In the world of real estate and interior design, words hold an incredible amount of power. They can transform a modest property into a luxurious oasis or elevate a simple kitchen renovation into a designer masterpiece. To steer through this landscape effectively, you need to decipher the language used by realtors and interior designers. From confusing phrases like “dual agency” to ambiguous descriptions like “cosy” and “great potential”, it’s important to know what estate agents really mean when they’re throwing jargon at you. Whether you’re hunting for your dream home or planning a renovation project, decoding their clever wording can help you uncover true value and potentially save you a substantial amount of money. [Read more…]
Putting Some Perspective on Your Living Standards
August 29, 2018 by
So I share lots and lots of advice and stuff about how one can possibly go about stretching each and every one of their pennies and pounds spent, which is only a good thing I guess. After all, the cost of living is indeed rising at a rate which many of us cannot keep up with by default, so it’s a handy skill to learn, that of how to ensure you squeeze every bit of value out of any financial transaction you enter into.
While I’m happy to share what are effectively “micro” cash-saving tips and hacks, doing it in-the-small and occasionally in this fashion can only go so far. You have to take a few steps back and zoom out every once in a while so that you can have a good look at how the bigger-picture is developing. There has to be a bigger picture, for starters…
The bigger picture is that of the “end-goal” to reduce your cost of living and operate your personal finances in such a way that as time goes by, you build up a surplus which can either be saved up, ideally invested or just parked in case of a rainy day. It defeats all rational purposes otherwise saving two pounds here, four pounds there and even hundreds of pounds elsewhere, only for the weekend to come with you blowing all the extra money you saved. Additionally, before moving to a new place or calling a state your home, it may be advisable to check for the average living cost of that place. For instance, you can visit https://tubac.com/tubac-az-cost-of-living or other such websites that can break down the cost of living of the region you wish to relocate to. That way, you can plan for your expenses and savings beforehand.
I mean look – it’s okay not knowing what to do with some money you have lying around for a while. You can always get back to it later – get back to how you’re going to proceed to make wise decisions about what you’re going to do with it, that is… In the meantime make sure not to spend it and undo all the efforts which went into uncovering it in the first place.
How do you do this though? It’s simple. You have to put some perspective on your living standards and proceed to determine what it is exactly you’re comfortable with. Try to make a list of all expenses that fall under the cost of living in Houston (or whichever city you live in) and separate those from the costs that can fall into the leisure category. Do not fall into the trap of proceeding to match your means to your living standard, especially if that living standard is higher than that which you would otherwise be content with.
Don’t upgrade to a bigger car which guzzles more gas for example and don’t start being reckless around the house with things that contribute to your variable costs, such as your utilities. A lot of the things which you spend your money on forming part of your existing life are perhaps representative of a standard of living you already find comfort in, some of which might even offer you a lot more value than what you pay for them.
Some of the best Christmas gifts to send can still be found on platforms such as Broadway Basketeers’s online store for example, so there isn’t all that much higher to go, if at all. Let the money pile up and if you can, invest it in a segmented way which allows for part of it to grow, fuelled by compounding interested.
Saving money when refurbishing your bathroom
May 20, 2017 by
If you are refurbishing the home’s bathroom, you don’t have to overdo it. In fact, there are a few things you can do to help you reduce the cost of this otherwise costly project. Consider some of these things before you call a professional, to keep costs low. Do keep in mind that you may need to call in a plumber like the ones from nanceservices.net/collierville-plumbers/ despite trying to do most of it on your own. Plumbing is a fiddly and delicate part of home improvement and sometime things can go wrong. However if you are confident, keep reading to find out more. [Read more…]
Better Home Security for Reduced Insurance Premiums
October 11, 2016 by
As much as a lot of people quite justifiably hurl a lot of criticism in the way of the financial sector, a lot of the services they offer are just about as essential as the basic needs we have of providing food, shelter etc. In the modern world we’re currently living in, the dependence we have as a society on economics warrants the need for financial services such as banking and insurance, particularly insurance in that it’s virtually impossible for one person, in isolation, to otherwise fulfil all their economic needs in the event that a financial emergency befalls them. [Read more…]
Thrifty Storage Secrets from the Experts
October 3, 2016 by
We all have more storage than we think. The problem most of us run into when we hit storage overload is that we’re not using what space we have to maximum efficiency. We hang onto gadgets beyond their useful life, we grow sentimental about objects, and we all have a bit of the ‘out of sight, out of mind’, magpie attitude. This is especially true with our garage or storage shed, many of us need them, many of us buy them. Then, many of us leave a mixture of random household and outdoor items in there to sit lonely until we (seldom) use them! It’s a nightmare! [Read more…]
Selling Your Old Car? Why You Should Scrap It Instead.
March 30, 2016 by
When you need to get rid of your car, it can be hard to know where to start. Many people think that selling is the best option, and that scrapping is only for cars that have come to the end of their life, but this is not always the case. Scrapping can be the solution for many car owners, thanks to the ease and speed at which old cars can be taken off their hands. Read on for the main reasons why scrapping your old car could be better than trying to sell it. [Read more…]
