Beating Broke

Personal Finance from the Broke Perspective

How to Revamp Your Living Room on a Budget

By Leave a Comment

Revamping your living room at home can be a daunting task, especially if you are on a tight budget. Whether you want to give the space an entirely new look or just change a few key elements, these tips can help you make a big impact without breaking the bank.

Find Used Furniture

Used furniture is often a great option for budget-friendly living room makeovers. Check websites such as Craigslist, OfferUp, and eBay for gently used furniture that could be incorporated into your new look. If you plan to paint the piece, look for solid wood items with minimal damage that can be easily transformed with a coat of paint and some sanding. In addition to used furniture, you can also shop for hand-crafted furniture, like 100% of Amish furniture is hand-crafted. Shopping at local antique stores, flea markets, or consignment shops is also a good option for finding furniture that fits your aesthetic and budget.

Do DIY Projects

DIY projects are another great way to revamp your living room on a budget. There are many tutorials available online to help you give old furniture, or even everyday items, a new look. You can also customize furniture with stencils or fabric to make a unique piece that fits in perfectly with your decor. Additionally, many projects are inexpensive enough that you can do them yourself without breaking the bank.

For instance, something as simple as covering one wall with a mirror will instantly make the room appear twice as deep. In addition, adding new accessories such as lamps, throw pillows, and rugs can also bring a room together and add character.

Update Lighting

Lighting is an important element in any living room, and it can often be overlooked. Installing dimmers or adding light fixtures can drastically change the mood of your space. You don’t have to invest in expensive fixtures; look for options at thrift stores or yard sales. If you’re feeling creative, create your own light fixture with items such as mason jars, branches, and twine.

Don’t forget to consider natural lighting in the room as well. Open up curtains and blinds to let more light into the room, and use sheer curtains to diffuse the sunlight.

Invest in Home Automation

While many people think adding home automation is expensive and only for the wealthy, that’s not necessarily true. There are many affordable home automation systems that can help you control your lighting, security, temperature, and more with just a few taps of your smartphone. Investing in a home automation system can save you money on electricity bills in the long run and give your living room a modern touch.

Look for modern automated devices such as automated blinds or switches that can be controlled from your smartphone or voice-activated speakers. You can also invest in Alexa, Google Home, or a similar device to automate tasks like adjusting the thermostat and controlling your lights. Home automation not only adds a layer of luxury to your home and living room but also adds convenience and functionality.

Consider New Accents

New accents can give your living room a facelift without draining your wallet. Swap out old pillows, blankets, and throws to incorporate new colors or textures into the space. Additionally, you can add artwork or wall decals to brighten up the walls and make them feel more inviting.

Keep in mind more modern accents to help decorate your home and, possibly, improve its resale value! Around half of the homes listed in the DC Metro market did not sell the first time they were listed, so it’s best to take your time to stage your home and create a unique living room that prospective buyers will be drawn to.

By following these tips, you can revamp your living room on a budget and create a space you love. With a little creativity and effort, you can transform your living room into an area that reflects your personal style.

How You Can Avoid Loss of Income

By Leave a Comment

As a hardworking individual, the last thing that you want is to lose your income in a way that could have been prevented. Since most of what you do as an adult is towards securing your finances, you want to make sure that there’s minimal risk of something happening to them. Read on to see some actions that you can take to avoid a loss of income that could leave you in financial distress for years to come.

Maintain a Clean Home

One of the most important things that anyone can do for their continued good health is to keep their home clean and tidy at all times. Doing this could lower the chances of infections and diseases spreading to people in the home. This is backed by the fact that flu viruses can survive for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces.

There are many other disease-causing organisms that can linger around your home for a long time if you’re not careful. With health care being as expensive as it currently is, it’s important to take measures to keep the chances of coming down with something low for you and your family. When you do this, you may end up spending fewer finances on treating various issues.

Ensure Your Business Is Run Professionally

If you run a business either as a side hustle or it’s your main job, you must do it right. When you do, you’ll have a better chance of not just avoiding losing money, but you’ll also be likely to make more money. Avoid making mistakes such as failing to ensure your website is running optimally. This is important since up to 42% of people wouldn’t hesitate to leave a website whose functionality was poor. Clearly, it’s a good idea to hire the right professionals at every level of your business.

While doing this will see you spend money, you’ll have a great chance of getting this money back down the road. This should motivate you to plan your business operations carefully, ensuring that every last detail is thought about and dealt with the right way. This is going to help you avoid mistakes that could see you losing a lot of money and potentially even having to shut your business down in the end.

Take Care of Your Health

As mentioned, healthcare can be expensive. This makes it a good idea to practice prevention rather than wait to cure a full-blown issue. To this end, paying your doctor and dentist regular visits is advisable. This way, you can easily have any health issues identified and dealt with before they become expensive and time-consuming to solve. Keep in mind that almost 137.1 million Americans, according to CNBC, have gone through financial hardship this year as a result of medical costs.

Clearly, you stand to save a good amount of money by ensuring that you’re always in good health. The moment any issue is identified, you need to deal with it before it gets out of hand. Otherwise, there won’t be an advantage in finding out about issues early. Don’t try to cut corners where your health is involved. Pair regular visits to your health care professionals with eating healthy, nutritious meals, and staying physically active. These are all measures that can help you get your health in the best possible shape.

Taking these actions can help you avoid a loss of income in a number of ways. Start with one measure and practice it to perfection and then work on the others. In the end, you may be able to control your finances and avoid loss of income that could affect your lifestyle in a negative way.

Why You Should Save Money for Retirement Early Regardless of How Much You Make

By Leave a Comment

Your personal finance can have a big impact on your quality of life, as well as that of your family. This is why it’s a good idea to make sure that it’s in the best possible state and to take measures to improve it when you find that it isn’t. One of these measures is saving money for retirement. Outlined below are some reasons why you ought to save money for retirement early, no matter how much you make.

You May Need Urgent Health Care

Every one knows too well that health care can be extremely expensive. This is one of the reasons why it’s a good idea to start saving for retirement as early as possible. Note that slips and falls, according to the National Floor Safety Institute, are the main cause of compensation claims by workers. They’re also the main cause of occupational injury for people who are 55 years and older.

As you grow older, you may be at a higher risk of developing complications from a slip and fall accident. This and other types of health care may cost you a tidy sum, so it’s best to be prepared for such possibilities. Doing this can make your retirement years a bit more relaxed and enjoyable as you’ll be able to maintain good health.

You Might Lose Your Job When You Least Expect

It’s important for you to understand that, as times change, your job security may not hold as much. This makes it a good idea for you to save as much as you can while you still can, otherwise, it will be hard for you if you suddenly lose your job. It will be considerably harder for you to find ways to find a job and make money when you get older. You may be working as a mechanic and feel as though you’ll always have a steady stream of clients.

In this case, you may be aware of the fact that a driveshaft, according to Your Mechanic, doesn’t have a specific lifespan. All the same, it’s a good idea to change it every 75,000 miles. This and other bits of relevant information may change over time, and unless you make sure to keep your knowledge relevant to the current times, you may soon become obsolete. This is why you have to make sure that you have a backup in terms of savings.

Insurance May Not Provide Adequate Coverage

Another reason why you may be better off saving while you can is that insurance may not offer you adequate medical coverage when you need it. This is especially the case for things like oral health and optical care. You could become one of the approximately 50% to 75% of people who stand to benefit from orthodontic treatment.

You never know if you may require a procedure that falls just outside of your insurance coverage and have to pay for it out of pocket. The same goes for your car, your home, and other assets that you have insurance coverage for. Make sure that you can take care of all of these things even when insurance isn’t an option. A sudden disaster or other issues could leave you in need of immediate money. It’s always good if you can deal with financial issues as they come up without having to rely on third parties and distant sources.

These reasons should clearly show you the importance of personal finance and encourage you to save as much as you can. This can make life easier for you and your family in your twilight years.