Five Holiday Budgeting Tips

It's happening earlier and earlier every year! What is it? The holiday shopping season. Retailers boast holiday sales months before the actual season begins. So, with that in mind, I decided to do a little research to provide you with some holiday shopping tips to help you win this season.

Stick to a Budget and Payback Plan Budgeting isn't a new tip, but when the excitement of the season is overwhelming, budgets sometimes go out the window. So, before clicking or swiping your card, create a budget and a solid plan to pay back your holiday debts.

Create a Buying Schedule ​Create a buying schedule to get the most out of your holiday shopping season. If you're an online shopper, buy early to avoid extra shipping costs. If you wait until the last minute, you could end up paying more than you would have if you had bought early.

Use Rewards Apps Rewards Apps like Honey, Rakuten, and BeFrugal can help you win the holidays when shopping online. If your credit card works with these apps, congratulations! You'll get even better discounts to help with your budget.

Go Deal Hunting A little hunting can pay off big time during the holiday season. When shopping for a specific item, hunt for deals. Look for impromptu deals. Take advantage of coupon code sites and "Daily Deal" sites. Also, don't forget about Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. They're often advertised weeks earlier so you can plan.

Use Credit Card Rewards Pay attention to and use different credit card rewards programs to your advantage. Many offer signing rewards with cash,  points, and miles for travel. Pay attention to rewards programs early and take advantage of a program that makes sense for you. However, watch out for retailers' special financing offers; those often come with a nice initial rate but can jump in the coming months if you don't pay it off immediately.

As we all get excited about the shopping season, planning will help you reduce the already hectic season so you can truly enjoy giving the perfect gifts this year. Learn more about these tips and others here. I hope they help.  If there's anything that I can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask. Happy shopping!

4 Ways to Show Your Kitchen Some Love

 

With the fall season officially underway this weekend, we'll all begin to move our celebrations indoors. There's only one room tough enough to handle the hosting duties: the most important room in your home—your kitchen! If you want to really impress this season, here are a few upgrade trends.

More and more homeowners are building larger islands, which provide more space to gather and prep for parties.

Whether you already have a backsplash or need to add one, ceramic and porcelain tiles are trendy this year. You can also make an impression with natural stones such as marble, quartz, or granite.

Having space in your kitchen is helpful and freeing. After all, you don't want to feel cramped while entertaining. Try creating an open kitchen. Take down walls to other rooms. Your kitchen is the center of the house; show it off. If you're entertaining, you'll feel part of the party.

Add some color to your cabinetry to bring your kitchen to life. While white is still the most popular color, greens and wood tones are becoming increasingly common.

If you're hosting this fall or winter, renovating your kitchen will help you with entertaining and meal prep. Try one of these trends to impress your friends and family. It will impress potential buyers if you're considering selling this year or in the future. If you need to connect with a design professional or have questions about the current real estate market, fall is a great time to buy and sell. Let's talk. Call or text to schedule a meeting.

Do You Know Your Very Next Step?

                           

The Mapmaker's Dilemma

Here is a quick story about how to take your next step in a complex world.

In a bustling town lived Ella the mapmaker. She was known for creating the most intricate and detailed maps anyone had ever seen. People came from far and wide to commission her work, believing that the more complex the map, the better their journey would be.

One day, Sam, a young traveler, arrived at Ella's shop.

"I need a map to the Whispering Falls," he said. "It's for my first solo adventure."

Ella began crafting an elaborate map, filling it with countless paths, landmarks and warnings. As she worked, she noticed Sam's anxiety growing.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"It's just ... it looks so complicated," Sam said. "I'm not sure I can follow all this."

Ella paused, remembering her own first journey. On impulse, she set aside the complex map and took out a fresh sheet.

With a few simple strokes, she drew a clear path to the falls. "Here," she said, "this is all you need to start. Just take the first step, then the next. The path will reveal itself."

Sam's relief was apparent. He took the simplified map and set out with newfound confidence.

Weeks later, Sam returned, his eyes shining with adventure. "Your map was perfect," he said. "I discovered so much more than just the falls. I learned to trust myself and enjoy the journey."

From that day on, Ella changed her approach. She realized that, sometimes, the best map is the one that simply shows you where to take your first step