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Green Real Estate Market Trends
Greening your home is no new trend, but what’s in—and what can help you with saving money—is always changing in the real estate market. From major installations like solar panels to smaller projects like adding spray foam insulation, green home improvements can save you money and make you feel healthier and happier about your carbon [...]
County/State Entitlement When Applying for Healthcare Assistance
When you apply for county or state healthcare assistance, the county or state can lay claim to a percentage of your estate proceeds. Q: Fifteen years ago, my parents put my two siblings and myself on the title/deed to their house with the stipulation that they could continue to live in the house for as [...]
Using Your Home Renovation to Maximize Tax Benefits
Recently, I saw my friend’s bills for installing solar power systems into her home. It cost her about $20,000. Wow! That’s a big chunk of change. I had to wonder if this was really a cost-effective solution. First of all, her cost was reduced by tax credits from both the IRS and the state of [...]
Start Your Own Veggie and Herb Garden
DIY at the Dinner Table: Saving Money with a Veggie and Herb Garden It only takes a quick walk through your grocery store’s produce section to see why so many families (and even many schools) are growing their own veggies and herbs: $3 for a small head of lettuce, $2 for a handful of parsley, [...]
Make the Most of Your Home Improvement Projects
Whether you’re sick of your laminate countertops or you just want to spruce up your bathroom, you might want to consider whether your remodeling projects will yield much money when you’re ready to take the steps toward selling your home. With housing prices continuing to decline, it’s important to think about the return on investment [...]
Saving Money while Traveling with your Family
At first glance, the terms “travel” and “frugal” might not seem like they belong in the same sentence. If you’re tight with money, how could you possibly justify travel? You should be saving money! In our family, and in many other families, it’s all about setting priorities. My husband and I feel that travel is [...]
Moving and Changing Your Tax Withholding
This article was written by guest blogger Eva Rosenberg. A couple of months ago, someone wrote to TaxMama®, utterly shocked when he got his W-2. Early in the year, his company had relocated him from his home state to a different state. Somehow, the payroll department never changed his state withholding to his new location. [...]
Universal Design: Good Design That Makes Homes More Livable
When buying a home, building a new home, or remodeling an existing home, keep in mind design concepts that make your home welcoming for everyone, regardless of age or ability. You may find that such inclusive concepts, dubbed “universal design,” make sense both socially and for your budget. Universal design holds that new environments and [...]
Insurance Policy Tip: Safe Driving for the Winter
In the winter, freezing temperatures and roads coated with salt can wreak havoc on your car, nevermind icy windshields, dead batteries, and cars that won’t start. Safe driving in all weather conditions can help you avoid car accidents and claims on your auto insurance policy, and some simple car maintenance and an emergency kit can [...]
Saving Money on Auto Insurance
Looking for a hot new car? You better start thinking about saving money on your next auto insurance policy. The annual Auto Show is coming to Chicago this weekend, as it begins to make the rounds nationally, and car manufacturers will be offering deals to tempt you into buying the newest model. According to the [...]