Protecting Your Home Investment: How Window Tinting Saves You Money

Window (Photo credit: Rameshng)

Planning for your retirement involves more than contributing regularly to you investment savings accounts; it involves protecting the investments you already have. If you are like most people, your home is your biggest investment. 

It can be challenging to meet all of the financial demands owning a home brings while you are still in the workplace and receiving steady income, but it is even more of a challenge when you are retired and living on a fixed income. 

One way to hedge against ever increasing maintenance and utility costs in the future is to install protective tinted window film on your home’s windows. 

Lower Utility Bills 

English: Series of air conditioners at UNC-CH. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Implementing energy efficient devices will lower your utility costs now and later. One of the easier ways to cut energy costs is to install window tinting in your home. The biggest savings, of course, comes in the form of lowered air conditioning bills. Summer heat and sunshine pouring through your windows will take almost 50% of your utility bill to cool the house to a comfortable level. 

Using window tinting will control the amount of solar gain that leaks into your home by as much as 80%. This in turn, reduces the load on your air conditioner, and your utility bill is greatly reduced. Additionally, there is a qualifying energy tax credit available until December 31, 2013, which could give you a direct tax reduction on next year’s taxes. 

Greater Security 

Window tinting provides more privacy, which increases your security at home, but the tinted window film also dissuades burglars in another way. The adhesive used to apply the film prevents windows from being smashed open: the glass actually remains intact even if it is shattered. 

This is not only a great deterrent to forced home entry, it also means anyone inside the house is protected from flying glass—and that includes flying shards due to destructive weather from hurricanes and earthquakes, in addition to vandalism. 

Hidden Benefits 

A cheaper utility bill arriving every month for the rest of your life is certainly the greatest motivation for installing window tinting, but there are other ways you and your family benefit from installing window film. 

The harmful UV rays are not stopped by ordinary glass (think sunglasses with UV protection vs. regular glasses). Window tinting will block the harmful UV rays and protect you and your family to overexposure. 

The money you have invested in furniture will be protected because those same UV rays that damage the skin also cause fading and deterioration of upholstery and wood furniture. If you have ever seen a “weather-beaten” barn or house, you know what the sun can do over time; it has that same effect on your furnishings; it just takes a bit longer to cause severe sun damage on the inside of a house. 

Your Home is Your Castle 

Your home is your refuge, and it is meant to last a lifetime--and it can if it is well taken care of. Medieval castles still stand today because measures were taken to protect the castles at all costs. Taking pro-active measures, such as installing window tinting, before you retire will reduce your current energy costs as well as save you money in the future. 

Most people have a fixed retirement income, or income that has the potential to fluctuate wildly due to the types of retirement investments one has undertaken. In any case, monthly retirement income is not likely to increase, so the more you can do to protect your biggest investment, your home, the better. 

About the Author: Mark Manning is a freelance writer and home improvement buff - he loves taking care of the small projects around his home, but always calls in the professionals for the most important, bigger projects. He suggests checking out this window tinting in Houston resource for more information.

How to Survive Travel in Your Retired Years – With a Dependent

Travel Guides (Photo credit: Vanessa (EY))

For most retirees, freedom from watching over little ones while at home and abroad is what puts the golden in “golden years.” While caring for dependents has its own personal rewards, isn’t getting away from that sort of responsibility what retirement is all about? 

Unfortunately, retirement doesn’t mean absolute freedom from caring for dependents for many retired individuals. This can be complicated enough at home, but it doesn’t need to impede on the dreams of most retirees to travel the world. To make caring for dependents while overseas more manageable emotionally and fiscally, here are a few reminders anyone can follow.

1. Take the risk out of traveling abroad with proper insurance

While traveling abroad, you and your dependent will be exposed to all sorts of new and exciting places and events. But the unintended consequences of travel can be dire, too. Considering that young children and elderly adults are among the most vulnerable to physical injury and disease, it’s more recommendable for these travelers than anyone to invest in traveler’s insurance.

This form of insurance can cover accidents, illnesses, disablement, return of a minor, and even overseas ceremony expenses in the case the worst happens. Make sure that your provider is very familiar with the region that you’re traveling to; when traveling to the Carolinas, for example, it would be prudent to get coverage from Charlotte insurance agents rather than European providers.

2. Find activities that will keep both of you entertained

Most conflicts that happen between travel partners in any trip results from a conflict of interests. Naturally, limited time in exotic locations can leave travelers feeling pretty divided on the best way to spend time abroad. This might seem to be even more exaggerated between young children and their elderly caregivers. As difficult as it can be to compromise, making accommodations for any dependents in your party is necessary (because no child will ever, ever behave themselves in a country club or art museum.)

Finding common interests and making the most of your journey is one way to approach attending to their needs. Spending time on your various flights to brainstorm some potential destinations together can work wonders down the line. If there is another caregiver in your party, taking shifts to experience things individually might be the best approach in making sure that you can make the most of your trip without compromising too much to provide care.

3. Always have a back-up plan for when compromise won’t work

While it’s comforting to think that there will always be something available for a child to keep themselves busy while you enjoy traveling, you might find that compromise isn’t always possible. Keeping activities readily available with you in order to make traveling more entertaining for children could be a good alternative; but while portable game consoles and coloring books might help wile away a few hours, engaging your dependents more meaningfully about their travels will help them enjoy the more “boring” aspects that they might otherwise prefer to avoid.

If you’d like to see a museum, become your party’s own tour guide. If you’d like to enjoy local cuisine, become your group’s taste tester. You don’t need to be an expert; rather, engaging your children as a cooperative learner as you explore new environments and experience new things can provide a world of perspective for children to take in their surroundings more meaningfully.

Having them take notes and learn from their journeys will not only actively engage them in the traveling experience, but it might garner their appreciation of traveling and of the world as a whole. And while traveling should certainly be more about “you” in your golden years, there are few lessons that match that importance.

Four Ways to Prevent a Home Break-in from Happening

Suffering a home break-in is a horrible occurrence. The feeling of violation is one that it takes a long time to get over. Luckily, home break-ins can almost always be prevented with careful thought and planning. Using these four simple techniques, homeowners can protect their families and valuables from the ravages of a home theft.

1. Get a Dog

One of the cheapest and easiest ways to instantly upgrade your home security is to buy the oldest burglar alarm of all, the family dog. A dog that lives inside a home will always let you know if someone is trying to enter your home unawares. Just the sound of a dog barking is enough to immediately send prowlers running for the hills.

2. Alarm System

Of course, in the 21st century, there are now high tech solutions to keeping your home safe. Vivint in Tampa, FL is a home security firm that installs alarms, cameras and monitoring equipment that make it possible for homeowners to keep an eye on their property at all times. The live Internet video feeds that these modern home security firms can provide their customers are fantastic. Homeowners can check with a Laredo home security company to install a first-rate alarm system that will give them peace of mind whether they are at home or halfway across the world.

3. Protect Your Entrances

One of the smartest ways to protect your home from break-ins is to always keep your entrances secure. Thieves have to have a way in to violate your home, and you can deny this to them if you are smart. This means always protecting yourself by locking windows and doors when you leave. Make sure to protect the garage door as well. It is very easy for smart thieves to open a garage door. Make sure that the door from the garage leading into your house is locked to deny thieves entry if they manage to open your garage door.

4. Be Vacation Smart

Never let thieves know that you are away from home. Tell your neighbors you will be gone and ask them to keep an eye on your place when you leave town. Make sure to stop the mail and newspapers to keep them from piling up, which is a dead giveaway to thieves that you are on vacation. Also, use timers or a home automation system to turn lights and the TV or radio on at night while you are gone.

4 Things to Consider When Starting a New Business

Starting a new business can feel intimidating and at times even a bit overwhelming. When you want to launch a business of your own and you want to do so successfully there are a few things to consider before you get started. Preparing yourself for the challenges you may face along the journey of building a brand and a business is a way to master the products or services you have to offer along with customer communication. 

Know Your Demographic

Knowing your demographic and the audience of customers you want to reach is essential when you want to run a successful business that you are just launching. Before you begin investing into a new business, researching business reviews and customer surveys online using OpenTell.com local reviews can help you to pinpoint what it is your potential customers are seeking for themselves. The more research you put into getting to know your demographic, the easier it is to build a strong and effective business model. 

Assess Your Finances

Any time an individual plans to launch a new business it is essential to assess your finances prior to making the investment or seeking out potential loans you are qualified to receive. Whether you plan to invest in launching the business with your own capital or if you want to use banks or angel investors, going over the start up costs necessary will help you to formulate a working business plan. 

Create an Online Presence

Creating an online presence is also highly recommended any time you are launching a new business. Build an official website and be sure to integrate your business into a mobile app or applications that work on tablets and other electronic devices. 

Get Involved With Social Media

It is also important to get involved with social media when you start a new business. Create professional pages on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and even LinkedIn to represent yourself professionally as well as the company you are launching. The more active you get with your social media pages, the easier it is to build a loyal online following in any industry.

Knowing what to consider when you are starting a new business is a way for you to stay current with the latest trends in the industry while also maintaining a positive relationship with customers and clients. The more tips you implement when you begin your new business, the more likely you are to feel comfortable and confident with future decisions you have to make.

Making Good Use of Your Time After Retirement

retirement (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

For some, retirement means the end of waking up early, clock-punching, tolerating crappy bosses, and losing blood, sweat, and tears in order to make ends meet. For a weathered old soul, retirement might come as a refreshing change and a gearing down of a life’s pace. More hours on the rocking chair, a trip to Vegas now and then, and all manner of recreational activities should be on the schedule of a retiree… if they bother keeping a schedule at all.

There are, however, individuals who are creatures of habit, and cannot seem make the transition from actively working person to that of a more relaxed fellow that is spending the precious remainder of their years. This can bring about a lot of restlessness and frustration, not only for the retiree, but to the people around him or her.

I had a personal experience of that sort with my father. Upon hitting his mid-sixties, he was advised by his physician to let go of the reins of his business. Not wanting to preempt his life because of stress, he acquiesced and tried his best to take it slow.

It wasn’t easy. He was still in “hungry entrepreneur” mode, and it caused no end of arguments and heated tempers with mom and my brothers, making visits to the old homestead stressful. I wasn’t about to leave things in that sorry state, and I decided to go ask around and gather up advice on how retirees can get over their “professional hangover.”

Hobbies and Crafts

All that time and nothing to do? Watching too much TV or sleeping may not be the best cure for that, as it will just make you grow a larger belly and do quite a number on your back. Assist your retiree friend or family member in finding something enjoyable to occupy their time with. Do make certain that what they are interested in doing isn’t going to cause undue risk or harm to them (good luck with extreme sports enthusiasts, though).

My dad was in the construction industry, but when he was younger, he had a thing for cars. I suggested that he take up the hobby of restoring and maintaining vintage automobiles, starting with the old Chevrolet Impala he had that was literally just rotting in our warehouse/garage.

Hang Out

Even introverted individuals need human exposure now and then, and the same goes for retirees that have hung up their guns/coat/tool belt/etc. and retired to a more quiet existence. Often, life passes like a blur before someone’s eyes, and it takes an event like retirement for one to look back and reflect on the experiences they have gone through. This is further enhanced by reaching out to the people that are still alive and sharing insights, apologies, and warm sentiments with each other.

Up until recently, relations were frosty between my dad and his siblings, and I encouraged him to reach out to the ones that were still around and make amends. Family is family, no matter what disagreements and differences of opinion you have or had. It would also help him put to rest any ill feelings between them, and that should make him sleep all the more soundly at night.

Use Your Skills for Philanthropy

You need not entirely leave or forget what you did for a living. If the skills and expertise are still relevant in today’s world (in most cases, they are), a retiree could make use of that to help society in general. This would leave a good, humanistic legacy behind, and it will inspire younger people into giving back to society when it is their turn to do so.

As I mentioned, my father was in the construction business. I shot this idea at him, and he took to it rather well. Reliving his years when he was actually behind the wheels and levers of heavy equipment, he went ahead and spent a little money on second-hand heavy equipment (he bought some surplus units off Rock&Dirt) and offered to help the local community in improving the flood-control earthworks, as flooding is a very real concern to many people in his hometown.

Have a happy and productive retirement!

About the Author

Stacey Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and runs a blog with her closest gal pals, Word Baristas.

The Internet’s Role in Forex Trading

The investment market has been expanding its client base steadily for many years now. Individuals from any and every occupation and background can participate in a range of trades including stock exchange, real estate, currency trade etc. Out of these the last one i.e. the currency trade or foreign exchange is the investment market which has garnered the most popularity in recent times. This new found popularity is not unfounded as foreign exchange can lead to high pay outs and is accessible to all participants via the Internet at any time. The massive participation of this market has resulted in a daily transaction of about 4 trillion USD. 

The most important factor which can help a trader to transact successfully with considerable profits in this market, is the Internet. It is this online world which has skyrocketed the market’s popularity by throwing it open to everyone, everywhere. Apart from this factor, there are also a number of forex market related benefits that are available to us, because of the Internet.

Following are listed a few such benefits:

• Research – Foreign exchange is a currency trade involving pairs of currencies from various nations e.g. currency pairs USD/GBP, USD/JPYen, USD/Euro, GBP/Euro etc. (most popular being the USD/EUR). Therefore, it is imperative that we know the major economical trends of the nations whose currencies we deal with. Here the importance of research cannot be stressed enough. It is through effective and optimum research that we can analyze all those national and international indicators that affect the currencies we trade. Thus, proper research will lead to sound analysis and accurate decision making, thereby enabling us to maximize our profit while limiting our losses. And since the Internet makes news from the remotest parts of the world available to us at the click of a finger, it is the most potent source for such research.
• Leveling the field – As mentioned above, foreign exchange as an investment market is available to one and all. There is no particular body governing or regulating the trade, hence direct participation without any middleman or forex broker is possible. Also, due to the sheer amount of money and number of players involved, it is not possible for any person or business entity to monopolize the entire market. The Internet further makes the process obstacle free and levels the field for all traders as it makes all the required information including research materials, training programs, rules and procedures available to one and all.
• Practice makes perfect – This involves one of the best forex related services provided via Internet i.e. demo account. A demo account is a virtual currency trading account through which you can invest virtual cash till you’re confident in yourself and have narrowed down on a particular trading strategy. These accounts are offered by many websites like teletrade (they offer it for free). All you have to do is to fill out the necessary details and download the relevant software (in the case of teletrade it is Meta Trade 4 or 5), and you’re ready for practice.

As mentioned earlier, the information stock of the Internet is inexhaustible, hence for further information on the subject you can look up the other available websites specializing in this field.

Author’s Bio – Alisa Martin is an investment advisor. She also regularly writes for teletrade and other popular forex and investment related websites.