How Much Mortgage Can I Afford?

You have made the decision to purchase a home but you are unable to decide how much you can afford.  You want to know what percentage of your income should go towards it and what sort of financial obligation you will be faced with.

Many financial institutions such as banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers etc., follow the 28/36 rule.  This simple rule will give you an idea of what you can afford.  Basically the rule states that the monthly payment of your mortgage should be under 28% of your monthly gross income (that is pre tax income) and that your total household monthly bill payments are less that 36% of your monthly gross income.

Now some financial advisors suggest you should change this formula to 25/30 of your actual household income (that is after tax) to enable you to achieve other financial goals such as debt reduction, retirement plans etc.  Therefore you do not bite off more than you can chew though you end up with less house.

What if you want the larger house?  Well you can live with the 28/36 rule and the larger monthly payment.  Another option is a larger down payment reducing the amount you finance.

Remember that a larger home will increase your monthly utility payments – heating, cooling, etc., as well as increased taxes and greater maintenance costs.

The other factor to bear in mind is that your household income may increase over the years meaning that you will be paying a smaller percentage of your monthly income towards you mortgage payment.  The opposite of this is true of course, and you may find yourself in a position where you monthly income is reduced and you end up paying a higher percentage towards your mortgage payment.

Its worthwhile putting in time and effort when determining how much mortgage can I afford.  Its better to be prepared and in control of your destiny.

Finding The Perfect Rental Property

Most would consider food, clothing, and shelter to be the most essential needs that we all require to live comfortable. For the most part food and clothing are relatively easy to come by and at a reasonable rate; however finding a good, safe place to live can be a greater challenge.

Purchasing a house or property can be a good investment but also very costly. With so many people out of work and facing the threat of pay cuts or job loss it is not a realistic option for everyone.

For many the more realistic option is renting.

There are many choices to consider when looking for a rental property ‚ –houses, apartments, property–as well as many different ways to find it. Referrals are a great way to start the rental hunting process. Friends and family are often full of opinions and advice when it comes to finding a place to live and they can often refer a realtor or property management company that can help you find the perfect place to call home. Perusing the newspaper or Internet as well as specific neighborhoods that you are interested in is also a great way to find potential properties.

The Internet is also a great resource for looking up specific properties, realtors or property managers to see if they will meet your needs. For example if there is a property management company that you would like to use, such as Transglobe, you can visit their website for an overview of Transglobe properties & services.

Just like buying a house, it is important that the rental property fits your needs as well as your budget. There are more choices than ever when it comes to renting a house and even though you probably won’t be living there for the rest of your life, you are still signing a lease and legally and financially obligating yourself for the duration. When you are happy with the property and the terms of your lease you’ll be that much closer to making your new house a home.

Cheap Staycations

A lot of people are experiencing hard times financially, and they do not believe that they have the means to go on a vacation this summer. It is not necessary that people leave town in order to enjoy themselves on their vacations; they can have a good time right in their home towns in what has been come to be known as a staycation. A staycation can be easy to plan.

How to Find Fun Things to Do

Practically every city in the country has a website. These websites are the places to go to find out what is going on in the city. For example, those who are looking for an inexpensive event to attend may click on the city website’s link to the museums in the area.

A list of museums comes up, and people can click on the link to the museum of choice. From there, they will be taken to the museum’s website where they can find out how much it costs to see the museum’s exhibits. If the price is to these people’s liking, they can plan accordingly to visit this particular venue.

Another way to find free or inexpensive events to attend is by performing a search on a search engine. All people need to do is type in words to the effect of “find free events,” and several results will come up. These events will commonly advertise on the Internet, and people can find out what the events are about as well as how to get there.

Credit Cards That Make Saving Money Possible

• Some credit cards offer rewards for those who pay their balances in full every month.
• Another great perk offered by Chase is the ability to receive credit scores from all three credit bureaus every month. (Consumers are only entitled to receive a free credit report from each credit bureau once every year.)
• Those who obtain a Disney rewards credit card receive discounts on entry to the theme parks, on merchandise in the stores and they can purchase their Disney vacations with 0 percent financing.
• Credit cards such as Capital One offer customers cash rebates for purchasing their items with the credit card. American Express Blue Cash and Discover also give people hefty cash rewards for utilizing their credit cards.
• Some credit cards, like Discover, give their customers gift cards that double the amount they earned in cash back rewards. These cards can be used at the store of their choice.
• Sports-related credit cards give customers the ability to earn points when they make purchases with the cards. These points entitle them to free tickets to games and maybe even access to the VIP lounges.

Unsecured Credit Cards

Those who are having money troubles may have those troubles because they have experienced a bankruptcy. In that case, they may not be able to qualify for the credit cards listed above. The alternative for these people is to acquire unsecured credit cards.

Unsecured credit cards are credit cards that do not have anything backing them as collateral. People with low credit scores can qualify for these credit cards if they agree to pay a higher interest rate. This will not necessarily be a problem for those who acquire them if they make the determination that they will pay their balances in full every month.

Unsecured credit cards can help people enjoy their staycations, because they allow them to pay for things without having to carry around a lot of cash. If they use them to purchase only the items they know they can afford, they will also begin to rebuild their credit.

Protect Your Assets

If you believe many pundits and statisticians, the rates of crime are dropping in many communities around the country. This means that homeowners and business owners can breathe a little bit easier about their personal safety and protecting their various assets. It does not, however, mean that you can get away with doing nothing. Risks may be less than before, but they still exist.

There is actually an argument to be made that risks haven’t diminished, they have merely morphed into something new. Instead of relying on security safes and physical alarms, you need to be looking at how to secure your assets from digital attack.

At home this means being careful about the data that you share online. Everyone knows to be careful about giving out credit card information or sharing bank account numbers with strangers. However, you also need to stop and think about the risk associated with sharing your whereabouts on social media sites . Advertising to the world that you and your entire family are going to be gone for a month is practically inviting thieves to attack your home. The risk goes up if you have been bragging about recent major purchases, like new computers or an elaborate home theater system.

To protect your business assets, you need to be careful of not only your company’s financial and proprietary information, but also information about your clients and customers. Protecting customer credit card numbers and other vital data from hackers is just as important as securing your office against regular thieves. Just because assets are digital, doesn’t mean they are safe from attack.

The Eyes, the Blinds, and a Trip to the Heart

In many different cultures, the house is conceived of as a metaphorical representation of the human body, or sometimes even the universe in a smaller version. The rooms each represent different aspects of this universe, different planets, or elements, or even emotions and thoughts. It’s a useful way to think of a house, and some arts of decorating, like feng shui , devise ways to maximize the flow of energy. In terms of the body, however, the living room or bedroom can symbolize the heart, the kitchen is the stomach, and the windows are the eyes. The eyes can look different from one day to the next day. Blinds are one way to change the shape and color of that particular seeing place.

For some, this is akin to makeup, but for others, it’s more subtle, the way that some people’s eye color has a way of changing slightly with the light, and with their mood. Places like Next Day Blinds suggest that there are infinite possibilities for what can be done to change this area of decor, but also highlight their importance. Some people like the glasses at the dollar store, because for them seeing is practical. For others, it’s the most important feature, and should be emphasized whenever possible. The eyes are the window to the soul , and they also reveal a lot about the heart, and the house is the same way.

Various Styles and Designs in Window Blinds and Wood Shutters

There are so many different styles and design models of window blinds available on today’s market that they have become a major component of home interior designs . They used to be overlooked in their aesthetic potential and plastic blinds with wall color coordination were the norm in homes across the country. However, there are so many different materials and styles available that many people are realizing the design potential with them and are incorporating them into the overall look of their homes. This is an exciting discovery for many people as blinds are generally affordable and are easy to install on your own.

Plastic is still a common material and there are many styles of plastic blinds available. Aluminum is another popular choice and has some strong advantages that appeal to many consumers. Interior wood shutters are excellent window covering options for all sorts of homes and design styles. They are warm in the winter and allow the right amount of sun into the room. Their solid construction and appearance adds a sense of style and sophistication to your home and they are also extremely diverse. And with wood shutters, they are so complete and appealing on their own, they frequently look better without any curtain or drapery added. Your choices are endless, so design and rearrange to your heart’s content.