Tag: Children


Jan
2021

An Overview of Filial Responsibility Laws

categories: Estate Planning, Financial Freedom

Father in a wheelchair and son outsideTaking care of aging parents is something you may need to plan for, especially if you think one or both of them might need long-term care. One thing you may not know is that some states have filial responsibility laws that require adult children to help financially with the cost of nursing home care. Whether these laws affect you or not depends largely on where you live and what financial resources your parents have to cover long-term care. But it’s important to understand how these laws work to avoid any financial surprises as your parents age.

Filial Responsibility Laws, Definition

Filial responsibility laws are legal rules that hold adult children financially responsible for their parents’ medical care when parents are unable to pay. More than half of U.S. states have some type of filial support or responsibility law, including:

  • Alaska
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Georgia
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Mississippi
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia

Puerto Rico also has laws regarding filial responsibility. Broadly speaking, these laws require adult children to help pay for things like medical care and basic needs when a parent is impoverished. But the way the laws are applied can vary from state to state. For example, some states may include mental health treatment as a situation requiring children to pay while others don’t. States can also place time limitations on how long adult children are required to pay.

When Do Filial Responsibility Laws Apply?

If you live in a state that has filial responsibility guidelines on the books, it’s important to understand when those laws can be applied.

Generally, you may have an obligation to pay for your parents’ medical care if all of the following apply:

  • One or both parents are receiving some type of state government-sponsored financial support to help pay for food, housing, utilities or other expenses
  • One or both parents has nursing home bills they can’t pay
  • One or both parents qualifies for indigent status, which means their Social Security benefits don’t cover their expenses
  • One or both parents are ineligible for Medicaid help to pay for long-term care
  • It’s established that you have the ability to pay outstanding nursing home bills

If you live in a state with filial responsibility laws, it’s possible that the nursing home providing care to one or both of your parents could come after you personally to collect on any outstanding bills owed. This means the nursing home would have to sue you in small claims court.

If the lawsuit is successful, the nursing home would then be able to take additional collection actions against you. That might include garnishing your wages or levying your bank account, depending on what your state allows.

Whether you’re actually subject to any of those actions or a lawsuit depends on whether the nursing home or care provider believes that you have the ability to pay. If you’re sued by a nursing home, you may be able to avoid further collection actions if you can show that because of your income, liabilities or other circumstances, you’re not able to pay any medical bills owed by your parents.

Filial Responsibility Laws and Medicaid

Senior care living areaWhile Medicare does not pay for long-term care expenses, Medicaid can. Medicaid eligibility guidelines vary from state to state but generally, aging seniors need to be income- and asset-eligible to qualify. If your aging parents are able to get Medicaid to help pay for long-term care, then filial responsibility laws don’t apply. Instead, Medicaid can paid for long-term care costs.

There is, however, a potential wrinkle to be aware of. Medicaid estate recovery laws allow nursing homes and long-term care providers to seek reimbursement for long-term care costs from the deceased person’s estate. Specifically, if your parents transferred assets to a trust then your state’s Medicaid program may be able to recover funds from the trust.

You wouldn’t have to worry about being sued personally in that case. But if your parents used a trust as part of their estate plan, any Medicaid recovery efforts could shrink the pool of assets you stand to inherit.

Talk to Your Parents About Estate Planning and Long-Term Care

If you live in a state with filial responsibility laws (or even if you don’t), it’s important to have an ongoing conversation with your parents about estate planning, end-of-life care and where that fits into your financial plans.

You can start with the basics and discuss what kind of care your parents expect to need and who they want to provide it. For example, they may want or expect you to care for them in your home or be allowed to stay in their own home with the help of a nursing aide. If that’s the case, it’s important to discuss whether that’s feasible financially.

If you believe that a nursing home stay is likely then you may want to talk to them about purchasing long-term care insurance or a hybrid life insurance policy that includes long-term care coverage. A hybrid policy can help pay for long-term care if needed and leave a death benefit for you (and your siblings if you have them) if your parents don’t require nursing home care.

Speaking of siblings, you may also want to discuss shared responsibility for caregiving, financial or otherwise, if you have brothers and sisters. This can help prevent resentment from arising later if one of you is taking on more of the financial or emotional burdens associated with caring for aging parents.

If your parents took out a reverse mortgage to provide income in retirement, it’s also important to discuss the implications of moving to a nursing home. Reverse mortgages generally must be repaid in full if long-term care means moving out of the home. In that instance, you may have to sell the home to repay a reverse mortgage.

The Bottom Line

elderly woman in a wheelchair outsideFilial responsibility laws could hold you responsible for your parents’ medical bills if they’re unable to pay what’s owed. If you live in a state that has these laws, it’s important to know when you may be subject to them. Helping your parents to plan ahead financially for long-term needs can help reduce the possibility of you being on the hook for nursing care costs unexpectedly.

Tips for Estate Planning

  • Consider talking to a financial advisor about what filial responsibility laws could mean for you if you live in a state that enforces them. If you don’t have a financial advisor yet, finding one doesn’t have to be a complicated process. SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool can help you connect, in just minutes, with professional advisors in your local area. If you’re ready, get started now.
  • When discussing financial planning with your parents, there are other things you may want to cover in addition to long-term care. For example, you might ask whether they’ve drafted a will yet or if they think they may need a trust for Medicaid planning. Helping them to draft an advance healthcare directive and a power of attorney can ensure that you or another family member has the authority to make medical and financial decisions on your parents’ behalf if they’re unable to do so.

Photo credit: ©iStock.com/Halfpoint, ©iStock.com/byryo, ©iStock.com/Halfpoint

The post An Overview of Filial Responsibility Laws appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.

Source: smartasset.com


Jan
2021

Ways to Earn Extra Money for Paying Off Debt

categories: DIY

Debt traps you in a seemingly endless cycle. More debt means more interest and less disposable income, which means you’re constantly fighting against the tide and are always one issue away from complete financial disaster. 

Once you start making repayments on this debt, there will be less interest to compound, which means the grip will loosen, you’ll have more breathing space, and you can look forward to a debt-free future.

In this guide, we’ll look at some of the ways you can earn extra cash to start clearing your debt, from acquiring additional work and responsibilities to making money-saving sacrifices.

Stop Wasting Money

The average American household wastes over $10,000 a year on unnecessary purchases. These purchases all fuel the economy and keep you and your family happy. But if you’re losing sleep because you have so much debt, it’s worth making these sacrifices to give you some peace of mind and build towards a better future.

Save on Grocery Bills

The average family spends between $300 and $500 a month on groceries and as much as 40% of this food goes to waste. The majority is fresh food past its expiration date but we also have a tendency to cook monster-sized meals that end up being thrown away.

To save money on your grocery bill, try the following:

  • Plan your shop carefully. Only buy fresh when you’re confident that the food will be eaten in the next day or two.
  • Reduce your portion sizes when cooking. It’s okay to err on the side of caution and make more than needed, but to cook double or triple what will be eaten is just wasteful.
  • Don’t worry too much about best-before dates. It doesn’t mean the food should be thrown away, just that it’s not at its best. The same applies to lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. In this case, you can rely more on the squeeze and sniff test.
  • Cook food that is about to expire and would otherwise be thrown out. You can freeze the meals for later. You can also try picking, preserving or juicing to reduce waste.

Eating Out

On average, American families spend close to $3,000 a year eating out. It’s a great way to spend time with the family or have a date night with your partner. However, if you have a lot of debt then $3,000 worth of restaurant visits is a little excessive. 

Stop spending so much money eating out and focus on some cheaper alternatives. A picnic is a great alternative. You can use some of that uneaten food and spend time with the family without paying a small fortune for the pleasure.

Stop the Vacations

Big families take one vacation a year on average and this costs them between $4,000 and $5,000. The more children you have, the more expensive it becomes. What’s more, around a third of these families will take as many as three additional, smaller vacations every year, potentially spending over $7,000.

Don’t sacrifice spending some time with your family but look for cheaper options instead. Choose a small cabin instead of a plush hotel. You can go for walks, play games, swim, hike—all free activities that could bring you even closer and cost even less.

Hold the Vices

Thousands are spent on cigarettes and gambling, and much more is spent on shopping sprees. If you have any of these habits, it’s time to put a stop to them. We don’t need to tell you about the benefits of stopping smoking or giving up those shopping sprees, but if you’re still not convinced about the gambling, then spend a few months recording every single dollar that you bet.

Most gamblers think they are breaking even or only losing a little, but when they monitor their activity, they discover they are actually losing a lot.

Check Your Subscriptions

According to a recent survey, most Americans underestimate how much money they spend on subscriptions. We’ve turned into a nation of subscribers, spending hundreds of dollars a month on dozens of services we barely use.

We pay for cable, streaming services, gyms—we convince ourselves that it won’t matter as it’s only a few dollars, but those costs can add up to a lot of wasted cash at the end of the year.

Sell Your Stuff

Many sites can help you offload your unwanted items. There’s a home for all the things you no longer need, from electronics and video games sold on eBay or Amazon, to clothes and furniture sold through sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Swappa. 

It’s time to let go, stop hoarding, and earn some cash from the things you don’t need. Be honest with yourself and get rid before the value of those items depreciates more and you end up with worthless, dust-covered junk that just takes up space.

As an example, let’s imagine that you have a dozen old video games worth just $5 each on average, 10 old school textbooks worth just $2 each, a couple of furniture pieces worth $10, an unwanted guitar worth $50, and a couple of handbags worth $25 each.

Individually, those items aren’t worth much and you might think they’re not even worth your time trying to sell them, But combined, you’ll get $200 and if you put that towards a high-interest credit card debt, it could save you twice that in interest over the term. You will also free up some space in the process.

Get Another Job

You know you can make more money by asking for a pay rise. It goes without saying. The problem is, life isn’t quite that easy and, in most cases, asking for a pay rise will elicit little more than a short, sharp laugh from your employer. 

However, there are many ways you can earn money from a side hustle, taking advantage of the gig economy and swapping a little talent, a little time, and a lot of hard work for some cash.

Get a Part-Time Job

There is a multitude of ways you can earn some extra cash these days. The pay isn’t always great, but if you’re working towards clearing your debts and have some free time, every dollar helps.

Uber and Lyft are always looking for new drivers; retailers need shelf-stackers and greeters, and there is no shortage of delivery jobs. Review your free time, calculate when you can work, and see what’s available. 

Teach a Skill

Can you play a musical instrument or speak a second language? Do you have some other teachable skill? It has never been easier to make money as a part-time teacher, as sites like Preply.com, Udemy.com, Tutor.com, Noodle.com, TakeLessons.com, and many more bring all of these opportunities to you. 

You can visit the student’s house, invite them to yours or simply conduct the lessons via Skype or the site’s built-in conferencing software.

Freelance

Upwork.com, Guru.com, Fiverr.com—these sites and more have created a world of possibilities for skilled writers, designers, coders, and other experts. But they offer so much more than that. 

You don’t need to be particularly skilled to work on these sites as the pay is scaled based on ability and experience. If you have a little free time and some competent language skills, you can hire yourself as a virtual assistant to do basic admin work.

There are countless entrepreneurs seeking individuals to complete basic tasks such as transferring data, reviewing images, and answering emails. The pay isn’t great if your skills are limited, but you get to work from home on your own time. 

Cover the Basics

Freelancing and teaching may be out of the question if you don’t have any skills and are not computer literate. But there are still a few other options, including dog walker, lawn mower, babysitter, and general handyman. 

Ask your neighbors, friends, and family if they need any work; check Craigslist and local classifieds. Everyone can do something and there are always odd jobs available if you’re willing to work.

Try Some Other Methods

When the ordinary fails, it’s time for the extraordinary. There are some weird and wonderful ways you can make extra cash when needed.

Sell Your Hair

If your hair is long and untreated, you could make a tidy sum by selling it. Good quality human hair is used to make premium wigs and some companies are willing to pay thousands for the right locks. However, there are some strict conditions, such as the fact that it must be untreated and very well looked after.

House Sit

Sites like Thumbtack can connect you to homeowners looking for skilled workers, as well as people willing to look after their homes and belongings. They will pay you to stay in their homes and perform some basic chores while they’re away, such as watering plants, feeding pets, and mowing the lawn.

Make Something

If your skills are practical and not creative, turn your hand to making things and sell them through sites like Etsy, Facebook or your own online store. The world has been obsessed with single-use plastics for many years and it’s now waking up to the damage that has been done. Many consumers are willing to pay extra for something that has been handmade and is unique, especially if the money supports an independent creator.

Grow Your Own

If you have a yard and some free time, start growing some produce. Crops like potatoes, carrots, greens, and even some fruits are easy to grow and can give you a bumper crop every year. You’ll pay a few cents for the seeds and simply need to devote some time to digging, watering, and harvesting.

Think about how much money you’ll save if you have your own supply of vegetables and fruits and can just pick fresh from the yard whenever you’re cooking. If your family eats a lot of cheese or drinks a lot of wine or beer, you can also start producing your own supply. 

Cheese can be made with a lot of milk, a little rennet, and a few simple steps. Beer can be made using some do-it-yourself kits. 

As for wine, it’s one of the easiest things you can make yourself. You don’t even need grape juice as wine can be made from a multitude of fruit juices, vegetable juices, and more. You can even make a strong, fragrant white wine with a handful of fruit teabags. The only expense is the sugar, which means you can make several dozen bottles worth of wine for less than $10.

Join a Clinical Trial

Although it’s not a method we would recommend, it’s one that’s worth including. If you join a clinical trial, you’ll be paid to act as a guinea pig. The good news is that the majority of these trials run without incident and most subjects are as healthy at the end as they were at the beginning. The bad news is that there is always a risk and there’s no telling what will happen.

You can search for available trials on the Clinical Trials website run by the US National Library of Medicine. 

Summary: Paying Off Your Debt with Extra Money

Your first priority is to meet your minimum payment obligations and avoid any missed payments. Once you meet this obligation every month, you can put any extra cash you have towards clearing those debts. Every little helps, even if it’s just $50 or $100 here and there.

As an example, if you have a credit card debt of $10,000 with an APR of 25% and a minimum payment of $300, you’ll repay $17,251 in total over 58 months. Add just $100 a month and you’ll reduce the term by a whole 12 months and the balance by a massive $3,000. Take a look at our guides to the Debt Snowball Method and the Debt Avalanche Method to find the right payoff strategy for you. Both methods rely on you earning some extra cash and now that you’ve made it to the end of this article, you’ll know just how to do that!

Ways to Earn Extra Money for Paying Off Debt is a post from Pocket Your Dollars.

Source: pocketyourdollars.com


Jan
2021

Inside Supernatural Star Jensen Ackles’ ‘Very Hip’ Lake House in Austin

categories: Luxury Homes

If you’re a die-hard Supernatural fan like us, you’re probably still reeling from the show’s finale and coping with the fact that there won’t be any new Winchester adventures for us to follow. But we’re not here to talk about that, but rather snoop into the private life of one of the series’ leading men. More specifically, Jensen Ackles’ house — which we actually think Dean Winchester would approve of.

The actor starring in CW’s longest running show and his wife Danneel opened up their 7,500-square-foot home in Austin, Texas to Architectural Digest, giving us a rare glimpse into the heartthrob’s home and personal life.

As the story goes, the couple was relocating from Los Angeles and initially considered buying a house down the road when they noticed this property (that wasn’t even for sale). But since they fell in love with it, the couple went ahead and asked the previous owners if they’d be willing to sell. And since it’s not easy resisting Jensen Ackles’ charms, they managed to convince the owners so the Ackles’ moved on to the next step –- redecorating the house.

To help out, they hired architect Paul Lamb and interior designer Fern Santini and together they came up with some brilliant ideas on how to best revamp their already-stunning new house.

“It was imperative that the house express the Ackleses — young, bold, and irreverent,” Lamb told AD.

Jensen Ackles’ house, which boasts five bedrooms, revolves around Danneel’s decorating outlook of “more is more is more!” There is a lot of color, texture, a lot of wood work going on to make it look like a lake house and endless decorations with some of the coolest background stories.

Let there be music

In Supernatural, Jensen loves music. Remember his spontaneous Eye of a Tiger outtake? Still fun to watch! There’s definitely more of where that came from in real life, since Jensen did his best to create an amazing acoustic sound in his house.

The living room is scattered with guitars and all across the shag rug lie comfy and colored floor pillows. All this because the couple loves having friends over, sitting on the floor, singing and playing the guitar.

Jensen was excited to talk about one of his favorite features of the house: “The hand-scraped wood floors undulate quite heavily, and we’ve got these giant beams and wood all around that feel like you’re in the hull of a giant ship.” “What that does is it creates an amazing acoustic sound,” he continues. “We’ve always had music in our lives, and we wanted to pass on that tradition.”

Jensen Ackles and his family at home in Austin, Texas
Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas. Image credit: Jeff Wilson for AD

Jensen’s kick-ass bar

They’ve taken care of the music, and to complete the ambiance they got rid of the formal dining room (that nobody used anyway) and replaced it with a kick-ass bar.

Placed on one end of the large living room, the bar is made out of black walnut with black and white veined marble. The cabinets were specially made to light the expensive bourbons it holds inside.

jensen ackles bar in his home in austin texas
Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas. Image credit: Jeff Wilson for AD

The master suite

There’s a master bedroom swaddled in Trove wallpaper bearing vintage photography of 1920s opera boxes. The wallpaper is covered in sections by Japanese-inspired barn door panels “because sometimes you need an audience and sometimes you don’t”.

Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas.
Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas. Image credit: Douglas Friedman for AD

The master bathroom has a beautiful
bathtub sitting in front of a large window that provides a stunning view to the
lake.

The Mr. and Mrs. own two separate counters, because, you know, it just makes things easier in the mornings; and the inspiration for their master bathroom shower came from an Architectural Digest story featuring a steel and glass shower in the home of Neil Patrick Harris.

Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas.
Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas. Image credit: Douglas Friedman for AD

Jensen Ackles’ bright, wood-framed home

Thanks to exposed beams, larger expanses of windows, and rich wooden ceilings, the architect managed to simplify and open the spaces. They simply tore down walls to let more natural light into the home.

Jensen’s favorite space is the breezy two-story screened porch that transformed the entire profile of the house; and his favorite piece – a custom long table made using a 2,000-year-old cypress log.

Parents of three

Jensen and Danneel have three beautiful children, so they had to choose the decor and furniture according to their needs as well. It appears that the couple’s eldest daughter would make a great interior designer once she grows up. The six-year-old girl, JJ, helped pick out all her own bedroom decor.

Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas.
Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas. Image credit: Douglas Friedman for AD

Unsurprisingly, the kids’ favorite toy is a rolling acrylic table from the ‘50s, placed in the kitchen. Everybody loves a happy kitchen!

Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas.
Jensen Ackles home in Austin, Texas. Image credit: Douglas Friedman for AD

Jensen Ackles’ home is full of hidden gems

The actor’s house is a personalized, eccentric, yet highly livable place. It was designed to resemble the Laurel Canyon bungalow the couple had once lived in and it’s a testament to the old school, Austin-style lake house.

The space is filled with all kinds of eccentric and eclectic objects—some useful, some decorative, some both. The decorations could be found in abundance in Austin during its bohemian period (the Ackles’ are active supporters of local art), as well as in late-60s California.

More beautiful celebrity homes

Rob Lowe’s Gorgeous House in Montecito is Back on the Market for $42.5 Million
Luxurious Malibu Estate Previously Owned by Kelsey Grammer On the Market for $20M
‘Hunger Games’ Actor Josh Hutcherson is Selling His Celebrity-Magnet “Tree House” in Hollywood Hills
Jessica Alba’s Los Angeles House is a Pinterest-Perfect Dream Home

The post Inside Supernatural Star Jensen Ackles’ ‘Very Hip’ Lake House in Austin appeared first on Fancy Pants Homes.

Source: fancypantshomes.com


Jan
2021

10 Under Sink Storage Solutions You Need in Your Life

categories: Flood Insurance

Keeping your house organized is no easy task and the space under the sink is no exception. It’s often easy to forget about the storage under the sink as it’s mostly covered and hidden.

However, it can and should be just as organized as any other part of your house. Here are 10 under the bathroom sink and under kitchen sink storage ideas.

Under kitchen sink storage ideas

The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in any house or apartment. The only thing that makes a kitchen more enjoyable is when it’s clear of clutter, under the sink included.

Here are some clever under the kitchen sink storage ideas for you to try.

kitchen sink storage

1. Hang bottles with tension rods

Tension rods are one of the best under sink storage solutions. They can be used on virtually every surface and also can be fitted to almost any size area. Once they’re in place you can hang cleaning supply bottles from them to free up space from the bottom of the cabinet.

One of the best things about tension rods is they’re not permanent and they can easily be removed and reused through the house.

2. Use file holders to add storage

File holders aren’t just nifty organizers for the paper on your desk — they make great storage for under your kitchen sink. They’re pretty inexpensive and easy to find at your local paper store or Target.

All you have to do is adhere them to the inside of the cabinet door and you’ll have yourself some extra storage. It’s a great place to put extra towels, dish brushes or sponges for easy access.

3. Organize with bins

When organizing, you can never go wrong with a good old bin. They make a great space to neatly organize and group everything into their own neat place. Once everything has its place you can easily stack them to create even more cleared up space.

Another tip is to label them so that you don’t have to waste time sifting through each one when you’re looking for one thing.

4. Expand storage with a Lazy Susan

Let’s all thank Susan for being lazy and inventing the lazy Susan. It’s one of the most helpful and fun storage hacks on the list. They come in a variety of sizes to fit under any cabinet and make finding what you’re looking for super easy. The best part is you just place all your supplies on it and you’re done!

5. Install cabinet towel holders

Similar to tension rods, cabinet towel holders offer extra space in your cabinet while keeping it organized. They’re very easy to find and even easier to set up and can be used in a variety of spaces around the home, including under your kitchen sink.

All you have to do is remove the packaging and attach the hooks to the door part of your cabinet. Once you’ve done that hang anything from them like cleaning supplies, extra towels and even your cleaning gloves.

Under bathroom sink storage

Similar to the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink is another space that can be difficult to organize. Fear not we’ve got you covered there, too! Here are some great tips for how to organize under your bathroom sink.

bathroom sink storage

6. Store hair tools with PVC piping

When you think of PVC piping under the bathroom sink, storage probably doesn’t come to mind. PVC pipes are a great way to store hair tools such as curling irons, flat irons and their cords. Since they come in a multitude of sizing, you can perfectly fit your tools to the pipe. When you have a perfect size the only thing left to do is attach it to the inside of the cabinet doors.

7. Declutter with sliding shelves

Sliding shelves are a great way to de-clutter under your bathroom sink. They create more space to store items, such as hair products and tools, toilet paper, etc. One of the best things about sliding shelves is the easy access to everything without having to dig through all your things.

8. Create extra space with cabinet door bins

Creating extra storage in small areas is a great way to accomplish all your organizing goals. One way to add extra space is to add cabinet door bins. They’re extremely easy to adhere and also can be removed easily when you’re done using them. They also hold quite a bit and are a great place to put your products, brushes, towels and more.

9. Utilize bins and caddies

As mentioned above, a bin or a caddy is one of the most useful tools to create a clutterless space. Get a large bin specifically for towels and toilet paper and they usually take up the bulk of under sink storage. Use smaller bins for other supplies and stack them to create ample, organized space.

10. Hang caddies over the cabinet door

Hair tools can take up a lot of space under your bathroom sink. One of the best ways to combat bulky hair tools is an over-the-door caddy. They make some specifically for hair tools that easily slip over the door for easy access and assembly.

Do’s and don’ts of under sink storage

You can store a number of items under your bathroom and kitchen sink. Although, there are some items more suitable for under sink storage than others.

under sink storage

Things to safely store under your kitchen sink

  • Sponges, cleaning brushes, gloves
  • Cleaning supplies, such as glass cleaner, dishwashing pods, soap. When storing cleaners underneath the kitchen sink, keep in mind who is in your household. If you have small children that enjoy exploring cabinets you may consider placing cleaners out of reach or adding childproof locks on the door. Another idea is to place all your cleaning supplies on a rubber tray in case of spills for easy cleanup.
  • Trash bags
  • Trash can
  • Recycling can

Things to safely store under your bathroom sink

  • Toiletries, such as extra toothbrushes and paste, deodorant, contact solution
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels
  • Hairstyling tools
  • First aid kit

Things to avoid putting under the kitchen sink

  • Bug spray
  • Oven cleaner
  • Lightbulbs
  • Food

Things to avoid putting under the bathroom sink

  • Jewelry
  • Medications

Organize under your sink

Organizing is never an easy task, however, with the right guidance, it can be a little easier. Use these under the bathroom and kitchen sink storage ideas to create a nice organized space for yourself.

The post 10 Under Sink Storage Solutions You Need in Your Life appeared first on Apartment Living Tips – Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com.

Source: apartmentguide.com


Jan
2021

Escape your home for a safe holiday staycation

categories: Retirement, Travel

With the 2020 holidays upon us, it’s likely you’ve spent some time considering how you’ll have a COVID-safe celebration. Should you stay? Should you go? Is travel to your family even an option this year as some states impose new travel restrictions and mandatory quarantine periods?

Perhaps for safety’s sake, you’ve decided to stay put. But you also recognize that being “home for the holidays” doesn’t have the same cozy appeal as it used to when you’ve already been home working from home for months on end. What you might need is a staycation – the getaway for when you can’t get away.

Check out all the answers from our credit card experts.

Ask Stephanie a question.

Get away for the holidays without going away

Traditionally, when we think about holiday travel, we’re most likely planning how to get ourselves to a faraway destination – whether that’s to see family across the country, or to flee from some combination of family, holiday hustles and winter weather.

This year, I’ve personally decided I won’t be among the holiday crowds attempting to fly on the busiest travel days of the year. Instead, I’ll be sticking closer to home, celebrating in my own city with a staycation – and testing a theory that there is no place like a Hyatt for the holidays.

If you’re planning to stay close to home like me, here’s some good news: Your credit card points work just as well for living it up in luxury in your hometown as they do when you’re on the road.

Some more good news: You’ll save lots of points and dollars by not flying anywhere this holiday – so go ahead and book the suite!

How to use your credit card points to book a staycation

If you live in or near a city, finding a hotel to tuck into for a few days over the holiday period should be pretty straightforward.

To plan a staycation, I normally start by checking what’s available near me by searching the website for each of the hotel groups in whose loyalty programs I participate.

Here in my hometown of Portland, Oregon, I found plenty of options at varying price points when I looked up Marriott, IHG, Hilton and Hyatt – the four hotel programs in which I currently have points.

For example, a few weeks ago, I decided to take an early holiday staycation at the Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland. I chose the hotel because of its location right in the middle of the city, and because Hyatt has a 25% points-back offer on award stays and free parking for The World of Hyatt Credit Card holders through the end of the year.

I paid 30,000 World of Hyatt points for a two-night stay, got 7,500 points back, and got upgraded to a suite thanks to my World of Hyatt elite status. Without points, the suite would have cost $355 dollars a night – plus the free valet parking saved me another $47 a day. I was able to get a $804 value for 22,500 rewards points. Even though I was less than two miles from my actual house, I felt a world away.

How to use travel rewards to book a staycation

If you don’t already have a hotel-branded rewards credit card for earning points in a specific hotel program like World of Hyatt, or if you live in a location where there aren’t many chain hotels, you’ll likely have more luck booking a staycation using travel rewards points.

You can book directly through the respective program’s travel planning portal. Flexible bank programs include Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou points.

Once you find a hotel you want to visit, and before you make the booking, you’ll want to check to make sure the hotel amenities that excite you for your staycation are going to be open and accessible.

Other than being snuggled up in a warm bed that I didn’t make myself, the best part of my staycation weekend at the Hyatt Centric Portland was the food.

Masia, the hotel’s signature restaurant designed by Portland’s award-winning Spanish chef Jose Chesa, was finally open and serving after a long COVID closure. Since I live in a city where indoor dining still hasn’t made a full comeback (and is now taking a pause for the holiday season), it was a rather delightful experience to spend two mornings lingering over a long breakfast.

If you’re booking more than a week in advance, you should also make sure your reservation is flexible or cancelable should your own plans change, or the COVID regulations in your state or county change and require the hotel to amend their offerings.

creditcards.com


Jan
2021

Say Farewell to Shag Carpet—Family Tackles 1970s Time Capsule Makeover

categories: Loans, Unique Homes

Jacksons Time CapsuleDustin McKibben

A Florida family has embarked on a wild ride to bring a 1970s time capsule in Indiana into the 21st century.

On a whim, they bought a vintage gem in Fort Wayne, IN, covered top to bottom in shag carpet, after seeing it online. It was our most popular home of the week in early December and garnered hundreds of thousands of views—the Jackson family among them.

How the time capsule was won

“So we weren’t actually looking for a home to buy,” says Alysha Jackson, who lives in Clermont, FL, with her husband, Nate, two toddlers, and a rescue dog, Ingrid.

“We have a home there and we love it,” she says. “We had talked about getting into real estate one day, but it wasn’t really on our radar yet. Then this house went viral.”

Nate saw the house online and came in with his computer to show the listing to Alysha.

“He’s like, ‘Hey, don’t shut this down right away, but what if we put in an offer on this house?’” she says.

“Usually, I’m the skeptical one, but I just looked at it and had this gut feeling, and I said, ‘You know what? I actually love it. Let’s put in an offer.’”

Interior of home in Fort Wayne, IN

Dustin McKibben

Interior

Dustin McKibben

Bathroom

Dustin McKibben

Like everyone who laid eyes on the photos, Nate and Alysha first spotted the colorful carpet. The deep shag is hard to miss: It’s everywhere, even on some of the walls.

Alysha says her first reaction was: “Whoa, that’s a lot of shag carpet!” Then, she noticed how much potential the house had.

“I kind of envisioned what it could look like with some renovating,” she says. “We’re staying thing true to the vibe of it and the time period, but we have to update it.”

Aftermath of Christmas

Jackson family

Door

Dustin McKibben

Jackson family

Dustin McKibben

The Jacksons journey back in time

Just a few weeks after putting in their offer, the two former teachers, who now sell on Amazon, packed up their family minivan (including Christmas presents) and headed north. Their work offers them the freedom to work where they choose.

Since then, the family has been living bare-bones in the house, with just a few mattresses and other essential items. They have decided to live in the home as is for a while.

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Watch: Listing Agents Answer Our Burning Questions About the ‘Silence of the Lambs’ House

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“We wanted to just stay in it a little while before changing anything, because we just wanted to get a feel for the house before we just came in and made sweeping changes,” Alysha Jackson explains.

“I’m so glad we did, because we actually changed a lot of our designs based upon actually living in the home for a little bit first.”

Most importantly, they staged a 1970s-style photo shoot.

Interior

Dustin McKibben

Enjoying the view

Jackson family

Even Ingrid, the dog, seems to have settled in.

“She has a spot in the house where she can see the entire yard, thanks to the surrounding sliding doors and windows,” Jackson says.

“Ingrid was so sad when she saw us packing the van for our trip here, but literally jumped up and down when we got the leash out and she realized she was coming with us on the trip.”

Kitchen

Dustin McKibben

Kitchen

Dustin McKibben

Kitchen

Dustin McKibben

The former owner of the house, James Sherbondy, a retired architect, designed the home as his family’s personal residence. It was occupied until just a few months ago, so everything inside was in working order.

“We walked in, brought in our stuff, and used the fridge. The bathrooms were functional. It was pretty great,” Jackson says.

Everything in the kitchen works, and the cabinets are in good shape. However, the layout may not work for the family, she adds.

Lower level

Dustin McKibben

Lower level

Dustin McKibben

Lower-level bathroom

Dustin McKibben

Lower-level bathroom

Dustin McKibben

The family made some immediate changes for safety reasons and are currently living on the lower level. They’re tackling that and the main level first, and leaving the upstairs master bedroom and bathroom for last.

A bathroom with green counters and blue sink will ultimately meet its demise, but the Jack-and-Jill style entry is staying.

“The more we see, the more we want to keep, which is kind of funny,” Alysha says. “Before, we didn’t really know too much about ’70s style, and we didn’t know too much about midcentury modern even. But the more I talk with people and more research I do on my own, the more I see the beauty and the value in it, and so I want to keep that style in the home.”

Stairs

Dustin McKibben

Toddler-proof stairs

Dustin McKibben

The Jacksons have sought input from a number of experts on the Instagram account they started for their rehab project. They had hopes of reaching 10,000 followers by the summer. As of now, they’ve blown past their goal and have over 30,000 folks tracking the renovation journey.

“I just love sharing projects with people. When we did a ’70s photo shoot, we thought it would be really fun to share these. We had no idea it would go viral as quickly as it did,” Jackson says. “It’s been really fun to share what we’re doing with people, and we’ve gotten so much great input.”

Lower level

Dustin McKibben

Lower level

Dustin McKibben

The carpet can’t stay

Sadly, for lovers of colorful floor coverings, the carpet is one of the first things that’s going to go.

“There’s literally carpet in every single room, including the bathrooms. It’s everywhere and it’s 50 years old. From what we know, it is original to the home,” Jackson says.

She added that there are stains in several places, and it doesn’t smell particularly great, especially in the bathrooms.

Eventually, there will be new flooring in many of the rooms and tile in the bathrooms. But the carpet won’t vanish completely.

“I am going to be making an art piece of the different carpet colors,” she says. “There’s about four or five different colors in the home, and we just want to keep a piece of each. I’m going to cut some out from each color—deep-clean it, of course—and then create some sort of art piece with it to hang in the house on the wall.”

Master bathroom

Dustin McKibben

Master bathroom

Dustin McKibben

People on social media had a lot to say about the carpet-bedecked bathtub in the master bedroom. The tub has purple tile and no curtain. For now, it’s the only bathtub in the house, so the kids need to take their baths there.

Jackson says the tub is super clean, but the trick for the couple is to keep the children from enjoying their time on the floor.

“To them, it’s like a big towel,” she adds. The first time their son took a bath, she says, “He got out of the tub and started rolling on the shag carpet.”

Fireplace

Other modifications on the way

Back on the main level, the dramatic floor-to-ceiling fireplace will stay—but with some modifications for safety.

Wood paneling and accents

Dustin McKibben

Some of the wood paneling and carved accents throughout the house will also remain.

“I stare at the wood every day. I think that’s maybe my favorite part of the house,” Jackson says.

Some people on Instagram say the carved wood might be by an artist named Ackerman, and the Jacksons are trying to verify that.

“It’s the first thing you see when you walk in the home on the door,” Alysha says.

Work time

Jackson family

Life outside the box

The Jacksons rehabbed their Florida house, so a huge project isn’t entirely new for them and they have some family support nearby. Both Alysha and Nate are from Indiana, and much of their family still lives there. While some close to them were surprised by the somewhat impulsive purchase, they weren’t shocked.

“We kind of joke with people that Nate and I are ‘Go big or go home’ people. We kind of live life outside the box, so they were excited for us,” Jackson says.

Some relatives thought they were crazy, she adds, but changed their minds when they saw how beautiful the home is—and they’re especially excited that the family will be closer to them.

For now, the family plans to split time between the two homes and rent the other one as a vacation rental.

We’ll be tracking the process of this time capsule transformation and can’t wait to see what’s next.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alysha and Nate Jackson (@thejacksonfi)

The post Say Farewell to Shag Carpet—Family Tackles 1970s Time Capsule Makeover appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Source: realtor.com


Jan
2021

Best Christmas Gifts For Kids Under $10

categories: Life Hacks

Best Christmas Gifts For Kids Under $10 is a post originally published on: Everything Finance – Everything Finance – Its all about Money!

The best Christmas gifts for kids don’t have to cost a fortune. Most kids love the idea of simply opening a mystery wrapped package for Christmas.

For the past few years, I’ve been getting my son a few bigger gifts that he’s wanted for Christmas. Then, I fill out the rest of his gift haul with some smaller gifts around $10 to $15 and it works out great. I’m a firm believer that you can still find meaningful, useful, and thoughtful gifts for kids without going overboard with your spending.

If you’re on a tighter budget this year, you can definitely find Christmas gifts for kids under $10. If you have multiple kids in your household or a lot of nieces or nephews, getting gifts under $10 per person could be a really helpful strategy.

Construction Toys – $9.99

One place to start for your younger kids is construction toys. This set will be a great way to help build your child’s construction collection because it comes with 6 trucks! The playmat not only protects them while playing but also provides road and grassy areas to help make everything more realistic for them. You’ll even get a few road signs for them to place on the mat. The toy trucks are non-toxic, strong, durable, plastic.  A few of the trucks are a mixer, bulldozer, and dumper truck.

LED Hover Soccer Ball – $9.99

A great alternative for soccer in the house without risking damage to furniture and other items. Winter in some parts of the country unfortunately means cold weather. So having an option like this can help your child practice sports even in the middle of Winter.

The toy is able to glide along the floor with the built-in fan. It works on many different indoor surfaces including carpet, tile, and hardwood flooring. So this gives you and your child a few different places to practice soccer. The LED lights at night help keep your child entertained even after dark. This toy is great for kids 3+ and requires 4 xAA batteries.

 

RELATED:  When and Where to Get the Best After Christmas Deals

Stepping Stone Craft – $7.99

Decorate the landscape around your home with a ceramic stepping stone! The 8.25 in stone can be the perfect affordable project for you and a child to take on. The stone comes with the paint and brush you’ll need to complete the project. Brainstorm some ideas and get to work. Get as wild as mixing painting colors to make the painting more fun. After painting the stone it will fit in great in a terrarium or outdoor garden. The stone can be a turtle, hedgehog, flower, butterfly, sun, or ladybug.

Princess Necklace Activity Set – $9.49

What little princess doesn’t love jewelry! The kit includes 5 Disney princess charms to help bring the necklaces together. Your child won’t be limited to just one look, because the necklace can be taken apart and made again as many times as they would like. The small beads are a choking hazard and not recommended for children under 3.

 

RELATED: Best Christmas Gifts For Under $20

Bluetooth Speaker Sunglasses- $7.00

https://www.fivebelow.com/products/bluetooth-traxx-wireless-speaker-sunglasses

Sunglasses can really help block out the sun on a sunny day. Well, these Bluetooth Speaker Sunglasses can be more than just that. A similar item elsewhere can easily add to over $35! Your kid can connect their favorite device and listen to music on the go while protecting their eyes from the sun. The glasses will come with a rechargeable battery and has a playtime of 2 hours before having to be recharged.

 

Air Dry Clay – $9.39

For kids to make their own ceramic-like craft pieces – you can add some paint to round out the gift so kids can paint their creations once the clay dries. It’s a way to be creative and put their talents to use. This may take a little guidance from parents, but as soon as they get used to it, they might be asked for some more.

RELATED: 4 Great Ways to Stretch Your Family Christmas Budget

Disney Matching Game – $9.99

Great for kids’ memorization skills. Get a game your princess will love. It has all her favorite Disney Princesses like Snow White, Jasmine, and Belle. This a game for the whole family to enjoy.

The best Christmas gifts for kids don't have to cost a fortune.
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Guess Who Board Game – $9.97

This game was really fun growing up. It’s a great way to have bonding time with your child. The only downside is it, is only a two-player game, but games do typically go pretty fast. You each take turns guessing until you find out the person they are hiding from you.

Fishing Game – $9.98

This is a popular game you’ll see at arcades, but it’s also an action-packed board game as well. Whoever collects the most fish wins. The game comes with 21 fish and 4 fishing poles. So anywhere from 1-4 players can play at once. The game can help improve hand-eye coordination as players try and collect as much fish as possible. The pond the fish are in does rotate to make the task of fishing even that more difficult.

LED Gaming Headset- $10.00

https://www.fivebelow.com/products/bugha-exclusive-led-gaming-headset-w-boom-mic-3-5mm-aux-in-pc-connector

Bugha is one of the biggest names in gaming. The gamer recently struck a deal with Five Below and has items including headsets, gaming mouses, and gaming speakers for sale. The boom mic included with the headset allows gamers to play with a clear sound. If your kids are in need of a new headset, this LED gaming one is an affordable option for you.

Buzz Lightyear Operation- $7.00

https://www.fivebelow.com/products/operation-disney-pixar-toy-story-buzz-lightyear-board-game

Another board game that you can add to your children’s Christmas list is Buzz Lightyear operation. In the game, Buzz seeks the help of games who can assist him in getting his body and spaceship back on track. The discount at Five Below makes a huge difference, with some other stores having the game cost around $20. Use the tweezers to help make repairs and avoid the buzzer! The game does require 2 AA batteries. It’s a game for 1 or more players and players should be 6+ years old.

Affordable Christmas Gifts Summary 

Christmas gifts can add up in a hurry. The best Christmas gifts are the ones your children absolutely love when they open. There is a way to do that and be affordable and that’s what we hope this list does for you. Not only are they great gifts, but gifts that won’t hurry your pocketbook too much. Most of them are things they can do with siblings or other family members.

 

What affordable gift ideas would you add to this list? 

 

 

 

Best Christmas Gifts For Kids Under $10 is a post originally published on: Everything Finance – Everything Finance – Its all about Money!

Source: everythingfinanceblog.com


Jan
2021

Kitchen Cleanup Checklist: A Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Breakdown of Tasks

categories: Investment Properties

Many lines have been written on the importance of cleanliness and household chores (remember that iconic speech by U.S. Admiral McRaven, urging us all to make our beds in the morning?) and the role they play in maintaining our mental and physical health.

And since we now see ourselves in a position to spend far more time in our homes (whether we want to or not), we can think of no better time to circle back on this subject, and focus on what’s arguably the first room of the house to get messy: the kitchen.

Naturally, with more of our family members inside, our kitchens are bound to become dirtier and more cluttered. And while there’s no way we’ll reach that perfect, Mr. Clean sparkling kitchen anytime soon (and you definitely shouldn’t feel the pressure to take it to that extreme), keeping your kitchen tidy and clean can have positive effects on your state of mind, especially during these troubling times.

According to a 2010 study published in The Personality and Social Psychology bulletin, higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol were observed in women who felt that their homes are cluttered and who had lots of unfinished projects around the house.

That’s why it’s vital to keep your house clean to reduce stress levels and help you feel more relaxed and comfortable at home. In addition to reducing stress, maintaining a healthy cleaning regimen for the home also makes you more productive, helps you sleep better, and protects your family from illness-causing bacteria and pathogens.

However, maintaining a clean home is easier said than done. This is especially true when it comes to the kitchen. And that’s because the kitchen requires more attention than any other room in your house, especially if you have more family members and young children. After every meal, there are spills that need to be cleaned, dishes and utensils to be washed, and lots of tidying up to do. Not to mention that if any dirt or spills are left unattended, there may be a buildup of bacteria that poses a significant health risk for your family. After all, this is the room where we keep all of our food.

Maintaining a clean kitchen requires a systematic approach, and that’s why it is vital to create a kitchen cleaning checklist. Taking a structured approach to your kitchen cleaning will ensure no cleaning task skips your mind and your kitchen is spotless at all times — without making you feel overburdened by all the chores that comes with kitchen maintenance.

Read on to find out what to include in your kitchen cleaning checklist and the tasks that you should schedule on daily, weekly, and monthly basis — so that you don’t feel all the tasks weighting on you without having a clear plan to address them.

#1 Tasks to include in your daily kitchen cleaning list

To ensure that food is not contaminated during preparation, and that your family enjoys meals in a clean and safe environment, there are a few cleaning tasks that must be carried out daily. Don’t worry, they’re not the type that take hours to get out of the way, but they’re crucial to keeping a clean kitchen. Here are the things you should watch for on a daily basis:

  • Cleaning spills on counters, tables, floors, and appliances as soon as they occur
  • Washing dirty dishes immediately after meals
  • Emptying the dishwasher and dish drainer as needed
  • Putting everything back in their rightful place after usage (think condiments, cooking ingredients, pans and pots, and utensils)
  • Checking fridge and kitchen counters for expired/spoiled food and throwing them out if you suspect they might have gotten bad
  • Sweeping the floor whenever something gets spilled
  • Cleaning the sink with a multi-purpose cleaner so that bacteria doesn’t get a chance to form
  • Removing items that don’t belong in the kitchen (like the kids’ toys)
  • Taking out the garbage

Making a habit out of these tasks will ensure that your kitchen is always tidy and will make your weekly and monthly cleaning easier.

Something else that might help, but that might need some advance planning, is choosing an easy to clean and maintain countertop material, which will also reduce your workload. Quartz is not only easy to clean, but is also visually stimulating. Read more information on kitchen countertops to understand why quartz may be a good choice for your kitchen and to find good alternatives that are easy to keep clean.

#2 Tasks for your weekly kitchen cleaning list

Depending on your weekly schedule, pick a day to schedule your weekly kitchen cleaning. Setting a specific day is the first step to ensure you do not bail on your weekly kitchen cleaning checklist — and it really doesn’t have to be in the same day you clean up the rest of your house. Having a separate schedule for the kitchen makes sense, and will allow you to spend more time on this crucial room of the house.

For your weekly kitchen cleaning, you’ll want to go a bit deeper into it than you do on your regular daily cleaning routine. Tasks to include in your weekly kitchen cleaning checklist are:

  • Mopping the floor (if you have small children or pets — or just a clumsy husband, like me — you may need to do this more often)
  • Cleaning the exterior of appliances thoroughly 
  • Sorting out leftovers in the fridge and throwing away those that have stayed too long
  • Cleaning off smudges and fingerprints from drawers and cabinets
  • Cleaning your dishcloths and towels
  • Cleaning and disinfecting the sink and faucets
  • Cleaning the interior of your microwave
cleaning the kitchen drawers

#3 Tasks for your monthly kitchen cleaning list

If you are thorough with your daily and weekly kitchen cleaning, you’ll breeze through your monthly cleaning. Monthly cleaning should be set for the first or last week of the month to make it harder for you to skip it, and should cover some essentials that don’t need to be checked on as regularly as the other items on our list.

Monthly kitchen cleaning tasks can include, depending on your home setup:

  • Checking your pantry to see what needs to be tossed out and which items should be restocked
  • Checking the freezer to see if there are any items that should be eaten soon, and those that need to be thrown or restocked
  • Cleaning the oven and stove
  • Cleaning your refrigerator and disinfecting the drip pan
  • Targeting the dirt and crumbs that hide between cabinets and floors during your daily and weekly cleaning
  • Dusting light fixtures as well as cabinets and the refrigerator
  • Cleaning the dishwasher and dish drainer drip pan
  • Spot-cleaning grout
julia-child-house-kitchen

General tips to make kitchen cleaning easier

There’s nothing more daunting than cleaning a kitchen that’s been neglected for some time. So that you’ll never have to face this challenge, follow the following tips:

  • Create visual checklists with your daily, weekly, and monthly kitchen cleaning tasks — use our suggestions above to create your own, personalized list with areas that require more attention in your household
  • Post your checklists in a visible place and encourage other members of the family to take cue on the things that have to be done on a daily basis
  • In fact, you could take things a step further and assign minor tasks to different family members
  • Make a habit of dealing with spills immediately and sweeping the floors each meal

Keeping your kitchen clean and safe for your family begins with healthy cleaning habits and a good tidying up regimen. Create a system that works for you and put it in a checklist so that you can keep your mind off all the things that need to be done, and instead, enjoy your time at home with your family.

Keep reading

These Luxury Bar Stools will Take Your Kitchen to the Next Level
The Importance of Housekeeping for a Comfortable Home
5 Types Of Home Improvement Permits You Should Know About
Pergolas – A Pleasing Addition to Your Outdoor Living Space

The post Kitchen Cleanup Checklist: A Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Breakdown of Tasks appeared first on Fancy Pants Homes.

Source: fancypantshomes.com