How to Save for and Afford Home Repairs

Plumber installing a new faucet in a bathroom sink
Too many prospective homeowners look at the price of the home and the monthly mortgage payment to determine how much house they can afford. But other expenses need to be considered, including property taxes, home maintenance, and repairs. Property taxes will vary depending on your location, but you should budget one to four percent of your home’s value each year for home maintenance and repairs....
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3 Reasons to Keep Your Receipts

Magnifying glass over a 1040 IRS tax form.
Do you keep your receipts? For appliances and other large purchases, I keep them for approximately a month—long enough to verify I’m keeping the item and that the charge cleared my credit card. However, I recently learned a painful financial lesson that taught me that I should keep certain receipts indefinitely. 3 Reasons to Keep Your Receipts There are three reasons to keep your receipts. Appliances:...
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9 Strategies for Achieving Work-Life Balance While Advancing Your Career

Blocks that spell out
For most of us, the time we work hardest to establish our careers coincides with when we get married and have and raise children. Juggling both can seem impossible; many people argue it can’t be done. When you’re at work, you may feel you’re a terrible parent because you’re not with the kids. When you’re at home spending time with your family, you may fret about neglecting work. Unfortunately,...
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The Perils of Short-Term Investments

Black paper with a piece rolled back to reveal the words
  Three years ago, we received $8,000. We earmarked that money for an international trip to see family. However, due to the pandemic, we knew we wouldn’t make the trip for several years, so we followed the advice of our financial planner and invested it in a Silicon Valley mutual fund. Unfortunately, this money has taught us the perils of short-term investments, especially in an unstable pandemic...
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4 Tips and Considerations for Acquiring a Profitable Hotel Property

The side of a hotel with a large sign that reads
Investing in real estate is an excellent way to grow your portfolio. Most investors may look at a house or duplex for rental purposes, but hotels are also an option for an experienced real estate investor. However, before investing, learn how to buy a hotel so you don’t regret your purchase because hotels can be riskier investments than other types of real estate. 4 Tips and Considerations for Acquiring...
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