold And What To Hang:

Did you know that storing your clothes incorrectly could shorten their life? It’s true; some clothes need to be hanged up while others should be folded away neatly. For instance, sweaters and hoodies will stretch out of shape when they are hung on hangers in a closet. They need to be folded up in drawers. Similarly, dress shirts won’t fare too well when hung up. However, jackets and coats need to be hung – you can use shirt hangers to ensure that they don’t stretch too much on the hanger. Dresses and skirts also need hanging in wardrobes, as well.

Reduce Your Laundry:

If you regularly wash clothes, they will end up losing their color and the material will also start to fray. So, no matter how tempted you are to pop an item of clothing into the wash, you should try and hold off until it really does need cleaning. Ideally, you should wear everything more than once before it goes in the washing machine. There are some things that can help you put off your washes. For example, lint rollers can remove any hairs from your sweaters and you can also buy anti-stain pens that you can dab onto your clothes to remove any small stains and spills.

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I need that outfit!

Keep A Smoke Free Home:

It’s also a good idea to try and keep your home free from smoke. This includes smoke from cigarettes and vapor pens. The odors from each type of cigarette and e-cigarette will just cause your clothes to smell, even if they are put away in your wardrobe. Cigarette smoke and odors can end up all around the house and will get into your closets and other storage units. Not only that, but the smoke from traditional cigarettes could end up permanently staining your clothes.

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Kaboom Pics Image

Watch Out For Pests:

It’s not just cigarettes that are putting your clothes at risks – any pests that are sneaking around your home could also be causing damage. For example, rats and mice like to nibble on anything they can get their paws on. If they make their way into your bedroom, you might start to find bite marks on the edges of your clothes. They might also do their business on your clothes, which could cause stains and smells. Thankfully, this company can help you take care of your pest problem. You might also want to add some mothballs to your wardrobes, closets, and drawers so that you don’t start to have a problem with moths. These little creatures are known for eating clothes whenever they get the chance!

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Love that backpack!

Work In Old Clothes:

Ideally, you should always keep some old clothes that you can carry out all of your dirty work in. It’s really not a good idea to wear your best shirt and jeans for doing your cleaning and other chores around the house, for example. You will be on your hands and knees, which could wear down your jeans, and you might also spill some harsh cleaning chemicals on yourself which could stain your clothes. So, it’s a good idea to keep some old clothes that you aren’t bothered about for these jobs. You should also invest in an apron for when you are cooking in your kitchen. Just one splash of tomato sauce could end up ruining a crisp white shirt!

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Fun shoes!

Reinforce Your Hems:

As soon as you buy a new skirt, pair of pants, or dress, you should always find the time to reinforce the hem before you wear it. It’s really easy to do, as you just need to know one simple stitch. If you have your own sewing machine, then it is even easier. Doing this will make the hems a lot less flimsy and they won’t experience quite as much wear and tear as usual. Knowing how to sew hems can also help you raise or lower them, which means you will be able to adjust your skirts and dresses to keep up with hemline fashions.

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Definitely wear your play close while exploring!

Invest In Good Quality:

One of the best things that you can do when you are shopping for clothes is to invest in good quality items. If you just buy cheap clothing, you will find that it regularly needs to be replaced. That’s because it hasn’t been made with the best materials or using the best possible techniques. As a result, it will be flimsy and a lot more likely to stretch out of shape.

Plus, you will find that the colors fade quickly. So, rather than scrimping and saving in budget stores, it really is worth investing in top-quality items. These will last you a lot longer so, even though you initially pay more, you will end up saving money as you won’t need to replace them so often. When you buy expensive clothes, you should look for timeless, statement pieces as these won’t go out of fashion quite as often as items of clothing that are bang-on trend right now.

Your clothes should always last you for at least a year. If you find that you are replacing items more often than that, you might really benefit from all of the tips in this post. Good luck with your wardrobe’s new lease of longevity!

Featured Image By: Kaboom Pics

Sephora Success

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Sephora Success

Howdy! I can’t say that I’m Sephora’s number one fan when it comes to shopping there, because I will always and forever be a drug store makeup girl. However, I have had nothing but success when it comes to purchasing prezzies for my sister for Christmas and her upcoming April birthday. When I can get wonderful products for my makeup queen sis and still score a great deal, I am a happy camper.

Sephora always seems to have some type of freebie promotion going on, depending on what you buy and I love that. One of the gift sets that I got my sister was a Clinique Dewey You collection and I got a free mini moisturizer for myself for purchasing it. I used it this past week and it was FABULOUS! And, speaking of the gift sets, what an amazing value they are! The Clinique set that I got was eighteen bucks and then I got her a Stilla bronzing kit that had FIVE full size products in it for forty dollars. You literally can’t beat that.

I’ve always been a huge fan of gifting gift sets for gift giving occasions (Say gift one more time!), and Sephora has never disappointed me or the giftee with their box sets. 1) They are a great value and 2) The giftee can try out new products that they might not have thought of before. Talk about a win/win.

And, to top the Sephora Success off, when you order online, you can pick out three samples to try at home. I picked out a perfume, a face mask, and a lip plumper sample that came in a mini tube and has a good amount of uses in it for a freebie. I also was able to pick out a free highlighter with the points that I earned from shopping for my sis and restocking my Better Than Sex mascara. I got five free things just for the shopping that I was going to do, anyways – it doesn’t get much better than that!

Who else has had some Sephora Success recently? How do you score the best deals when you shop Sephora? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Designing A Kitchen That Adds Value To Your Home

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Designing A Kitchen That Adds Value To Your Home

The best home renovation tasks will do a lot more than improve your home decor; they’ll add value to your property. As a homeowner, this should always linger in the back of your mind, as you never know when you may sell your home. One of the home improvement ideas that works very well is to build a new kitchen.

Yes, kitchen remodels are very popular for a multitude of reasons. They let you breathe new life into an old kitchen, modernize it, and improve the value of your home. And, as always, remodels are fun and let you explore your creativity. Even if you are not an HGTV level designer, you can still find plenty of inspiration through sources like BetterKitchens’ DIY Kitchens or Pinterest! Of course, there are a few things that you can do that will guarantee that your kitchen boosts property value as well as style. Here are some new ideas if you’re thinking about renovating your kitchen soon:

Induction Hobs:

Induction hobs are the future of kitchen design. Pretty much all new builds have them, and you’ve definitely seen them somewhere. Basically, instead of using the typical gas hobs with the flames, you now have a flat surface that’s powered by electricity. It’s way more modern, looks sleeker, and it’s also much easier to clean. All you need to do is use a wet wipe or something on the surface once it’s cooled down, and all of the oil spills will be gone.

So, it’s an aesthetically pleasing and practical option, but how does it add value to your home? Well, these hobs are way more energy efficient than traditional gas hobs and old electric ones. Here, all of the electricity that’s used will most likely be used on your pans. There’s hardly any energy leaks, meaning that you don’t waste electricity whenever you cook. You can learn more on thecaterer.com if you’re interested in knowing the finer details. As a result of this, your family can potentially save a lot of money and your property rises in value.

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Flickr Image

Granite Counter Tops:

Everyone has a very important choice during the design process of their new kitchen. Which material will you use for the counter tops? Many people think this decision is easy, as you simply pick whichever one looks the nicest. However, if you opt for granite counter tops, then you could be adding something extra to your kitchen. There are dozens of benefits to granite counters, and you can head to Worldstonegroup.com to learn more about them. But, we only care about one; quality.

Granite is a material that’s naturally made and is extremely old. Why do people keep using it? Because it’s got such a high level of quality to it. A granite counter top is there for years. It will not break or scratch under regular kitchen conditions, and it adds timeless beauty to your home. One fun fact is that granite counters don’t depreciate in value. So, if you’re looking for smart kitchen ideas that help boost the value of your home, then this is one of them.

Space Saving Designs:

Let’s face it, we all want to have a big kitchen. However, not everyone has enough physical space for such a thing. What can you do about this? Well, when remodeling your kitchen, you can think about space-saving designs that help make your kitchen look and feel bigger. Specialists for kitchen cabinets in Denver or in your area can help you come up with clever planning and solutions to maximize space and storage even in a smaller kitchen.

Ideas can include things like having tall cupboards from floor to ceiling, instead of classic kitchen cabinets. Another idea that was seen on a forbes.com list is to design your kitchen with wall-mounted storage. This means hanging pots and pans on the wall, getting magnetic strips to put knives and things on, and so on. Doing this helps declutter your kitchen and saves a lot of space. The benefit of all of this is that bigger kitchens boost the value of your property if you were to list it on the market.

It can be difficult to imagine a kitchen with more space if yours is lacking it, which can make the design process feel daunting. Utilizing a company that specializes in 3d kitchen rendering services can really help with this. You will be able to design, plan, and visualize the changes before they even happen so your kitchen turns out exactly how you want it to.

Underfloor Heating:

Radiators, wall heaters – call them what you want, they’re a big pain in the backside. We need them to help heat the home, but they’re often terribly ugly. This isn’t a massive issue, as you can always buy some very nice, modern looking ones to replace ugly ones elsewhere in your home. But, when it comes to the kitchen, a radiator just takes up too much space. Not only that, but it’s not very effective and can be an issue. For example, if your radiator is close to the fridge, then it could disrupt the internal temperature. You’re much better off getting underfloor heating installed when you design your new kitchen.

It’s a modern idea, and underfloor heating is proven to be way more efficient and effective than traditional radiators. There’s a more even spread of heat throughout the kitchen, and your feet don’t feel cold on the tiles, either! If you’ve been paying attention to the rest of this article, then you can probably already tell why this will add value to your home. Having Underfloor Heating Kits installed saves energy as it’s more efficient, which is always a massive plus in the property value books. But, it also saves space in your kitchen, which we just mentioned was a great idea.

If you want to improve your home decor, then think about remodeling your kitchen. When you do this, it’s important to consider design ideas that benefit you in more than one way to ultimately increase the value of your home.

Featured Image By: kaboompics

Spending Money To Save Money

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Spending Money To Save Money

Money is by far the most challenging area for modern people to handle in their life. With jobs paying less than they have for a long time, the world’s finances in tatters, and temptations around every corner, it can often feel impossible to save a little for when times are tougher. This leaves a lot of people feeling worried about their position. Of course, it doesn’t have to be this way, and a lot of people have the tools that they need to start saving right in front of them; they just need to spend a little first.

With the world in such bad shape with money, it can often feel like you have to work to save wherever you can. While this can be a good mentality to hold, it can also cause some damage, forcing people to avoid spending anything at all. In cases where quality, time, and value are all factors, this doesn’t always work out. Instead of saving a buck, you will have to go back and pay again, resulting in spending over double what you initially budgeted. This sort of issue only applies to certain things. In most cases, any professional service should be handled like this, and you can find some examples below to help you to do it correctly:

Accounting/Investing:

Given that money is so important, it doesn’t makes sense for you to manage every aspect of it yourself. When it comes to something like taxes, you will need to work hard to make payments correctly, and this can be a challenge without the right skills. Making a mistake here will often result in fines which are far larger than the costs of some support.

Investing is another great example of “spending money to make money”, but it can be hard to know where to start. For something like investing, reputation is everything so you need to find someone you trust for help. Resources like AAIG or even local investing clubs can help give you the tools you need to make smart investment decisions.

Moving Home:

When you decide to move to a new place, there are a couple of people ready to help you; estate agents and moving companies. The first will be able to find your new place for you, dealing with the complex and monotonous paperwork which comes with it. The second will be there to help you to pack, transport, and move all of your items into your new home without (hopefully!) breaking anything.

Construction:

There are loads of parts of the home which you need to be qualified to work on. Electrical, plumbing, and gas can all be very dangerous, and the work that you do on these areas will often be refused approval on the grounds that you don’t have the right credentials. This can result in having to pay for the same fees more than once, resulting in big bills which will be hard to pay.

Hopefully, there will be very few times in your life when you need help like this. For the regular jobs, you will often be able to find people willing to work on a subscription-like basis, saving loads of time when it comes to booking them. In some cases, you might need something bigger, though. In either situation, spending a little extra can save you a whole lot, especially when you’re dealing with high-value items.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

New Love Notes Cropped Button Down

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New Love Notes Cropped Button Down

Heyyyyyyy. One style of top that I have grown increasingly fond of as of late is the button down. I LOVE them and have began to accumulate quite the collection. And, my love grows even more specific, because I always seem to be drawn to blue, vertical striped button downs – like this cropped cutie by Love Notes seen below:

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  • TJMaxx Price: $13

I really freaking like this shirt and, yes, it does look fabulous underneath the sleeveless hoodie that I wrote about yesterday! This top reminds me a lot of clothing from Zara and getting it for a fraction of what it would have costed there makes it an even sweeter buy. My new Love Notes lovely shows what looks like geese in different stages of flight and it’s just a cool pattern to have over the blue stripes.

Not only is the pattern of this top unique, but so is the style of it because it’s cropped. I am so looking forward to pairing this with black shorts this summer and maybe even during the spring with tights underneath for a quirky fun look. Everything about this top is a score for me and you definitely can’t beat a thirteen dollar price tag!

What is your favorite style of top? Who else is an avid fan of the button down? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Makeup Free Days

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Makeup Free Days

Howdy! Back in the day, I used to complete my makeup routine almost daily – even if I was staying home for the day. As the years progressed, I realized just how silly this was and began slowly easing into Makeup Free Days. This originally started out as a Sunday occasion, but now, I spend at least half of my week with no makeup on. It’s crazy!

I wouldn’t say that I have this sky high confidence that makes me feel okay with no makeup on. It’s honestly more of a lazy girl thing. I apply my makeup and do my hair when I’m working in the community. But, if I am working from home or just running random errands during the day, I really don’t see the point of painting my face. Once I realized that going out in public with no makeup on wasn’t the end of the world, it became easier and easier to leave the house bare faced.

Of course, makeup free days save me time, but my skin and wallet are also definitely thanking me. I’ve noticed that my skin has looked increasingly healthier as I make my way through the year, because the products that I use after washing my face really gets a chance to sink in and work as opposed to being suffocated by the makeup on top. And, days without makeup equals using less of it, which equals buying less products, which equals more money in my pocket!

It’s a little surprising to me how within a handful of years, I went from caring so much about what complete strangers might think if I left the home in anything but full makeup perfection to running about town fresh faced for three or four days of the week. I guess that’s part of growing up. Getting older sucks. But, feeling okay makeup free is something that I’m definitely okay with!

Has anyone else had a makeup free epiphany similar to mine? How often do you apply makeup during the week? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

BYOB(urrito)

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BYOB(urrito)

Hey hey everyone and happy Hump Day! Did you know that if you download the app for Moe’s that you get a FREE CUP OF QUESO and a FREE BIRTHDAY BURRITO?!?! Yeah, that’s right. Moe’s, Taco Bell, and Chipotle are all my jam, but the rewards for Moe’s through their app are pretty cool.

AND GUESS WHAT?!

If you use yours truly AKA me, Sarah Mushenheim, as a reference when downloading the app, I get extra points. These points will help me, a constantly hungry girl, get free food. Consider referencing me like a gift to your favorite redheaded blogger. And once you download the app, your friends can reference you, so you can get closer to free food too! Talk about a win/win. 😀 #thanksinadvance #WELCOMETOMOES

Which food places/stores offer the best apps? Which places offer birthday freebies? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

A Myriad Of Money Management Mistakes

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A Myriad Of Money Management Mistakes

It is a fact of life that some people simply don’t manage their money particularly well. If you feel like you are one of these people, there are several things that you can do to change things. First and foremost, you need to work out the mistakes that you are making in the first place. In this article, we are going to take you through just a few of the most common ones so that you can avoid repeating them:

Lifestyle Inflation:

If you get a pay rise, you shouldn’t automatically ‘improve’ your lifestyle by that same percentage. Instead, you can use this extra cash to clear some of your debts, channel money into your savings, or make some sound financial investments. Just because you have the cash doesn’t mean you have to spend it!

Paying Bills Late:

Getting into a habit of paying your bills on time is a positive step that you can make. You can even automate this to happen directly from your bank account so it can be one less financial worry to have every month. The last thing that you want is to incur any additional fees or payments than you already have.

Paying Bank Fees:

Bank fees can come in multiple forms, but most of them are totally avoidable. For example, you should never use an ATM when you are charged an operational fee. Avoid paying late fees on your credit cards by clearing the balance in full every month. Compare bank accounts online to make sure that you are not paying more fees than you need to.

Not Educating Yourself Financially:

With all of the free tools and articles about money out there these days, you have no excuses for not educating yourself financially. You should know all of the different options available to you about where you can best invest your money, as well as information regarding where you can get quick support such as bad credit personal loans with guaranteed approval. Read as widely as you can and you can avoid many common money management mistakes.

Lack Of An Emergency Fund:

Though it may be frustrating to channel some of your paycheck off into an emergency fund every month, you will be very thankful for it once you need it. There are all sorts of life situations out there which could require a great deal of cash such as job loss, medical expenses, car repair, and essential home maintenance. Whenever you make a withdrawal from your emergency funds, make sure that you replace what you have spent as you never know when the next situation may arise.

Not Having a Budget

If you haven’t got any sort of household budget, you have no idea what is coming in and going out of your bank account every month. There are plenty of budgeting apps out there which allow you to clearly track all of your expenses. Otherwise, you can track everything manually along the way.

Now you know some of the most common money management mistakes so that you can avoid making them yourself. Budget wisely and watch your bank account increase over time.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Mini Haul

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Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Mini Haul

Bonjour! Back in the day, I can’t say that I was a huge Bath & Body Works fan, but as the years go on, I find myself eating my words. I stopped into a B&BW the other day, because I noticed that their semi annual sale was on, which is when they bring back their old school favorites – which happen to be some of my favorites! It was actually pretty fun to go into the store and rummage through the huge bins of product that were all marked fifty to seventy-five percent off. And it was even more fun to score three fragrance mists for the price of one. Take a look:

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It should be no surprise that there’s two Champagne Apple & Honey sprays in my mini haul since all apple everything is my favorite. I really like this scent, because it still has the tart bite of a crisp apple but there is definitely some dry, fizzy sweetness added to it thanks to the champagne and a dollop of honey. Can we pop some bubbly now, or?

And, after all of these years, WHO NEVER TOLD ME THAT PEARBERRY SMELLS AMAZING?!?! I lucked out and snagged the last body spray of it and I am so happy, because I freaking love it. It seriously smells like biting into a fresh, juicy pear and all the while there is a huge bowl of strawberries and blackberries to snack on, too. I am always more partial to the fruity fragrances and Pearberry is the perfect summery scent to brighten up a snowy winter day.

I am super happy that I stopped into Bath & Body Works to shop their semi annual sale and I am looking forward to their SA sale in the summer time to hopefully stock up on more Pearberry spray! What is your favorite old school B&BW scent? Who else shopped the SA sale? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah