Increased use of technologies and services that capture methane emissions from oil and gas systems could save the industry over $ 1 billion in lost product, reduce air pollution and create new jobs, according to an economic analysis by Datu Research and the Environmental Defense Fund. The report identifies 76 companies that manufacture methane controls or […]
In May, Jake and I bought a house and moved in. We’ve been loving it so far! People who have always lived in a place with decent structural integrity may not appreciate it, but considering the many problems with our previous rental, it feels like we live in a palace now.
At the time of my last post on homeownership, we had about $ 10,000 in liquid savings. Beefing up our emergency fund even more was on our list of priorities. I was hoping to start saving for that in earnest in 2015. However, a situation arose this weekend that will cause us to reprioritize our financial goals.
Air conditioner repair
On Saturday afternoon, I noticed it seemed a bit warm in the house. When I looked at the thermostat, it said 82. Since it was set at 77, something was obviously wrong. I went outside and looked at the drip spout that comes off of the roof, and there was no water dripping. I assumed this meant that our air conditioner had frozen.
Jake concurred that was a possibility. You’re supposed to change the air filter every 3 months and we hadn’t done it since moving in, so we were slightly past the date. In ordinary climates that’s probably not that big a deal, but it was 108 that day. We turned the A/C to “off,” turned the fan on, and left the house to grocery shop and run errands so we didn’t have to be home while we waited for the unit to defrost. Unfortunately, when we got home and turned everything on again, it wouldn’t start up at all! So we called in a repair company to check it out.
The repair person got us up and running again sometime around 11 p.m., but we ended up paying about $ 1,000. However, it wasn’t due to our lack of routine maintenance. The repair person recommended that, based on the unit’s age, we should think about saving up for a replacement. The ballpark estimate, which was based purely on his look at our existing unit and the square footage of our home, was $ 7,000. Wowza! This was something that was already on our radar after our home inspection. Now “on our radar” has morphed into “our most important priority.”
The hope is to get the new unit during the winter, before next year’s A/C season cranks up again. We are also hoping that a new unit will drive our electricity costs down in the future. We have double-paned windows and a brand new roof, but I can only imagine how inefficient our HVAC unit is at its age. And while a new air conditioner may not be one of the 10 easy ways to lower your electric bill, the part of me that loves spreadsheets can’t wait to start crunching numbers after we get our new unit. In the short-term, however, this means that I will be cutting back on my aggressive student loan payments for the next few months as we set aside money for our new goal.
Other house projects
Now that we’ve lived in our house for awhile, we’re starting to get a sense of other projects that need to be completed and how to prioritize all our goals. We can’t afford to do everything at once! Here is a prioritized list for tasks that we either can’t or don’t want to DIY.
Replacing the A/C. First priority, anticipated timeline six months. Amount: $ 7,000 (just in case our midnight estimate was a little off).
Demolishing the shed. Second priority, anticipated timeline six months. There’s a corroded metal shed in the backyard that isn’t safe to use or really even be near, and we don’t need it because everything fits in our garage. Amount: unknown, but this shouldn’t be too expensive.
Resurfacing the back deck. Third priority, anticipated timeline between six months and one year. Amount: $ 3,500.
Installing solar panels. Fourth priority, anticipated timeline 18 months to two years. Amount: $ 10,000 out of pocket, according to other folks we know who’ve had this done.
There are also some rooms that won’t be fully furnished for awhile, but we’re in no hurry for a few reasons. First, it takes time to get a sense of what we really like and what will actually fit in the space. We also want to save up and buy nice things that we love. I think new furniture will probably end up between “resurfacing the back deck” and “installing solar panels” in terms of our prioritized list above.
Coming to terms with adjusting my goals
In the early part of the year, I was making extra payments of $ 300 per month toward my student loans. It was important to me to make extra payments, but I also wanted to save up to buy our house. Since moving into our new house, I’ve been making extra student loan payments of $ 500 per month. Additionally, I’ve also been making the regular payments. In all, I’ve been paying close to $ 1,000 a month!
I’m on a graduated repayment plan where the amount of the regular monthly payment goes up every two years. However, apparently the resets are not based on calendar years, but on payment years. What does this mean? Let’s say the regular payment on the smaller balance is $ 100. (It’s actually more; this is an example.) Two years’ worth of payments at that rate is $ 2,400, so my rate would reset after two years or after paying $ 2,400, whichever comes first.
So not only have I been making larger extra payments recently, the amount of my regular payments has gone up as well. Additionally, more of my regular payments goes toward the balance as opposed to accumulated interest. So even though I plan to cut back on the extra payments for the time being, I’ll still be making progress. And the sooner I reach my larger house-related goals, the sooner I can start making those satisfying big payments again.
One of the most challenging adjustments in all of this is allocating savings toward something I’m not all that excited about. I mean, by the time we got the A/C working again, I was pretty darn excited to start cooling our 97-degree house down. And of course having a crane putting things on our roof is just plain cool! But outside of that, it just seems like a lot of money.
How do you prioritize when you have several larger financial goals that take time to save for?
E*TRADE Financial Hits New 52-Week High – February 14, 2014 …
This page is temporarily not available. Please check later as it should be available shortly. If you have any questions, please email customer support at support@zacks.com or call 800-767-3771 ext. 9339.Shares of E*TRADE Financial Corporation (ETFC – Analyst Report) crafted a new 52-week high, touching $21.80 in the last hour of the trading session on Feb 13. The closing price of this investment brokerage firm represents a return of 92.8% in a year’s time. The trading volume for the session was around 4.4 million shares.Despite hitting its 52-week high, this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock has plenty of upside left, given its strong estimate revisions over the last 30 days.Growth DriversImpressive fourth-quarter 2014 results, including an improvement in daily average revenue trades (DARTs) and lower provisions, as well as …
There’s still time to be featured in Environmental Leader’s yearly best practices report. Environmental Leader invites you to share the results or lessons learned from a sustainability initiative, environmental or energy management lesson or other insight you gained during the past year for our annual Insider Knowledge Report. The best 100-or-so lessons we receive will […]
Stocks were higher in early trading on Friday as traders try to figure out what to do with weak job-creation data. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' non-farm payroll report, the economy generated 113,000 new jobs in …
This website is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Material shared on this blog does not constitute financial advice nor is it offered as such. Therefore, The Simple Dollar assumes no legal liability for the completeness, accuracy, or suitability of the information provided by its authors.Readers will also note that The Simple Dollar maintains financial relationships with certain third party merchants. If readers access and utilize the services of one of these affiliates through a link on the blog, The Simple Dollar may be compensated for the referral.Please read the blog’s policies on privacy and image-use.And always consult a locally licensed insurance agent, financial adviser or certified attorney before making any financial decisions.
This article first appeared on U.S. News and World Report Money.
Cell phone companies want you to sign up for expensive two-year contracts. Why wouldn’t they? It’s money directly in their pocket. They’ll use every sales technique they can to get you to sign on the dotted line for a new contract.
Sometimes, that contract winds up being a good deal, but there are several things you can do to make sure that you’re getting the best deal for the services that you need. Here are five tactics you can use to make sure that you’re getting the best deal.
Use multiple methods when shopping around. If you’re at the end of your cell phone contract, the ball’s in your court. You not only have the ability to choose the specifics of a new contract, you can also jump to a new carrier.
Cellular providers offer phones and contracts in a variety of different ways – online, in retail locations, and via flyers as well. When shopping around, don’t just visit their websites to compare deals. Check out the shops of the reputable carriers in your area.
A valuable tip: before you even start comparing carriers, use OpenSignal to figure out which providers have good coverage in areas where you’re commonly going to be using your phone. There’s no point in getting a cheap cell phone if it doesn’t even work in your area.
Include prepaid phones in your comparison. Many people overlook prepaid cell phones when they shop around and compare packages and prices. For many users, prepaid phones are very competitive in their price structures and many of the prepaid providers are tied directly to larger providers (meaning that they use the network of the large providers).
Check out the prepaid offers available on sites like Amazon.com, then research the providers so that you know what kind of network they have. You may just find that a prepaid phone matches what you need at a much lower price – and without a contract.
Negotiate. If you do settle on a particular offer, nothing’s keeping you from negotiating. You can simply tell the provider that you’re considering switching to them – or that you’re currently shopping around with other providers – and simply ask for some perks.
It’s often useful to come armed with comparable deals from other providers. Simply state that another provider has this particular deal and ask if they can adjust the price on one of their packages to match it.
Remember, the worst thing that can happen is that they say “no.”
Check for a professional discount. Many employers have arrangements with major cellular providers for a discount on their plans for all of their employees. For example, Verizon’s employee plan provides discounts for the employees of thousands of businesses – and it’s easy to see if you qualify.
Check with your employer to see if they have such an arrangement and, if they do, use that as a part of your price comparison.
Ask to compare the plan you’re considering with a no-contract version. If you’re considering signing a contract in order to get a cheap phone, ask the provider what the cost of a non-contract version of the same plan costs. Generally, non-contract plans are significantly less expensive per month, but do not provide a discounted phone.
This gives you the freedom to find an unlocked phone and use it (provided it’s compatible with your provider) or use an older phone that you already have. In either case, it can drastically reduce your monthly cost if you’re willing to spend more at the start of the contract, adding up to a net savings.
These tactics, when used in concert, can significantly reduce the amount that you have to pay each month for your cell phone.
#PreMarket Primer: Friday, January 24: Growth Fears Drag Down …
Benzinga is a fast-growing, dynamic and innovative financial media outlet that empowers investors with high-quality, unique content. E2open Shares Offered Down Following Pricing of 4.6M Share Follow-on Public Offering of Common Stock at $25 per Share SolarCity to Report Q4 2013 Earnings on Monday February 24, 2014; After the Market Close
Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC) fell 0.53 percent in premarket trade after losing 1.69 percent on Thursday. The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE: KO) was down 0.46 percent in premarket trade after falling 1.65 percent on Thursday.
Shares were up 0.8% in pre-market trading. Shares of Apple were down 0.11% today after a bearish analyst report came out. Societe Generale (OTCMKTS:SCGLY) downgraded the iPhone maker to hold from buy. The bank's …
Crown Holdings, a major supplier of metal packaging products, has released its second sustainability report, covering fiscal years 2011 and 2012. Results include: GHGs Combined direct and indirect GHG emissions per unit held roughly steady from 2010 to 2012, though down from 2009 levels – the exact numbers are difficult to reach from Crown’s charts. […]
The price of natural gas changed direction and tumbled down during the most of the week. Alas on Thursday, following the release of the updated EIA report, in which the natural gas storage plummeted by 285 Bcf, the price of…
Four Free Helpful Online Credit Resources That I Actually Use (Or Highly Recommend)
This website is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Material shared on this blog does not constitute financial advice nor is it offered as such. Therefore, The Simple Dollar assumes no legal liability for the completeness, accuracy, or suitability of the information provided by its authors.Readers will also note that The Simple Dollar maintains financial relationships with certain third party merchants. If readers access and utilize the services of one of these affiliates through a link on the blog, The Simple Dollar may be compensated for the referral.Please read the blog’s policies on privacy and image-use.And always consult a locally licensed insurance agent, financial adviser or certified attorney before making any financial decisions.
Sometimes, it seems like you can scarcely turn on your television or radio or web browser without seeing someone offering you a great solution to your credit woes or proper protection against credit worries. Pretty much anything involving the word “credit” is a hot commodity.
There are thousands of businesses out there who want to help you fix your credit – some more reputable than others. Beyond that, there are quite a few nonprofits and government agencies offering assistance to people who want to fix their credit or keep it in tip-top shape.
It’s also pretty easy to understand why so many companies are out there wanting to help you. It’s because there are a lot of people struggling to maintain good credit and there are also a lot of people who want to maintain the good credit they have.
Like it or not, our credit pops up over and over again in our lives. It doesn’t just affect whether or not we’re eligible for credit cards or car loans or mortgages. It affects our insurance rates. It affects our ability to rent an apartment. It affects our ability to secure employment. Many, many businesses and agencies use our credit report and credit score as a quick and dirty way to gauge our personal reputability.
In other words, it makes a lot of sense to keep tabs on our credit. If your credit card company doesn’t help, the trick is navigating through the sea of businesses and offers available to help us do just that. Be sure to check through the benefits and offerings from your card, however, as many of them do offer this feature.
When it comes to my own credit, I’m extremely picky about who I trust. There are two big reasons for that.
First, I worry about identity theft. I’m not saying that businesses are actively out there trying to steal my identity – though some shady outfits certainly are. I’m more concerned about having my information in lots of places, because all it takes is one slip-up for my data to be stolen from a reputable business, and the more businesses that have my information, the more likely a slip-up is going to adversely affect me.
Second, some products are blatantly overpriced. There are sites that will quite happily charge you (or make you sign up for a contract) in order to get things that are free elsewhere. In fact, many companies act as credit “middlemen,” hopping in the middle between you and a report you can get for free just so they can make a buck. They aren’t really criminals that will steal your identity, just opportunists.
Given that, when it comes to my credit, there are really only four online sources that I turn to. Luckily, I’ve only needed to look at two of them over the past several years, as the last two are best used if the first two reveal actual credit problems. Let’s take a look at them.
What does it provide? The federal government legally provides each person with one free credit report each year from each of the three credit bureaus. Their mandated site for providing those reports is AnnualCreditReport.com. Virtually every other site that provides credit reports is essentially just acting as a middleman for the service already provided by free from AnnualCreditReport.com.
Why do I trust it? When you go to the FTC’s website at ftc.gov and look for how to acquire the free credit reports you’re guaranteed by law, the page you find makes it extremely clear that the only place you should go to is AnnualCreditReport.com.
What does it provide? Once you have your credit report in hand, you’ll probably also want your credit score (or a rough estimate of it). Your credit score is simply a number that summarizes your credit trustworthiness and, although there are several different flavors of credit scores, the most common kind is the FICO score, which is a trademark of Fair Isaac. You can pay various companies to calculate your score for you, but if you use a good credit score estimator tool along with the information in your actual report, you can get a pretty accurate estimate of your score.
Why do I trust it? Since I’m not too keen on sharing personal information, I’ve tried out a bunch of different free credit score estimators that do not require you to share any truly personal information. I think this one does the best job of the bunch. You don’t have to provide any personally identifying data and it provides a result that seems rather accurate.
What does it provide? If you find that your credit report is messy and your credit score is lower than you’d like, you’ll probably want to work on repairing it. Again, there are a lot of tools out there that can show you how to fix your credit score, but there are also a lot of reputable free guides out there. This is a very good and very reliable one.
Why do I trust it? It’s a government publication that has no interest whatsoever in pushing you to buy a product or make any other financial move. Their incentive isn’t profit. It’s providing help.
Justice Department Approved Credit Counseling Agencies
What does it provide? If you’re truly in a credit crunch and you can’t figure out how to fix things with the tools above, you may want someone to come in and help. Unfortunately, there are both reputable and disreputable credit counseling services out there. This site provides a list of services that are approved by the Justice Department.
Why do I trust it? Bankruptcy cases point to this list of credit counselors as the ones that are accepted by the court system. The list is provided by the Justice Department. In my eyes, you’re not going to find a more trustworthy list of credit counseling services.
Regardless of whether your credit is strong or you’re in a debt crisis, one (or more) of the tools on this page should be of help to you.
