Water Consumption Tips to Save Money

Keeping a refrigerator or freezer in the optimal temperature range takes a lot of electricity and since it’s on 24/7 it’s one of the more expensive vampire taps in your home. Following a few simple rules, changing a few habits and undertaking a couple of tasks every so often can result in big savings in both energy and money savings as well as prevent unnecessary food losses.

The other major food storage area in a home is the food pantry or cabinets devoted to food storage. Maintaining a well-stocked pantry can be expensive, but it’s money lost if you buy more than you can use. Follow the food-cost-experts – restaurant chefs – and you’ll find that you won’t be throwing perfectly good food in the trash, plus you’ll save money in the bargain.

Read on to find out more about Saving Money on Food Storage

Money-Saving Tip #3: Keep it Clean!
Every six months or so, you need to pull your refrigerator out and clean its backside. Vacuum between the coils which are located on the back for older models or sometimes underneath (concealed by a panel) in newer models. Suck out the fuzz, fur, lint and dust that accumulates and you can look forward to significant savings on your utility bill as well as an increased lifetime for your cooling appliance.

Instead, you can use inexpensive, natural ingredients that you’ll find in your own pantry and techniques employed by your grandmother’s generation before the rise of commercial cleaning products.

Read on to find out more Green Cleaning Tips to Save Money

Money-Saving Tip #1: Remove stains with citrus

Tea stains in a metal pot or lime deposits around a faucet can easily beremoved by rubbing half a lemon across the surface. If you find that you need a little abrasive, try adding some fine table salt to the mix. Lemon juice (or other acids) are also good at polishing copper.

Money-Saving Tip #2: Use Re-usable cleaning cloths

A micro-fiber all-purpose cleaning cloth can be used without adding chemicals and it won’t leave lint behind. Thye’re washable and can be used over and over again. Simply wet, wring and wipe. (Hint: they’re especially useful for polishing stainless steel!)

Money-Saving Tip #3: Vinegar is a multipurpose cleaner

Use common white vinegar to remove soap scum and hard water spots as well as neutralize alkaline soap deposits, clean your drip coffee maker, break down the ammonia that causes urine smells, clean mirrors and glass, deodorize air, polish chrome, copper and (!) patent leather. You can use it diluted to a 50% solution for most cleaning jobs, or use 1tsp per quart of water for streak-less window cleaning.

Money-Saving Tip #4: Use Baking Soda to remove odors

Baking soda is magical when it comes to odor-removal. Sprinkle on carpets, then vacuum up to leave carpets smelling fresh and clean. You’ve all heard of putting an open box in your refrigerator to absorb food odors, but did you know that you can do the same thing in thermoses? A tablespoon of baking soda and some hot water, plus a good long soak will remove even the most stubborn odors.

Money-Saving Tip #5 Clean air naturally

Don’t buy air fresheners from the store – the chemicals in them are not cleaning your air so much as polluting it with chemicals. Instead, open the windows on a nice day and let some of the fresh outside air in. Simmer some cinnamon sticks, cloves or your favorite herbs in a pot of water, then leave to perfume your home. Also, keep some (living!) broad-leafed houseplants – they will filter the air naturally.

Green Cleaning Services

If you can’t do the cleaning yourself, hire a Green Cleaning Service. Search for one locally by using a service like Angie’s List. Use promo code LOCAL to save 15% on a new Angie’s List membership.

Source: The Swedish Energy Agency

Source: www.greenlivingtips.com

Find out what the difference is between Fixed Price and Time + Materials and in what situations they are appropriate.

Learn more about the Types of Remodeling Contracts.

Fixed Price Contract

RECOMMENDED for jobs requiring any type of demolition, building or moving of electrical, gas lines or major plumbing, a Fixed Price or Fixed Amount Contract spells out the labor costs and material costs in advance. Any changes to the specified schedule or materials must be added to the original contract in the form of a change order and become legally binding.

Time + Materials Contract

A Time and Materials contract is NOT RECOMMENDED except for the smallest of jobs. You are essentially providing your contractor with an open checkbook and an open-ended contract. This is not a good situation to be in as a homeowner.

There are some instances, however, in which a time plus materials contract may make sense. For instance – if you’re DIYing a kitchen makeover and you need a plumber to come in and move your water lines 4 inches to the left, hook up your dishwasher and run a line to your refrigerator for the water dispenser, you probably don’t need a complicated Fixed Price contract. A simple time and materials contract with an estimate of the amount of time necessary for the job, plus the materials needed should be sufficient to protect both the homeowner and the contractor.

Also, in some limited circumstances, it may be necessary to contract a portion of a larger job under a time and materials contract. This is especially so if the job is one requiring the contractor to use materials, equipment or methods that are new or unfamiliar or if the project entails aspects that may have unforeseen extensions or complications.

Bear in mind that you are responsible for any and all costs in both labor and materials with this kind of contract. Therefore, ask that the contract include limits on time and money and specify that you require itemized reports on labor and materials costs, especially if the project is expected to last more than one week.

Obviously, there are basics you need to cover when looking to hire a contractor: ensure that licenses are valid and that proper insurance and bonds (if necessary) are held by the contractor. Below are some other tips we’ve picked up along the way about what to do before the contract.

Learn more about what to do Before Signing the Contract.

Getting References

• Ask for RECENT references from your contractor for the same type of project you’re hiring him or her to do for you and then actually call them. Ask to visit and see the finished work.
• Beyond asking the contractor for references from previous customers, get references for the contractor’s suppliers. Find out if the contractor pays his bills on time.

Hiring Best Practices

• Interview potential contractors and solicit written bids for the project. Evaluate bids and develop questions based on differences in the bids to ask of each potential contractor.
• Look for complaints filed against the contractor with the state licensing board, consumer protection agencies, or your local Better Business Bureau.
• Ask for disclosure statements if required by your state.

Signing the Contract

• Ask to see your contractor’s standard contract ahead of time and look at what’s included.
• Pay your attorney to review the contract. It will be worth the hourly fee to ensure that you don’t get stuck out in the cold with a bad contract.
• Be sure that your contract includes all the basics, including (but not limited to) location of work, parties responsible, scope of work, payment terms, schedule, warranties and waivers. See also: Kitchen Remodeling Contracts

To cover your bases, you’ll want to make sure you follow a few more steps before, during and after to protect yourself legally, financially (and mentally!) against fraud or incompetence and to ensure your project runs smoothly from beginning to end.

Read on to learn more about Hiring Contractors.

Before Starting the Project

• Plan your project with great care. Use resources such as Kitchen Planning forums to reality check your plans and to see what lessons learned others have to share.
• Write a Mission Statement to help you focus your goals for the project.
• Prepare mentally for the stress of a remodeling project that will likely take over your life as well as your home.
• Know your budget and time restraints. Understand what the standards are for cost and schedule overruns and be prepared to deal with unexpected bumps in the road.

Monitoring the Job

• Double-check on work permits with your local building department to determine when inspections are required and scheduled.
• Inspect the work carefully and monitor workmen during the workday if at all possible.  Make surprise visits home in the afternoon when work might slow down.
• Pay for work completed only after personally inspecting the completed work.
• Ensure that any change orders are put in writing – these will become part of your legal contract.

Finalizing the Project

• Before you write that last check, be sure that the punch list is completed to your satisfaction.
• Ensure that you have any manufacturer’s warranties.
• Get a signed lien release from the contractor.

Just a few tips to get you started thinking about all the things necessary when hiring a contractor to work on a remodeling project, be it kitchen bath or other project in your home.

What follows below is not to be mis-construed as legal advice, but rather a map for thinking about the things you need to consider when evaluating a legal remodeling contract.

Read on to find out more about what kinds of things to look for and to include in a Kitchen Remodeling Contract.

Kitchen Remodeling Contracts – What’s the Need?

Even if your contractor if your best friend, your neighbor or your brother-in-law (and maybe even more so!), you need to have a contract in place to define the who, what, when, where and how much of your remodeling project. There are many things to think about…

Simple things such as will you allow the contractor to park in your driveway? On the street? How about posting a sign in the yard during the job and for a period of time after? How do you feel about having the contractor use you as a reference? These are the things that will irritate or annoy you if you and your contractor don’t agree upon them.

And then there are the truly BIG things, like payment terms, warranties and schedules. Items that could possibly rip your life apart if you have a breach in contract.  Get all of these points down in writing – avoid verbal contracts like the plague! Any contractor worth his salt will want to protect his business interests just as much as you want to protect yourself and your home as a homeowner.

Kitchen Remodeling Contract Basics

DISCLAIMER: Please note that we are not attorneys. Please do not substitute this advice for your attorney’s advice or your own common sense. This is intended as a resource for homeowners and an overview ONLY, not a comprehensive nor legally-binding contract.

That said, when we look at contracts for kitchen remodeling contractors, we like to see ones that address the following:

• identification of parties legally contracted including
  • contractor’s legal name, street and mailing address(es) and telephone number(s)
  • homeowner’s legal name, address and telephone number(s)
  • funding sources if applicable
• location of the work site, including site address, lot number or other legal description of the work site
• permits, approvals and legal proofs
  • permits to be obtained by contractor
  • homeowner’s association or similar entity approvals for work to be done
  • written statement and copies of proofs amended to the agreement of the following:
    • proof of licenses as required
    • insurance – adequate general liability
    • bonding if required
    • worker’s compensation
• scope of work to be done, including
  • a complete description of work to be done, specifying
    • demolition, haulaway and cleanup to be done
    • materials from demolition to be retained for re-use or by homeowner
    • cabinets, fixtures, fittings, woodwork, trim, windows, doors and/or appliances to be replaced or installed
    • plumbing, electrical, carpentry work to be completed
    • exclusions
  • approximate square footage of finished space
  • according to specifications in this or other documents, named
  • date of approved drawings and plans to be used
• total price for work to be done, including:
  • allowances for specific items to be purchased by the contractor
  • contingencies, including funding contingencies
  • the amount of sales tax to be paid
  • permit fees
  • fees for change orders
  • variances in the total price including:
    • differences in materials costs,
    • missed deadlines
    • bounced checks
    • limits on other unanticipated cost overruns
  • bonuses for early completion, under-budget or other terms agreed upon
  • exclusions
• payment terms, including
  • deposit, if any to be paid ahead of time
  • a ‘paydown’ schedule with milestones to be achieved and the percentage or portion of payment to be made upon achievement
  • how payments are to be made (by check, cashier’s check, credit card)
• materials to be used, specifically identifying
  • brand names, grades, model numbers, colors and other identifying information
  • dates by which selections must be made
  • quantities, including overage amounts to be purchased
  • allowances for materials (i.e. $40 each for undercabinet lights, $12 sq/ft. for flooring)
  • disclosure and/or prohibition of use of harmful chemicals, VOCs, etc., if necessary
  • that all materials, unless noted, are to be new and in good condition
  • materials to be re-used
• identification of subcontractors, including
  • warranty against using unlicensed subcontractors
  • guarantee of subcontractor work
  • how subcontractors will be paid
• waivers against
  • liability for injury sustained by employee or subcontractor while on your property
  • contractor’s responsibility for defects in existing structure or problems uncovered as result of work
• warranties against defects in workmanship, specifying
  • time frame for claims on warranties (ensure this is the minimum required by your state)
  • procedure for making a claim
  • any monetary limits on claims
  • signed lien releases before final payment
  • manufacturer’s warranties to be transferred to homeowner
  • exclusions
• schedule of work, including
  • anticipated start date and length of job, and an anticipated end date
  • a specified cool-down period for withdrawing from the contract
  • penalties for missing deadlines
  • early completion dates and bonuses to be paid for early completion if applicable
  • conditions under which the contractor will not work (weather related, notice from homeowner, etc.)
  • detailed schedule of tasks and expected start/end dates if the job is large
• procedures to be followed, including
  • change orders and amendments, including number of days notice required for change orders
  • order/purchase of materials
  • permitting, inspections and final review
  • notification re: anticipated cost overruns
  • approvals from homeowner’s associations or apartment building boards

This is far from an exhaustive list, but it gives a basic overview of important things to have in writing. Please find a competent attorney to review any contract you intend to sign in order to protect your own interests.

Sometimes, they’re available from the retailer and you just have to click through a banner or promotional ad to use the discount.  Other times, there are codes available through third party sites like RetailMeNot and others. Plus, we have hundreds of codes right here for you to use!

Read on to find out How to Use Coupon Codes, Promo Codes and Vouchers.

How to Get Coupon Codes

You can find coupon codes in many ways. Some retailers send them out in newsletters or direct mail pieces to customers, and sometimes they’re posted directly on the retailer’s website for use on a purchase.  Third party sites often list codes that can be used, and even offer reviews on how frequently the codes worked, whether there are special conditions required or if the codes have expired.

Find coupon codes for discounts on appliances, percent off totals, free shipping right now.

How to Use Coupon Codes

Coupon codes often have expiration dates, or have purchase minimums so be aware of restrictions. Also, you often can’t combine offers so make sure that the one you decide to use will result in the greatest savings. You’ll need to do some quick calculations to figure out which coupon will offer you the greatest reward.

Calculate Value of Coupon Codes to Compare

If you’re lucky enough to find more than one coupon code that could be used towards your purchase, you’ll want to use the code that will provide you with the greatest savings.

Say you’re ready to buy a dishwasher online and the one you’ve selected is available for $429.99.  You received an email newsletter with a coupon code for free shipping (regularly $58.95 for this item) or you could use one of two promo codes available on the website – one is for 10% off your total purchase over $400 and one for $40 off your order of a dishwasher. You could pay anywhere between a low $371.04 all the way up to the full sales price of $429 plus shipping of $58.95 for a whopping total of $488.94. It really does pay to do your (math) homework.

We’re going to share with you where to find coupons and codes for discounts on your total purchase, how to get the best price of the season on appliances and how to wrangle a deal for free shipping or delivery.

Join us for this short series: How to Get a Deal Online.

How to Get A Deal Online: A Guide

How to Get Free Shipping

How to Get Free Shipping: Learn how to get the best deals on shipping and delivery fees and when a good deal isn’t the best deal.

How to Get Coupon Codes

How to Get Coupon Codes: Learn how to find online discount coupon codes and promotional codes and how to save money with online coupons, discounts and special deals.

How to Get the Best Deals

How to Get the Best Deals: Coupon codes aren’t the only way to get deep discounts online. Find out where and when to find the most heavily discounted items on sale.

There are many ways to get good deals online, including finding deep discounts on liquidation or refurbished goods, benefiting from seasonal ‘clearance’ sales or price match guarantees or sometimes even by buying more! Find out tricks and industry secrets in this article about how to get the best deals going.

Learn more about How to Get the Best Deals Online.

How to Get the Best Deals Online

One of the best ways to get a great deal is to combine rebates from manufacturers with offers from retailers, like percent-off sales or free shipping to get some of the best deals around. Often retailers don’t know about all the manufacturer rebates available, but the information is readily available if you know where to look. This is really an area where it pays to be informed, so do your research!

Liquidation and Refurbished Goods

Many online merchants have created entire business models out of selling items that are refurbished by the manufacturer (i.e. repaired and re-sold) or which are liquidated assets from going out of business sales or other retail fails. Be aware that you may not receive a full warranty against defects or any opportunity for a refund if you purchase from a liquidator.

Amazon has special sections dedicated to refurbished home appliances and you can often find refurbished items for sale on manufacturer’s websites.  Check to see if the seller has remarks on the condition of an item, and if there is a manufacturer’s warranty available.

Shop Seasonally

Just like car dealers, appliance retailers put last year’s models on sale during specific times of the year to make room for new models on the showroom floor.  In the late Spring, look for deals on refrigerators and freezers, but wait until Fall to look for sales on last year’s cooking appliances like ovens, ranges and stoves. New models of washers and dryers tend to go on sale during the Winter.

Some retailers also exercise ‘hi-low’ pricing. This is a practice where certain items are put on sale at bargain prices while other items’ prices are increased.

Price Guarantees

Look for price guarantees on major purchases, such as a 30-day guarantee against a reduction in price. If the price goes down in the specified time period, you’re entitled to a refund in the amount of the reduction, plus that of any tax you paid, plus sometimes an additional percentage of the price reduction.

Some retailers also offer a competitor’s price match guarantee – and often pad that with 10% additional if you can show that the competitor stocks the same item for a lesser price. Noone wants to be undersold!

Rebates

Instant rebates, mail in rebates and rebates available online are commonly offered in conjunction with the purchase of major appliances. Frequently, big box retailers will offer free shipping via rebate – you pay up front, then you must apply for the rebate which will arrive 6-12 weeks later in the form of a check. Be sure to check the fine print and meet any required deadlines, including any on the rebate check itself – I’ve seen checks that are valid for as little as 90 days.

Be sure to print copies of your receipts so that you are able to submit the necessary documents for your rebate, and retain the receipt that you may need to make a claim on a warranty.

Buy a Whole Suite

Many manufacturers offer rebates or special deals if you purchase two, three or more appliances in a suite. Beware of being swayed into purchasing more than you would have if it were not for the ‘discount’ on multiple items, especially if you must pay the full purchase price and receive a rebate later.