Does your home ‘Bow-Wow from the road?

A Realtor friend used to categorize homes on the market with different labels. Occasionally a photo wasn’t yet available and if she had previewed the house she would pick a category to let me know what the house looked like. One of her categories was: ‘Bow-Wow’ from the Road. I knew not to show that house until the owners cleaned it up….if ever they did. Truly, there is nothing less inviting than a shabby, run down lawn.

There are many reasons lawns and homes fall into distress. You want your home to stand out against those homes.

One of my sellers would let their shrubs grow up to the tops of the windows in the summer to provide shade from the heat of the sun.

Before the house went on the market, he cut those shrubs down to normal height to put his home in the best marketing position. The shrubs instantly became an asset rather than a distraction.

It’s important to show your home without distractions. Anything that distracts a potential Buyer causes them to make judgments about you and how you care for the rest of the home. You are in control of those judgments by NOT doing certain things.

Here are a few things to keep in mind so you don’t turn off buyers before they even get out of the car. Many buyers will look at a house and say, no, I don’t even want to go in. We want your home to invite them inside.

DON’T:

Allow a potential sale to be nixed from the road!

· Over grown shrubs should be trimmed, grass edged and Green in warm weather.

· Walkways should be clean and clear of clippings and debris.

· Porches should be kept CLEAN!

· Doors should be CLEAN!

· Windows CLEAN!

It was once pretty, but after a harsh summer and wind and recent rains, this porch falls into the ‘Bow-Wow’ category. Sadly, it is the first thing that greets the potential buyer.

And, the last thing they see after viewing the home.

It’s the little things that make you home stand out. Give the hopeful New Home Owner a reason to smile right up front. And you will be on your way to Your next home!

I live in North Texas with the nicest man on earth, 3 spoiled cats and lots to talk about! Real Estate and Saving Money is my passion. I am polishing an E-Book on Ways to Save Your Money the Simple Way! It’s due out in November. Take a look at my blog: thecottagerose.blogspot.com where I talk about everything and nothing. And be sure to join me at my Favorite Place Blissfully Domestic, where we can further discuss separating the Bow-Wow from the House!

The deals at Kroger look very similar to last week. But that’s just fine, because the deals are great! The Mega Event is continued this week, and there are a few other deals worth mentioning.

Red and Golden Delicious Apple- .99/lb

Fresh Express Variety Blend Salads- $3
Use .50/1 coupon here.
Final price: $2

Progresso Soups, all varieties- $1.65
Use $1.10/1 coupon here.
AND use .50/1 coupon here.
Final price: 5 cents

Reynolds Baking Cups-.99
Use .25/1 coupon from 11/9 insert.
Final price: 49 cents

Kroger Canned Vegetables, select varieties- 50 cents

Breyers Yogurt- 59 cents
Use .50/1 any Breyer product coupon from 10/26 insert.
Final price: FREE, plus possible overage (For some reason, my Kroger doubled this, giving me overage, even though they typically would only give the item free, no overage.)
Or buy 2 and use $1/2 any Breyers product coupon from 10/26 insert.
Final price: 18 cents (9 cents each)

Kroger Orange Juice, 1/2 Gallon- $1.50

Kroger Cheese- 3/$5

All Kroger and Brachs brands candy corn- 10 cents each on closeout
(My store has shopping cart after shopping cart filled with these!)

Betty Crocker Cookie Decorating Icing, black- 50 cents on closeout
Use $1/1 coupon from recent insert.
Final price: FREE plus possible overage

Now onto the Mega Event sale.
If you buy any 10 of the included items in a single transaction, you get $5 off at check out. (50 cents off each item) You can earn this check out reward up to three times each transaction, but you can do an unlimited number of transactions.

I’m going to divide the items up by price, just to make it a little easier on the eyes. But you can combine any of the different priced items to get this deal.

$1 each (50 cents after the check out reward when you buy 10)

Swiss Miss Cocoa Mix, 8 -10 ct
Buy 2 and use .50/2 coupon here.
Final price: 25 cents each

Carnation Evaporated Milk, 12 oz
Buy 2 and use .50/2 coupon from 11/2 insert or $1/2 here.
Final price: FREE

Deer Park Water, 3 liter bottle

Powerade Sports Drink, 32 oz
Buy 4 and use B3G1 Kroger coupon from recent mailer.
(The cashier should take off the regular price- $1.29- of the free
Powerade rather than the sale price.)
Final price: 71 cents (less than 18 cents each)

Scotch Brite Lint Roller, small variety
Use $1/1 coupon from recent insert.
Final price: FREE

$1.50 each ($1 after the check out reward when you buy 10)

Hunts Tomotoes, 28-29 oz
Buy 5 and use (2) $1/2 coupons here.
AND use $1/5 coupon here.
Final price: $2 (40 cents each)

Hefty One Zip Storage and Freezer Bags
Use .55/1 coupon from 9/28 insert.
Final price: 45 cents

Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
Use .75/1 coupon here.
Final price: .25
Zatarain’s Rice
Buy 2 and use .75/2 coupon from recent insert.
Final price: $1.25 (less than 63 cents each)

Kroger Peanuts

Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes
Use .40/1 coupon from quick print coupons widget on sidebar.
Final price: 20 cents

Duncan Hines Frosting
Use .50/1 coupon here.
Final price: FREE
Or use .75 on frosting and cake mix ($1) coupon from recent insert.
Final price: $1.25 for both frosting and mix
Or buy 2 and use .75/2 coupon from 11/9 insert.
Final price: $1.25 (less than 63 cents each)

Quaker Oats, 18 oz

Right Guard Deodorant

Kroger Syrup

Kroger Apple Pie Filling

Edwards or Mrs. Smith’s Pie Slices

Colgate Toothpaste, select varieties
Use .75/1 coupon from 10/26 insert.
Final price: 25 cents

Colgate Wave or Total Toothbrush
Use .75/2 coupon from 10/26 insert.
Final price: $1.25 (less than 63 cents each)

Dial Soap, select varieties
Use .30/1 coupon from recent insert.
Final price: 40 cents

$2 each ($1.50 after the check out reward when you buy 10)

General Mills cereals, select varieties
Use coupons on this site’s sidebar and here, here, here, here, and here.
AND use coupons here.
Final price: Varies upon coupons used

Stouffer’s Red Box Entrees
Buy 3 and use $1/3 coupon from recent insert.
Final price: $3.50 ($1.17 each)

Fritos and Cheetos

Daisy Sour Cream

Kroger Vanilla Wafers

Kroger Pie Filling- Cherry, Peach, Strawberry, Blueberry

Hershey’s 100 Calorie Packs, select varities

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars

Orville Redenbacher Popcorn, select varieties
Use $1/1 coupon here.
Final price: 50 cents

Banquet Boneless Chicken

Pillsbury Toaster Strudel
Use .35/1 coupon from 9/7 insert. (Or .60/2 coupon here.)
Final price: 80 cents

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks
Buy 2 and use .50/2 coupon from recent insert.
Final price: $2 ($1 each)

$2.50 each ($2 after the check out reward when you buy 10)

Betty Crocker Muffin Mix
Use .45/1 coupon here.
Final price: $1.10

Nestle Morsels
Use .50/1 coupon from 11/2 insert. (Select regions only)
Or use .75/2 coupon here.
Or use $1/3 coupon from 11/2 insert. (Select regions only)
Final price: $1 or more, depending upon coupon used

Land O Lakes Butter
Use .55/1 coupon from 10/12 insert or .55/1 coupon here.
Final price: $1.45

Sara Lee Fruit Pies

Peter Pan Peanut Butter

Smuckers Jams and Jellies

Jimmy Dean Sandwiches, Bowls, or Skillet Entrees

Pam Cooking Spray

Advil Pain Reliver
Use $1/1 coupon here.
Final price: $1

Bic Sensitive or Silky Touch Razors
(I think there may have been a coupon recently for these, but I can’t find it.)

Armour Meatballs

Mars or Dove Frozen Treats

Tylenol or Motrin IB Pain Relievers
Use $2/1 Tylenol coupon from recent insert.
Final price: FREE

Stayfree Pads
Buy 2 and use $2/2 coupon from 9/28 and 11/9 inserts.
Final price: $2 ($1 each)

Carefree Liners
Buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon from 9/28 and 11/9 inserts.
Final price: $3 ($1.50 each)

$3 each ($2.50 after the check out reward when you buy 10)

Simply Orange or Apple, or Minute Maid Orange or Grapefruit Juice

Totino’s Pizza Rolls, 40 ct
Use .35/1 coupon from the quick print coupons widget
on this site sidebar, here, or from recent inserts.
Final price: $1.70

Gorton’s Grilled Fish Fillets

Crisco Vegetable Oil

Welch’s Juices
Use $1/1 coupon from recent insert.
Final price: $1.50

Pepperidge Farm Cookies and Crackers

Listerine Mouthwash
Use .50/1 coupon from recent insert.
Final price: $1.50

TreSemme Hair Care

Johnson’s Baby Care
Use $1/1 coupon from 11/2 insert or $1/1 coupons here.
Final price: $1.50

Duracell Batteries, select packs
Use $1.50/1 or .75/1 coupon from 10/26 insert. (Depends upon region)
AND use .50/1 coupon here.
Final price: 50 cents -$1.25

Lysol Disinfecting Spray, 12 oz
Use $1/1 coupon from 11/9 insert.
Final price: $1.50 cents

Breyers Ice Cream
Use .50/1 coupon from 10/26 insert.
Final price: $1.50

(Photo source)

Dana is married to her high school sweetheart Ryan and is a stay-at-home-mom to a baby becoming a little girl.  She blogs daily on Frugal In Virginia where she helps families live on less.

Purchase $25.00 in participating Procter & Gamble products and receive a $10.00 Rite Aid gift card (SCR # 46). Here are the best of the participating products:

Bounty Basic Paper Towels: $.99
Pair with $.25 off MC from 11/2 P&G insert

Bounty Paper Towels 8 pk.: $6.99
Pair with $1.00 off MC from 11/2 P&G insert

Bounce Dryer Sheets: $3.99
Pair with$.20 off MC from 11/2 P&G insert

Cascade Dishwasher Detergent, Powder or Gel 45 ct., or Action Pacs 15 ct.:$2.99
Pair with $1.00 off MC from 11/2 P&G insert

Puff’s Facial Tissue: $.99
Pair with$.25 off MC from 11/2 P&G insert

Downy Fabric Softener: $3.99
Pair with $.20 off MC from 11/2 P&G insert

Febreze Air Effects: $2.49
Pair with $1.00 off MC from 11/2 P&G insert

Single Check Rebate Deals
Febreze Noticeables Kit: $5.99
There is a $2.00 rebate (#47, limit 1)
**This item also double dips with rebate #46 for the full amount of $5.99

Febreze Fabric Refresher, 800 mL: $4.99
There is a $2.50 rebate (#48, limit 1)
**This item also double dips with rebate #46 for the full amount of $4.99

Febreze Candle: $5.99
There is a $2.00 rebate (#49, limit 1)
**This item also double dips with rebate #46 for the full amount of $5.99

Crest Pro Health Whitening: $2.69
There is a $2.69 SCR (#143)
Pair with $1.00 MC from P&G insert

Final Price: $1.00 OVERAGE

Other Deals
Dentyne Gum: 2/$1.00
Pair with B1G1 Free MC from 10/19 SS

Final Price: 2/$.50

Trident Gum : 2/$1 .00
Pair with $.55 off MC from 9/21 SS (YMMV)

Final Price: OVERAGE of $.05

Also, don’t forget you can register a new account at riteaid.com and they will email you $50.00 in coupons including a coupon for $5.00 off any $25.00 purchase!

Nicole is a stay-at-home mom to 4 fabulous kiddos. When she is not busy playing with her kids, she is busy chasing down deals. She can be found blogging regularly at Being Frugal Is Fabulous

Shorter days can mean just one thing, fall is upon us. Unfortunately, like every year before, it promises to bring along with it lower temperatures and higher bills. From the additional energy needed to heat the home, to the increased energy used keeping it lit through longer nights, fall and its colder, harsher sister winter, can bring undue financial strain to families; especially in our current economic down turn and energy crisis. With a little preparedness and planning however, the inevitable burden of the season can be minimized before it ever even arrives with these no to low cost tricks:

Block Drafts

The age-old wisdom of our grandmothers still applies today; draft blockers are big time money savers. Check around doors, windows and even electrical outlets for leaky airways in your home. Using a stick of burning incense or a lit candle walk through your home holding it near the walls, windows, and doorways. A drafty area will be immediately evident when you see the flame of the candle or smoke from the incense stick change directions and flicker with the breeze coming through. Once located block the drafts appropriately according to their location.

Door jambs can be most effectively blocked using draft blockers made to sit along their bottom on the floor. Windows on the other hand may benefit from storm windows applied to the outside of the home, plastic sheets made for the purpose of weather proofing windows, or even a little caulk or weather striping depending on the circumstances.

Don’t have enough draft blockers for your home’s doorways? No need to buy an expensive one in the store an old tube sock, rolled up towel, or pant leg will do. Fill partway with dry beans for weight and then stuff with quilt batting. Secure the ends with ribbon, rope or twine and you have an effective, custom draft blocker for your doorways.

Change Furnace Filters

Furnaces must work harder to pull air through dirty, clogged furnace filters which means they run longer, harder and heat less efficiently than they would with a fresh, clean filter installed. Now is the time to change those filters from last year and stock up on filters to get you through the winter. Depending on the type of filter you use it will need to be changed every 30 to 90 days throughout the heating season for best results. Even with longer rated filters however, it’s always wise to keep an eye on its condition as you go along since every home is different and will require different filter changing schedules for best results. A furnace in a home with pets for instance, is likely to need a filter change before one in a home without.

Re-Examine Lighting

With nights and mornings becoming progressively darker and longer you may want to consider the lighting arrangements in your home. Each room should have a single light source that can be turned on by itself. If for instance, in your kitchen you only have an overhead lighting system that burns six light bulbs at once you may consider placing a lamp in one corner to allow you to light the room moderately when full overhead lighting is not necessary. Being able to turn on just one light bulb, as opposed to several, when you desire will help decrease the amount of energy needed to light your home through the long season ahead. Just don’t forget to turn them off when you leave the room.

Additionally, if you haven’t already now would be a good time to start switching to Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs as your standard bulbs burn out. According to GE Lighting each CFL bulb uses up to 75% less energy and saves an average of $34.39 over the life of the bulb.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

The initial cost of purchasing a programmable thermostat is far outweighed by the cost savings reaped in even the first year of use. You can find them in most big-box stores, local hardwares, and home improvement warehouses beginning around forty dollars. Easy to install and set up, it’s a foolproof way to save big bucks on heating costs. Most even have separate settings for weekdays and weekends. The trick to gaining the biggest savings is to set the furnace to a lower setting for the hours during which your family is not home or asleep and then for it to automatically turn up the heat just before you wake or arrive home. Experts recommend settings of 62 degrees Fahrenheit for times when you are away or asleep, and 68 for times when you are both home and awake, but you can adjust those to fit the individual comfort level of your family. Just remember, the key is in turning it down. If you must, start with baby steps, bringing the temperature down a degree or two at a time, soon you won’t notice the difference.

Plan ahead and cranky, crotchety old man winter won’t catch you too off guard.

Diana writes about all of the other things in life that *do* however, catch her off guard at her personal blog Of The Princess and The Pea.

Wondering about buying your first home? Are you ready to move up or down-size?

Have you heard they aren’t making loans any more? Or that you have to have LOTS of money to even qualify?

Let’s unravel the mystery…..

In simple terms Lenders want:

*Stable work history; Two years Employment in the same field is considered stable. School can be considered part of those two years.

*Strong income; your new House payment + all debt should not exceed 33% - 41% of your Gross income. Depending on which program best meets your needs.

*Good credit; your credit score needs to be 620 or higher, in most but not all cases.
FHA is more flexible than Traditional Loans! If you have been battered and bruised Don’t Give UP!

**This is the time to call your local Credit Bureau and request your FREE, once per year, credit report.**

By evaluating these steps, you have prequalified yourself!

If you have a small nest egg/savings then an FHA loan will make more sense, in fact, up to $729,750 it makes sense!

There are many reasons why:

*Sellers can contribute up to 6% of the purchase price with an FHA loan.

*Old Aunt Sally can ‘gift’ you cash for a down payment.

AND

*You don’t need stellar credit with FHA loans!
Bad things happen to Good people, FHA knows that!

You DO need, generally, 3 Trade-lines showing 1 year Excellent Payment history.
Trade-Lines can be your cell phone bill, electric bill, rent history, car loan (even on a tote-the-note lot).

With FHA, your credit can be quite damaged as long as you can show it was caused by a job loss or other difficult situation, not Miss Management.

For more in-depth information on FHA loans check out this fabulous resource.

It’s a lot easier than you think to move into your Today Dream Home, large or small.

Melissa can be found blogging at The Cottage Rose.