Traditional flooring is expensive. Tile, carpet, and even vinyl can all cost big bucks. Add in the cost of installation and you can quickly use up most of your decorating budget. If you’re strapped for cash, there are alternatives to traditional flooring. You have to be a little creative and use some DIY skills make [...]
I choose to be homeless. I am what is often referred today as a digital nomad. I travel full time although I do have a few “home bases” with family and friends where I’ll stay for a week or two in between my travels to new places. Most people who meet me for the first [...]
Many people are tightening their belts in these uncertain economic times. One of the first places we often look to save money is finding projects around the home that we can do ourselves rather than calling the professionals. All do-it yourself projects are not created equal, though, and there are times when you are better [...]
A fire is not only emotionally devastating and life threatening, it can be financially devastating, as well. Even with great insurance you may find yourself having to pay out of pocket for things you didn’t have covered or for unexpected expenses. If you don’t have insurance, or not enough enough insurance, you could be out [...]
This has been a hot year in many parts of the country. I recently heard from a friend who was at her wits end because of the extreme heat. She cannot afford to run the air conditioner all day and was asking me if I knew of any budget ways to beat the heat. Obviously [...]
We just bought some new living room furniture. Our old furniture was just that: Old. While it was still serviceable, it was no longer that comfortable. Yes, we could still sit on the couch, but the couch had lost a lot of its support and comfort. It was also no longer a great match for [...]
My parents are getting older. Dad will be 83 in a few months. Mom will be 72. Dad suffered a fall a couple of months ago and, although he has recovered, a full recovery was in doubt for quite a while. He is also close to being deaf and can hear only with the help [...]
Last year was the year the I finally decided I’d had enough of my lawn. The grass only grew in certain places, no matter how much we watered or which grass breeds we tried. We tried everything to get a lush, green lawn. We fertilized, tested the soil, watered, planted grass breeds indigenous to our [...]
Sometimes, common sense escapes even the most intelligent of people. We all make fundamental assumptions. Drawers should slide open and slide closed. Doors should behave in a similar fashion. When they do not, something very primitive and entirely irrational possesses all too many of us. We devolve to the level of the beasts and try [...]
I read an article on MSNBC.com this week about how people are not paying on their homes and voluntarily entering foreclosure so that they can save money. The gist of the piece is that these people have simply decided to stop paying on the home and use the money for doing more fun things in [...]
