2011 May Be the Year to Sell Your Home

If you’re contemplating selling your home, this may be your year. Just be sure you have one to move into before you let it go. Believe it or not, the country is facing a possible shortage of new home construction this year.

When the economy came to a halt a few years ago, builders were stuck with a lot of empty homes. They sold those homes at low prices just to recover their costs. Many builders went out of business completely, and those still in business stopped building spec homes.

According to a national housing report released by Harvard University in 2010, new home production has decreased by 70 percent since 2005. The report says only half a million homes were started in 2009 and not many more in 2010. For the first time since World War II, demand for housing in our country may be higher than the available supply.

This is good news for with homes up for sale. For the first time in over a decade, you won’t have to compete with new home construction to sell your house. I remember shopping for my home 12   years ago. My husband and I must have looked at a dozen homes in the town we now live in, but those older homes in our price range just could not compete with the idea of building our own home and choosing everything down to the color of the bathroom tile. It was cheaper to build a new home than it was to buy an existing home. The tide may finally be turning.

The downside is that it won’t be a true seller’s market. Property values are still down in many parts of the country, and that affects how much you will get for your home. Foreclosures in your neighborhood also have a negative impact on your home’s value, as well as the number of homes converted to HUD homes. A real estate agent can help you determine the best price for selling your home.

Existing home sales were up 2.7 percent last month nationwide. If January is any indication of what to expect moving forward, 2011 may be your year.

Your NCU Membership Saves You Money on Area Attractions

If you have season passes to Six Flags or Hawaiian Falls that have expired or are about to, you may want to check out these discounts before you renew. I’m sure glad I did.

Six Flags

My family’s Six Flags passes expired in January. I didn’t renew, because the prices went up, and the only deal they were offering was for a family of four. I have a family of three, and I didn’t see the value in spending as much for three tickets as larger families were spending on four passes. Thanks to NCU, that’s no longer an issue.

I can order as few as one pass or as many as 100 passes through this link ((Username: NCUDALOT, Password: SixFlags9) and pay only $54.99 for a Play Pass. It’s the same thing as a season pass, minus the coupon book that I probably wouldn’t use anyway. I can also order a full fledged Season Pass for $59.99. That’s $10 cheaper than buying them directly from Six Flags - a savings of $30 for my family, and even more for you if your family is larger. Discounted one-day tickets are also available. Six Flags over Texas in Arlington opens March 5.

Hawaiian Falls

Hawaiian Falls season passes are available through this link (password: NCU1234). You can save $10 per pass. Order by February 28 and receive a free ticket to a Frisco RoughRiders or Grand Prairie Air Hogs ticket with each season pass. Hawaiian Falls doesn’t actually open until the end of May, but the regular season price will go up before then.

Neighborhood also offers discounted tickets to Sea World San Antonio and for the Dallas Mavericks (Special Offer Code: myncu).

With Spring Break just weeks away, now is a good time take advantage of these money-saving offers.

President’s Day Sales

It’s almost time to celebrate the birthdays of Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. How do we do that in America? By shopping, of course. President’s Day is one of the biggest sale holidays of the year, and my inbox is starting to fill up with great deals. Here are some that my interest you:

JC Penney

50% off entire stock of furniture

Kohls

Just about everything is on sale, plus free standard shipping for online orders of $75 or more.

Macy’s

Mattress closeouts 30% - 50% off, plus savings on clothes, shoes, accessories, bed and bath, kitchen and more. Use coupon code President for free shipping, plus an extra 10% to 15% off.

Gymboree

Up to 65% off kids clothes and shoes

Bass Pro Shop

Save up to 50% off storewide.

Dooney & Bourke

Outlet Stores Only! Take an extra 20% off your entire purchase. There is a Dooney outlet in San Marcos, which may be worth the drive for this discount.

Barnes & Noble

Save an extra 20% on kid and teen books, bikes and riding toys purchased online. Save 30% on baby gifts purchased online.

What sales do you know about? Post them here and help save your fellow credit union members some money.

How Much Does a FREE Phone Really Cost?

T-Mobile was advertising free smart phones last week. On Friday and Saturday only, new customers and existing customers eligible for an upgrade could get a brand new smart phone free when they signwd a two-year contract. I’ve been a T-Mobile customer for at least a decade, and I became eligible for an upgrade last month. The offer intrigued me. I tried taking advantage of it online, but it was only available in stores. I dragged my family to a T-Mobile store on Saturday and quickly realized that free comes at a cost.

The “free” phones required the most expensive data plan T-Mobile offers. That is not the data plan I have. The “free” phones also came with an $18 upgrade fee. And, the “free” phones cost $200 up front. You get that money back in a few months when you complete a mail-in rebate. None of this was disclosed in the advertising, which explains why customers were spending so much time checking out. I left after I did the math and figured out my “free” smart phone was going to cost me about $380.

I’m not saying they weren’t offering a good deal. It wasn’t a good deal for me, and I knew that because I did my homework ahead of time. I already knew I could get the smart phone I wanted for $99 online without increasing my monthly data plan or cost. I also knew I could upgrade for free online, but I was willing to pay a small upgrade fee in exchange for a free phone. I’m not willing to spend nearly $400.

Most cellular providers offer free or deeply discounted phones with conditions attached. Before you decide to switch plans or switch providers altogether, ask yourself, or them, these questions:

• Is there a contract required, how long is the contract and what happens if you cancel your service before your contract ends?
• How much more money will your plan cost you every month? Multiply that number by the number of months in your contract to realize the full cost.
• Do you need the services they are requiring you to sign up for? If not, what would your cost be if you just paid for the services you will actually use?
• Is there a rebate involved and what are the conditions? (Be really specific here. I once lost a rebate on this very issue.) 
• How much would the phone cost if you just bought it outright?

Do your homework before you settle on a cell phone provider or plan. A small amount of research could save you hundreds of dollars.

Valentine Flowers That Won’t Wilt Your Budget

Have you ever noticed that floral prices double around Valentine’s Day? A dozen roses that normally cost $30 something (which I still think is highway robbery) somehow go up to $60 or $70 in February.

I used to get all of my floral arrangements (birthdays, Mother’s Day, etc.) direct from a grower. They came in a box, were shipped overnight at no extra charge, and they were beautiful. Apparently, they figured out that flowers were supposed to go up in price this time of year, because I just went to the website and could not believe the prices.

There are some good deals out there on flowers. Sometimes you just have to know where to look:

$20 for $40 Worth of Flowers, Gifts, and More from FTD

This deal is through Groupon – a site that offers one huge deal every day. You can buy this deal through midnight Saturday. Keep in mind that FTD charges a delivery fee. Read the terms and conditions of this offer before you buy. You must use the Groupon within four months, or it loses value.

25 Percent Off Roses from FTD

I don’t think you can use the Groupon above in conjunction with this offer, but it’s worth looking into. That would amount to a 75 percent discount on Valentine flowers. You will pay a delivery charge.

12 Long Stemmed Assorted Roses - $19 or Two Dozen - $29

I have actually purchased several bouquets and gifts from this company in the past year. All of them were delivered on time and were beautiful (according to the people I sent them to). You will pay a delivery charge. 

15 Percent Off all Arrangements

Everything on this site is 15 percent off, but it doesn’t indicate when the offer ends. Check it out soon for the best value. You will pay a delivery charge.

Do It Yourself

The best way to save money is to deliver the flowers yourself. If you order them from a local florist, you’ll skip the service fee charged by FTD and other long distance floral companies. In many cases, they won’t charge you for delivery either, which increases your value.

Grocery stores also offer beautiful floral arrangements for a fraction of the cost to have them delivered. Kroger and Tom Thumb stores both have floral departments. Some Alberstons store may, as well.

You’ll also get more life out of your bouquet by choosing something other than roses. Choose seasonal flowers and add a rose or two to your arrangement. Your roses will die in less than a week, but if you water the arrangement, the other flowers can last several weeks.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

How to Avoid Rolling Blackouts and What to do if They Happen

Have you had your fill of snow in North Texas this winter? I just watched the evening news, and the weatherman is predicting more snow this week. There’s also a possibility of wind chills between three and eight degrees. That makes me wonder if we can expect more rolling blackouts. How can you find out?

The Public Utility Commission of Texas has a color coded alert system on its website that you can check to see the status of power consumption in Texas. If it gets to black, you could be losing power at some point that day. Be sure to unplug appliances and computer equipment to prevent power surges.

To prevent rolling blackouts altogether, TXU Energy offers the following tips for saving energy when the weather is cold:

1. Turn off all lights, appliance and electronics not being used
2. Do not use dishwasher, laundry equipment, or other home appliances between the hours of 6:00 and 9:00 am and 4:00 an 8:00 pm
3. Limit the use of plasma TVs, which use more electricity than traditional TVs.
4. Set thermostat to 70 degrees or less, and several degrees cooler overnight
5. Close heating vents in unoccupied rooms
6. Minimize the number of times doors to the outside are opened and closed
7. Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible

What can you do if the power does go out? Take advantage of the opportunity to spend family time together. My husband was at work during our power outages, but my son and I were at home. We sat by the fireplace and read books together. We snuggled on the couch and talked. We did homework at the dining room table, which was well lit by our huge picture window. Our longest power outage lasted 30 minutes, and I was grateful for the time, without interruptions from modern day technology.

For more tips and tools to help you save energy and money year round, consult the website for the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Stay warm and safe this week.

Check Cashing Services DO NOT Save You Money

I just saw a commercial on TV about how much money people save when they cash their paychecks and government checks at Wal-Mart. The couple on the commercial talked about saving more than $200 a year, because other places charge $8 for the same service. On the screen, there’s a small disclosure about Wal-Mart’s fee going up to $6 for checks of $1,000 or more.

Let’s be honest. If Wal-Mart really wanted to save people money, it would stop offering this service and educate people about the benefit of opening a checking account. Checking cashing services don’t save anybody money. They cost money. They charge a fee on every check cashed, and if people are not depositing money anywhere, they’re missing out on the opportunity to earn interest on the money they work hard to bring home.

Think about it. If the average person cashes one paycheck a week at a cost of $3 per check, he is spending $156 per year to access his own money. That same service is free with a checking account. Even if it’s an account that charges a $10 monthly service fee (and I don’t know of a financial institution that charges this much), the cost is only $120 a year to cash those checks, and the account comes with so many other perks. Some checking accounts even pay interest. Is there anyone out there who still thinks it’s a good idea to pay a check cashing service?

Now, I know these commercials aren’t targeting me. They’re targeting people who either haven’t been educated about the basics of money, and people who don’t trust financial institutions. How ironic is it that they are the ones not telling the whole story?

If you use a check cashing service – stop. If you know someone who uses a check cashing service – perhaps your teenager, a neighbor or someone who may be new to the country – take a minute to educate them about the benefits of opening a checking account somewhere - anywhere. Or, tell them they can take their check to the bank whose name/logo is on the check, and cash it there for free.

Check cashing services are not financial institutions. Like most other businesses in America, they are in business to make a profit. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just know there are better, more affordable options for accessing your own money.

What are some other ways to gain access to your money for fee? Leave a comment and let’s continue this discussion.

When It Makes Sense, Do it Yourself

A few years ago, my son started growing out of his room. To increase floor space and give him more room to play, my husband and I decided to invest in a loft bed. That was easier said then done. He wanted to make the bed. I wanted to buy it.

We started by doing it my way. I had several of my shopaholic friends researching with me for a sturdy, wooden, full-size bed frame to fit the mattress we already had. Unfortunately, the only loft beds we could find in my price range were metal and flimsy. After weeks of shopping, I finally just let my husband do it. The project took him a week or two while working around other commitments, but he made the perfect bed – sturdy, full-size, real wood, with a huge airplane on the side. Our cost was less than $200, plus my husband’s time. It would have cost us at least $1,000 to buy the same bed. He was right. It made sense to do this ourselves.

That’s not always the case. About six months ago, I was in the grocery store looking for cheese sticks for my son’s lunch. The price was more than I was willing to spend, so I bought a big block of cheese and decided to make them myself. Bad idea. I couldn’t get nearly as many cheese sticks out of that block of cheese to equal the number in a package of individually wrapped cheese sticks. And, the time it took me to try wasn’t worth the $.50 cents I was saving.

Doing it yourself is not always the cheapest, most effective option, and there are many factors to consider. I failed to mention earlier that my husband has been doing carpentry work since he was a kid. Those skills were a good match for the bed project, but I would never trust him to lay tile in my kitchen. And, I can make a decent Halloween costume with some fabric and fabric glue, but that in no way qualifies me to make curtains for my windows. It wouldn’t even make sense.

Here are some things to consider when deciding whether it makes sense to do it yourself:

1. Your time is money. How much would it cost if you paid someone to do it, and how does that compare to the time it would take to do it yourself?
2. Do you have all the tools necessary to complete the project, or would you have to buy them?
3. Do you know what you’re doing? Some people are just instantly handy. Does that describe you?
4. How much will it cost if you do it yourself, mess up and pay someone to fix it?
5. How much money are you really saving? Consider the cost of labor, supplies and your personal time commitment. 

Do-It-Yourself projects can be fun, rewarding and thrifty. Just be sure it makes sense before you start them.

What are some other things to consider before doing it yourself? Leave a comment so we can continue the discussion.