Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 381
January 3, 2011
New Year, New Financial Protections for Borrowers
The new "risk based pricing rules," an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, provide much-needed transparency in lending, and may get consumers to pay a little closer attention to improving their credit scores. Consumers who apply and receive adverse loan terms can be notified either through a letter, stating the higher rate is due to a credit report review, or a letter providing the consumer with a free copy of the score used to make their decision.
This is important, because in the past credit bureaus have sold consumers "educational scores" that aren't necessarily the actual scores lenders have used to make their decision, according to John Ulzheimer, a credit expert for SmartCredit.com.
The new rules apply only to lenders, not to insurance companies, landlords or utility providers -- all whom use credit scores to set terms such as premiums, deposit requirements and rental requirements. But those three groups will have to comply with the rules in July, when the Fair Access to Credit Scores Act goes into effect. After that, any company that makes an adverse decision based on a credit score must disclose the score.
What difference can a score make? Consider a $200,000 fixed-rate mortgage. Someone with a FICO score of 760 or higher would receive an interest rate of 4.54 percent, which translates to a monthly payment of $1,018. The borrower would pay $166,484 in interest over the life of the loan.
For someone with a FICO score of 639 or below, the same mortgage would have an interest rate of 6.13 percent and a monthly payment of $1,216. Over the life of the loan, the borrower would pay $237,619 in interest -- or more than $71,000. For tips on improving your credit score, see this story.
Boosting your credit score is an excellent New Year's financial resolution. Do you have any others?
Chico's First Fashion Show Today @ 3pm!
One of our favorite clothing brands--Chico's-- is staging its very first runway show to showcase the Spring 2011 collection!
The full-length runway show will make its world premiere exclusively on Chico's Facebook page TODAY at 3 p.m. EST. You can link to the Chico's Facebook page HERE!
Enjoy the show!
5 Things to Try in 2011
On the surface this might seem like yet another New Year, New You blog post. In some ways, I guess it is. Generally speaking, I'm not a fan of resolutions because I've never been very good at following them myself. Two weeks into January and I've usually broken at least one. So instead, I use the change of the calendar as an excuse to take stock of where I am professionally, to take a closer look at how well the systems around me are working (or not) and think about what I would like to see more of in my daily life.
Here are five things I'm hoping to do in the new year:
1. Embrace a new technology.
While I'm pretty tech savvy, my goal this year is to update my music library and get good music playing in every room on the first floor of my house. We have several music systems and computer speakers, wi-fi in the house and a Logitech Squeezebox we've yet to set up. I'd like to be streaming Pandora whether I'm in the kitchen, the living room or my home office. What about you? Maybe this is the year to get your entire family on the same electronic calendar or to figure out how to sort your Facebook friends into groups. Think about using LinkedIn to search for a new job or mobile banking to deposit checks on the go.
2. Keep a diary.
Whether it's a food diary, a money diary or a time-tracking diary, the experts all agree that writing down what you eat, spend or how you waste idle time is the trick to changing behavior. Eating the crust from your son's waffles for breakfast looks a little sad on paper. And what about that $20 face cream? Did you really need it? Stop running errands you don't need to run. They're a waste of time and money.
3. Nurture the soul.
Yoga. Meditation. Prayer. Solitary walks in the woods. Identify a space where you can quiet your mind and reflect in a way that makes you feel refreshed and renewed. For me that space is usually a quiet church, but I don't always go as often as I'd like.
4. Take a class.
Exercise classes aside, when was the last time you took a class that sounded like fun? Whether it's wine tasting, cooking, knitting, language, art, or music that interests you, chances are quite good there's a class nearby. Break out of your routine and challenge your mind. I'm thinking about knitting or taking up my old musical instrument again.
5. Hire out or Hire in.
This year I'm letting go of the house cleaners. With my husband and I both working from home now, there really is no reason to hire out. It made perfect sense when we both spent our days out of the house and our budget could accommodate it. We've already discussed who will do what (he's taking on the bathrooms) and the money we save will go into our "emergency" fund. Look at your household and your budget and see if there is something you pay others to do that you can do yourself. Can you trade child care with another family? Cut back on those manicures? Cook at home? Alternatively, is there something you can afford to hire out or delegate to a paid staffer in order to free up time for you to do other things?
What changes are you hoping to make in 2011?
One Day, Part 1: Early Twenties
Happy New Year, Bookies!
I hope you're all enjoying One Day. (I know some of you enjoyed it so much, you kept on reading!)
So did anyone else besides me relate to the disappointment of the Early Twenties section? Like Emma, I think, at some point in our lives we all have this desire to do something big, something that could change the world—but then life takes over. Early on, Emma finds herself asking whether she was making a difference, was she where she wanted to be, and she wasn't alone in questioning herself. The disappointment and uncertainty about real life seemed to be in every character in the book. Dex isn't sure exactly what he wants to do, but he wants to make a difference. Unfortunately, he is also distracted by the desire to do something that will impress others, mainly women. Dex's mother, Alison, and Emma's boss, Scott, find themselves reflecting on how their lives were supposed to be different, yet Alison spent her life working at an antique shop and Scott was a restaurant manager.
Was anyone else frustrated by how Dex was throwing his success in Emma's face? This bothered me, but I think that he wanted to save Emma from her life and he thought that showing her his life would be momentum for her to change her situation. I don't think Emma thought about saving Dex, but she was always trying to expand his brain by sending him books. They were opposites and I believe Dexter knew it, which is why he got the ying-yang tattoo.
Despite their differences, Dex and Emma know that their feelings for each other are more than friendship, but neither one will say so. Who do you all think will be the first to admit his or her true feelings?
Keep reading everyone. . .I will be back next Monday with my thoughts about the Late Twenties section of the book.
—Danielle
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New Year's Resolutions For Your Home: 12 Tips
It's January 3rd and most of us are slowly getting back into our daily routine, though I don't know about you but I've been having a hard time waking up early with all of these late nights... Oh but yes, routines, a new year, resolutions. Sigh. I'm sure you've made a few that are health-related (don't we all?) but what about the home? Do you have some new year's resolutions for your nest?
I do. Tons. But 2011 is the year to think a bit smaller and to get back in touch with what we can do with our own hands versus hiring out. Sure, some things you need to hire help for, but there are so many inexpensive changes that you can make to your home that doesn't require throwing down a chunk of change but will demand time and energy (and some skill) so for 2011 why not make it our resolve to try to DIY before we hire out? What do you think? Is that one good resolution that you can put into action? 2011 is the year to do it ourselves, to decorate, to have fun!
Here are 12 tips that will improve your home in 2011 without spending a lot of money:
1. Deep clean your carpet by renting a carpet cleaner.
2. Thorough clean your house once a month (make a date on your calendar and stick to it). Get the family involved, too.
3. Rent a sander and refinish your hardwood floors yourself. If you can, use deck paint and paint them white or black. Go for it (unless you rent, then you have to ask your landlord and get their approval in writing).
4. Wallpaper a small room (like a guest bath or walk-in closet) to add pattern and color without spending a lot of money.
5. Paint a room that needs a freshen up or wallpaper an accent wall. You can even paint your walls white (Decorator's White 04 by Benjamin Moore is my personal favorite) and then trim out your doors in a bright color like red, or go neutral with cream, tan, gray or black.
6. Move your art around and don't forget to patch and repaint as you go!
7. When you need something new, check eBay, the local thrift shop, Craigslist, flea market or yard sale FIRST. Remember, if something is made well you can use your imagination and give it new life yourself.
8. Decorate! If you can't afford to renovate, decorate it! Move things in and out of rooms, like lamps and small tables, bring pillows out of the bedroom and into the living room, swap candle holders from the dining room to the kitchen table... Think about what you have in storage and pull it out. See if your relatives or friends are looking to get rid of furniture, drapes, rugs.
9. Paint your kitchen cabinets and add some new hardware. While you're at it, line your shelves and drawers with wallpaper or contact paper.
10. Clean your fireplace and if you have a mantle, move things around on it each month -- add some fresh flowers, bring in some framed photos, etc.
11. This one may be controversial and purely opinion-based, but leave your shoes at the door. The less you track in, the less work you have and you are helping to better maintain your flooring. Scuffs, scratches, heel marks (especially on wood floors and linoleum) and stains can make flooring look a lot older than it actually is.
12. Clean out your closets and any other space that is packed with things that you haven't seen in 100 years. Take a full inventory on what you have and decide if you need it all or not. Most likely, you don't. Why not turn your stash into cash? Sell things (eBay, Craigslist, throw a yard sale) and turn those things into money that you can use towards a home improvement project that you've been putting off.
Tell me, what are some things that need attention in your home? What are your new year's resolutions for your home in 2011?
(images: thorsten becker)
December 31, 2010
Am I Addicted To...TV About Addiction?
Between A&E's sometimes harrowing "Intervention", VH1's equally disturbing, often lurid "Celebrity Rehab," certain episodes of MTV's "True Life" series, and the new entry from TLC, "My Strange Addiction", lately I can't seem to stop myself from watching this avalanche of addiction-centric programming. The TLC show includes people hooked on thumb-sucking, laundry detergent and body building.
Partly it's these stories are really compelling and I just long to see a happy (or happier) ending at the end of the show. Partly it's just because the cases they choose are very, very extreme and almost like a magpie to a shard of tinsel, I can't seem to look away.
This fact was especially brought to my attention while visiting family over the holidays, when my mother pointed out that in the course of one lazy evening I'd just spent two hours straight watching "train-wreck" TV. I'd viewed such unique cases as a woman who eats toilet paper, a woman who consumes chalk, and a woman who sleeps with her hair dryer blowing hot air all over her...). Her verdict? That my television habits are an addiction to be conquered.
And, when you couple my predilection for addiction TV with my tendency to favor medical mystery and medical "oddity" shows, it's a deluge of too much tube time. (Good thing that my old standby for such delights as "Face-Eating Tumor" and "Tree Man", Discovery Health, will be transforming to OWN, Oprah Winfrey's new network come Jan 1, 2011.)
Anyone else addicted to shows about addiction? Ever recognize some of your own behavior in these shows?
The Final Countdown: 10 Great Links
Well my friends, it's December 31, 2010. Can you believe it? Soon we'll be counting down the seconds to a new year. But first, I'd like to thank you, lovely Simply Stated Home & Organizing readers, for supporting all of us here this past year. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for tuning in, tweeting about the things you found on this blog, and for your comments and feedback. I hope that in the new year to come, we can continue to bring you fresh ideas and inspiration for your home and that you will visit us and remain part of our growing online community.
Before signing off to be with my friends and family, I'd love to leave you with 10 links to my favorite articles from 2010 on this site because I'm a Real Simple reader too and I don't want the year to end without giving a shout out to the great people who make this site so special.
1. I love the products that deputy editor Maggie Shi found here: Last-Minute Holiday Gift Ideas for Cooks and Entertainers. And don't miss...
2. Fun Ideas for Sparkling Cocktails on New Year's Eve, also by the lovely Maggie. This will come in handy for tonight!
3. I'm a geek when it comes to bathroom organization, I can't lie, so this post by associate editor Kristin Appenbrink made my heart jump for joy: Genius! The Stowaway Bathtub.
4. Would you like to play a game? by Simply Stated blogger Kristin Brandt made me laugh because I happen to be slightly addicted to this Zynga game on Facebook called Cityville at the moment...
5. What Is Your Perfect Song? by managing editor Kristin van Ogtrop. I think my perfect song is Dancing Queen by Abba. Corny, I know, but it always makes me want to dance and brings me back to my life in 90's Boston when I had the time of my life with so many really great people dancing and partying nearly every weekend... Those were my golden years, for sure. Out of curiosity, what is YOUR song???
6. No More Little Bottles was a great wake up call, written by pro blogger and author Erin Doland.
7. Do You Make Your Own Salad Dressing? written by senior editor Kathleen Murray Harris, was a great help for me since I'm an American expat living in Germany and Germans do not nearly have the variety of salad dressings available as we do in the states. I loved all of the comments that Kathleen got on her post, over 40 readers chimed in with some great salad dressing ideas and since I'll be no doubt dieting in the new year like everyone else, I'll be eating a lot more salads starting tomorrow!
8. A great tip for the new year can be found in former senior editor Liz Krieger's post, Watching Your Weight? Pack in the Protein at Breakfast. I eat mostly carbs for breakfast which is making me think... that needs to change!
9. Great food for thought: Mindfulness = Happiness by journalist and author Laura Rowley.
10. As a girl who lost nearly all of her hard drive back in 2008, I strongly encourage you to make this one part of your new year's resolution: Back Up, Back Up, Back Up! by Dori Devlin.
Do you have any favorite articles that you found on Real Simple during 2010 that you'd like to point me and other readers to? Please link them below!
Have a lovely new year and I'll meet you back here in 2011! Much love to you all.
xo,
Holly
Last Minute New Years Eve Party Ideas
If you're scrambling like I am to get your New Years Eve plans in order, putting together a quick and fun fête is a piece of cake. After all, it's really about the fun favors and great cocktails, right? I'm going to bid adieu to 2010 with these festive and quick decor ideas and for a spin on traditional champagne, a great drink recipe that i'll be making with one of my new favorites, red berry vodka. Oh yeah, and some delish mini red velvet cupcakes to top it off.
Image courtesy of The Daily Green
Tinsel Time: Whether you take down your Christmas tree before or after the new year, use excess tinsel and shiny garland as New Years Eve decor. Roll it up and stick it in a cylinder vases of varying heights.
Shine On: Instead of scattering confetti (which can feel like a kids birthday party) around, get a few bags of sequins from sewing notions store and use that instead. Shiny black or silver will be a nice grown up alternative to rainbow colored confetti. You can use the sequins later for other DIY projects.
Time Keeper: Try this great clock idea for a New Years Eve mantel display. Arrange a bunch of small clocks on a shelf or mantel to keep track of the countdown. You can even set them to ball drop time in different cities.
Cool Cocktail: If plain champagne isn't your thing, here's a quick cocktail recipe that I'm going to try using one of my new favorites:
1 oz. Ciroc Red Berry (25 oz. per bottle)
.5 oz. Ginger Liqueur
.5 oz. Rose Champagne
.75 oz. lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
I hope to keep guest's stomach filled with some miniature red velvet cupcakes from a local baker here in New York. They are both tasty and easy to manage while holding a champagne glass.
December 30, 2010
Three Year-End Organizing Queries
The last days of a year are great for reflecting on the past and thinking about the future. During this time, I like to ask myself a series of queries to help me draft resolutions and to help me remember the good things from the last 12 months. I noticed yesterday that a few of these questions are related to organizing, and thought you might be interested in them as well.
What areas or chores in my home constantly weighed on me or caused me stress? What did I do to alleviate these frustrations? If I did nothing, why not, and what can I do to prevent these distractions in the future?
Is my home filled with only things that make my life easier/happier/better/safer? Are these objects in their best places? Can I get rid of any objects that cause frustration, disappointment, or are unsafe?
Was my home a place to relax, unwind, and rejuvenate? Was my home welcoming to friends and family? Was there anything I did or didn't do that caused my home to be stressful or uninviting? What can I do to ensure that my place is relaxing, comfortable, and the best place for me to rejuvenate my body and mind?
I hope you all had wonderful 2010s and that 2011 will be your best year yet. Happy New Year!
Three Year-End Organizing Queries
The last days of a year are great for reflecting on the past and thinking about the future. During this time, I like to ask myself a series of queries to help me draft resolutions and to help me remember the good things from the last 12 months. I noticed yesterday that a few of these questions are related to organizing, and thought you might be interested in them as well.
What areas or chores in my home constantly weighed on me or caused me stress? What did I do to alleviate these frustrations? If I did nothing, why not, and what can I do to prevent these distractions in the future?
Is my home filled with only things that make my life easier/happier/better/safer? Are these objects in their best places? Can I get rid of any objects that cause frustration, disappointment, or are unsafe?
Was my home a place to relax, unwind, and rejuvenate? Was my home welcoming to friends and family? Was there anything I did or didn't do that caused my home to be stressful or uninviting? What can I do to ensure that my place is relaxing, comfortable, and the best place for me to rejuvenate my body and mind?
I hope you all had wonderful 2010s and that 2011 will be your best year yet. Happy New Year!
