Do you know the actual cost of buying a house? Whether you’ve purchased a property before or this is your very first one, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the costs and what they might mean for your overall budget.

There are a number of upfront expenses and also regular ongoing costs that you’ll need to factor into your budget. Some you’ll be able to shop around for on comparison sites and others are pretty much set in stone. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need to budget for when you’re ready to make this big purchase.

Upfront costs to consider

Stamp duty – this is often one of the biggest additional costs by far. However, if you manage to buy before 31st March, you’ll save on this thanks to the stamp duty holiday. Under this initiative, when buying your main home in England and Northern Ireland, properties worth up to £500,000 are exempt from paying stamp duty. Now is a great time to buy a house and save money. However, if you don’t fall into this category, it’s important to consider what will you have to pay? when you factor that into your budget.

Deposit – to buy pretty much any property, you’ll need a deposit. This will be at least 5% of the value of the property. For example, if you’re buying a £200,000 house, your deposit could be anywhere between £10,000 and £40,000.

Legal fees – these include things such as conveyancing, which is undertaken by your solicitor. What you pay your solicitor will consist of their legal fees as well as things like local searches and registering change of ownership with Land Registry. It’s important to have these budgeted into your overall cost or look at other ways of financing if you haven’t accounted for them.

Surveyor fees – it is highly recommended you get a survey on the property you’re buying, no matter how young or old it is. Varying in price from £400 to well over £1000 depending on what type of survey you have, it will give you reassurance that your future home is in a good condition, or flag any issues that need to be rectified before the sale goes through.

Mortgage broker fees – not necessary but sometimes beneficial, enlisting the services of a mortgage broker can ensure you’re getting the best mortgage deal possible!

Your regular monthly costs

Mortgage – this is the monthly amount you pay back your lender over a set term agreed with them.

Home insurance – buildings and contents insurance are often required by your mortgage lender anyway, but this is a worthwhile monthly cost to protect your home and what’s inside it.

Council tax – this is a cost that must be paid and can range from a couple of hundred pounds a year to several thousand. It all depends on the size of the property and the council that it sits in.

Running costs – these tend to include your water, gas and electricity bills, as well as things like your TV licence. These can often be expensive so it’s worth getting a comparison from

different companies, as well as seeing if you can make the property more energy efficient to reduce your monthly bills.

The number of mattress options is so wide that it can be overwhelming when it comes time to choose one. However, understanding certain things will help you choose a mattress to get a good night’s sleep.

Today we will talk about a number of different mattresses, from natural springs and metal springs to electric mattresses and everything in between. Because there are so many options when it comes to firmness and thickness, it can be complicated to know which mattress is recommended. For this reason, today we will give you some tips.

The same mattress is not recommended for everyone. Weight, position and various back problems are just a few factors that you should keep in mind when making your decision.

Let’s take a deeper look so you can learn which mattress is best for you.

How do you usually sleep?

To know which mattress is recommended for you, you must first think about how you sleep. Do you tend to sleep with your face up, sideways or down? This will help you determine what type of mattress you need to sleep well.

• Sleep with your face up or down: the mattress for you is firm, as it helps keep your back straight. If it is soft, you can sink down and get an uncomfortable curve in the body, which can create future back pain.

• Sleeping on the side: if your favorite position is to sleep on the side, a hard mattress will not help you. You need one that is softer, less firm and that shapes itself to your body. This allows the shaft to sink slightly so that you get a comfortable position.

Your weight determines which mattress is recommended for you

Even though you may think that your weight does not affect the choice of mattress, it does. We will look at two important points, because a person who weighs less does not always need a harder mattress.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

• If you weigh a lot: if you weigh a lot, a soft mattress can make you sink too much, giving you a bad position. For this reason, your mattress should be firm and provide you with proper support. However, do not forget that your position when you sleep is also a decisive factor.

• If you weigh very little: if you are lightweight, you will need a more flexible mattress to help you distribute the weight evenly. This will prevent certain parts of the body from being stressed by too much weight.

Do you move a lot or a little?

Which mattress is recommended for you if you move a lot when you sleep? According to thesleepshopinc.com experts the perfect mattress for this is a little different from the one you should choose if you just move a little during the night.

Although there are nights when you move a lot, others where you barely move at all, you need to determine what is most common for you, so that you can take into account the following tips:

• If you move a lot: if you kick off the sheets because of how much you move at night, a hard mattress is best because it requires less energy to move.

• If you move very little: if you tend to stay in the same position all night and barely move, you need a softer and more flexible mattress that distributes your body weight. This way, the body part you spend all night on will not suffer from pain or discomfort due to the lack of movement.

Are you hot or cold when you sleep?

Another aspect to consider when choosing a mattress is whether you need the duvet all night or if it gets too hot. This will of course also depend on where you live and the climate.

• If you are usually warm: if you cannot sleep with a lot of clothes on and start sweating easily, it is best to have a mattress with metal springs. They are cooler and ventilate better.

• If you are usually cold: if, on the other hand, you have to lie under the covers because you are too cold, I recommend a mattress made of foam rubber or latex, or one that is viscoelastic. They retain heat much better.

Think of allergies

But what if in addition to all this you are allergic to dust or suffer from asthma? If so, it is best to choose a mattress of natural feathers or latex with a washable cover the best option.

Now that you know which mattress is recommended for you, we suggest that you talk to a specialist if you also suffer from special back problems, such as scoliosis. Remember that a good mattress that adapts to your needs is what guarantees a good night’s sleep.

If you check online cannabis stores, you will notice that most companies like to brag that they sell the best CBD oil products on the market.

But, what does it mean when we say that blue CBD oil is the best? How do we quantify its quality?

Although this can be really hard, as there isn’t even proper legislation in place, there are certain ways to determine whether cannabidiol oil is good or bad.

In this article, we will go through several nifty tricks that will help you determine its quality and if it’s worth a purchase. Check it out!

How does CBD help us?

In order to understand the quality of cannabidiol oil, you need to know how it’s used.

These products can improve your health and wellbeing by regulating numerous processes in the body. They interact with the endocannabinoid system responsible for processes like sleep, pain, appetite, etc.

Having that in mind, if you’re able to normalize its function, you will also be able to normalize all these metabolic processes.

Keep in mind that most countries are very reluctant to legalize cannabis and CBD on a large scale. In most countries and states, you still need a doctor’s prescription to attain this product.

There is only a handful of places where you can buy CBD oil over-the-counter. The reason for this being is that most governments are worried about its potential drawbacks.

The truth is, we know very little about its long-term effects, and we don’t know how patients will react to prolonged treatment.

What is regarded as the best CBD products?

If we were to generalize, the best CBD product that helps us get treated. But, this is too obscure, so we should get deeper into the matter.

There are a lot of ways to quantify the quality of a substance:

· Is there a label on the packaging?

This might seem like a minor issue, but there is a good reason why this is necessary. Given that the CBD industry is relatively new, bad products and even worse manufacturers are running amok. If a cannabidiol oil is improperly labeled, if it’s a missing label, or if there are any other issues with it, this is a good sign that the company is trying to conceal something, which is a really bad sign.

· Do they perform regular lab testing?

Like with the label, testing allows us to learn more about the product. Good companies continuously perform lab tests as this would show potential clients how good their items are. It’s a process that gives them bragging rights and sets them apart from their competition. Lack of testing can signify that the company doesn’t care about it or that they know how bad their items are. Of course, it can also demonstrate that they don’t have money for testing, which can also be a concern in its own regard.

· How is the product advertised?

We still have limited knowledge regarding cannabidiol and all of its potential effects. We don’t know how good it can be for certain conditions; there are a lot of speculations regarding its impact. However, we do know it can help with pain, insomnia, epilepsy, and a few other conditions. Every country has a list of potential ailments that can be treated with this supplement. If a cannabis company is promoting their CBD oil as a miracle cure, as something that can treat ailments that are not on the list, this can be a red flag.

· What do their customers say?

Although a lot of companies manipulate their reputation, and have reputation management teams, you should consider online reviews. If a lot of people said that this particular product helped them, this can be really positive. Of course, CBD oil works differently for different people and ailments; there is no guarantee that it will help you as well. But, at least it gives you a good starting point.

It stands a chance that if you are a DIY lover, you will, at some point, find yourself doing some remodelling in your home. Whilst there are some jobs that you can undertake with ease – fixing shelves and installing laminate flooring – there are other projects that require a little more skill, preparation and understanding. However, lack of knowledge should never be a reason to turn away from a project. There is a wealth of information available to help you in your endeavours and to enable you to complete every project to a high standard. Here we offer you some handy tips for some of the bigger and more skill intensive projects that you are likely to want to tackle.

Installing a suspended ceiling

This one of the bigger jobs you are likely to undertake as a DIY lover, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Creating a new space can feel daunting, but knowing that your hardwork and expertise has created something long lasting will fill you with a sense of pride. Suspended ceiling consists of a framework fitted with tiles, and there is quite a lot to consider when embarking on this project. Here we provide you with a few top tips that will ensure your project is a success that you can be proud of.

Top Tips

1. Mark out the height of the new ceiling before you begin, and ensure that it is dead straight – this can be achieved by using an accurate spirit level or laser level.

2. When inserting main tees and suspension wires, make sure to measure accurately in order to ensure that the space created is a snug fit for your chosen ceiling tile.

3. Always fit cross tees. Given the length of time that it takes to fit a suspended ceiling, it is tempting to omit the cross tees from your design. However, this is not advised as it can compromise the strength of the ceiling. Invest your time wisely and always opt for the addition of cross tees.

4. Handle tiles with care. Some tiles used for suspended ceilings can be light and delicate. This has many benefits for construction and the finished product, but can lead to breakages and extra cost during the process. Store them away from the work area and handle with care during fitting.

Installing a partition wall

When it comes to changing the face of your home, there is nothing more effective than changing the size and shape of your rooms. Installing a partition wall can offer you flexibility, add value and reinvigorate your home.

Top Tips

1. When preparing the stud wall frame use brackets over joints to ensure extra sturdiness and support.

2. Seeing as every wall around your home is not perfectly straight, it is common to encounter gaps where the frame meets the wall. Using shims can help to make any gaps as small as possible and to ensure the integrity of the finished wall.

3. Use as few plasterboard sheets as possible as using too many boards can lead to a ‘patchwork’ effect on the finished wall.

It’s perfectly normal for people to have second thoughts and doubts when they decide to renovate their bathroom. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about giving up here. I’m talking about the fact that most people have a difficult time deciding on the design and the style they prefer, which makes it hard for them to choose all the elements that need to be a part of this significant room.

Well, believe it or not, it is all much easier once you find the right renovation firm to work its magic in this room. Of course, the process of finding those experts is a completely different story, as you could have imagined it. The truth is, though, that you will need to get some tips on both of these things. Simply said, you could find some bathroom renovation tips useful, but a few tricks on how to hire the right firm will definitely come in handy too. Click this to take a look at some remodeling ideas you might want to consider.

Let us take this one step at a time. You don’t want to get even more confused than you are right now, do you? If I just swamped you with all kinds of information right now, that is exactly what would happen. You would probably end up even more frustrated upon realizing that you still don’t know what to do, either when it comes to the actual remodeling or when it comes to the process of hiring experts.

That’s why we need to take it one step at a time. So, let me first share some useful bathroom renovation tips with you, so that you can be sure you are making the right choices in the process. After that, we will shift our focus to the hiring process. For now, though, let your mind go into renovation mode and make sure to remember the following tips.

1. Plan Your Layout

Probably the last thing you want to do when renovating your bathroom is make changes to your sanitary-ware layout. That would not only cost a lot more than you expected, but it would also be rather messy and it would take a lot of time. Now, of course, if this is absolutely necessary, then there is no need to think about not doing. On the other hand, if this isn’t necessary, then you should keep the plan of your layout in mind at all times and stick to it. That will save you a lot of trouble.

2.  Stick To Your Budget

There is one more thing you should try and stick to. That is, of course, your budget. It is rather easy to get carried away by all the beautiful and expensive ideas and products you can find, but if you can’t afford to go over budget, you will simply end up with a half-done bathroom after spending all your money on a few expensive things. I’m pretty sure that you don’t like the sound of that. So, make sure to determine your budget in advance and stick to it.

Here’s what else you need to keep in mind when doing these renovations: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/bathrooms/21019042/11-things-to-consider-before-you-remodel-your-bathroom

3. Don’t Cram The Space

I understand that you might want to add certain elements to your bathroom and that you might be all excited about it and there is definitely nothing wrong with that. Yet, I suggest you thing long and hard about how all those elements will actually fit in with the overall space. In short, make sure not to cram the space with unnecessary stuff that will make everything look overcrowded and messy. This is especially important if your space is already small. Don’t make it look even smaller.

4. Mirrors Can Make It Bigger

Speaking of small space, here is a pro tip that might come in handy if you are trying to make it look bigger. Add mirrors. Now, this doesn’t mean that you should have mirrors all over every single wall in your bathroom, but adding a big one on one of the walls can really do something amazing space-wise. Of course, this won’t actually make the space bigger, but it will certainly make it appear bigger. So, choose your mirror and let it work its magic.

5. How To Find The Right Contractor

Now that you got the tips you need and now that you feel at least slightly more confident about what to do when you start remodeling, there is one last thing left to take care of. I’m referring to hiring the perfect firm for the job. There is no doubt in my mind that you already know that there are quite a lot of firms that can offer these services, but you also probably know that not all of those will be able to do a perfect job and perfection is certainly what you want.

How can you, however, ensure that the firm you are hiring will provide you with the best services? Well, you’ll have to do some digging and get as much info as possible about a few firms before making your decision. Let’s say you came across Perth Premier Home Improvements bathroom renovations company and now you want to learn more about it. I’ll teach you how to do that and, remember, this goes for any company you decide to take into consideration.

For starters, check out the websites of those specific firms and take a look at the actual services they provide. Then, try to find examples of their previous work and determine if you like what you are seeing. This way, you will get to eliminate all the candidates you don’t like right from the start, which will make things easier.

After having made those eliminations, it’s time to dig deeper. The trick is in finding reviews about specific firms or talking to people that have used their services previously. Doing these two things will help you determine whether the particular contractors you have in mind will be able to live up to their word. Upon figuring that out, feel free to make your decision.

Fall has arrived, which means winter is not far behind. Before the temperatures plummet further, prepare your home so you and your family can remain comfortable during the final months of the year. Here are several tips from Nimbus Roofing to help protect your home, your comfort and your finances

Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

If you have ceiling fans in your home, keep using them during the winter season. By reversing the direction of your fans so they spin clockwise, you push down warm air blowing from your vents. This is an especially helpful tip if your home has high ceilings where warm rising air may settle rather than stay down near the floor where you can feel it.

Clear Your Gutters

To avoid ice dams, have a professional clean your gutters and downspouts of twigs, leaves and other debris. Ice dams form along the edge of your roof and keep melting snow from draining down your gutters and downspouts. Over time, trapped water can infiltrate your property, leading to avoidable leaks that may damage your insulation, walls and ceilings.

Service Your Heating System

Now is the time to tune-up your heating system, so you know it’s ready to keep you warm this winter. You do not want undiagnosed HVAC issues to lead to a heater breakdown during a cold snap. If that happens, it may take technicians a while to get to you, as there may be other unprepared homeowners experiencing heating system problems. No matter the season, regular HVAC maintenance helps keep your unit operational year-round, and you can get more use from your heater and air conditioner. Also, a heating system technician can help determine if you have a carbon monoxide leak in your home, which can be deadly.

Inspect Your Roof

After preventing ice dams from forming in your gutters, check the rest of your roof for loose, damaged and missing shingles. A damaged roof could lead to leaks from melting snow or a winter storm. If you feel hesitant about climbing up on your roof, hire a professional roofer to handle the inspection. Doing so may be a great idea no matter how comfortable you are with heights, as a professional’s eye could catch problems you may miss.

Add Caulk Around Doors and Windows

Keep warm air inside your home where it belongs by caulking spaces around windows and doors. Silicone exterior caulk works well when you need to seal gaps outside, as the substance withstands the elements and doesn’t shrink. Besides caulk, add weather stripping to your doors to reduce drafts and heat loss.

Trim Tree Branches

Trim all tree branches growing close to your roof. Strong winds and winter storms can send branches tumbling onto your roof where they may cause damage. Even if long branches don’t come loose, they may drip excess moisture into any cracks in your roof or siding.

Do not wait until winter to prepare your home for winter. Act now during the fall to give yourself plenty of time to check off all the above tips.

Running a family home is never an easy job, but it can be costly too. Your home and the associated costs are likely to be your most significant expenditure each month. So finding ways to keep these costs down is essential to help you free up money for savings and to spend on other aspects of your life such as vacations and leisure activities.

You may feel like you are already doing everything that you can to lower the expense of looking after your home, but hopefully, these tips will give you some inspiration on how you can make additional savings and lower the cost even further. Here are some of the ways that you can relieve some of the financial stress involved in running your family home:

Reduce Energy Use

Everyone hates receiving bills, and even more so when they are higher than you were expecting. If your energy bill seems to be climbing each time you receive it, you can do a few things to help lower this cost. Firstly, you could try to switch suppliers. If it is possible to swap your energy supplier without being penalized, you could realize some significant savings, so why not have a look to see if there are any better deals out there? Secondly, looking for ways to save on the cost of your energy bills by cutting your electricity consumption is vital. Switching to energy-saving light bulbs can help you to save, as can switching off electrical appliances when they are not in use rather than leaving them on standby. Smaller ways to save energy that can help you save include only boiling as much water as you need to in your kettle and the same with your pans on the stove. This will also help you to save water as well as being more energy-efficient. 

A final way to save energy is something that all parents are familiar with, which is reminding the kids to turn off lights in rooms that they are not using. You could even put little notices on the light switches to remind them if they keep on forgetting.

Get Maintenance Savvy

Keeping your home running efficiently requires regular maintenance to help keep everything running as it should and help prevent things from breaking and needing to be repaired. There are several tasks that you can carry out that will help to keep your home in the best order and minimize the need for expensive repairs to be carried out. 

One of the most crucial tasks to carry out is clearing your guttering. Your guttering needs to be able to channel rainwater away from your home effectively. If the guttering is unable to do this, problems can start occurring, which can impact the rest of your home. An overflowing gutter can cause water to run down the exterior walls of your home and result in mold and dampness forming inside. If water continually collects at ground level, this could cause flooding in your basement and could even damage the foundation of your home if left long unresolved. Looking out for the signs of damage to your guttering and getting them cleaned to remove any leaves and other debris that could be blocking them is essential.

Repair Instead of Replace

One of the very worst things about running a home is those unexpected repair bills that feel like they crop up from nowhere. Having an appliance break down or something that goes wrong is not only a major inconvenience but can also cost you a fortune. Whether it is your washing machine, vacuum cleaner, or oven that breaks down, the hassle that it causes may leave you panicking and worried about how you will afford to replace the appliance with a new one. Before you spend out a significant amount of money on buying a new appliance, it is worth checking to see if you can repair it yourself. Finding the parts and carrying out the repairs yourself will help you to save a massive amount of money. You can even source the parts yourself by searching for electrolux spare parts, for example, to get your appliance up and running again in no time.

As well as helping you to save time and money, repairing your appliances instead of replacing them is much better for the environment too. Kitchen and laundry appliances are classified as e-waste, and over 50 million tonnes of e-waste are discarded each year, with only a small proportion of this being recycled. So, anything that can be done to help minimize the amount of e-waste generated, such as repairing rather than replacing household appliances, is well worth the effort.

54313023 – close up of professional workman hand holding dirty paintroller

Do It Yourself

When you need to get your home re-decorated, or your yard needs sprucing up, is your first thought to call in a handyman or gardener to carry out these tasks for you? If so, why not save yourself some money and give these tasks a try yourself? 

Learning new skills is always a lot of fun, and you may find that you actually enjoy carrying out tasks such as repainting your home yourself. Taking on a project at home is an excellent way to spend your time, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that the finished job is all your own handiwork. The more tasks that you carry out yourself around the home, the more your confidence in your abilities to do it yourself will grow. You could even use some of the money you have saved by rewarding yourself for your hard work!

Be Prepared

The single most important thing you can do when trying to run a home efficiently to save money is to be prepared. Knowing what you need to do to save money, and having everything you need to help you do it will go a long way towards cutting your household costs. Don’t forget to keep track of how much money you are saving so you can chart your progress along the way.

Predicting the future is impossible. However, we can prepare for it. If you have ever gone through a chaotic period in your life without preparation, you know how stressful it can be. The following advice will help you prepare for anything coming your way.

Never Run Out of Money, Even During Disasters

Unfortunately, it is no longer enough just to get a job. There is no longer a guarantee of financial security with full-time employment. As we all know, unexpected things happen. There are things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, though.

Track Your Income

You will never know where you are unless you start to track your income and expenses. It would be best for you to categorize your income when you are tracking. That will make it easier for you to keep up with it.

Primary Income:

Primary income honey that you earn at your job. You can try to increase this by working overtime if you are an hourly employee. Some employees can earn more by selling more products or services on commission.

Secondary Income:

Secondary income from investments. It can also be from other sources. For example, if you own a rental property, would consider the rental income secondary.

Tools:

The right tool like an earnings calendar can make tracking your income much easier. All you need to do is plug in a few variables, and voilà.

Side Hustle

Now, if you find that you are not earning enough, you can get a side hustle. You can start by making money on Instagram.  However, you may need to find out how to buy Instagram likes if you don’t have a large following. Side hustles let you earn more outside of your primary income source. There are several benefits to side hustles.

If you are looking for a perfect side hustle then you can start buying and selling online. This could be anything from homemade items to old antiques that you have upcycled. Upcycling is a great way of adding some life into an existing product that may be old, tired, and worn. People go crazy for unique homemade products especially during special holidays such as christmas. If you are selling online then you might find it useful to use a site such as Etsy or Ebay. If that is the platform you decide to use then it may help you to check out an ebay profit calculator. This will let you know if it’s a worthwhile side hustle to get into. 

There are lots of online side hustles you can get into as well, like survey sites or online casinos. Many of these sites offer special discounts to their new customers or even free bonuses to get you started. There is a huge range of prices for these sites as well, due to online platforms being cheaper to run so you can invest as little as $1 all the way up to these 20 Dollar New Zealand Casinos, whichever best suits your budget.

Flexibility: 

Most side hustles allow you to work around your normal schedule. This gives you flexibility. Many of them also allow you to work from anywhere.

Security:

What would you do if you lost your regular job? It may not be as guaranteed as you think. Hopefully, nothing ever happens to it. It would still be best if you prepared for the worst. The side hustle gives you something to fall back on, no matter what.

Minimize Personal Belongings

Most of us spend too much money on random items. Not only is it a waste of money, but it will also weigh you down. What would you do if you needed to move on a moment’s notice?

Organize by Value:

Minimalism is a philosophy that focuses on only keeping your essential belongings. It is a great way for you to save money.

Define Essentials:

You would be surprised by how little you really need to live. In our modern society, we are inundated with consumer items every day of our lives. When you really get down to it, humans do not need much to survive. In fact, you might even be happier with less.

Build a Business

When you work as an employee, your employer only gives you a job because it is profitable. That means if you earn $20 an hour, your employer will generate $25 an hour’s worth of profit. Otherwise, they would not keep you on the payroll. If you ever want to be paid what you are worth, you must own your own business.

Build Equity:

When you own a business, you will also build equity. The business will be an independent entity that acquires the property. However, that entity is subordinate to you.

Save Up an Emergency Fund

Another important thing to do if you want to survive any disaster would be to save up an emergency fund. The biggest problem most people have is a lack of knowledge. What is an emergency fund?

What is an Emergency Fund?

Emergency funds are Simply a savings account that has money stashed away for the worst-case scenario. We recommend starting off with six months worth of expenses. That way, if you were to lose your job, you can survive for six months without any additional income. It gives you some financial security. You will have the time that you need to figure something out.

Maintaining Financial Security

Learning how to maintain financial security isn’t as difficult as it may seem at first sight. All it takes is a little bit of studying. As you begin to develop the habits that you need, it will get easier with time. Most financial security is a mindset. Once you develop the right habits, forget that you ever felt worried.