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Best Tips To Summerize Your Home and Save Money

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It is almost that time of year when we finally get to play outside, drink lemonade, and break out our favorite shorts and sandals.

For most people, summertime is highly anticipated, in all ways but one: the heat. When the temperature increases, the energy bills go up as well.

The increase in the electric bill to keep that AC running is something most people dread. If you are already living on a tight budget, an increase of even a few dollars in utility bills can make a big difference.

But you can take measures to help keep your home cooler in the summer and keep more money in your pocket. Here are some steps to summerize your home.

Outside Your Home

Here are a few places to start on keeping your home safe from the withering summer sun!

Seal up that fireplace!

Experts estimate that uncovered fireplaces add up to six million dollars a year in wasted energy bills. Although they may help to heat your home in the winter months, leaving a fireplace as is during the summer allows cooled air to escape.

You can install a door over the front of the fireplace to keep the air from entering the chimney. Also, make sure the flue or damper is closed and consider a seal or insert to keep cool air inside where it belongs.

Let Mother Nature Do the Work

The landscaping around your home can help absorb some of the heat created by that summer sunshine and make cooling areas of shade simultaneously. For example, plant deciduous trees and shrubs that will shade walls and roof sections that receive the most direct sunlight. It also helps to shade outdoor AC units.

Consider the benefits that trees will provide during the winter months and avoid blocking any breezes that can help to cool your home. For the best advice, ask a professional landscaper for advice on which plants and trees to choose and where to place them for optimal cooling.

Install Overhangs

A roof overhang protects your windows and the exterior of the house and prevents that hot summer sun from beating directly against your windows. This helps the entire house stay cooler and will lower energy costs.

Paint It White?

Light colors reflect light and heat away from your home instead of absorbing it as dark colors do. Therefore, you probably want to consult an expert before painting your shingles.

Windows and Doors

Most of the cool air that escapes from your home gets out through the windows and doors. So, doing some preventive maintenance in these places, like putting up weather sealing strips, can save you a lot of money on your energy bills.

Replace Storm Doors

Many people remove the windows in their storm doors for screens during the summer months. This will allow you to take advantage of cool breezes on days when you do not need the air conditioner.

Check The Gaps

Check the window screens around your home for gaps and tears. Adding caulk around windows and door frames helps seal up gaps that you may not be able to see. Any space where cooled air can escape from your home will make your air conditioner work harder and add to your energy costs.

Keep the Sunshine Out

Covering windows in your home with heavy drapes and blinds will block the sun’s rays and help to insulate them. This keeps the heat from the sun outside while keeping the cooled air inside.

The most important windows to cover will be on the west and south sides of the home, where the sunlight is most direct. You can even choose thermal curtains and solar shades to get the best chance at providing extra insulation.

Time for New Windows?

If your home has older windows, it might be time to invest in energy-efficient windows. While the upfront cost may be high, upgraded windows will save you money in the long run. Solar window films, especially the Low-E kind, are another way to keep warm air from coming in through your windows.

Cool Night Air

While the windows should be closed during hot days while the air-conditioner is buzzing away, take advantage of those cooler night temperatures by opening curtains and windows as far as possible. Allowing your home to cool off naturally overnight rather than running the AC all night will save substantial money.

Let the Breeze Blow

If you have windows in your home that are across from each other or even diagonally spaced, open both windows to create a cross breeze that will naturally cool the space. Enhance the effect with a fan in each window, one set to pull air in and the other reversed to blow air out.

Speaking of Fans

The more fans you have, the better. Fans will help circulate the air in your home, whether you have an air-conditioner or not. Place fans in rooms you occupy frequently. If you have ceiling fans in your home, make sure they are set to reverse (counterclockwise) to pull warm air up toward the ceiling instead of blowing it down.

Keep It Cool with AC

If you are in the market for a new air conditioning system, consider the pros and cons of window units and central air systems before deciding which is suitable for your home.

Window units are very inexpensive, considering their value on a sweltering day. And you can move them from room to room if needed.

A central air conditioning system may be more economical, depending on the size of your home. It will cost more upfront but may save you money over time. Plus, it adds value to your home. However, consider additional costs like maintenance and repairs.

If you choose an outdoor central air system, keep it clean from dirt and debris that can block the airflow. You will also want to have it serviced regularly to keep it in peak performance shape. Have the professional check for freon leaks and change the filter every thirty to ninety days.

Size Does Matter

Choosing the right-sized air conditioning unit for your home is essential, especially if the idea is to save money on energy bills. A unit that is too big is a waste of money and is less efficient. On the other hand, a unit that is too small won’t be able to cool your space properly and will wind up constantly running, eating up money in the process.

Check the Vents

Check to make sure the registers are open in your home in the rooms you wish to cool. However, you may want to close any registers in the basement because that space tends to stay cool. Close off any rooms you don’t plan to occupy and cover the windows with shades or drapes.

Make a note of where the return air ducts are in your home. Blocking off a room without a return duct won’t help cool it down. Instead, try using a fan and running the AC on the cool setting instead of automatic. This will help keep a balanced temperature throughout all the rooms in your home.

Look around in the attic or crawlspace of your home and close any air vents leading to these spaces. While you’re up there, add some insulation. Insulation keeps your home warmer in the winter, and it can also keep the heat out and the cold air in during the summer.

Other Cool Tips

Avoid using appliances that generate heat whenever possible. Or try to limit their use to the early hours of the morning or late in the evening.

The oven and the clothes dryer are the biggest offenders. So, opt for the microwave or grill outside on hot days, or better yet, choose cold meals that do not require cooking.

As for the laundry, use an indoor drying rack or an outdoor clothesline to save energy and prevent extra heat in your home. Plus, line-dried laundry smells better!

Time to summerize: Get your home ready for warm weather

Check the lightbulbs in your home and replace any incandescent lights with CFL bulbs. Older style incandescent bulbs generate more heat and have been phased out of stores in favor of CFL or LED bulbs.

Cool Off Your Vibe

Taking steps to keep your home cooler and your energy bills lower is excellent, but there are some simple steps you can follow inside your home to make it feel lighter and cooler. Creating a cooler vibe might make you feel cooler too.

  • Change out heavy bed covers and sheets for lighter options. Linen and cotton are great summer options and will stay cooler than heavier fabrics. Go for light, cool colors to brighten a space and make it feel more like summer
  • Pack away clutter and knickknacks and opt for a more open, clean feel. The less you have sitting around to hold the heat, the better. Plus, it will give you a chance to do some redecorating
  • Cover upholstered couches and chairs with light-colored slipcovers. Then, add some splashes of summer color with throw pillows or accent pieces
  • Switch out wall art for options that feature light and bright colors. Or paint the walls to brighten a room with cool, light, summery colors
  • Store heavy or dark throw rugs for use in the winter. Choose bare floors or go with rugs that are lighter and more summer-shaded

For many people, summer is the best time of year, and it should be celebrated and enjoyed. Do not spend your summer sitting around sweltering in the heat. Instead, take some simple preventative steps to maximize your comfort and save money this summer. When you “summerize” your home, you can focus more energy on enjoying the warm weather and sunshine and less time sweating over that next electric bill.

Image credit: [Adamkaz]

Top 10 Money Lessons to Instill in Children

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Learning to handle money properly requires a bit of experience. The more delayed we are in starting, the more difficult it is to receive and implement some teachings.

Of course, the age-old cliche is “better said than done.” According to research, children who discuss finances with their parents are suitably prepared for future financial responsibilities.

However, with the correct tools and resources for parents, they will have meaningful conversations about money with their children, even at a young age. 

How Can You Educate Your Children About Money?

As you might expect, there are several techniques for teaching your children money lessons. Allowances are essential to some parents but not to others.

Some firms sell debit cards to elementary school children, which some parents believe is an absurd age to be learning about a debit card, regardless of how many parental safeguards are in place.

What counts is, of course, what you believe. However, here are a few general rules:

  • Talk about money with your children
  • Consider giving an allowance
  • Continue to talk about money with your children and, eventually, your teenagers. But don’t treat it as though it’s a one-and-done talk
  • Involve your children in charity giving. This may be something you do at church, or it could be something you and your children do to collect money for a good cause

1. To Obtain Things, You Require Money

From a child’s viewpoint, they perceive us paying for almost anything with cellphones or plastic cards. It is more difficult for them to understand the connection – ensure they do not think we’re buying stuff with a magic tap.

2. You Must Work To Earn Money

As well all know, money does not grow out on the trees. Children seldom witness the effort of purchasing necessities, let alone indulgences, so ensure they understand that you must work hard for that money. Giving children the opportunity to earn their own money is also a fantastic idea.

3. Make Decisions on How You Use Your Money

Everyone has a limited amount of money to purchase the things they want and desire. Unfortunately, all the financial choices we make in our heads daily are taken for granted. Therefore, speak it out loud and explain to your kids why you are not buying anything or picking one thing over another.

The next time your child begs you for expensive toys in the aisles of the store, you can assure them that is where their money goes. In affluent households, uncovering ways to emphasize that money is not an infinite supply and setting limitations is essential.

4. Needs vs. Wants

Kids are not likely to spend their bucks on necessities like food, clothes, and housing, but everyone must make decisions and prioritize their expenditures. If you desire your kid never to lose another school sweatshirt or jacket, make them buy one with their money.

Finally, distinguishing between needs and wants allows us to bypass rushed purchases and be more careful when budgeting. For example, dissuading your kid from purchasing the big sucker at the checkout by explaining that it would prevent them from achieving their other goal faster. If they keep that money instead, they will purchase something better that they will use. 

Allow your child to make mistakes and do not try to rescue them. Buyer’s regret is a difficult lesson to absorb, but the sooner it’s learned firsthand, the better!

5. Wait Before You Can Buy Something

As if quick gratification wasn’t bad enough, digital behemoths are now enticing us with “buy it now, pay us later” incentives at every online checkout.

It is getting increasingly easier to spend that second and cope with the consequences afterward; therefore, it is critical to train our children’s resistance muscles while they’re still young!

https://www.moneygeek.com/financial-planning/resources/how-to-teach-your-kids-about-money/

Spending on what you need and saving for what you want is a great motto to live by. For example, unless it’s something they genuinely want or had planned to buy with their money, kids shouldn’t spend an entire week’s allowance or even one weekend on a single item.

You may also try to minimize spontaneous purchases if you have got a child with money searing a hole in their tiny wallets by creating ground rules. Use the “any purchase exceeding this amount” rule, for example. Or implement that those unplanned purchases necessitate a “time-out period” to ensure it is something you want and conduct some research before buying.

6. Teach Them About Price Comparison

As your kids get older, you need to discuss your decision processes more advanced before making significant purchases.

We have so much knowledge at our fingertips, and comparing costs does not require us to walk from store to store. Therefore, please encourage them to sit down with you or conduct their research the next time you do some internet shopping.

You may also involve your child in tiny purchasing decisions while you’re at the shop, such as pointing out when you select products on sale or emphasizing a particular brand you prefer to buy because it’s organic or fair trade. It will help kids understand purchasing decisions.

7. Cover the Rainy Day Fund

Although a “rainy day fund” for a child may appear like not purchasing a gift or toy, adults understand that not having money saved away for crises can be stressful.

It is an excellent objective for youngsters to save up for 2-3 weeks before they start spending their money.

8. Set a Goal and Strategy

Whether you have been preparing for a deposit on a house or a new Lego set, if you want to accomplish something or be able to do something important to you, having a plan can help you get there faster.

https://www.educationfirstfcu.org/EducationFirstFCU/media/PDFs/Essential-Money-Lessons-Every-Kid-Needs-to-KNow.pdf

Knowing what you want, how much it costs, and how much you need to earn, save, invest, or borrow to make your goal a reality is all part of having a financial plan. A kids’ objectives may be smaller, but the strategy is the same.

Assist your children in determining a financial goal and a strategy for achieving it.

9. Invest in Yourself

Finally, we invest in generating revenue and prospects for our future, including investing in ourselves and our skills. Education and training involve time and money, but they usually pay off in terms of the amount of money people make during their lifetime. Children need to understand at an early age that the more you know about something, and the better you are at it, the more money you may make.

10. How To Increase Money Faster

Imagine an orchard full of trees full of fruit packed with seeds – and how it all began with a single source to help your children comprehend the compounding principle.

In the same way that investing money early pays off, the sooner we consider our interests and strengths, the sooner we may discover potential occupations and begin building the necessary skills.

Ideas for Earning Money Right Away for Your Children

Earning money is another opportunity for children to learn a lot about money. Since there’s still a pandemic, we’ll skip the conventional lemonade stand idea. However, depending on their age, you may need to assist your children with some of these suggestions.

  • Babysitting
  • Paid yard maintenance for neighbors
  • Pet and house sit
  • On a website like Etsy, you may sell your creations
  • Plan a garage or a yard sale
  • During the wintertime, shovel next-door-neighbor driveways
  • Earn money by doing extra chores
  • Organize a car wash
  • Collect recyclable materials
  • Tutoring

Money Ideas for Children by Age

A five-year-old will be taught about money differently than a 15-year-old. Here are a few suggestions.

For the younger children

Your three-year-old does not need to work, but they also do not need to be unconcerned about money. Sometimes it helps to hand the money to the cashier for payment. This allows children to comprehend that money is spent when you buy something. Letting them do this small task creates a core foundation in their mind that can be built on as children grow older.

Elementary School Children

Games are a fun way to teach kids about money. The earlier children grasp the concept of money, the better. Later elementary school students can conduct more difficult financial transactions if you guide them and watch their accounts.

Image Credit: Aleksandrdavydovphotos

Is God OK with Me Receiving Money from My Aging Parents?

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aging parents at table

Of course, God forbids us to steal, so He would not support you stealing from your aging parents. If the money is offered as a gift and you intend to use it righteously, that is a different story.

Financial struggles are difficult to manage. With that being said, we are also promised in the scriptures that “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

This promise and the world’s needs can make it difficult to know how best to handle money. It becomes even more complicated when family members are involved.

How Should We Treat Our Parents?

God commanded us to honor our parents. This means doing good in their name, thanking them for what they have given you, and acting righteously towards them.

Furthermore, in Mark chapter 7, Jesus stresses how taking care of one’s parents is crucial for all. This is especially important as your parents’ age and will need extra help and assistance.

When financially able, you should provide support to your parents as they age. If you cannot offer financial aid, see if you can help with items around the house such as cooking or cleaning that may be difficult to do with an aging body.

Why Are You Taking the Money?

Taking money from parents
Elderly father lends money to his adult son. Is this permissible by God?

God considers our intentions behind our actions. It is essential to look at your intentions when taking money from your aging parents. There are two very different scenarios in which you may take money from your aging parents.

1. Your parents are aging and cannot remember things as well as they used to. You take money behind their back without telling them.

2. Your parents offer you money as a gift, and you accept it.

Taking Money Behind Your Parents’ Backs

If your parents are aging and losing some memory, they may not notice if you take some money.

However, just because they do not remember it does not mean that you received permission. Taking money without permission is considered stealing.

We are counseled multiple times in the scriptures, notably in Exodus 20:15, to avoid stealing. Furthermore, in Proverbs 12:22, we learn that “The Lord detests lying lips,” and taking money behind your parents’ backs is akin to lying. If you take money from your aging parents without their permission or knowledge, God is not OK with it.

Accepting a Gift from Your Aging Parents

God commands us throughout the scriptures to be humble. Humbly accepting a gift can be a great way to show gratitude, which we are also commanded to do throughout the Bible.

We are also commanded throughout the scriptures to give freely to those around us. If no one accepts the freely given and offered gifts, we limit their opportunity to share and be blessed for that generosity.

For those reasons, God is OK with you taking money from your aging parents if they freely offer it as a gift. You should keep in mind, however, that you should use the money righteously and prudently.

What Should You Do with the Money Your Parents Give You?

If your parents give you a financial gift, God still offers directions on treating your money righteously. Matthew 6:24 warns against the danger of treating money as an idol and worshiping it.

With that in mind, you should always consider why you are accepting a gift of money. Do you plan on using it to help your family, friends, or neighbors? Or do you plan on using it to purchase unnecessary, frivolous material possessions that may make you more popular? If you still want to accept the gift but do not require it, you can donate the money to a worthy charity.

Aging parents

When given a financial gift or any increase, you should also remember that He owns everything as God directs in Exodus. Everything you gain comes from Him and will return to Him. It does not come from your power and to serve your praise.

Throughout the scriptures, we are regularly commanded to care for the poor, sick, and needy. It is always righteous and wise to use your excess money to help those less fortunate than you are.

Furthermore, a gift given to you to help you pay off debt can be a righteous way to spend the money. In Ecclesiastes 5:4, the Lord cautions against collecting unnecessary debt and advises us to pay back the owed money quickly. For these reasons, using a monetary gift from your aging parents to pay off debt can be a moral choice.

In Luke 14, the Lord shares a parable about planning when beginning projects such as building a tower or house. This can be important whenever you look at an option for how to spend your money.

Consider before beginning the expense how long it will take, how much it will cost, and if you can afford it. It would help if you also considered the effect of that expenditure on those around you. We should always seek to bring more kindness into the world, and wise purchases are no exception to this rule.

Always seek to use your money wisely as the Lord has commanded.

Image Credit: Robert Kneschke