Save Money-2015 Home Resolutions

There is never a better time that the present to save money!!
Yet, saving money "smart" is most important.

Below, is an article received from Al Clark.  It is dead on helping you save money in 2015.

Yet, you must be smart about it.  For example, though interest rates are going to rise, not every home owner is a great candidate for refinancing the house.  For example, if you bought in 2005 and have a 5% mortgage, you would be not smart to pay closing costs to lower the rate to 4 or 4.5%.   The payback time will be very long.  If an individual has a 7% mortgage, that person should act immediately.

You will see the same true on each Home Resolution.  All are excellent ideas but you must evaluate for your own situation or, as in the case of insurance, be sure you are getting at least the same coverage(if not better) for a better price.

I sincerly hope you can save enough that a vacation or a spur to your savings can occur!!!

4 New Year’s 2015 Home Resolutions That Can Save You Big Money

Home Resolutions

If your New Year’s resolutions include saving money, we've got four great ways for you to achieve your goals:

Refinance

If you haven’t yet refinanced your mortgage or home equity loan to take advantage of today’s low interest rates, there’s still time to lock in a great deal. Jay Brinkmann, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, expects mortgage rates to rise to 4.8 percent in 2015, and to 5.4 percent by the end of 2016. 

If your current mortgages exceed your home’s value, you may still be able to refinance using one of the federal government’s Home Affordable Refinance Program.

Change Your Furnace Filters

New Year’s resolutions don’t get much easier than vowing to change your HVAC filter once a month in 2015 to increase your furnace’s life span. 

To make this task easy, buy 12 filters and store them in the furnace room so they’re at hand when you need them. Put a reminder on your calendar, or tie this chore to another monthly chore, like paying your household bills, so you remember to do it each month. 

Seal Those Home Air Leaks 

Sealing the air leaks in your home is one of the most cost-effective ways to cut your utility bills. Check to make sure your windows are caulked around the outside of the trim on the inside, and outside, of your home. Use foam to fill large gaps where the plumbing, electric or cable comes in the house.

Shop Your Insurance Policies

Yes, it’s a bother to shop for insurance, but if you haven’t checked what’s out there lately, you may be overpaying. The easiest way to get this chore done is to delegate. Copy the declarations pages from your current home, auto, life and umbrella policies, and ask an independent insurance agent to look for a better overall deal for you.

You can also visit your current agent, or call your insurance company and ask for an annual review to make sure you've got the right coverage and are getting all the discounts for which you qualify.

If you need a referral to a good insurance agent, mortgage loan officer or home handyperson, please contact me.

Save some dough.....Electricity Savings

HOME TRENDS: FREE ELECTRICITY FOR A DAY? HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

Topic Summary:  Electric utilities are advancing in their programs to swap out old inefficient power meters with new 2 way devices. With new metering capabilities homeowners will have powerful options in energy usage and management. The big buzz now trending is time-of-use, or dynamic electricity pricing. Most homeowners today pay a one-size-fits-all price for electricity ( the kilowatt hour is the unit of measure) and have no incentive to alter their consumption in response to price fluctuations.  As the video (click image) will indicate, the cost to produce electricity moves around all day long so understanding TIME OF DAY usage is important. http://www.smartgrid.gov/the_smart_grid#consumer_engagement  Today, with new integrated systems, homeowners are getting a text message from their smart meter, telling them to hit #99 on their smartphone to turn on the dishwasher at just the right time. The goal of smart meters is twofold. Two way meters can communicate with the utility and provide real-time demand data. Secondly, the process of smart metering will allow homeowners to manage when they use electricity and leverage special promotions that utilities will offer. Daytime electricity generation is the most expensive but if utilities can reduce daytime generation and move it to evening or late night there is a lot of money to be saved and eventually passed on to homeowners.  On August 9th, the Pennsylvania. Public Utility Commission authorized PECO, the Philadelphia area provider, to install 1.6 million smart meters. In PA consumers can not opt out of the program. This is not true however, in all states. Smart meters have been around for 10 years and newer technology is fueling the trend. A few years back there were health and safety concerns but the industry seems to have worked out those problems. Privacy advocates also caution on "too much info" being sent to the power company.  Currently there is an estimated 10 million homes that have some type of metering technology installed. Some states that are rolling out the programs are getting push back from homeowners (Article from Texas) who say they are being forced to use the new meters against their will.  Contact your local Public Utility Commission to convey your concerns.  What Will The Offers From My Utility Look Like? Let's say you pay 7.9 cents for a Kilowatt (1000 watts of electricity). Utilities will offer you 20% savings if you use electricity after 8 pm or even more after 11 pm when generation costs the least. (Click on video above)  Your smart meter will communicate just how much you use and when you use it. In many states that had energy deregulation, competing energy suppliers may entice new customers with "free electricity every Wednesday for two months".  It won't be long before you see offers form banks and credit card companies offering similar deals to sign up for a new service.  With rapidly advancing technology in the home automation industry, fueled by WiFi networks, your smart phone will communicate with your smart meter and tell you the optimal time to turn on the dishwasher or do the wash!    Stay tuned, this is going to be fun. Visit your electric utility's website and  that of your state public utility commission.  Courtesy :  Al Clark