Motivational Quote of the day by Donald Cargill

And now, this is the sweetest and most glorious day that ever my eyes did see.



-Donald Cargill

The most-overlooked financial planning tool that's free to everyone

What did you do with that envelope that used to arrive once a year with estimates of your future Social Security benefits? You might have reviewed the information. You may have even filed the statement away as a reference. Now, this powerful financial planning tool is as close as the nearest computer.

"Often, people don't think of their Social Security statement when thinking of their financial well-being," says Rod Griffin, director of public education for Experian. "But your statement can be a valuable financial planning tool."

Your SSA statement is now available online at www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement. It provides an estimate of the amount of Social Security benefits you could receive upon retiring, but it can also help you with retirement savings strategies, estate planning and making decisions about disability insurance.

Retirement saving

Knowing how much your Social Security payments will be can help you better understand how much you'll need to save in other vehicles to fund your lifestyle during retirement. After reviewing your statement online, you may decide to adjust your 401(k) contributions, open an IRA or seek other avenues for funding your retirement.

The statement can also help you work with your current employer to ensure they're withholding the appropriate amounts.

Estate planning

Your online statement will also give you an estimate of how much your survivors might be eligible for if you die. This information covers both spouses and minor dependent children.

"This could be useful information when you're planning how you will financially take care of your loved ones if you pass away," Griffin says.

Estate planning often involves considering what sources of income will be available to survivors, and knowing how much Social Security benefits yours could be eligible for can help in the planning process.



Disability decisions

According to the SSA, 62 is the earliest age people can collect a reduced Social Security retirement payment, and the full retirement age is 67 for people born after 1960. But a 20-year-old worker has a three in 10 chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age, and the average age of people receiving Social Security disability benefits is just 53 years old.

If you have a health problem that you know will lead to disability, knowing how much you could expect to receive from Social Security may help you make decisions about how much disability insurance you'll need.

With the availability to access your Social Security earnings and benefit information online, it's easier than ever to make use of this important financial planning tool. The SSA uses Experian's fraud prevention services to securely authenticate and safeguard the identities of people accessing their earnings and benefits information online.

To access your statement, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement, create an account and provide the information as prompted. You'll be able to access your benefit information and even see a history of your annual earnings for every year.



For more information on how to live financially smart, go to www.livecreditsmart.com.

Avoiding five mistakes that even good homeowners make

But next time, you might not get so lucky. A simple "uh oh" could lead to thousands of dollars in damage to your home.

"We recommend homeowners adopt a mindset of thinking about the consequences of things, of what could go wrong," says Dr. Tim Reinhold, senior vice president of research and chief engineer for the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.

Here are five tips to avoid common homeowner mistakes:

Tip 1: Clean out the filter on your clothes dryer

Why? Fire. Those wads of lint that get caught in your dryer's filter can pose a major fire hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that dryers cause more than 15,000 fires a year.

Your strategy: Be sure to completely empty the lint trap every time you use your dryer. Also, make sure your dryer ducts are metal, since they're less likely to sag and allow lint to build up.

Tip 2: Trim tree branches that hang close to your home

Why? Roof or other property damage. A storm or high winds could sweep through your neighborhood and knock those branches onto your roof, causing serious damage.

Your strategy: Consult an arborist or tree surgeon about any trees in your yard that might present a hazard.

Tip 3: Don't put cardboard boxes from recent big-ticket purchases out on the curb with the garbage

Why? Theft. By placing boxes in a visible location, you're sending a signal to burglars that you have valuable items in your home.

Your strategy: Cut boxes up and put them into the garbage or recycling bin.

Tip 4: Make your house look occupied when you're on vacation

Why? Theft. An empty home can be an easy target for thieves.

Your strategy. Have your mail and newspaper deliveries suspended or have a trusted neighbor retrieve and safeguard them until your return. "Not only do piles of mail signal that a house is vacant, but thieves can sift through letters to steal your identity," says Joe Vahey, vice president at Erie Insurance. "You also may want to arrange for someone to maintain your lawn if you'll be gone for more than a few days, and consider installing central alarms, motion detectors, or timed lights that will illuminate the area around your house at night."

Tip 5. Check appliance water hoses

Why: Water damage. Hoses for washers and refrigerators wear out and need to be replaced before they spring a leak. The water supply line to the icemaker can also be a water leak waiting to happen.

Your strategy: Replace washing machine hoses every five years. If you see the plastic line along the back of the refrigerator becoming discolored (yellow or brown), have an appliance repair expert check it out.

Despite your best efforts to properly maintain and protect your home, accidents and mishaps still happen, which is why it's also important to know what your homeowners insurance does, and doesn't, cover. For example, no homeowners insurance will cover flood damage from natural disasters, so you may want to seek federal flood insurance if you live in an area prone to flooding. In addition, check to see if yours is a guaranteed replacement cost policy, which would pay to rebuild your home if it's severely damaged or destroyed. The coverage is rare, but some companies like Erie Insurance include it in their standard homeowners policies.



For more information on homeowners insurance, visit www.erieinsurance.com/homeowners.

Inspirational Quote of the day by Ben Okri

The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.



-Ben Okri

Selling your home out of season? A great deck makes a difference

In a perfect world, no one would ever have to face the challenge of trying to sell a house when there's snow on the ground and the trees are bare. In reality, people have to sell and buy homes throughout the year.



While winter may not be the optimum season to showcase your landscaping, there is one improvement you can make that will help you boost your home's outdoor appeal no matter what the season: a deck.



When potential buyers visit your home in winter, they might not be able to envision how green and lovely your backyard will look come spring. But they will be able to see with their own eyes the square footage that a deck adds to the home's living space.



Decks, patios, sunrooms and porches have always been popular with home buyers, but real estate agents say that too often those spaces are neglected or not used to their best advantage. Yet outdoor improvements like a deck can significantly enhance your home's value and appeal. In fact, at the time of resale, a deck will recoup, on average, about 73 percent of the original cost of building it, according to Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value report.



"Anything that adds living space adds value, and the least expensive way to gain space is to build a deck or turn the one you have into an outdoor room by staging it so that it flows seamlessly with the rest of the house," says Mary Beth Harrison of The Harrison Group, a Dallas-based real estate agency. "A great deck can set your home apart from others with the same interior floor plan or square footage, and deck additions typically add value when it comes time to sell."



The cooler temperatures of fall and early winter make the season a great time to add a deck to your home. Or, if you already have a deck, you can enhance its appeal by adding simple touches and accessories.



A bonus space - for example, a tiny deck or rarely used balcony off a master bedroom - can be transformed into a romantic getaway by staging it with cozy, cushioned seating and a raised firepit. You can safeguard your deck and add designer style with Latitudes deck stones, 16-inch interlocking square tiles made of natural slate or granite. Deck stones can provide an effective fire barrier that's an asset under firepits or grills, or when used to create an outdoor kitchen.



Lighting is another way to boost appeal. LED deck lighting kits, like those offered by Deckorators, are both practical and visually appealing. Adding lighting to a deck can be an important safety feature, and also helps create a warm, welcoming mood for evening entertaining.



Another improvement that speaks to both safety and visual appeal are deck railings. Decorative railings with ornate balusters, post caps and postcovers can give virtually any wood or composite lumber deck a distinctive look for a modest investment.



"More than ever before, people look at their decks as outdoor entertainment areas," says Chris Fox of Universal Forest Products, producers of Latitudes Composite decking and Railing and Deckorators, a leader in decking railing systems and deck accessories. "For some, it's a kitchen; for others, a living room. Decks can be party spaces or quiet retreats. With so many different types of deck materials, lighting, rail systems and decorative accents, it's possible to turn a plain deck into a great outdoor space."



"Potential home buyers always react positively to nice decks that look like a great place to hang out," says Harrison. "From a buyer's perspective, if all else is equal, it's true that the home with the best deck wins."

Top DIY home winterization projects

While some projects should be left for the experts - like cleaning out the chimney - there are several most homeowners can accomplish themselves. These projects are easy to tackle, and the end result will make a huge difference to your home all winter long and into the spring months.



* Flushing gutters - Leaves and small tree branches often fall onto the roof of your home during the summer months, and then wash into the gutters when it rains. Sometimes they'll flush out, but other times this debris can build up, and prevent the water from draining down the gutter pipe. In winter, this water can back up and freeze, causing an ice dam, which can then damage the roof shingles, and cause leaks into the home and garage when it rains. Be sure to flush the gutters clean, and if you've noticed icicles in certain areas in the past, consider installing a heating cable to help keep the water melted and moving down the gutter and into the yard.



* Sealing concrete cracks - When water gets into cracks in your sidewalk or driveway and freezes, it can expand, creating a much larger crack come spring. Over time, large cracks will eventually turn into damaged concrete, requiring complete replacement. Tiny cracks that appear shortly after the concrete is poured are not a problem, but those that appear over time and continue to grow are good candidates for repair. There are a variety of patching materials from Sakrete that can be used to repair cracks.-Small narrow cracks can be filled with latex, polyurethane or other products typically found in caulk type tubes or plastic squeeze bottles. They have the advantage of not requiring mixing and being applied directly into the crack.-Sakrete Top n Bond is a much more versatile product that can be used to repair any cracks ranging anywhere from extremely fine to several inches across. In addition, Top n Bond is a portland cement-based product just like the concrete slab.-This allows for a better blending of the both the existing slab and the repair material. Should the need or desire to completely resurface the slab arise in the future, the Top n Bond will easily bond to the surface for a "like new" surface.



* Repairing potholes - Any missed cracks in past years with asphalt driveways probably have become potholes by now thanks to the freezing and thawing of water during the winter month. But you don't need to replace the entire driveway to take care of these problems. Sakrete U.S. Cold Patch is a strong patch product made from 95 percent recycled materials with no odor or mess. Just sweep the area in and around your pothole, pour in the patching mixture, and roll over the area with a car tire, allowing you to use the driveway immediately. Make certain the entire hole is completely filled and tamped down to prevent water from seeping into the patch. Because U.S. Cold Patch doesn't contain solvents and raw asphalt, there is no danger of tracking the material into the house or garage.



* Extra insulation against heat loss - Colder temperatures affect pipes, doorways and windows. Protect pipes from freezing by wrapping any pipes exposed to the cold with pipe insulation. Also check your doors and windows for leaks or gaps. Find gaps by lighting a candle and holding the flame near the closed window and door seams. If the flame flickers, air is moving through the seam where there is a gap. Fill those gaps with caulk or weather stripping to form a better barrier against the cold.



These home DIY projects don't take a lot of time to accomplish, and will benefit your home and property during the winter months and as spring arrives. Be sure to put them on your home winterization to-do list each fall, so you can enjoy the winter in comfort.

5 upgrades for under $5,000 to put your home at the top of every buyer's list

(BPT) - It's a sobering truth of real estate that sellers often have to spend money to make money. Even if your home is relatively new, you still face costs associated with getting it ready to show, such as repainting interior rooms or hiring professional cleaners and stagers. If your home could use some TLC and updating, spending as little as $5,000 on key upgrades could improve its appeal for buyers - and ensure a speedier sale at a better price.



Here are five upgrades you can make for under $5,000 to help put your home at the top of every buyer's must-see list.



1. Upgrade your entryway - Replacing an old, dated or worn entry door can be a cost-effective way to ensure buyers get a good first impression when they walk in your house. Whether you choose a fiberglass, wooden or steel model, installing a new entry door can cost a few thousand dollars, yet the return on investment at the time of resale can be significant. A fiberglass entry door returns about 72 percent of its investment, while a steel door recoups more than 100 percent of its value, according to Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value report.



Enhance your new door with attractive plantings, fresh paint and clean windows around the entryway to create a memorable, attractive entry for just a few thousand dollars.



2. Increase natural light - More buyers are becoming aware of the mood- and productivity-enhancing benefits of natural light, and homes with big, bright windows have always been in demand. Adding windows to a room can be a costly, time-consuming affair. Not so with adding a skylight. For well under $5,000 and in just a day or two, a professional can install an Energy Star qualified, solar powered no-leak fresh-air skylight, like those from Velux America. Professional installation costs nationally ranges from around $900 to $2,325, with an average of $1,400, according to HomeAdvisor.com.



The low installation cost will leave you plenty of budget to enhance the skylight upgrade even further with energy efficiency-boosting solar-powered blinds. The skylight and blinds are operated by remote control and the blinds are available in designer colors and patterns to enhance your décor. The products, as well as installation costs, are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit to further reduce the cost of the improvement.



The most popular rooms in the home for fresh air skylights are baths, where they provide privacy in addition to natural light, and kitchens, where they vent cooking odors and humidity naturally while brightening this much-used workspace. Visit www.veluxusa.com to learn more.



3. Beautify a master bathroom - Bathrooms and kitchens sell homes. Making a few cosmetic upgrades to even a small master bath can help increase a home's appeal and value. For less than $5,000 you can easily repaint, upgrade faucets, replace old cabinet hardware and add decorative touches like designer towels.



If you've already done all that, take a look at the floor or countertops - two cost-effective upgrades that can wow buyers. Since counters don't make up that much square footage in most bathrooms, replacing them with granite can cost just a couple thousand dollars. Tile flooring is also a relatively inexpensive way to improve a bathroom's look and usability.



4. Heat things up in the kitchen - Kitchen remodels can offer high ROI for sellers, but a full remodel may be outside your budget. If you've already done the obvious - like repainting and decluttering - it's time to look for a few more cost-effective improvements that will appeal to buyers.



Just as in the bathroom, swapping old faucets and cabinet hardware with new designer options can enhance the appeal of a kitchen. Shabby, outdated appliances can hinder a speedy sale, so consider replacing them with new ones. You don't necessarily need to install top-of-the-line, high-priced appliances to make a good impression, either. Newer, Energy Star qualified appliances represent savings for buyers down the road.



5. Lavish landscaping - No single aspect of your home has a greater impact on a buyer's first impression than the landscaping. A great front yard sets the tone for the rest of the home, appealing to buyers on a number of levels, including beauty, practicality and savings.



With $5,000, you can accomplish a lot in terms of landscaping. You can sod a small front yard, add decorative planting beds to a lush lawn, or even install shade trees that will both beautify the yard and enhance the home's energy efficiency in summer. Decorative concrete stamping of walkways and driveways is another cost-effective way to improve a home's curb appeal.



Whether it's a buyer's market or a seller's market, no one wants to see their home linger long before selling. A few simple upgrades can help ensure your home gets plenty of attention this season.