Save Money, Eat Well and Reduce Stress With A Home Garden

Save Money, Eat Well and Reduce Stress With A Home Garden
When times are tough, people tend to look inward for sustenance and stability. Your backyard would be a good place to look also. Home gardening is the trend now, with gardeners hoping to save money and connect with their own personal world through growing their own vegetables.During World War II, Americans planted victory gardens to cope with food shortages. In 1943, 20 million gardens were planted and those gardens reportedly produced 8 million tons of food.Just as then, Americans are now concerned about saving money. Can you reduce your grocery bills by planting your own victory garden? Yes but the trick here is to keep those garden start-up costs low. If you are going for raised bed gardening, by the time you get the lumber and compost, the costs could range up to $80, but that’s a one-time cost and next year you’re good to go with the same setup.Tilling up a patch of land, or incorporating your vegetables into the existing landscape is less costly. You can further reduce your costs by ditching those chemical fertilizers and insecticides. You really don’t need them, and there are many easy, homemade insecticides that will get the job done.Seed companies estimate that business is up 20% this year, which points to much more interest in home gardening. By this time though, you’re better off investing in seedlings, like tomatoes, peppers, onions, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce and herbs.Missouri State Extension horticulturist David Trinklein says as little as $50 invested in plants and supplies can yield as much as $1,200 in vegetables. Fairly good gardeners can achieve 10 to 15 pounds of tomatoes per plant while a simple garden with a variety of vegetables can fill a family’s salad bowl for about six weeks. Gardening also brings health benefits. Home gardeners who are exposed to nature have better mental health, are more physically fit and eat healthier foods.Ideally, your home garden will be a family affair. Everyone pitches in and not just one family member is out there hoeing away. A pizza garden is a great way to get the kids involved. Plant peppers, onions, tomatoes, parsley, basil and oregano in a circle to resemble a pizza, or rows will do just fine too. Sprinkle marigolds in the pizza garden to represent cheese and watch how much more interested your kids will be in gardening.Saving money with a home garden is a reasonable goal, but eating good, clean food at the dinner table after a pleasant evening digging in the dirt is what will really make gardening an important part of your life.
Posted by SCHNEIDER Real Estate at 8:24 AM 0 comments
Labels: Homeowner Affordability, save money, tips
Friday, June 5, 2009

The Right Time to Buy a Home Is Now

Passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a step in the right direction to help the housing market begin the recovery process. Now, it’s up to potential homebuyers to take that first step too. The $8,000 tax credit couldn’t come at a better time. Late winter and spring are the prime seasons for sellers and buyers who want a change of location, a new school district, to down-size or move on up.

However, time is of the essence. Details of the plan are:

• First-time homebuyers will receive an $8,000 tax credit, or 10 percent of the home’s value, whichever is less. First-time homebuyers are defined as those who have not owned a principle home during the past three years.
• The credit can be applied to either 2008 or 2009 tax returns and does not need to be repaid if the homebuyer lives in the house for a minimum of three years.
• The tax credit applies to first-time buyers who purchase a principle home between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.
• Claiming the tax credit is easy. Once the sale is completed, new first-time buyers can claim the tax credit on their returns. No special forms or documents are required.
• Income restrictions do apply for the tax credit. Single homebuyers must make less than $75,000 and couples less than $150,000.

Mortgage Reduction Component Is Part of the Solution

While the $8,000 tax credit is an incentive to excite new buyers about home ownership and reduce inventory, the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan takes aim at reducing foreclosures and reducing mortgage payments. Between seven and nine million homeowners could see relief under this plan to partially stem the tide of even more housing stock going into foreclosure.

One feature of the plan focuses on responsible homeowners who continue to pay on their mortgages but at rates higher that the current rates. Because of lack of equity, these homeowners have been unable to refinance at a lower rate. Under this plan, qualified homeowners in good standing will be eligible to reduce their monthly rate, and free up the balance of the payment for potential spending.

For those at risk of losing their homes, a second feature of this plan aims to provide incentives for those entities in the housing industry, such as lenders, mortgage holders and borrowers to provide more affordable conditions for responsible homeowners in these circumstances.

This federal assistance is another step in reaffirming a robust society, and to begin the long road back to responsibility and a sense of hopefulness.