Budget

 

The best kitchen upgrade need not be an expensive or complicated affair. If you would like nothing more than to give your kitchen a bright new look, you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds just to make it happen. A few integral changes can do the trick, and if you do it right, you will have a brand-new sparkling kitchen look and feel in no time. So, what can you do to make your kitchen a better place in the home for everyone? More functional, more charming, and trendier and more modern, besides? Here are some brilliant tips for upgrading and updating your kitchen.

• Black and navy are in

Black is a colour which has long been associated with sophistication, and rightly so. Black isn’t just on-trend for bathrooms, however – it is also a great colour choice for a sleek, modern kitchen. Darker colour palettes are a big trend for the home this year, with more homeowners looking for darker and more striking interiors, even in the kitchen. If you want some great contrast in your black-themed kitchen, you can pair it with coffee brown, various grey shades, and beige.

Navy is another colour which is a big hit nowadays, and it is quite versatile as a colour since it matches well with other colours, especially neutral ones.

• Bespoke and customised storage solutions

Bespoke and customised storage solutions are also in, and a lot of kitchen upgrades are now made with high cupboards which reach up to the ceiling as well as tall cabinet units and overhead cabinetry. These not only offer excellent storage for a wide range of kitchen items, but they also add height to the kitchen, whether you have a small or large one.

• Open shelves and reed glass cabinetry

Open shelves are also a big thing this year and combined with reed glass cabinetry make for a great look to any kitchen. You can accentuate your kitchen’s overall look by displaying quirky and unique objects on the open shelves, or you can make the shelves entirely functional with cookbooks, crockery, and ingredients. Reed glass is also a great choice if you want to add texture to your kitchen, and it goes well with natural materials. And since the glass comes as a semi-opaque glass, you can still place various contents without letting all your visitors know what you have in your cupboards.

• Single slab splashbacks

It’s true that splashbacks are inherently practical, serving to protect your kitchen’s walls. But they are now becoming more decorative as well, and some designers are even using them as unique focal points or centrepieces for any kitchen. Splashbacks as a single slab are similar in concept to a feature wall or a single wallpapered section of your bedroom or living room, and these are not only practical and useful but also elegant and chic. For an even more beautiful splashback, go for one with a unique pattern or colour, such as the splashbacks made of granite, marble, or quartz from www.jrstone.co. With a single slab splashback, you can make your kitchen easier to clean as you no longer have to deal with grouting, which comes with tiles.

• Beautiful taps

Taps are, of course, a necessity for any kitchen sink or basin, but they are getting a lot more attention today as well. Lots of homeowners are going for beautiful taps, which can also serve as a feature in their kitchen. There is now a broad variety of materials, styles, and finishes when it comes to taps, and you can even take it up a notch by choosing taps with features such as instant boiling water, sparkling water or filtered water, and pot or sink fillers.

To read more on topics like this, check out the budget category

Over one in ten Brits admit to being terrible with money. Even with the best of intentions, it can be easy for unexpected spends to put a strain on our finances — but there are ways to better plan ahead.

Budgeting is one of the core foundations of sensible money management, but are you being as thorough as you could be with yours?

Here are five areas it’s easy to forget about that could come back to blow your budget apart.

Enjoying yourself

You may not want to plan everything you’re doing month to month, especially if you like to be spontaneous. Whether it’s eating out, last-minute holidays or snapping up concert tickets however, you’ll still need to budget if you want to do it all.

It’s important to socialise and do things we enjoy — as long as our budget allows it. Put aside a little extra aside for entertainment each month and continue living the life you want to lead.

Birthdays

While Christmas is an obvious event to budget for, birthdays can get a little trickier. Even for the super-organised among us, having none for three months then four in a fortnight can wreak havoc with our budget.

Sit down and work out how many birthdays you’ll be buying for over a year and think about roughly how much you’ll want to spend on each gift. Planning ahead for your friends and family’s birthdays won’t leave you missing out on the celebrations when they eventually do come around.

Quarterly or annual bills

Dealing with essential payments that don’t come out at regular intervals can put your budget into disarray. That category includes things like quarterly council tax bills, or your yearly car insurance renewal.

You’ll want to make sure you can pay your bills on time in order to protect your credit score. Try to work out how much these payments would come to if they were monthly and split the cost accordingly.

Clothing

We’ve all got our old favourites — but they won’t last forever. Whether you like to shop ‘til you drop, or you’d rather avoid it at all costs, you’ll need to replace your clothes from time to time – and a new winter coat for example won’t come cheap.

Assess what’s on its way out and budget for replacements. If you need certain items of clothing for work or sport, don’t forget to tag these on too.

Emergencies

It’s difficult to predict what might or might not happen, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t budget for it. Whether it’s a few hundred pounds for a replacement mobile phone or several thousand for last-minute vet bills, emergencies can get costly quickly.

Adding a little into an emergency fund each month will make it easier to cope should the unexpected happen — and if it doesn’t, you’ve got yourself bonus savings.

Are you adjusting your budget as we speak? Fitting in these five factors should help you stick to it month after month.

To read more on topics like this, check out the budget category

Finding the right renovation contractors Coquitlam may be a tough thing to do, but if you play your cards right, you’ll be able to get the best service as well as get a renovation for your home that can make all the difference, and make your old home look like a brand new one. There are numerous mistakes that people make however, and in this guide we’ll give you 5 of them that people make so you don’t make them!

1. Not Double Checking References
   Some people don’t double check the references, and this a huge no-no. As a matter of fact, this is a good way to get hurt before getting your ducks in a row. You want to make sure that you check every reference, and be sure to get the last contract or two the remodeling contractor had as well. Any good contractor will give this to you even if it wasn’t one of his best. Be sure to ask every contact if the job was completed, how the experience was, whether the contractor did anything wrong, and whether they were easy to reach. Do your own customer service survey basically, and get the answers from all of them.
2. Ask Specific Questions
   Your contractor needs to be able to answer specific questions, like how long they’ve been in business, whether they’ve ever been charged with anything, if they specialize in commercial or residential remodeling projects, or both.
3. Not Checking Licensing Info
   Any good contractor for a remodeling project has a verified license with the state or area they serve, and they should have insurance. Make sure you see proof of their insurance and check with your local government for a specific contract number.
4. Not Writing a Contract
   Every contractor should have some sort of a written proposal. Remember, even an e-mail agreement or messaging (like chats, etc.) counts as a digital signature in court, but not unless their name is attached. The best contractors will have a printed out contract agreement for you to fill out and sign. Don’t sign anything until you verified everything else first!
5. Falling for Up-selling Techniques
   Contractors often get a cut, commission, or even a discount for the materials they use. If you get an extremely low quote, then it’s often also because the contractor doesn’t do a good job. It could mean the materials they use aren’t good quality, or they cut corners and have no qualified subcontractors. Other than that, they may give you half-cut results. You wouldn’t want to buy a lemon, so don’t fall for one to remodel your home.

Conclusion

When you’re trying to be sure of your remodeling company and contractor, you need to cover every single one of the bases, and that’s alright. Renodiz will gladly provide you with any answer to your questions, as well as give you the best quotes possible and explain every detail of a project with physical and visual proof. Seeing is believing, and in Coquitlam, Vancouver, Renodiz takes the prize when it comes to making their customers believe in them!

To read more on topics like this, check out the budget category.

 

As the demand for real estate increases, the services that agents and management companies offer for real estate evolve as well. From facilitating buyers and sellers, all matters about real estate can be accessed now such as consultation, valuation, management of properties, and letting.

Letting agents can accommodate managing services for property owners, be it simple flats to rent in Bournemouth, or any other residential properties for rental. Agents earn their living from the commission, a percentage of the annual rental fees, or depending on the arrangement made between the landlord or their umbrella real estate company. Upon learning the services that letting agents can provide, any unused property can be transformed into an income-generating asset with the help of real estate agents.

Introductory services

In simple terms, letting agents act as matchmakers of property, owner, and tenant. Among the services that letting agents can provide are the assessment of the property subject for letting, sourcing of tenants for the property of the landlords, and fixing the requirements to offer prospective tenants a better deal if the property serves their specific needs. Also, the agents are in charge of the price and mode of payment for the rental and devise the contract to be signed by the tenant and the landlord. This scheme is beneficial for a landlord since the letting agent has full responsibility for managing the property.

Administration services

Unlike the standard renting scheme, letting agents serve as the middle person dealing on behalf of the landlord to manage their tenants, including all the administration services needed to run the property. The scope of administration work by a letting agent includes the processing of the application of tenants and their profiling and drafting of policies and conditions. This type of service demands a full-time schedule for agents, freeing the landlord from all the worries of managing the property.

Collection of rent and other fees

Aside from the rental fee that the tenant will have to pay for occupying a private residential property; letting agents are authorised to collect additional fees such as an administration fee, inventory fee, tenancy extension or renewal fee, and even the exit fee if the tenant decides not to extend their contract. These fees are fixed by the agent to meet the landlord’s letting terms as well as to ensure the agent’s commission for the services they render.

Full management

Apart from the administration and collection services, a landlord can also use a letting agent for the day-to-day management of the property. Although this service will entail extra payment, landlords who want a hands-off approach to their investment choose this option because agents are contractually obliged to serve their client’s best interests.

Being a property letting agent is not an easy job. It requires a certain level of knowledge and expertise to give property owners, as well as tenants, the best services that only letting agents can provide.

To read more on topics like this, check out the budget category.

Dealing with budgets could be messy. Whether you are in a private company or with the government, it’s going to be challenging to agree with the distribution of the budget. Regardless of the path, you decide to take; someone will get angry. If you ask people to defend their proposal, they will make you believe that they deserve the budget that they’re requesting.

If you start the discussion on the budget in a company and you can’t come up with a solution that will satisfy everyone, these are some tips to consider.

Let everyone talk

You can’t decide to cut the budget of one department without understanding their reasons behind the proposal. The document in front of you isn’t enough for you to come up with a definite conclusion. When you allow people to talk and present their ideas, you can ask questions and clarify some information. You will also know how sincere the team is in regard to their plans and if they deserve to receive such an amount.

Focus on the goal

Go back to the primary purpose of the business for this calendar year. Prioritise the aspects that could help achieve that goal and look at the possibility of cutting areas that aren’t in line with the plan. Ask those people how their budget request could help meet the company’s objectives. Without a clear response, you might need to reconsider the amount.

Allow the representatives to discuss with each other

Perhaps, it’s different when the department heads talk to you about their budgets. They won’t give up because they don’t want to look weak. However, when they discuss among themselves, they could be more honest with each other. They might even arrive at a solution to their issues and balance the budget for you.

Make sure everyone knows nothing is personal

When dealing with budget allocation and cuts, you need to make it clear that you’re not doing anything to spite one person. Instead, the goal is to help the company and determine what’s best moving forward. You need to stay true to that promise. If you start making things personal, it will be difficult for you to work with the rest of the team. They will see you as an unfair leader, and they won’t listen to your explanations. Be consistent when you give reasons so that no one will tell that you’re favouring one over the other.

For instance, if you’re pursuing the use of pullup banners for advertising, you can’t say that it’s due to cost-cutting measures. The online marketing team might tell you that their proposal is way more practical. Instead, you could to say that you want to use the banners since they could be effective and the plan you received could help boost the company, as opposed to the plan provided by the online marketing people.

It takes time to go through all these budget fights, but it’s possible to solve them.

Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/cw-cj_nFa14

 

It’s not always easy to make ends meet these days. Even in a good economy, most Americans are struggling financially. We work hard, but the bills just keep coming, and it is all too easy for debt to grow and paralyze our finances.

But not all of our financial problems are beyond our control. More than 1 in 5 working American adults do not set aside any of their earnings as savings, experts report. That’s a very bad thing, because long-term savings will help you protect yourself from sudden expenses and grow your net worth through investments.

It would be easier to save if you made more money, of course — that’s true for everyone. But, for many of us, there’s another factor. We’re simply wasting too much money. If we reigned in our spending and were more careful with our hard-earned money, we’d have more cash left over to save for a rainy day or for our long-term financial goals. You can find places in your regular budget and general personal finance strategy that you could tweak for bigger savings. Here are some things you should do.

Use tax-advantaged accounts more

Hopefully, you’re saving some money in tax-advantaged retirement accounts like 401(k)s, IRAs, and Roth IRAs. But these types of accounts are not the only tax-advantaged accounts that you have access to. You can also save money in tax-advantaged accounts that are designed for things like education- and health care-related expenses. You can withdraw money from these accounts for their intended purposes, so this has nothing to do with your insurance coverage, explain experts at neurosurgical offices. If you have health care expenses, you can be quite confident that you’ll be able to draw from your tax-advantaged health savings account.

Making more use of tax-advantaged accounts will save you money on your taxes, naturally. And every penny that doesn’t go to Uncle Sam could be used to bolster your own financial future, so make sure that you’re familiar with all of the important tax-advantaged accounts.

Wait longer to upgrade your phone

Most of us are pretty reluctant to drop $1,000 on something — in fact, most Americans don’t have $1,000 in the bank, experts say. But when we get sick of our old phone or break its screen, many of us are all too willing to rush out and buy the latest iPhone. Sure, the expense may be paid out month by month, but it will be paid monthly for a long time to come — and you could avoid this expense by just fixing up your old phone and using it for a little longer.

An iPhone 7 may not be a wonderful as an iPhone XS, but an iPhone 7 screen replacement is a whole lot cheaper than a brand-new iPhone XS. Be smart, and be more careful with your money.

Cook for yourself

If you work hard, you may find that you rarely have the time to make your own meals. But consider this: While you may be helping your career by working so much, your financial gains are being eaten into (no pun intended!) by your spending on takeout and restaurants. If you’re buying lunch for $15 at work every day, then you’re spending $75 a week — or nearly $4,000 a year.

While it’s not always easy to make time to cook, it’s important that you try. Consider meal prepping, which will give you multiple meals with just one cooking session. Or grab some quick meals that you can just heat up and serve (try to pick healthy ones, though). If you’re cooking more at home, you’ll be spending less on take-out, delivery, and restaurants — and that’s money that you can use to grow your wealth and protect your long-term financial health.

 

 

Driving a car is convenient. You can go to places you want to visit at any time. You can also go to work and head back home without any problem. You can also go on a road trip with your family or visit your friends in other areas.

The problem is that cars are expensive. Some people wait for a while until they have saved enough money to buy a vehicle or at least have enough for the down payment. You might also look for a financing option that suits your financial capacity.

Before you think about buying a new car, you need to determine first if you are doing so out of practicality. It is possible that you are only buying one for bragging rights. Some people say that when public transportation is affordable and convenient in your city, it makes no sense to buy a new car.

Consider your needs

If you reside in a place where you can find public transportation any time, and you live close to bus or train stations, you do not need to buy a car. However, if you are going to many places and you want to make things convenient, a new car might be an excellent choice. Not everyone has the same needs. Therefore, it is understandable if you desire to have a vehicle to meet those needs.

There are cheap and fuel-efficient cars

Some people say that cars are unnecessary and expensive. Although it is true, you need to check your financial capacity to see if you could afford the car you want to buy. If it is within budget and you are not burying yourself in debt to buy it, you can go for it. Besides, you can also find fuel-efficient cars that do not waste energy. You can lessen the amount you spend on gas.

You do not like to get stuck in a crowd

When using public transportation, you need to prepare for the crowd. It is worse during rush hours. You have no choice other than being patient and waiting since other people are also using public transportation just like you. If you want to be away from the crowd and be comfortable, you can buy your own car. You might have to beat traffic, which can also cause an inconvenience, but it is not as bad as getting sandwiched by several people inside a train. You are also protecting your valuables because they are safe in your car.

You can determine what you need and buy a car if you think it is necessary; otherwise, you can continue taking public transport until you are ready to buy a new vehicle. You can also check out a truck dealership Wyoming offers if you want to buy a new truck for business purposes. Compare the models and study the price differences to help you in negotiating the final price.

To read more on topics like this, check out the budget category.

Many companies are being more aggressive in terms of offering life insurance policies to people who are currently employed. Nowadays, one of the most common misconceptions about investing in insurance is that many believe that it is only for rich people. However, little do they know that many flexible insurance policies are tailored to fit your needs and budget. You can even ask the question, can I sell my life insurance? Below are just a few of the valid reasons why it is essential for you to invest in life insurance.

Added Investment

Some people ask if it is possible to sell their life insurance, in case they need the money. The answer is yes because there are a number of companies that are allowing their senior clients to cash out their life insurance policy once they reach a certain age bracket and remain in excellent health. They can use the money to pay for remaining loans, fund medical expenses or for leisure and travel purposes. Think of getting life insurance as an ideal investment that you can benefit from once you reach your retirement age.

It Gives Your Family Fewer Worries

Upon signing up for an insurance policy, you will be required to declare an individual family member as your beneficiary in case of sudden death. In case you get diagnosed with severe illnesses such as cancer, heart attack and stroke you will be able to file a medical claim that can help cover a significant portion of the bill.

It is a sad reality that if you do not have insurance your family has no choice but to take responsibility for the remaining expenses which will be an added burden for them.

Insurance Premiums are Now Affordable

Not everyone is aware that many insurance companies are now making sure that most people, mainly minimum wage earners, can access affordable policies for themselves and other family members. You can also get additional protection for your home, car and even your valuables in case of fire and calamity by obtaining general insurance.

It Offers Flexible Payment Options

Since more and more people are being encouraged to get different policies, most companies have made it a point to provide their products and services at a more affordable price.

You have the option to choose your policy plan depending on how much money you can afford so that it will not have a significant impact on your current expenses. You can choose to pay monthly, quarterly or annually. If you are having second thoughts about getting insured do not hesitate to speak with a licensed financial advisor who can help you decide on which package to get.

To earn extra money that you can use for future needs you can grow your wealth through investments and the stock market. You might want to check out Variable Unit Life Insurance or VUL as an option. Before choosing a policy make sure that you are a hundred percent committed to paying for the premiums to avoid cancellation of the plan and potentially losing the invested money.

Image: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/08/01/16/13/american-3577500__340.jpg

 

Equity release, as in any other type of loan, comes with a risk. You are borrowing an amount of money tied to the value of your property. When you die, and someone buys the property, the people you leave behind will only get a small amount of the property’s value, depending on how much you borrowed when you were alive. Therefore, you need to think twice before you decide to take out this loan.

On a positive note, even if you opt for equity release, you can stay in your property until you die. You also don’t need to pay rent.

Some people would caution you on how to spend the amount you borrowed. However, it is your property, and you worked hard for it. You can use the money in whatever way you think would be beneficial for you.

Home improvement

It is one of the most famous reasons for borrowing money through equity release. It is a smart move because home improvement increases the value of your property. Therefore, when the time comes that the property is up for sale, you can expect your estate to get the right amount of money from it. Even if the company where you borrowed the cash from deducts their share from the sale, the amount will still be high. Besides, you are staying in your property until you die. You will still enjoy whatever changes you decided to make.

Go on a holiday

Some people think it is unwise to borrow money to go on a holiday. However, at your age, you need to enjoy whatever you worked hard for in the past. You might also be suffering from illnesses, and you only have a few years to enjoy your money. Once you hit a certain age, and your illness worsens, you might be unable to travel anymore. While you can, you need to enjoy your life.

Pay Debts

Although equity release is technically a loan, you need not pay the amount immediately. You can even opt not to pay anything back until you die. The only downside is that it could increase the interest due, and the sale of the property will go almost exclusively to the equity release company. Despite that, you are not leaving behind a tremendous amount of debt for your family to pay. You don’t want them to have to think about how to pay off loans when you are dead. It is a smart move to choose equity release to pay off all other loans that you have. You can even clear the outstanding mortgage you have using this loan.

Consult an expert

A lot of people have benefitted from equity release. It comes with a risk, but you can get the amount you need if you take this loan. To help you out, consult an expert. Ask for advice on how to apply, and how much you can borrow. Once you are ready, check out http://www.55plusequityrelease.com for more information on equity release. They are experts in this type of loan, and they will help you make up your mind.

Image: Pixabay.com

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