One of our goals for 2012 is to bring up our credit score number. When we bought our Jeep three years ago, my husband’s credit score was good. Two years later it was poor. That is what late payments will get you – a bad credit score. So, lesson learned – again. Pay those bills on time. We will also keep closer watch on our credit report so we can fix any mistakes that may happen in error or through identity theft.

Identity theft could really hurt our score and will take a while to sort through all the damage. Since we are planning to buy a house in the near future, we definitely do not want any surprises showing up on our credit report. A high credit score is very important for getting a good interest rate. You cannot just figure out your credit score by studying your credit report. Different agencies use slightly different formulas.

Every six months, I plan to check our credit score. There are several ways to obtain a free credit score. From what I’ve seen on the Internet, most are given as part of a free trial for a service that you can cancel at anytime. It’s important to read the fine print.

Since it is almost the new year, I will check our credit score in January and then again in June. We are paying down our debt and paying all of our bills on time. It will be fun to see just how much our credit score may change.

It is the perfect time of the year to make financial goals for the new year. Let’s hope 2012 brings prosperity and a higher credit score!

2012 will be a year of organization and getting our lives in order. Our home is such an disarray and needs some serious attention. But that is not the only area of our lives that we plan to work on.

We do plan to diet and become more healthy in 2012. This is a goal we start out with every year but this year we plan to really make it a priority. Also we plan to take care of our family financially. Part of that planning is checking into life insurance quotes. My husband does have insurance through his work, but we are not sure if it is enough. So buying enough to take care of our family is very important to us.

We have always heard that term life insurance was a good option since it is very affordable. It has been a while since I really read anything about insurance so I need to re-educate myself. Insurance is one of those purchases that you hate to make but are so glad you have it when you need it.

Insurance will be a top priority. First we will examine what we have and then decide how much insurance we need. We may do this early in 2012 for the sense of accomplishment. 2012 is going to be a great year.

This time of year always makes me wish we had our own home – something that we owned. The holidays are full of traditions. It would be fun to start some in our own home and even host holiday parties.

Since I have been working, we have been thinking about finding a permanent home. I know we need to work with a Realtor to help us find what we are looking for. Buying a home is such a huge investment and should not be taken lightly – hence the reason we haven’t bought one before. I want to make sure we are really ready for all the expenses and responsibilities that come with owning a home.

Once we are in a home and if our situation changes, we might can make a deal to refinance mortgage rates. I worry a lot about getting locked into a mortgage rate/payment that is out of our comfort zone. At least there will be options to get a better rate and lower payment if our financial situation changes.

Although we wouldn’t qualify for a Military VA Loan, there are still some nice loan options out there especially for first time home buyers. We will have to do our homework to make sure we remember to ask all the important questions when buying a house.

While a home of our home for the holidays will be nice, it is still a dream that is a few years from being fulfilled. As long as we start to make plans today for home ownership, we will hopefully be prepared for the future.

The article written by Alonso Kramer

Being from Texas means you’re really close to your family more likely than not and that holds true for me. Mom and dad are great to me and they actually let me move back home for a few months while I save up some money to buy a house. I just proposed to my girlfriend so I’ve got to get us somewhere to live but until the wedding I figured I shouldn’t just waste money on rent. Mom and dad have me here doing chores and I’ve also been trying to help in some unexpected ways, too, like looking into Texas internet providers for their house and talking to the lawncare boy about lowering his costs. I know they love me and want me here but I can’t help but feel like I’m in the way. It’s only going to be for about 5 more months but you know, it is what it is and I know this is the best financial decision I’ve ever made. I’ll come out of it with a new home!

The weather has been weird. I’m not sure if I need to put up summer clothes or not. We have already seem some frigid temperatures, so the winter clothes are already filling up the chester drawers. Every season I sort through the summer and winter clothes – storing the summer clothes somewhere. This ritual always bring to light the issue of storing items we are currently not using.

Renting a storage cubicle like from Uncle Bob’s storage center is definitely a good idea. It will give me the space to sort through items while not having to worry about putting everything back into our cramped storage space at home. I would love to be able to take my time and plow through our storage items.

There are a lot of benefits to self storage. First all of your stuff is away from your house – which can be a good thing. This will make it easier to cull through later. If you haven’t missed an item in six months, then maybe it is time to permanently part with it. You become less attached to your stuff if you do not have to constantly sort through it. In theory this would make it easier to give up a lot of your stuff.

Right now our storage options are very limited as we are maxed out on space. We need to cull a lot of items. Maybe the solution is to self store and then sort through those items when I have time. Then I can get rid of what we are not using and keep what we really need.

Knowing how to measure for new curtains is the first step in redecorating or remodeling a room. You can easily purchase new curtains or make your own, but you have to be certain that the new curtains you get are going to fit your windows.

Measuring for curtains involves measuring for more than just the length and width of a window. These dimensions are a good place to start from, but you have to have more information if you are going to get the right products or sew them correctly on your own.

You have to know what kind of method you will use to hang the drapes. The size of the rod or valance makes a big difference in determining the type of product you will need. Wider valances call for curtains with slots designed for valances of that size. If you are sewing your own drapes, you have to have exact measurements for the rods so that you can sew the slot to the right size.

If the curtain is supposed to wrap around the sides of the windows, the width of the curtain has to be extended so that you have enough material to reach all the way around the window. Moreover, you also have to make the slot for the rod or valance long enough to suit the drape that must wrap around the sides.

Measuring for length is also a difficult process. Sometimes, drapes are not meant to hang to the floor. Other times, they are only meant to cover the window itself. Cafe curtains are only meant to cover half to a quarter of a window. Before measuring, you should determine what sort of drapes you want. Using this idea, you should measure the space that you want to cover for size.

If your drapes must go all the way to the floor, you must determine if the drapes are supposed to bunch on the floor or stop right when they reach the floor. This could only be a matter of an inch or two, but it’s enough to make a difference. The length will determine the styling of the drapes.

After measuring, you must leave some extra room around the edges of the drapes for hems on either side, at the top, and at the bottom. You need to have a nice clean hem on all sides, but you cannot do so without a little allowance for extra material.

Taking all of these steps will help to ensure that you have curtains that look nice, fit the windows they are placed over, and create the intended look for the room they are placed in. Measure twice and cut once to get the best curtains possible.

A few years ago, I got rid of our couch. It wasn’t very comfortable and took up a lot of space. We never replaced it – so we have been sans couch for a while now. My daughter has been wanting a couch for a long time – and I think it would be nice to once again have a couch.

I have been putting a little money back here and there waiting for the right sale to buy a couch. At a rummage sale, I found a large chair that is almost like a couch – well at least a loveseat. Me and my daughter love it. It has become ‘our’ spot to watch TV – among other things.

Rae has been sleeping in the chair at night. I have decided that if it gets her to sleep, then let her do it since we are still getting used to this school schedule. She loves to used the ottoman like a desk for coloring and playing.

It is amazing how this one chair makes the living room feel like a living room again. Also the chair and ottoman were $75 for both – so now I’m using the saved money I had for hopefully a garden shed. Who knows, maybe I will run across one at a yard sale for a fraction of the price.

Within a year, we plan to move and will be looking for a place to rent. It is a daunting task considering how hard it was to find our last place. That was years ago though, and the web has really blossomed since then. I love to look at homes online since you can learn so much about a property.

Now we can use websites to find somewhere to rent from Evergreen to Edmonton – although Edmonton, Alberta is a little far for us. We are not even Canadian – but you never know what the future holds. Renting has many advantages and drawbacks. For us, it makes sense for the time being.

Now you can conduct your search online and even view the property. It saves a ton of time as you can rule out several locations that way. It is also helpful to know something about the property before visiting. This way you are prepared and can spend your time on getting answers to your questions. Rent Edmonton can help you sort out the many property options in the city. You can search by areas to find exactly what suits your needs. I hope that when we do look in earnest for someplace to rent that we are fortunate enough to find local tools that will help us out.

Thanks for the article from Jermaine Haynes

When my mom and dad got divorced they were both in their 60s and it came as quite a shock to all of us, let me tell you. They’d been together 40 years and seemed so good but I guess at the end of the day neither of them were happy which is a good enough reason to end things. I love them both to pieces but I know dad will be fine. Mom’s the one I worry about. She got the house and I helped her change the locks and look into adt columbus and even get a cat – she’d always wanted one but dad was allergic – and I know she and my dad talk nearly every day still. I just wish there was something any of us could have done to prevent the split but they both do seem calmer and more at peace now that they’re not together. I guess some love just isn’t meant to last but you never think it’s going to be your parents’ after so much time!

It seems that each week there are at least three of my friends who are having birthdays. One of my goals is to try to be a better gifter. I not only want to give gifts that are well received but are useful as well.

Most people I know would be happy to receive green gifts – those gifts that are natural and possibly homemade. When I gift green gifts, I feel like I am doing my part to help the environment. It may be a small part – but it’s something.

I wish that I had the skill of one of my friends. She loves to recycle old items and make them useful again. She has made aprons from old clothing, purses from cassette tape holders, and much more. It’s her passion, and it’s always fun to see what her next creation will be. She is definitely an example of eco friendly giving at its best.

One project she has done is to make a gardening apron from overalls. I finally found an old, cheap pair of overalls at the thrift store and plan to try this project before next spring. I am also hoping to find a smaller pair over overalls to make an apron for my daughter since she loves gardening, too.

This Christmas I plan to give better gifts. I will not be buying something just to give it but will buy it for purpose. Thoughtful, useful gitfs are always well received. Shopping may take longer or I may have to make some gifts – but the extra effort will be worth it.