Next weekend, drive to three open houses. Walk through the homes with the eye of a buyer. Stick with us here. We are opening your eyes and changing your perspective. As you walk through the homes, think about the nice features and the negative ones. Pay particular focus on the kitchen and adjoining rooms.

Drive home immediately after your tour.

Keep your buyer’s hat on. Walk into your house through your front door. No cheating, use the FRONT DOOR. Look at your house with the same discerning eye that you had when you walked through the open houses. What would you do to make your house more appealing? List 10 items. What makes your house special? List those items.

Now lets get to business. Start with the list of items that make your kitchen special. What can you do to make accentuate those features? Make a list.

Now take a look at the list of 10 items that will make your kitchen more appealing. Rank the items in order of expense and effort. Once complete, rank the same list again in order of the effect the change will have on the feel of your house. Look at the three lists that you have compiled. Do you see any items on the ‘make my kitchen appealing’ list that will contribute to accenting the items that make your house most appealing.

We are looking at building your house’s muscle; strengthening its strengths. In other words, we are creating a clearer and more unified focus on the positive features of your home.

5 inexpensive solutions to update your kitchen:

1. The obvious first choice is paint. This is the weekend warrior’s special. Almost anyone can paint a minor portion of their home over a weekend. Myself included; and this is from the voice of a believer that “if I can do the home improvement project, there must be thousands that can do it better.”

Look as paint as a woman looks at her hair. If you get tired of the look, make a change. In fact, paint is more like a haircut than you may think. As with a bad haircut, a poor choice in paint colors can easily be changed. The wrong paint color can be quite forgiving.

There are some simple rules and ideas to keep in mind when painting.

2. Light, Light and More Light. Natural light is the best form. Adding light will alter the feel of your kitchen for the better. Your kitchen will feel larger and more open with the use of natural light.

Adding a solar tube or two is easy and inexpensive. That is if you don’t have another room above your kitchen. If all else fails, add lighting to your kitchen. A thoughtful choice in light fixtures can add the pop you are looking for in your kitchen home improvement project.

3. Cabinet door pulls can give just the right touch to your kitchen. In most cases, affordable door and drawer pulls can be an affordable way to add character to your kitchen.

4. Kitchen faucet is the next item for sprucing up. Not only will a new faucet look good, it will be a functional addition to your kitchen improvement.

5. Appliances can have a big effect on the look and feel of your kitchen. The refrigerator and range are the two most visible appliances. There is no need to worry here. There are tactics to saving on appliances.

With your revised mindset and samples of effective remodeling solutions to improve look of your kitchen at a minimal expense, you are ready to move forward with your budget kitchen remodeling project.

Exterior Configurations

You’ll have many choices where exterior configuration is concerned. Often, the final choice is highly influenced by finances. Refrigerators come in the following shapes and styles:

• Side-by-side
• Top freezer conventional
• Bottom freezer conventional
• French door
• Counter-depth
• Built-in
• Under-the-counter small units
• Commercial styles—such as glass front, or triple units

If you’re installing a new refrigerator in an existing kitchen, it’s important to accurately measure the width, depth, and height of the designated space. Allow wiggle room to slide the refrigerator in and out, especially if the space is completely enclosed by cabinets or walls. However, it’s advisable to get the largest unit that will comfortably fit into your space.

It’s important to determine how much space is available in front of the installed refrigerator for opening the door and standing or walking by. Side-by-sides and the new French-door refrigerators are wide-width units; however, since they have narrower doors, they need less space out front. Picture yourself standing in front of the open refrigerator. Are you able to walk past the open door without running into existing cabinets or countertops? If you choose a conventional refrigerator, should the door open to the right or to the left? Remember that many standard refrigerators are deeper than standard cabinets, so they protrude forward past the cabinets.

Counter-depth refrigerators lack some interior space, but recede into the décor of the kitchen for a more finished look. Care must be taken with commercial refrigerators—they can be too wide to carry through a doorway, much less install in the kitchen.

You may want to consider looking for the following exterior features:

• Trim kits—colored panels, brushed aluminum or stainless steel panels, or cabinetry
• Special stain-resistant exterior finishes
• A water filter located behind the base grille
• A door lock feature
• A reversible door swing, especially if you move often
• A “clean back”—condenser coils are located on the bottom of the unit, instead of the back
• An open-door alarm
• A through-the-door water and ice dispenser

Interior Features

Judge the interior of a refrigerator by matching it to your family’s needs. What kinds of foods will you be storing? Side-by-sides often are attractive because of their exterior water and ice dispensers, but the narrow lines limit the size of items that can be stored and reduce visibility and access. Does your family love pizza? Most side-by-sides are too narrow to store them. Ditto that large cake pan. When judging the interior of a fridge, look for the following:

• Is the interior layout convenient and adjustable to your needs?
• Can you store wide or tall items conveniently?
• Can large drink bottles be stored in the door?
• Can you easily reach items at the back of the fridge?
• Are temperature and humidity controls easy to reach?
• Is the interior well-lit?
• Do the available compartments suit your food-storage needs?
• Are the shelves sturdy, adjustable, and easy-to-clean?
• Are slide-out shelves available?
• Are the foods you use the most storable at eye and arm level?

Comparative Costs

Top-freezer refrigerators account for 50% of all refrigerator sales, and are by far the most economical to purchase and maintain. They make good use of space and tend to be energy-efficient. Most models have factory-installed interior icemakers, which are less repair-prone than through-the-door dispensers. 

Bottom-freezer fridges are next in sales, and are still economical. Side-by-sides take a leap in price, but are still cheaper than counter-depth refrigerators. The new French door models are pricey, but desirable for their wide-width interiors and bottom freezers. Built-ins are costly, luxury refrigerators and are often available with designer fronts or cabinet fronts. Commercial refrigerators can cost even more than built-ins, and are for dedicated cooks with state-of-the-art kitchens. As far as finishes are concerned, stainless steel is more expensive than brushed aluminum or basic colors. Custom cabinet fronts are still more expensive.

Potential Repairs

Refrigerators break down much less often than other major appliances, and all brands rate good to excellent in quality. Through-the-door water and ice dispensers are the primary cause for repair calls.

Energy Use

Your refrigerator is probably the top energy consumer in your home. However, due to regulations implemented in 2001, new refrigerators use 60% less energy than those made 25 years ago. If you have a refrigerator that is 15 years old, you should probably consider buying a new model.

When buying a new refrigerator, look for one that is Energy Star® compliant. Many municipalities and utility companies offer rebates if you replace an old refrigerator with an Energy-Star® compliant model. Check with your local utility company for information regarding rebate programs.

Top or bottom freezer models are generally more energy-efficient than side-by-sides. However, because of the through-the-door water and ice dispenser, family members might open the doors less often with a side-by-side, thereby keeping the cold air in. It’s worthwhile to know, however, that the difference in yearly running costs between the most efficient and least efficient models is only about $30 a year.

Here are some tips to help you conserve energy when using your refrigerator:

• Keep the door shut.
• Defrost the freezer often if you have a manual defrost. Heed the manufacturer’s instructions; being careless during defrosting can cause damage to the point of destruction.
• Avoid buying a fridge with a drink and ice dispenser—they use a lot of energy.
• Buy a fridge with transparent drawers to decrease searching time.
• Keep the fridge filled 2/3 full, or switch to a smaller fridge.
• Consider a model with auto-close doors.
• Don’t overload the refrigerator with food; it cuts down air circulation.
• Avoid buying a frost-free fridge; it uses more energy.
• Avoid placing the fridge near a heat source.
• Never place hot foods in the fridge.
• Defrost frozen foods in the fridge to boost the cool factor.
• Consider turning off the butter conditioner—it actually heats.
• Vacuum the exterior coils often.
• Wipe the condensation off containers when putting them back in the fridge.
• Check the seals all the way around the door: Insert a sheet of paper, and close the door. You shouldn’t be able to pull the paper out.
• Set the temperature between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lifestyle Factors

Lifestyle is the most important consideration when choosing a refrigerator. How much food will you be storing? What are the container sizes you’ll be storing? What is eye-level for the people in your household? The food you access the most should be stored at eye level. Do you entertain often? Do you need extra space for drinks? Perhaps you should consider purchasing an extra under-the-counter drink fridge. Are you unable to bend over? A bottom-freezer model might be your best option, since a freezer is accessed less often than a refrigerator. Are you a professional cook? If so, you might want to leap into the realm of commercial refrigeration.

A refrigerator is a major investment for your home; yet, refrigerators are more serviceable and energy-efficient than ever, and can provide good service for years. The huge variety of exterior and interior configurations and designer looks can make buying a refrigerator a confusing, but exciting, prospect. Knowing what to look for can give you much peace of mind.

Who really wants to contribute to our growing landfills? There are things we toss away everyday that make up the bulk of our trash and they don’t even belong in our garbage bins. Here are my Top 7 ways to be less trashy so you can get started today.

1) RECYCLE ALL PAPERBOARD

Paperboard is the thin cardboard packaging that holds so many of the items we buy – think cereal boxes, packaging for toys and even tissue boxes. Nearly all curbside recycling programs accept paperboard but many won’t accept pizza boxes. Why? That paperboard generally contains greasy food residue that is not good for the recycling process.

2) PAPER IS VALUABLE

Do you recycle all the paper that comes into your home? You know – schoolwork, junk mail, magazines and the like? Remember, all paper is recyclable and that includes coloured paper and those envelopes with the plastic window. The general rule for paper is that if it’s free of food waste, it can be recycled.

3) DON’T WASTE THE LEFTOVERS

It might shock you to find out that a third of what goes in our trash bags is food. Instead of letting it go to rot in a landfill, consider composting it instead.

4) GIVE ELECTRONICS A SECOND LIFE

E-waste is the fastest growing disposal problem in this country. Electronics contain heavy metals that are both dangerous and valuable. For where in the CRD to drop off old electronics, visit return-it.ca/electronics/locations/ capital-regional-district/. Many businesses will take in old electronics when you buy new.

5) REUSE, REUSE, REUSE

Don’t trash what you can reuse. Whether you turn baby-food jars into paint containers, milk cartons into bird feeders, or this year’s holiday cards into next year’s gift tags – there are plenty of ways to get creative with things that might ordinarily wind up in the trash. This goes for sporting equipment, too. There are loads of thrift shops that accept donations of gently used or worn items.

6) WHAT ARE YOU (NOT) WEARING?

Well-cared-for clothes hold a lot of value and can be sold to others through consignment shops or online sites such as eBay. If you’re looking to donate them, consider the Salvation Army or St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores, the WIN stores or Dress for Success programs. Clothes that are worn or torn but not contaminated with chemicals, can be recycled as mixed textiles.

7) DON’T SHOP FOR TRASH

Think twice before buying items such as paper plates, bottles of water or food in individual serving sizes. There are less trashy options such as renting or borrowing extra party supplies, buying in bulk and using reusable containers. That way, those items don’t spend decades waiting to decompose in our landfills.

Windows provide security, views, warmth, ventilation, and mood. The care and thought we put into the windows of our homes should reflect their importance in our lives.

Maintaining Windows’ Supporting Structure

If your home is made of untreated wood, then wet, cool weather can have a devastating effect on the wood’s integrity. Wood can warp or rot, creating gaps between your home’s structure and the frames that hold your windows and doors. Unwanted weather can creep in through the gaps, which can increase energy costs.

Apply a quality penetrating oil stain to protect untreated wood. If the surface is painted, instead of applying an oil stain, apply several coats of paint to increase protection. If small gaps are already evident between the wood and window frame, seal the spaces with paintable calking, and then paint over the wood and dried calk. This repair should last about a year.

Correct larger gaps with plastic, felt, or foam weather-stripping. Simply secure the stripping to the affected areas of the wood and metal frames that hold the window in to seal. Weather-stripping lasts several years.

Weather-Proofing—A Cold Weather Must

A great deal of heat is lost through windows. To provide the best long-term protection for your home—and your wallet—consider installing storm windows before winter. They help cut heat loss through your windows by up to 50%.

Storm windows are available in a wide range of prices. Polycarbonate glass has a long life, but is heavy and fragile. Plastic is lighter, but scratches easier. Mid-level polycarbonate glass and plastic panels can be as low as $55 per 60 x 30-in. window, and upwards of $200 installed. The businesses who sell storm windows can also install them for you.

Applying plastic sheets to either the outside or inside of the windows is an easy and inexpensive alternative to storm windows. The plastic sheets cover the entire surface of the window. After the plastic is applied, windows cannot be opened without destroying the protective seal. To provide ventilation, choose a few windows to leave unsealed. Because southern windows give the best opportunity for warmth and light, choose one or two windows on the south side of your home.

For interior seals, use double-sided tape to hold down the edges of the plastic. Use a blow dryer to lightly go over plastic to shrink and seal it over the window. Because inside plastic seals are less vulnerable than outside, the thickness of the plastic is less important than on outside seals. Choose a less expensive, thinner plastic for inside seals.

For outside seals, nail the plastic cover over the jamb to create an air-tight insulating space over the window.

Insulated drapes protect interiors from the cold and help reduce lost energy. The insulation used in draperies is commonly a foam lining. Thermal lining can screen noise and light, but won’t provide the same level of weather insulation as foam. The cost of 2 panels of pleated, insulated, Cotton Duck drapes can range from $49 to $190, depending upon the size of the panels. Custom insulated drapes cost more.

Easy Cold Weather Energy-Saving Tips

Windows leak heat during the cool season, and contribute to high energy bills. When the weather turns cold, pull draperies and blinds on all windows at night. Windows with a northern exposure should be closed throughout the winter—even during the day. Uncover eastern facing windows in the morning, western facing windows in the afternoon, and southern facing windows during all daylight hours. This will allow the sunlight to warm and brighten your home.

Replacing Windows

Obviously, you need to replace broken or cracked windows as soon as possible. If you’re unable to replace windows immediately, apply adhesive tape over the cracks to keep them from getting worse. Use tape only as a temporary solution.

Installing new windows yourself is a less expensive option than having a professional do it for you. However, given the importance of your windows and how critical it is to have them installed properly, think carefully before you decide to bypass a professional installation. One mistake can imperil your family’s comfort and safety and increase your energy costs.

If you’ve made the decision to replace all your windows, decide whether double-paned windows are a good investment for you. They’re more durable, sound-proof, and weather-proof than single-paned windows.

If you live in a hot climate, consider having your new windows treated with a heat-resistant glaze. The glaze should be applied to the outside to reflect the heat back outside.

A Window into the World

A breeze flowing through an open window on a summer day is inviting. A secured window against the winter cold is comforting. Windows provide light, ventilation, and a portal into the outside world.  Maintain your windows and they’ll serve you and your family in all seasons for many years to come.

SOLD – Another Happy Client!

COUNTRY SIDE CROSSING

 EAST ST. PAUL 

BUILD YOUR CUSTOM HOME

• Large 78.7 x 140′ lot with creek running through
• Walk out basement
• Will be Custom built by SYTKO HOMES
• Lots are selling fast – act now!!
• Construction to start end of 2012

Pay your mortgage or contribute to an RRSP: How many times have you asked yourself or someone else which to do?

The first thing you should do is condition your mind to filter out biased advice. The last thing in the world a bank wants you to do is choose to pay off your mortgage. Assuming you pay no penalties, the bank loses income if you pay your loan off early. But it also loses out on potential fees it might earn from selling RRSP-eligible investments.

Banks do what’s good for banks first, not what’s good for you, necessarily. Having said that, there are clearly instances where doing one or the other is the proper thing to do. If your mortgage rate is four per cent, for instance, it doesn’t make much sense to race to pay it off. Four per cent money is a pretty good deal historically. The case for not touching your mortgage and making that RRSP contribution makes even more sense if you pay a relatively high marginal tax rate, say 45 per cent.

Your $10,000 contribution gets you a $4,500 refund. You are effectively $4,500 richer. It’s true you’ve also created a future tax liability. That is, when you withdraw that money, plus what it’s earned, in your golden years you will pay income tax on it. I’ve heard a lot of financial planners strive to make the point RRSP refunds aren’t yours, it’s still the government’s cash and you’ll eventually have to pay it. True, generally. But that’s no reason not to take advantage of it.

Remember, the money you put away is compounding tax-free and your tax refund can be put to work, too, either saved in a tax-free savings account as a reserve to pay that tax bill or applied to a mortgage.

And the further off in the future your retirement, the less this matters because of what we call the time value of money. Just as saving money today and watching it compound over the years can lead to a huge amount of money in the future, a future expense is worth less today — and a lot less if there are a lot of years between now and when you have to pay it and/or the rate at which you can save money is high.

Your $4,500 compounding in a TSFA at the same rate as your RRSP will most likely pay your tax bill and then some. More importantly, having the money in your RRSP gives you a lot of flexibility to control your tax bill. It’s hard to put a value on that, but it’s worth a lot.

Not all arguments on the subject are financial. I know people who literally get ill at the thought of their savings dropping in value. They can only invest in GICs and money market funds. These people might be better off just paying the mortgage because they can’t really take advantage of interest rates. They’re hurt by them.

That’s just one example of the kind of considerations you should make when it comes to these decisions. Some, in my view, are a lot easier, like RESPs. These are a no-brainer because the government gives you, free, 20 per cent of what you put in (to a certain limit). That’s a guaranteed 20 per cent return. It’s just foolish not to find a way to take advantage of that — even, in the right circumstances, if it means borrowing. Rates are low, and the money you put away today will save you a lot in the future.

Fabrice Taylor is an award-winning financial journalist and analyst and author of the President’s Club Investment Letter. Email him at:

fabrice.taylor@gmail.com

There are several smart ways to retire without a mortgage. We’ve come up with six that fit a variety of retirement scenarios. Some approaches benefit from an early start — so if you are able, try to plan ahead. Other mortgage-free-retirement options can be put into effect even if you’re close to collecting Social Security.

Some retirees don’t mind a mortgage, be it for the tax write-off or to prevent too much money being tied up in home equity. But if your goal is the peace of mind that comes with paying off your loan before you reach retirement, check out these six ways to retire without a mortgage

1.  Make Extra Mortgage Payments

A little extra goes a long way. A $200,000 mortgage at 6% over 30 years works out to a monthly payment of about $1,200 (excluding taxes and insurance). You’ll pay just over $231,000 in interest alone. But put an extra $100 a month toward the same mortgage and you’ll save nearly $50,000 in interest and retire the loan five and a half years early.

2.  Refinance Your Mortgage