Cost Saving Tips

Friday is Bike to Work Day - May 15th!
Pull out those bikes and save some gas money on Friday for National Bike to Work Day.
You help the environment and even get in a little exercise at the same time! What a deal.

If you can't ride to work here is a cost savings that is true and funny at the same time!

This week was my parents anniversary of 36 years together. They had celebrated before the date and totally forgot about cards for each other until the night before. They were in BJ's (like a Costco) and decided to go over and pick one out for each other but swore not to look at the card from one another. They were looking at cards for a bit and laughing at some etc. when they finally found the ones they wanted. My mom flips the card over, like any savy customer, and gasps at the cost. My dad proceeds to do the same thing and says his is way too much as well.

My dad then proceeds to come up with a plan. He says to my mom "why don't we just exchange our cards here, then put them back and save a few dollars! We will remember this forever!" At this point they are laughing a lot and people are starting to look at them. My mom say ok and hands my dad his card. He says "Why thank you!" and my mom does the same! Ok so I know you are all laughing with them at this time! They read the cards, say thanks and then put them back! All the while laughing a lot and can't make it to the check out for another few minutes. Most of the people were looking at them like they had lost their minds at this point.

Ok, so I am not saying don't buy cards or small gifts for one another. But it really does put our cost savings into perspective these days. Why not have a little fun with it, life is too short!
So thanks mom and dad for being the savvy shoppers that you are and enjoying life in the little moments even after 36 years!

If you have any cost saving tips or funny stories like this, please send them to me. I would love to post them!

Happy Saving!
Stacey

Free Entrance for DE Museums

For those that want to get out and enjoy the upcoming weekend here is something great for the entire family!

Free to all Delaware Residents on May 16th

Go to any of the 60 sites of DE Museums to get in for FREE!
http://www.visitdelaware.com/pdfs/2009_FreeDay.pdf






Don't forget Stamps have changed to 44 cents today!

Easy Home Updates Cheap!

10 Can't-Miss Color Trends for 2009
I found this article on the HGTV site and thought I would post here. If you are in the mood to change something about your home but can't afford to do a major change, why not change your paint color! It is a quick, do it your self project that can be done in a weekend.

http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/10-cant-miss-color-trends-for-2009/pictures/index.html


Happy Mother's Day to all Mother's!
Stacey Woods

Sign up for the HGTV Green Home 2009 Giveaway!
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-green-home-2009-giveaway/package/index.html?nl=HGIdeas_v336_GH09-Enter

This give away has been around for the past few years but this year they are building a GREEN Home. Read more on that website about it and look at picutres of the home.

Enjoy!
Stacey

Home Repair Tips

On NBC's Today Show this morning there was a segment on home repair. Basically they were talking about the repairs that you should not ignore when money is tight. Below are the repairs they were talking about. If you need some help in finding a repair person for any of these please let me know.

1. Runaway rain water: Don't let water get into your house or have standing water around your house. Tips to help this problem - clean out your gutters and make sure you have water flowing away from your house.

2. Roof and siding: Make sure you keep these up to date, no open spaces in either of them. Open spaces means water and bugs get in and can create a lot of damage very quickly.

3. Keep shrubs and mulch away from the foundation: This will keep termites and carpenter ants away from your house. If you find soft wood anywhere you probably have a problem and should call a pest inspector out.

4. Musty odors: Try to keep the moisture out of the house. One tip would be to keep a de-humidifier in your basement to keep the moisture out. If you see mold, call a professional. There are ways to clean up some mold, however to make sure you get it all correctly, call a professional.

5. Foundation cracks: You can fill in with an apoxy for foundations your self but if it is wider than a pencil, call a professional. Keeping the cracks filled will keep out moisture, bugs and will prevent futher damage.

Rule of thumb to remember: It is easier and more cost effective to take care of the problem when it is small than to wait and spend a lot of money on a big problem.

Don't forget my Home Buyer Seminar on Thurs. May 7th! Call if you know of anyone that is intersted in buying a home within the next year!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!