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Personal Finance from the Broke Perspective

How to Decorate for the Holidays on a Budget

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Decorate for the Holidays on a Budget

My husband and I were married at the beginning of December. Unfortunately, we were broke college students. He was in graduate school full-time, and I had just started my first full-time job as a teacher. As you would expect for a novice teacher, the pay was low, and we were living in a high-cost-of-living area. Despite this, I wanted to make our new (apartment) home cozy, so I quickly learned how to decorate for the holidays on a budget.

Get Married During the Holidays

Okay, not everyone will do this, but because our wedding was so close to Christmas, many guests bought us holiday décor. We got a snowman Christmas cookie jar, some keepsake ornaments, and holiday plates and towels. Those items weren’t on our registry, but we loved them because they gave us things to decorate the apartment.

Shop Garage Sales

Shopping garage sales is the best way to decorate for the holidays on a budget. People are ALWAYS selling their used holiday items. I bought many of my Halloween and Christmas decorations this way, each costing me less than $1.

Shop Black Friday Sales

For big-ticket items like holiday comforters, Christmas trees, and outdoor lights, research the list price. Then, wait for Black Friday sales, and you may find items up to 50 percent off or more. These items usually sell out, so if you get them at 40 or 50 percent off, you’re getting a good deal.

Shop Clearance AFTER the Holidays

This tip won’t help you with decorating this year, but if you have patience, you can get holiday decorations for 70 to 80 percent off if you shop AFTER the holidays. You will see the steepest discounts the first five days after Christmas. Then, next year, you’ll have decorations for your home, and you’ll know that you got them at rock-bottom prices.

Shop Michael’s

If you sign up for Michael’s email list, the company will regularly send you coupons, often for 40 percent off the price of one full-price item or 20 percent off all items, including items on sale. You can use these coupons to buy holiday decorations or supplies needed to make your holiday decorations, which is what I did.

Make Your Own Holiday Decorations

Decorate for the holidays on a budget

I made some of my holiday decorations using the supplies I bought at Michael’s for a discount. For instance, I made a garland wreath to hang on our front door at a fraction of the price of a pre-made wreath.

Final Thoughts

With patience, you can easily decorate for the holidays on a budget. Finding all the decorations you want, whether large or small, may take you a few years. However, waiting is worthwhile, especially when your budget is tight and you need to save money. My husband and I have accumulated our decorations through the years, and we’ve spent very little money doing so.

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4 Tips for Saving Money on Your HVAC System

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One of the most expensive costs of managing your home is related to your HVAC system. Your HVAC system (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) can gobble up energy and drive up the cost of managing your home. Cooling and heating account for about 48% of energy costs. Reducing costs associated with your HVAC system will lower your overall costs for home management. Follow these four tips for cutting costs.

Change Your Filters Regularly

Changing the filters on your HVAC system can help to reduce costs. Filters help to keep the airflow moving smoothly through your system, which helps to reduce the load on your system. In other words, changing the air filters frequently will improve your energy efficiency. This simple step can also extend the life of your system. You can expect the average furnace to have a life span of around 15-20 years. If you take care of it, you may be able to extend it beyond those years. Changing your filters at least once a month will help you to cut the cost of running your home.

Clear Away Debris

Keep outdoor units clear of debris. HVAC systems depend heavily on unobstructed airflow. Grass clippings, leaf litter, and other organic debris should regularly be removed from around your outdoor HVAC equipment. Making it a habit to clean the outside of your home and keeping bushes and other plants from becoming overgrown near your HVAC system is an easy way to cut the operating costs of your HVAC system. You should clear debris each week. You can use a water hose to clean the unit itself. Never use a high-pressure hose or you could damage the coils on the unit.

Have Professional Tune-Ups

One of the easiest ways to keep costs down on home repairs is to ensure that all your essential systems are getting the maintenance that’s needed. Your HVAC system should get annual professional maintenance. An HVAC “tune-up” can help to keep your system in top condition and help reduce the costs of operating your home. An HVAC inspection can reveal if there are any problems that need to be addressed. The service also includes cleaning up your system and making sure that all the components are in top working condition. It’s an affordable service that every homeowner should subscribe to. Taking care of the systems in your home is one of the most effective ways to keep costs down.

Make The Job Easier for Your HVAC System

About 25%-30% of heat and cooling loss occurs because of old faulty windows and doors. Sometimes, to cut home management costs and reduce the cost of your HVAC system, you must invest time and money. While replacing all of your windows right now may not be within the budget, there are other things that you can do to help your HVAC system work more efficiently. Check for drafts and use weather stripping to seal the drafts. You can also use a clear plastic sealer on your windows to help improve energy efficiency. Even small changes add up to savings on your home HVAC usage. Caulk any spaces around your window. Check your attic for areas that may need attention. If you can afford to invest in new windows, that will be a game changer for your home and for cutting costs. If you cannot do what you can to seal out the elements and reduce drafts.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that if they are not using a room in their home, they should close the vents. Your system is designed to work with all the registers open. Another error is constantly changing the temperature of the thermostat. Set it and forget it. Follow these tips to save money on heating and cooling costs in your home, and to extend the life of your HVAC system.

3 Tips for Choosing a Neighborhood When It’s Time To Move

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Throughout the process of searching for a new home, choosing the right neighborhood is equally as important as finding the right house. Various aspects of a particular neighborhood could have an impact on all members of your household – it could determine where your children attend school, what activities and amenities are accessible with and without a vehicle, and can increase or decrease your overall cost of living each year.  [Read more…]