Whether you’re a long time homeowner, a soon-to-be homebuyer or just someone who cares about not running out of money, budgeting is uber important. (That won’t be that last time you hear us say that, by the way.) Budgeting ensures you can pay the bills you incur, it helps you plan for at least some of the things you want (versus need), and it ensures you address your financial responsibilities. (Trust us, your credit score will reward you for it.)
As you may have heard, the Federal Reserve (aka the Fed) bumped up its benchmark interest rate in December 2016—something that’s only happened twice since the financial crisis began in 2008. Granted, it’s only a quarter of one percent, but it’s an increase that can be felt in many ways.
‘Tis the season to be merry—and to host houseguests. If you’re planning to put up family or friends in your home, why not make sure it goes as smoothly as possible? We have a host of great tips to help you do just that. (See what we did there?)
5 Hosting Tips
Tip #1: Plan for success.
Holiday traditions don’t just happen—they’re created. If you’ve recently experienced a change like moving into a new home (yay!) or welcoming a new family member into the fold (double yay!), there’s no time like the present to add to your holiday traditions. Are you game for building a caroling group? Baking signature holiday treats?
We are creatures of habit, especially around the holidays. So when the decoration boxes come out, the silver bells and candles tend to end up on the mantle, as they were last year; the menorah takes center stage — again; and the tree winds up where it always does.
However, if you’ve moved since the last holiday season, your decorations need to find a home in your new home. We’ve collected some holiday decorating ideas to help you feel truly at home, whether you’re in new digs or just looking to up the ante when it comes to holiday cheer.
No matter where you are in life, you’re game for saving money, right? Well, when it comes to Black Friday savings, be advised that it’s more of a sport than a savvy money-saving strategy.
Will this be your first time hosting Thanksgiving dinner? Is this your maiden Turkey Day voyage in your new home? Or are you just on the prowl for Thanksgiving tips to help the day stay on course? Never fear. We’ve got you covered.
If your past Thanksgiving dinner experience begins and ends with making a green bean casserole and showing up relatively on time—and now it’s your turn to host the whole kit and caboodle—there are a few things you should know before turkey day rolls around.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither is Thanksgiving dinner.
We love veterans. We are extremely thankful for their service and sacrifices. So it should come as no surprise that we created a homebuyer program that benefits veterans and military personnel. It’s called Home Is Possible For Heroes and it‘s our way of saluting Nevada’s heroes on Veterans Day—plus the other 364 days of the year.
Some Background Info
With Nevada’s birthday (aka Nevada Day) just around the corner, we’re admittedly a little nostalgic about the Silver State’s awesomeness. And we’re even more confident that owning a piece of the nation’s 36th state is a great idea for many Nevadans—something we know a thing or two (thousand) about.
Last week, we shared some handy fall home maintenance tips for homeowners throughout Nevada, regardless of climate. Hopefully, you’ve already started checking some of them off your list. Today, we want to share some fall to-dos for Nevadans who live where freezing temperatures are the norm from fall to spring (though our friends in southern Nevada can also benefit from a couple of these fall energy-saving tips as well).
Fall Checklist, Part Two
1. Put your sprinklers system to bed.