Are you interested in saving more money? Who wouldn’t, right? Well there are quite a few things that you could do within your very own house to reduce expenses this year. You may have already thought of some of these, but I bet some of them might take you by surprise!

Unplug That Keurig

At this point, I would say that quite a few of us own a Keurig. Sure, it might not brew up the cheapest coffee in the world (after all, buying a jug of instant coffee is much less expensive), but it makes a pretty tasty cup of coffee with no waste and it’s far cheaper than heading out to Starbucks. However, how often do you brew up a cup of coffee? Some have one every morning, but there are others that only have a cup once in a while. For those of you that aren’t frequent coffee drinkers, does that Keurig really need to be plugged in and on all the time? I doubt it. Do yourself a favor and at least turn off the switch. You’ll save yourself about $100 this year.

Invest in a Water Softener

Do you currently have hard water? If your white shirts are yellow and your shower is turning orange, I’ll give you a hint…. Yes, you have hard water. So how do you solve this problem? One of the best ways is to get yourself a Harvey Water Softener. Not only will it get rid of that annoying yellow stain on your shirt and the orange from your shower, but it will also save you money! It’s true! First of all, you won’t have to buy so much shower cleaner and white shirts, but also, with a water softener you are decreasing the amount of metallic ions in your water which makes it much quicker to heat. This saves you money when you’re running your dishwasher, the shower, or even your kitchen faucet. Take a look at the Harvey block salt softeners to start saving money today.

Stop Lighting Up the Whole House!

This one may seem obvious, but I drive past houses that must have omnipotent beings for owners, because every single room has a light on! If a single light stays on for a few minutes, that’s hardly something to get your tailfeathers in a ruffle over, but when you start talking about 10 or 15 lights that are on unnecessarily, then you might start to question how efficient you really are in your own home. If you have that many lights on at any given time, you’re probably wasting a few hundred dollars a year. I bet you could think of way more fun stuff to do with $300 than watch the lights glow inside your house.

Are you conscious about how much energy is being used up in your house? Is it all necessary? And, if it’s not, do you have a plan to rectify the situation? For a few hundred bucks here and there, I sure would.

The government of UK is now planning to reverse their stance on online gambling, specifically the manner in which they tax the industry. Many operations moved their headquarters from the UK to certain offshore tax havens when the Gambling Act of 2005 was enacted.

This move was in response to the imposition of a 15% on online gambling operations located within the realm of the UK. As a result, the UK government lost a staggering £2.1 billion in tax revenue when these businesses chose to move outside of the UK.

Now, the UK government sees the value in luring these operations back given the growth of the industry. In order to attract operators back to the UK, the government is considering a tax cut which would bring their rate more in line with competing countries. At 10%, some operations may of course choose to remain where they are currently based. However, other operations may see the cut as a reason to move back to the UK where their business could benefit from improved regulations. This anticipated tax cut is not set in stone yet as to the specific amount. Although with a 5% reduction in the tax, the gaming operators such as Jackpot City could save £100 million annually.

Many benefits can be afforded to online casino operations that relocate to the UK. For one, those potential customers who have been reluctant to try online casino gambling may feel safer now to do so given the watchful eye of the UK Gambling Commission. Some have been apprehensive to participate in the activity for fear of being taken advantage of by unscrupulous gaming outfield. The Gambling Commision has the ability to bring formal charges against online casino companies who fail to offer legitimate gaming services. By attracting new customers, the revenue brought in could offset the tax.

Photo by Antti Merivirta.

Creating a stable financial future is important. It should be the top priority of every newlywed couple. What usually happens, though, is that most newlyweds throw financial caution to the wind and bury themselves in debt trying to set up their home and lifestyle completely and right away instead of building slowly over time.  If you have just gotten married and want to avoid the financial pitfalls that have befallen lots of your friends, here is what you can do.

Shop around for the best bank rates 

If you have a savings account with a great interest rate (especially if it is a compound interest rate) you can save up more money more quickly and still have enough left over to buy the things you want to buy. Spend some time learning about the different types of accounts that are out there and the various interest rates associated with them.

Don’t forget to spend time learning about online savings account rates (it’s easy to read more at the Discover Bank website to get the best idea of what’s available to you).

Don’t forget to Invest 

It’s true: investing is a gamble. This is why you should never invest more money than you can afford to lose. Still, with the help of a qualified investment advisor, you and your spouse can set up an investment portfolio that should be nicely profitable. You can funnel the profits into your savings account to help it earn even more money for you through the compounded interest rate.

Go Slowly 

Unless you’ve both moved in together from your parents’ houses, you probably have at least your basic supplies covered. In fact, you’ve probably got duplicates of more than a few things. When you’re married it’s tempting to get rid of all of the things you had as single people and then buying all new things that are jointly yours.

Resist this urge! 

Go through your stuff together. If you find duplicates of something (that doesn’t require duplicates—for example, keep the plethora of cookie sheets, but you probably don’t need six floor lamps for a one bedroom apartment) keep the one that is in the best shape and sell the other. Use the money you earn from these sales to begin building your collection of “your stuff.”

It takes more time to go this route but it’s the superior route to travel. For one thing it won’t bury you in debt. For another, it gives you time to find things that the two of you truly love instead of settling for something the two of you see as “just fine” because you need it now instead of later.

Between your online savings account rates, your investment profits and the slow building up of your home, you can avoid a plethora of problems that have afflicted so many others.

I’ve always been a little hesitant to take up video conferencing (although I do take one or two Skype meetings each month), so I was shocked when I saw this infographic explaining how popular it has become. Check this out…

Source: The Rise of Video Conferencing

Infographic provided by video conference calling firm Powwownow

All too often, health is looked at as something that can only be achieved with specific medicines and regular visits to the doctor’s office. In reality, true health is only achieved when you are living a safe, happy and active life in every way possible.

Physical health is important, and certainly maintaining a healthy weight is ideal, but there is a lot more to the equation. Things like regular sleep, healthy relationships, adequate insurance coverage and a way to healthily deal with stress complete the picture of genuine health. Here are some of the holistic approaches to a healthy life for today and in the future.

Protect Your Health with Insurance

Although it is important to realise that health can only be achieved through a holistic approach that addresses all the different areas of your life, you also need to be covered in the case of a medical emergency. There are any number of serious events that can happen to even the healthiest individuals, and peace of mind will be easier to achieve if you have proper medical coverage. As a fit person, you should have no trouble at all finding plenty of insurance providers who want to offer you a policy, but compare the market and shop around online in order to find someone who will give you great perks and discounts for maintaining your health.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight for your age, height and gender is about a lot more than looking good or fitting into a specific pair of jeans. Weight is an indicator of health in many ways. If your weight is too low, it could be a sign of an illness, excessive physical exercise or even a nutrient absorption issue. Someone who is overweight might be suffering from diabetes, hypertension or any number of medical issues that need to be addressed. Maintaining a healthy weight is often the first step in achieving overall wellness.

Find Exercise That You Enjoy

Regular exercise is an important part of the puzzle when it comes to health. Exercising for 30 minutes most days will increase your sex drive, help control your weight, reduce high blood pressure, improve your mood, give you more energy throughout the day and even help you sleep better at night. The key to exercising consistently is finding something that you enjoy, which can be anything from walking to dancing to swimming. When you actually like your chosen form of exercise, you will be a lot more likely to do it on a regular basis.

Enjoy Yoga or Meditation

Stress is a natural and expected part of everyday life, but how you deal with it can either help or hurt your overall health. Rather than bottling up stress, which can cause physical problems like high blood pressure, drastic weight fluctuations and even stomach ulcers, turning to things like yoga, meditation or regular exercise can help to eliminate the stress. Everyone is different, and there is no one perfect way to deal with stress, but having a plan in place is necessary for a balanced life.

Establish Healthy Relationships

Even if you are in perfect physical health, living without any relationships is far from ideal. Part of being a well-balanced individual is having romantic and friendly relationships with both sexes. Those who struggle with this aspect of their health may want to consider therapy, which is an important part of psychological and emotional health and wellness.

Eat a Varied and Balanced Diet

A healthy diet is about more than just maintaining the right body weight. Your diet is how you ingest vitamins, minerals, nutrients and fibre, all of which are vital for healthy living. By enjoying a varied and healthy diet that focuses on natural foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables, you are directly contributing to your overall health.

It is clear to see that health is not a simple or one-dimensional thing. Regular sleep patterns, sufficient health insurance coverage, a healthy way of dealing with stress, regular exercise, a varied diet and enjoyable relationships all work together to give you a clean bill of health from every perspective.

Surprised at the state of UK consumer loans? View how quickly UK consumers accumulate debt with this live debt ticker.

This infographic is brought to you by QuickQuid.

When you take a good look around your home, you’ll start to notice all of the clutter you’ve accumulated over the years. Some of it is right out in the out in the open, while the rest is hidden away in cupboards, boards, and closets, taking away your precious storage space. Aside from uncluttering your home, clearing out this junk can actually earn you a good chunk of change, as one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Here are some household items you can sell online to supplement your income:

Books

While large book collections may look nice, how many of us really need (or read) all of the hardbacks and paperbacks we keep on our shelves? Make money by setting up a seller’s account on Amazon or Half.com and listing the books you no longer want. If you have old textbooks you want to get rid of, check out the buyback programs on Textbooks.com, Cash4Books.com, and AbeBooks.com, all of which include free shipping to help you maximize your profits.

Electronics

In this digital age, a good portion of our clutter at home comes from our electronic goods. Remember that TV on DVD collection you started at the turn of the century? How about that old cell phone you traded in for an upgrade? Get rid of these unwanted electronics by trading them into an online buyback program in exchange for cash. Websites like musicMagpie take everything from old CDs and DVDs to laptops, gaming consoles, and mobile phones. As with book buyback programs, you get free shipping for trading in your old items.

Clothes

If last season’s clothes are still in good condition, don’t throw them into the trash or bag them for donation. Clothing resale has gone digital, introducing you to an entire community of online shoppers looking for a good bargain. You can set up an account on Poshmark, Wiseling, or Tradesy to list your old wardrobe, or go all out by establishing a personal storefront on OnlineShop. For best results, make sure to include the measurements of each item, provide an accurate description of their condition, and take a high quality photograph to include with the listing.

Collectibles and miscellaneous items

When it comes to that old card collection or that rare edition video game, there’s no better place to find a new home for it than on eBay. The main advantages to eBay are that listing is free and you can make your item eligible for bidding, meaning you’ll end up earning the highest value bid. As most of you well know, eBay isn’t just for collectibles: you can list everything from toys and sporting goods to vehicle parts and accessories on the site. Here again, having an accurate product description and a few good photos is key.

If you have big ticket items that are difficult or expensive to ship—unwanted furniture, big TVs, musical instruments, etc.—consider posting an ad on Craigslist. The main benefit here is that since listings are localized by city, your prospective buyer will be able to drop by to take a look at the item and then cart it back home with them. No listing fees, no selling fees, no shipping fees—that’s online selling made easy!

If you like to have a tidy home and yard and are also looking for ways to make some extra money on the side or to start your own business, you may naturally think about offering a house cleaning business.  With this type of business, you can make $20 or more an hour, and if you live in a city with many working professionals, you likely won’t have trouble finding clients if you advertise on a site such as SitterCity or Craigslist.

However, if you don’t mind doing some heavy lifting and vigorous cleaning, there may be a much more profitable way to make money.  Cleaning foreclosures can earn you $500 to $1,500 per home.  Do a few homes a month, and you are making a good sum of money.

Is There a Demand?

According to News Channel 5, there is a huge demand for people to clean foreclosures.  News Channel 5 explains, “The foreclosure clean-out business has been spawned by the ten-fold increase in foreclosures in the past two years,” so yes, there is definitely a demand.

How to Start Your Own Foreclosure Cleaning Business

There are a number of ways you can get started, and they all involve networking.  You could call a local real estate agent and ask them if they have any foreclosures that need cleaning.  And according to The Penny Hoarder, having competitive prices and a flexible schedule will help you get on their list of preferred cleaners.

Other options include contacting the bank directly or reaching out to real estate law firms.  Again, you will likely have to prove yourself first before you get word of mouth referrals.  (But once you get those, you might find that you have a booming business!)

What Skills Do You Need?

Obviously, when cleaning out foreclosures, you have to be able to do some heavy lifting.  More than likely there will be personal items as well as furniture left behind.  You will need to clean the entire home to make it look presentable, although it doesn’t have to be spotless as if a maid had been tidying up.  Some properties will also need outside lawn work.  You also need to have a flexible schedule because the property may need to be cleaned out quickly.

Additional Ways to Make Money?

In addition to the money you make cleaning the foreclosure itself, you can often make money on the items left behind.  Companies hiring you often don’t care if you throw away the remaining items or sell them yourself.  You might be able to sell an abandoned couch for $150 or a television for $50.  That is often money in your pocket (though check with your employer first).

If you are looking for a lucrative side job, you may not need to look any further than the foreclosure cleaning business.  The money can be good.  Yes, the work is physically demanding, but the regular pay and the opportunity to make additional money selling the remaining items can make this job worthwhile.  While there may not always be such a high demand, there will likely always be foreclosures.

What You Need To Be A Used Car Salesperson

Getting started on this business doesn’t require a vast amount of knowledge about cars, but it does help. But if you don’t have it maybe someone you know could help you out on that. It’s not the key to success it only helps you more if you do have the knowledge about cars. Now if you’re a mechanic that would be another plus, it would lower your refurbishing costs.

What is essential actually is having your capital, then using it with your knowledge or someone’s knowledge of cars and make it work to profit. If you don’t know about cars at least do some research on ads and newspapers and get a rough idea of how much cars should really cost, either brand new or used. This way you can easily estimate cars and other vehicles that you might want to buy and later on sell after refurbishing. You could have someone else do all these things for you and still have enough profit to keep. But remember that with knowledge, your profit also rises for you do all the work needed for the whole process of buying up to selling the car.

Growing Your Used Car Business Over Time

Start A Used Car Business When you have gotten your first couple of sales and a bit of profit, you might start thinking of doing it all on your own, but don’t rush everything. Learn gradually, slowly but surely make your knowledge grow until you could manage everything on your own. If learning how to become a mechanic might be too much for you then leave that be and just pay someone to do the rough work for you, but remember that maximizing profit is also a priority so do everything you can from learning to close a winning deal on a used car, to finding the right persons to make the refurbishing for you and make the necessary marketing for the car, and lastly manage profits and return of investments well to keep you newly found business going.

Make sure to check your local laws, so as to make sure you don’t break any of them. Some examples of these laws are, in Michigan you are required to have a dealer’s license if you sell more than six cars a year, but in some states the number is different. Just be informed to avoid complications. Remember that you can put six cars in your titled to your name and other’s name to your wife and/or other relatives. Always check local relevant laws.

But don’t dismiss the notion of making it a bigger business, by buying more and selling more. A dealer’s license would be needed to make it bigger. But try out the example given above to give you a better feel, and assessing if you could handle more transactions in this kind of business. As always knowledge is the key in breaking in this business, but remember that it doesn’t mean that it has to come from you, you can always learn in the process.

In 2008 and 2009, many people who owned homes that they financed through loans that required no down payments lost their homes. In response, banks tightened their lending standards, and home loans became harder to get.

Now, the housing market is beginning a slow rebound, and more first time home buyers are making their way into the market place. These potential home owners may wonder which is best? An adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) or a fixed rate mortgage? The answer depends on your situation.

If you check a site like http://www.mortgagerates.ca, you’ll find adjustable rate mortgages often offer the lowest interest rate, but you must keep in mind that after a certain number of years, your mortgage rate will adjust, and you could face either higher or lower mortgage rates. If you face higher mortgage rates, your monthly payment could go up by several hundred dollars, which may be difficult to handle.

Fixed mortgage rates are generally a bit higher, but they are fixed throughout the life of the loan. In this current economic state when interest rates are at historic lows, locking in the rate for the 15 to 30 year life of your loan is certainly attractive.

In general, only take out an adjustable rate mortgage if you think the following is likely to be true:

-you plan to move and sell the house before the mortgage adjusts

-you think rates will likely go lower in the time between when you take out your mortgage and when it adjusts

-you think you would be a good candidate to refinance to a fixed rate mortgage when the loan adjusts

Even if you think one of the above is true for you, be careful when taking out an adjustable rate mortgage. Many people take them out thinking they will move before their mortgage adjusts only to find themselves stuck in a house they cannot sell.

In general, especially in this current economic atmosphere, a fixed rate mortgage may be your best choice, even if you do have to pay a slightly higher interest rate. Many people find the security of a fixed rate to be worthwhile.