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How to Give Your Garden a Budget Makeover

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Throughout the year, few of us give much thought to how our garden looks and the money that we could spend of this area of the house is always better being spent indoors rather than out. In spite of this, when the summer months come around and we actually have an opportunity to sit out in the garden, most of us bemoan the fact that we have not invested any time and money into making it look great.

Investing heavily in the garden is not always worth it however, even during the summer months and the best way to go about things is to give your garden a budget makeover, and here is how.

Weed and Tidy

Most gardens are probably not that bad, they just need some TLC and the first thing that you should be doing as part of your makeover is to tidy up the garden and get rid of all the dead plants and weeds that have taken over your garden. If you have border in the garden then re-dig them so that they are visible and you will find that after a day or two of hard work, the garden will already look better.

Low Maintenance

If you are not green fingered then the best course of action is to create a low maintenance garden, if you plan on having plants then put them in pots rather than a high-maintenance flower bed. Equally you should be looking to have just a small, grassy area and cover the rest in stones. Avoid going to the hardware store for these and instead go to a stonemakers where they will give you a great price on chipped stones which you can use to cover the garden.

Decorations

Give your garden the professional touch without paying the professional price with some simple yet effective and ornate decorations. A great tip here is to use old pieces of metal in the garden such as pots and pans, old bicycles or even car spokes to add an artistic element to your garden space. The rusting metal juxtaposes perfectly with the fresh and natural garden and you can really wow your guests without breaking the budget.

Using Space

You should be looking to have no dead space in the garden and maximise all corner of it with seats, decorations or even grassy areas. If you have a small garden then you can use things like mirrors in the garden which can be picked up at low prices, a mirror will give the appearance of a larger garden and also add a nice decorative touch to the area.

The key to doing your garden on a budget is to keep things simple, clean and tidy. Gardens look worse when they are unkept and there are plants and shrubs growing all over the place. Put the work in to tidy up, add a few nice touches and hey presto, you will have a garden to be proud of.

Why You Might Want to Keep Renting Just a Little While Longer

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Becoming a homeowner is much like becoming your own boss. You don’t have to ask for permission to paint your walls a particular color and you don’t need to notify the rental office when you plan to have overnight guests. Of course, homeownership doesn’t come free, but you’re likely to get more leniency from your mortgage company for being a few days late than a landlord. At the same time, you don’t want to buy a home that comes with a 30 year mortgage for the sole purpose of being in complete control of your current housing.

With spacious duplexes for rent and cheap efficiencies available for short and long-term leases, you can get exactly what you need in a rental while waiting for the perfect opportunity to buy. It could be six months until you’ve ready to purchase a home or six more years before you’re ready to begin working on improving your credit profile. Even if have the money to buy, waiting could be the better choice in your situation.

Following Real Estate Value Trends

Often called housing bubbles, this is when property values are higher than they are expected to be in the near future. A home that is purchased for $200,000 might only be worth $150,000 in a year if and when the market slumps. Buying a home during a real estate bubble is bad for buyers for multiple reasons. First, you will be buying a home with fewer bedrooms, bathrooms, features, and amenities at a higher value than it is actually worth. Second, your mortgage is guaranteed to stay underwater for years after it is appraised for less than what you purchased it for. Lastly, if you buy a house during a housing bubble you will not get a good return if you attempt to sell it.

Waiting Longer to Buy Results in More Money Saved

There are mortgage programs that allow buyers to put very little money down on their homes. On one hand being able to buy a house without a down payment might be something that is beneficial to a limited number of people. If you don’t live in an area that traditionally has many rentals, buying a home makes sense if you want to live in an exclusive spot. Another fact that should be considered is that buying a home with little money in the bank probably means that you have issues with budgeting. Renting could help you to work out your financial problems and teach you how to spend responsibly so that saving isn’t troublesome for you.

Your Household Could Change Soon

No matter what stage you are in your life now, things can always change sooner than expected. If you’re single, the right guy or girl could be just about to enter your life. Married couples with children could become grandparents several times over in just the span of a year, while lifelong bachelors might decide to become the owner of a dozen pets. Giving yourself a bit more time to think about where you’re going in life can be helpful before you make a major decision and purchase a home.

You can buy a house and then turn right around and sell it, but most new homeowners purchase property for the purpose of making it their permanent, long-term residence. If you want to buy real estate but you can’t settle on the type of home you desire to live in, the neighborhood, or the price don’t make a decision that can’t be undone easily. Just wait a little longer and you will know when it is the right time to own.

We Live in a Modern World and Our Furniture Is Keeping up

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It is increasingly common for businesses to move onto e-commerce and a modern furniture store is no different. By making sure the highest quality furniture is available online, they have been able to significantly lower their overhead costs. No longer do they have to invest in show pieces and employees. Instead, they need a warehouse and a delivery driver. If you want to use this type of store, however, there are a couple of things you should think about to get the best quality.

Buy from the Manufacturer

If you can, you should order your modern furniture straight from the manufacturer. Remember that there is no more need for distributors if you shop online, and you can often save quite a lot of money by cutting out the middleman. However, do shop around particularly if you want multiple pieces of furniture, as you may be able to get discounts from distributors.

Find a Discount Store

Two types of outlets offer furniture at discounted prices:

  1. Scratch and dent stores, which means that the pieces you can buy have been in showrooms in the past and are likely to have had some sort of damage or wear and tear. That said, this tends to be minimal and the discount you get is pretty huge, so it is certainly something to consider.
  2. Online surplus stores, who have links with manufacturers that have overproduced certain items. They then sell these at very discounted prices. The problem with these stores is that you never know what will be available and you are therefore also not guaranteed that you will be able to get any type of matching sets. However, you will be guaranteed to get things in mint condition and at a huge discount.

Find a Retailer

If you don’t want to go through a manufacturer’s website, which can be a bit of a minefield because they are not geared towards regular consumers, or if you don’t want to have something slightly damaged, or if you don’t want the worry of not having matching sets, then retailers are available as well. Do make sure that you go to a store that actually focuses on furniture, however. This means that you are guaranteed to get high quality items, as they deal directly with manufacturers for you. A really good benefit of going to a retailer is that you are more likely to be able to take out a payment plan on your furniture. Additionally, they usually include free shipping, which is another great benefit.

What the perfect way is to buy modern furniture online depends on what your personal preferences are, what you are looking for, and what your budget is. There are lots of ways to save money when you want to buy furniture and still get a high quality product. It is all about being savvy and smart as a shopper. Whichever website you decide to go, shopping online means that you can do so from the comfort of your own sofa.

Fleas in Your Home? Here’s What You Should Do!

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Fleas are terrible! Once they infect your pet, they can infest your house, too, meaning they’re in your carpet, in your bedding, where you eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom. You can’t just bathe your dog and hope the soapy water has drowned them in one go. Fleas are persistent, and you must properly clean them out or risk an infestation. Here’s what you need to look for, and what steps you should take when you realize your dog has fleas and has likely brought them into to the house with him:

De-Flea Your Pet

Fleas come into your home through your pet. If you notice them scratching incessantly, you will need to check if they have fleas. You can’t clean out the house until the main source of the fleas, your pet, has been treated for their fleas. First, you need to start with a fine-tooth metal comb, or a flea comb. Signs of fleas are both fleas and flea faeces, which look like little black commas. Drop any fleas you find into soapy water to kill them. Once you’ve cleared out the adult fleas, it’s time to get some flea and tick prevention for dogs that will kill not only the adults, but the larvae, too.

Flea lifespans are complicated. At any time only a small percentage of the total fleas on your pet will be adults, the rest will be either eggs, or larvae, waiting to replenish the adult population. Medication is the only way to combat them! Topical medication typically needs to be applied monthly, whereas flea prevention collars can last up to six months.

Clean Your Home

Fleas can jump. They can jump from pet to pet; they can jump from your pet to the floor. Knowing this, it is crucial to clear your home as much as possible so that the floor is accessible to your vacuum. You don’t have to bother with the heavy furniture that is flush on the floor, as the fleas wouldn’t be able to get under them.

Next, clear your home out of children and pets. Depending on the severity of the infestation, you will either have to wash any bedding that your pet uses, or destroy/get rid of it completely. You’ll have to continuously wash these items for up to a month to ensure you have killed all cycles of the flea.

You can tell fleas have infested your carpet by the small black bits (known as “flea dirt”) they have left behind for their larvae to feed on, or by spotting the fleas themselves. They like to hang out in darker areas of your home. Vacuuming is the best way to get rid of them, as it sucks up not just the adult fleas, but also the younger cycles. You can also use insecticides to finish the job.

Flea infestations are terrible, but it is important to remember not to be discouraged. It can take weeks to fully clear them out of your home! Commitment and repetition will get rid of the eggs, larvae, and pupae that you missed on the first clean of your house and dog. Keep at it, and you’ll be in the clear!

How to Cope with the Worst Summer Struggles

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Everywhere you look, people are lauding the arrival of summer. They’re celebrating the long days and balmy evenings; the fun, flimsy clothes; the endless barbecues and fresh fruit buffets. What they’re not talking about is the truth. The fact that every year, people all over the country are plagued by insects, bitten alive in their sleep, forced to work in sweltering conditions, and endure hot, sleepless nights. Yes, the summer isn’t all it’s cracked up to be at times. Because how can you enjoy all the delights that the warm season brings, if you’re too hot, hungry, sweaty and tired to do anything fun?

Being too hot at night

There’s nothing worse than wanting to go to sleep but being stuck in sticky, sweaty sheets, in a hot and stuffy room. You want a cool breeze – but the only thing coming in through your window is hordes of biting insects. So, first things first: invest in a powerful fan. That way you can still get a breeze, without having to open your room up to insects. You can try strapping bottles of frozen water to the fan, or placing them in front of it. This way, your fan isn’t blowing around hot air – it’ll be blowing out through ice cold air instead.

Then, look at what your bed sheets are made out of. You really need to have 100 percent cotton sheets. Anything else will make you sweat more. This goes for pajamas too! Finally, try taking a cool shower before bed. It’ll lower your body temperature and make it easier for you to drop off to sleep.

Getting sweaty under your clothes

When it’s super humid outside, it seems you don’t have to do anything more than walk to the car before you’ve raised a sweat. It’s not pleasant, especially when you have to do a full day of work in sticky clothes. Plus, the smell – no matter how strong your antiperspirants are – can make you feel very self-conscious.

To help you stay feeling fresh all day, do the opposite of what you might think. Don’t wear tight clothes, showing off lots of skin. To stay cooler, and sweat-free, opt for loose, baggy tops and trousers. This will let the air ventilate around your body, cooling any sweat instantly. Again, look for clothes made from 100 percent cotton. Sports specialists do many moisture-wicking tops, which you could try investing in too.

Itchy, swollen insect bites

Getting bitten by bugs is the worst part of summer evenings. You want to enjoy a lovely dinner in the cooler evening air – but you can’t, because all the insects are out to get you. From mosquitos to gnats, there’s no escape. If you can avoid getting bitten, that’s the best option. Try to make fly traps or use citronella candles. Wear plenty of fly repellent, and go for light colored clothes.

However, some bugs will get through the strongest defenses. In that case, you need to know how to treat them – and fast. Firstly, keep the swollen limb elevated. Take an antihistamine tablet, and if you’ve got any cream, apply that too. If you don’t have any, look in your cupboards: vinegar (preferably apple cider vinegar) can be applied to bites to take the itch out, as can honey, and oatmeal. Apply ice packs to the itchy area every hour, and whatever you do, try not to itch it!

Pest infestations

Not only do you have to suffer from aggressive, irritating insects outside, but summer can bring about the same species moving into your home. Pest infestations don’t take long to get established, and once settled in, can be a complete nightmare to get rid of.

So, if you’re worried about unwelcome visitors, find your nearest pest control company, as soon as you can. If you can find one local to you, like Go-Forth Pest Control in Durham NC, they’ll be able to come out quickly and get the job done as fast as possible.

Pressure and heat headaches

Changing air pressures and thick, humid heat are a recipe for prolonged headaches. These dull, throbbing pains can leave you feeling useless, especially when the heat makes them worse. Try to avoid them by drinking plenty of water, and ensuring you stay hydrated throughout all of summer. Air conditioning can sometimes cause these headaches, so if you can bear it, try switching it off and opting for an open window (protected by a fly net, of course).

Likewise, if you suffer from constant lethargy and tiredness, make sure you’re drinking enough. Try the sleeping tips above to rejuvenate your sleep cycle too.

Burnt, sore skin

Sunburn isn’t just painful and unattractive, but it’s also a leading cause of skin cancer. Don’t risk getting burnt, and make sure you cover yourself in a high factor sun block, with both UV A and UV B properties. Wear it whenever you’re outside, paying close attention to body parts like the tips of your ears, your nose, your chest and your shoulders. Don’t think that just because it’s overcast that you won’t get burnt. Even if the sun’s not out, there’s still a chance of you burning.

Allergies caused by pollen

Want to go for a walk and admire all the gorgeous plants and flowers that nature has to offer? Well, if you’re a hay fever sufferer, or get asthma, you’ll struggle. The pollen released in summer months can have an awful effect on people, causing itchy, burning eyes, a running nose, a sore throat, and constant sneezing. Not only does this make you feel unwell, but you’ll be too worried about a reaction coming on to want to go outside.

So, to avoid this, you need to get prepared. Before your allergy season starts, try eating natural honey, made in the same area as you. It’s said that by getting your immune system used to the pollen around you, you won’t suffer as badly. Next, get some good antihistamine tablets. Over-the-counter tablets are quite good, but prescription medication can eliminate all symptoms. Likewise, find some good eye drops, and use them as soon as your eyes get irritated. A cool compress on sore eyes will help to minimize the reaction too.

Why a Vacation Home Could Be a Smart Investment

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Ask any financial expert what their best tip is and most will say “build a savings pot”. This is, of course, excellent advice, as we never know what life has in store for us. However, once we have a nest egg and a decent retirement fund accumulating interest, what else should we do with our surplus income?

Depending on your interests, there is a lot you can do with your disposable income. Travel is fun, as is gambling if you enjoy a flutter on the roulette wheel, but if you want to make your money work harder, investing in property is a smart move.

The Right Location

A vacation home ticks several boxes. On the one hand, once you own a vacation home you never have to worry about finding somewhere to stay. On the other, a vacation home in the right spot can easily earn you a decent income when you are not around.

Choosing the right location is critical. Firstly, it needs to be somewhere you and your family want to spend time on vacation. Secondly, it needs to be somewhere other people want to visit, too. Beachfront properties or real estate in ski resorts are always popular, but you need to strike the right balance between desirable and affordable.

For example, Amelia Island Planation real estate is a good investment, as the island is a popular vacation spot. Millions of tourists visit Florida each year and the attractions of Amelia Island are well-documented. If you buy a vacation home here, you can look forward to some fantastic holidays and a steady income. However, if you hate the hot Florida climate, a property in a more northern state might be a better choice, as you are more likely to use it for your own vacations.

Choosing a Suitable Property

While your own needs should take precedence, pay attention to what the majority of holidaymakers will look for when selecting a vacation property. Families with kids will want to be close to the main attractions, so a beachfront condo is a good choice, whereas golfing enthusiasts will want a property near a prestigious golf course.

Unless you know the local area well, speak to real estate experts. They can advise you on where the best investment areas are located. Property usually appreciates in value over time, but some areas appreciate more than others, so if you buy a property in the right location, you will maximize your investment.

Management Decisions

Vacation properties need to be carefully managed. If you want full access to the property, there is little point in renting it out as a holiday let, but if you only want to use it occasionally, you may as well maximize its earning potential. Either way, however, the property will need a manager to keep a watch on things and prepare it for new rental clients when you are not around.

A vacation property can generate a rental income and capital growth, but only if you buy the right property. With this in mind, don’t rush into making a hasty decision and always take professional advice.

The Ins and Outs of Finding the Perfect Home Listings

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When you go to buy a house, you can go down the traditional route of finding a realtor and looking at what listings they have featured. Or, you can go house hunting on your own and set up each showing directly with the property owner. There are also home shoppers that want to know the details on every single property that is listed, so they find homes for sale using all available means. Really, and truly, the best way to shop for new residential property is completely dependent on your personal taste.

If you enjoy being able to open up your email account and browse through the latest home listings, you may want to venture off on your own. Other shoppers are more concerned with convenience. And lastly, there are those who just want to get the lowest listing prices. Here are the ins and outs of shopping for your new residential property and the most important aspects that you should always keep in mind.

Foreclosures and Short Sale Listings

While you are on your journey to find homes for sale, you are going to run into homes that have been foreclosed upon or are soon to be auctioned if they aren’t successfully sold in the open market. These types of homes can be a great find for bargain shoppers, but they also come with a few things that you need to be aware of. These homes are more likely to need both cosmetic and structural work, and there could also be property liens attached to them. The good news is that they’re usually still a good deal if you intend on fixing them up and using them as your primary residence.

Featured Real Estate Agent Properties

If you want to be able to look at residential properties, make an offer and then go to closing quickly, homes that are featured by real estate agents are a good choice. Everyone involved in the sale of these kinds of properties has an incentive to close fast, and there are few rough spots that need to be smoothed out. In other words, if you have been approved for a mortgage and have enough money to make a reasonable offer, the homeowner will not want to delay things.

Homes Listed for Sale By Owner

Just like there are many property shoppers that would rather fly solo, there are also homeowners that want to manage the sale of their residential properties. Some don’t want to pay realtors while others are only open to cash offers. You will still be best served by having an appraisal, being represented by a real estate lawyer and negotiating for a fair price, but properties being sold by the homeowner are also worth being considered.

Whether you believe that you need to be guided through the home buying process or think that you have what it takes to make a major purchase without any help, realize that there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to buying a house. You can talk to realtors free of charge to get a better perspective and take a tour of houses that are listed for short sale without obligation. When you see a home that is a good fit for you, it probably won’t matter how you found it.