Minimizing winter heating bills

It doesn’t really matter if you are a homeowner or a renter,  if you are paying for your own heat; the cost of keeping warm has been rising for years. It has gotten to the point where some people, especially those on fixed incomes, have to make hard choices between being warm and being hungry. Here are some tips to help to minimize your heating bills.

Insulate

If you own your home you need to check your insulation. Losing heat around windows and through your walls and ceilings is a big waste of money. There are a variety of different types of insulation that you can lay down or have blown in to help keep the valuable heat you have to stay where you need it. If you rent, talk to your landlord if you are losing heat.

Cover your windows

If your windows are steaming or icing up you may be losing heat there. There are plastic sheets that you can see through that you place over your windows that help to keep the heat in. They are easy to install. Some of the sheets attach with tape and other have the tape already attached to the sheets and then you warm them up with a blow dryer and they fit very tight over the window. If this is not something you can or want to do then having insulated shades or drapes can help to keep the cold out and the heat in.

Caulk or weather stripping

If you are feeling a draft near your windows or door the first thing to do is to check the weather stripping or caulk. This is one of the least expensive fixes for heat loss. Doors are the main offenders. Check to see if there is light under or around your exterior doors. If there is, you are losing precious heat. Your local hardware store sells inexpensive weather stripping. You can also buy a draft snake which is a snake-shaped draft-blocker that fits on the bottom of your door. This requires no insulation it just slips on and can be removed when the cold weather is over. 

Install timed thermostat

When you are at work or sleeping, your home does not need to be as warm as it does when everyone is at home. By installing a thermostat that changes the temperature several times a day, you can really minimize your heating bill. When no one is at home you can lower your heat by 10 or 15 degrees. It is amazing the difference in the amount of fuel that is used to heat a home or apartment to 60 degrees and what it takes for 70 or 75.

Consider eco-friendly options

If you are willing to spend some money, you can help to reduce the amount of money you spend on heating and also the impact on the environment by introducing a geothermal system into your home. It uses the heat underground to help lower your costs and is a really good option if you can afford it.

Shop around

Call all the local fuel dealers and ask for price quotes. Negotiate if you can. Dealers want customers, you want a good price. Don't be afraid to ask for possible discounts.

Efficiency

It is important to make sure that whatever heating unit you are using is working at maximum efficiency. Changing filters and getting furnaces cleaned is important to get the most from your unit with the least amount of fuel.

No one wants to be cold. No one wants to be hungry. Using these tips, you should be able to minimize the amount of fuel you are using and the price you are paying for that fuel.

Romantic Quotes

As we get closer to Valentines Day, I thought that I would share this article I wrote a few years ago. If you are making a special something for your special Valentine, you may want to use one of these quotes to express your feelings. 

Love is the strongest emotion that humans feel. Putting those feelings into words is something that most people have trouble with. Thankfully these writers were able to give us the words we have come to love.

"Grow old along with me The best is yet to be" Robert Browning (1812-1889)

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight" Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

"I love you - those three words have my life in them". Tsarina Alexandra to Tsar Nicholas III (1872-1918)

"The courses of true love never did run smooth."William Shakespeare (1564 1616)

"The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved - loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves." Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. " St Paul 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (10-67)

"True love is eternal, infinite, and always like itself. It is equal and pure, without violent demonstrations: it is seen with white hairs and is always young in the heart."Honore de Balzac (1799-1850)

"Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all."Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)

"Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and blows up the bonfire." Francois de La Rouchefoucauld (1613-1680)

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." Aristotle (384BC-322BC)

"Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and more disciplined heart is as coals, deep burning and unquenchable." Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

"But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning." Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618)

"There is no remedy for love but to love more." Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862 )

"Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness." Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) 

"Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?"   Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)

"My love is like a red, red rose That's newly sprung in June. My love is like the melody , that's sweetly played in June". Robert Burns (1721-1784)

"And think not you can guide the course of love. For love, if it finds you worthy, shall guide your course." Khalil Gibran (1883-1931)

"As for me, to love you alone, to make you happy, to do nothing which would contradict your wishes, this is my destiny and the meaning of my life" Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1621)

"Come live with me, and be my love, And we will some new pleasures prove Of golden sands, and crystal brooks, With silken lines, and silver hooks." John Donne (1572-1631)

It is hard to image another four letter word that has inspired as many quotes or as much emotion as the word love. While all of these are heart felt, your words to your loved one hold as much if not more value in their eyes.

Decorating the church for a wedding

When you have decided that you are going to get married in a church, there are many things to think about. You will pick the celebrant, the music, and the ceremony. You will also want to decorate the church. Every church has different rules and regulations about what they will and will not allow. Be sure you understand all the restrictions before you begin to make your decorating plans.

Have a discussion

One of the things you will want to discuss with your minister or priest is what decorations they allow in their church. They will tell you what they allow and what is not allowed. In some Catholic Churches, the decorations are not allowed on the main altar but must be placed at the front or side of the altar. Some churches prefer fresh flowers over artificial and others won’t care either way. Just ask.

Flowers

Flowers are one of the main components of decorating the church for your wedding. You can start with the doors, will they be open or closed? You may want to have wreaths of fresh or artificial flowers for the doors. In the sanctuary of the church, there may be large vases that you can fill with fresh flowers or you can place an arrangement on the altar if it is allowed or in front of the altar. If there are side altars, some brides and grooms choose to place arrangements on them as well. Ask the celebrant if the flowers are to be left in the church for the weekly service or if they want you to remove them.

The runner

The aisle runner is also part of your decoration of the church. Most brides choose a white aisle runner. Before you rent or buy your runner be sure that the church allows them. Some churches with marble aisles don’t allow them because they are a hazard to guests. They can move when walked upon and cause people to fall down.

Greenery

One way to decorate the church for your wedding is with greenery. It can take the form of topiary plants at the entrance or green plants and vines. Especially during the Christmas season, greenery on the doors and on the pews is very appropriate and beautiful as well. Pomanders are also part of winter decor.

Pews

The pews are another blank canvas for a bride’s creativity. Some choose to use bows on the pews, others floral arrangements. These can take the form of a single flower such as a calla lily with green behind them or baby’s breath. Depending on your color scheme, there are hundreds of options. Some churches offer the option of candles in the aisles for the wedding. You can then also choose to decorate the candles poles with flowers or ribbons. Tulle, gauze, and pearls are also very wedding appropriate and add a touch of romance.

Whatever decorations you choose, should in no way overshadow the bride. She is the center of attention when she comes down the aisle, the decorations should enhance her, not take away any attention. Better to be understated than to take any of the shine from the bride.

Beginners guide to antique auctions

As a former antique dealer, I have made just about every mistake a beginner can make at an antique auction. Over the many years of attending weekly auctions, the transition was made from an amateur to a pro and a thing or two was learned along the way.

Going to your first antique auction is going to be very exciting. It may be in a barn, under a tent, or in an auction house. You will be trying to find a great deal on some wonderful antiques. Here are some simple steps that you can take to make sure that you don't have any regrets on your way home.

Preview

All auctions offer a preview time to look over the items for sale. This can be anytime from several days before the auction to the hour before. Whatever is offered, take advantage of it. "NEVER" buy anything without previewing it. This is your chance to look at an item, pick it up, pull out the drawers and check for condition, check for marks, don't be afraid to get on the floor and look underneath items. You don't want any surprises when you get the item home.

Research

Before you buy anything know "what" you are buying. Invest in some books on the particular type of antique you are interested in. Go to as many high-quality antique stores as you can or to art museums, galleries, or decorative arts museums. Get to know your particular favorite. You need to be able to spot the "real thing". You don't want to buy a Ming vase that was created by Joe Ming! Knowledge is power. Remember that it is always buyer beware and as-is.

Know the value

You are responsible for knowing what an item is worth. A secret all dealers know is that they can't compete with a collector. Dealers need to make a healthy profit so they are never going to be willing to spend what a collector will. Use this to your advantage. Know who the dealers are. If they are bidding on a particular item it is probably real and you can relax and know that you can afford to pay more than they can. You can be happy to know that you are still going to pay a lot less than you would if you wanted to buy the same item in a dealer’s shop.

Love your antique

Never buy anything unless you love it. Antiques don't make a great investment. That is not to say that some things may not appreciate and some very quickly, antiques are cyclical. What is in fashion this week may be impossible be sell next week. If you love the item it won't matter.

Know how to bid effectively

You have done your homework, previewed the offerings, and set a price in your head that you are willing to pay. Now what? You are going to register and get your bidding paddle. Use the time you have until your item(s) are offered to observe bidding etiquette. Don't be over-anxious. Don't open the bidding, let your competition get things started. You don't need to bid until it appears the end of the bidding is imminent. Keep in mind you will also be paying a buyer’s premium, at least 10 percent, and also tax.

One last thing, try not to get caught up in the moment; adrenalin will get your heart pumping and your paddle raising. If the bidding goes above what you want to pay unless you can't live without it, let it go!

All that is left is for you to do is to go out there and have a great time. Hopefully, you will buy some wonderful antiques at a great price. Attending your first auction will be an exciting time for you whether or not you decide to purchase an item or not. Just remember to relax and to keep control of your bidding paddle.

What to look for in a wood burning stove

Wood stoves are a good alternative source of heating for many reasons.  You may want to save on heating or you may want to go with an eco-friendly fuel source. No matter what your reason for choosing to burn wood, there are a lot of things to consider.

Before you decide if a wood stove is the right choice, you need to know the pros and cons of using a wood burning stove. You need to know what to look for in a wood burning stove.

The pros are that the wood is readily available, non-fossil and with the addition of wood pellets, can burn long and produce a reasonable amount of heat for the room they are placed in.

The cons are that wood does not burn as clean as gas and can result in respiratory difficulties if your family is prone to these types of problems. Pellets, on the other hand, are very clean burning. Another thing to consider is that unless you have a thermostat in every room, you may find that the rest of the house becomes colder than you would prefer.

If you have decided that a wood burning stove is right for your home, there are several different options that you can choose. In order to make an educated decision, you need to understand how much heat you are trying to generate. Heat is measured in BTU's and you need to know how many you need to produce to warm your home.

If you have a fireplace already and you want to up the efficiency, you can buy an insert which is basically a stove liner that fits in your fireplace. No matter what type of stove you decide to install, make sure that you have it installed by an NFI certified installer, your life can depend on it.

Do you want to burn pellets or wood? Depending on where you live the price of your wood can vary quite steep. Masonry stoves are one of the cleanest burning appliances. The drawback is that they take a long time to heat up but once they are going they require minimal time and effort to keep going and they are super-efficient. They can burn both wood or belts and almost any solid fuel. They are pricey but with up to 90 percent efficiency they will pay for themselves.

Pellet burning stoves come in a wide variety of models and while they are not as efficient as masonry stoves they are more efficient than traditional wood burning models. They are exempt from EPA standards, they are that clean burning. They cost less than half of what masonry stove costs and are only minimally less efficient making them a great option. They do require electricity to keep the stove fed with pellets so if there is a power outage you need a battery backup. They come in many styles and you can find one that will fit your decor.

Wood burning stoves have come a long way from the potbelly stoves that our grandparents used. They are stylish, colorful and have better efficiency than ever. No matter what type you choose be sure to schedule regular maintenance to keep your family safe and your home fire free.

Protecting yourself from identity theft

Identity theft is one of the most personally insidious things that can happen to an individual. The FTC estimates that currently there are about 9 million new cases every year. Everyone likes to think that they are much too savvy to fall victim to identity theft but chances are, if it hasn't already happened to you, it has happened to someone you know.

There are some things that you can and should do to lessen your chances of falling victim to these predators and thus protecting yourself from identity theft.

Never give out personal information

We all know better than to leave our social security card laying around or giving out our credit card number to strangers over the phone but what about to seemingly legitimate vendors on the internet. There are many bogus websites and web vendors who will take your information and use it to empty your bank accounts and also set up new accounts in your name without your permission.

Check your credit report

Your best safeguard against identity theft is to be vigilant in protecting your credit. You need to get frequent copies of your credit reports. There are three major credit reporting agencies, you are entitled to one free credit report from each every year.

That means that if you check every four months you can do this without charge. If you want to better protect yourself, it might be wise to pay for more frequent checks or to be notified if there is any significant action on your credit report, you can get your free credit report from:

• http://www.equifax.com Equifax
• http://www.experian.com-Experian
• http://www.transunion.com  TransUnion

Credit Karma is also free and easy to access. It is just not as detailed as the other three but can be accessed as often as needed. 

Become a shredder

Be very careful what you throw into your garbage. Once you put your garbage at the street it is available for anyone who wants to rummage through it. If you are throwing away credit card receipts, bank statements, check stubs or any piece of paper that may have personal information on it about you, you might as well hand it to identity thieves. If you don't currently own a shredder this needs to be something that you invest in. You need to have a shredder that cross shreds so that there is no way to be able to put the pieces back together. Shred all credit card offers and anything that might be used by a thief to steal your identity.

Be wary of Phishing

There are many scams out there now to steal your identity on the Internet. If you have ever done any business with PayPal chances are you will be getting a phishing scam letter from someone telling you that there is a problem with your PayPal account. It looks like an official letter from PayPal, but it isn't. If you follow this link and give them your information they are going to empty your PayPal account and/or use your account to purchase all sorts of things.

You may also get an email from your credit card company telling you that they need you to verify your mother's maiden name, this is another scam. Most people don't consider their mother's maiden a personal record but since it is used by most credit card companies to verify who you are, it is indeed a vital piece of information that can and will be used against you if it gets into the wrong hands.

In these days of easy credit and Internet shopping it has become even more important that you are always on your guard and if you get a bad feeling about someone or something don't give out any information. Protecting your identity from theft may seem like a lot of work but compared to what will be involved in repairing the damage done by theft, it is minimal.

Saving money at the gas pump

Even with the decreases at the gas pump, people are looking for ways to lower their gas consumption and the price. Finding ways to save money at the gas pump is high on most people's agenda. What most people want is a solution that is going to go beyond just this one fill-up. Shopping for the best prices in your area is the easiest way to save in the minute but beyond that what can you do?

Some grocery stores are offering 10 cents off a gallon at selected stations for every $50 or $100 dollars that you purchase from their store. Other are offering a lot more for buying certain combinations of products. This can add up to a free tank of gas for just doing your regular grocery shopping. If the store is close by and also if the gas station is close by, this is an excellent way to save.

The FTC offers a few strategies that can help you to save on fuel every day all year long.

Use public transportation

If it is available to you this is one sure fire way to cut your cost at the pump. Take the bus, ride the train and get into a van pool. If these are not available in the area where you live, you may want to see if you can ride share. Look for someone either at your job or who works nearby who you can car pool with. While this curtails your ability to do things before and after work, the savings can be large enough to warrant the inconvenience.

Maintain your vehicle

This involves everything from using the correct octane recommend by the manufacturer to choosing to use motor oil that has the words energy conserving on the label. Reducing the friction on your engine will increase its efficiency and the more efficient your engine, the less gas it will use. Change your air filter often, it has been shown that a clogged air filter can cause you to expend up to 10 percent more fuel.

Tire pressure and alignment

Tire pressure is also a very important consideration in fuel efficiency. Check the manufactures specifications for your car and go along with what they suggest. You also need to keep your car properly aligned, not only will this help your tires to last longer but combined with the correct tire pressure, it can save you up to 3 percent at the pumps.

Control your speed

The most efficient speed for your car is 60 miles per hour. Mileage decreases significantly for every mile above 60. The problem with this is if you drive 60 miles per hour on the highway, you will be a scorned driver and the angry looks and horns are hard to deal with. Try driving at least the speed limit whatever that may be and maintain a consistent speed, use cruise control or overdrive if you have them available.

Change your driving habits

Avoid idling your car, these days it isn't necessary to let your car warm up and if you are stuck in traffic, turn your car off. Avoid stopping and starting as much as possible. By allowing yourself a good distance between cars you can avoid having to change your speed. When you have to stop don't try to accelerate too quickly when you take off again, this wastes fuel.

Empty your trunk of anything you don't need to be carrying with you, take luggage racks off of your car, combine your trips as much as possible and yes pray for the gas prices to go down. While we have little control over the price of gas at the pump we do have control over how much we need to use. Most importantly, if you are driving a gas guzzler, it may be time to reconsider that option and get a more fuel-efficient vehicle. If you use these tips, you will save money at the gas pump.