Taking the ‘home’ out of home office

Posted on Sep 29, 2015

Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages. The short commute, the relaxed dress code and flexible work hours are all appealing benefits. But one of the greatest challenges of working from home is making it seem that you are not. Here are some tips to help turn your home space into a work space:

Websites are often the first introductory point of a new business, so make sure you have a clean, professional site with your own domain name and workplace email address. Avoid using “free” sites that are bombarded with other company’s advertisements; this can be very off putting to potential new clients. If you are not a skilled graphic designer, consider using a clean website-design template with basic, but necessary information.

It can be difficult to conduct a client call when the kids are picking up the handset to make their own calls and a telemarketer is calling on the other line. To avoid these distractions, consider a dedicated business phone line with a distinctive tone separate from your home phone. Take advantage of your existing high-speed Internet connection and use a voice over IP phone system. A sleek VoIP device like the Ooma Telo will save you money on the cost of a second line.

Whenever possible, have a separate room for your home office with its own door. This is especially important if you plan to host regular client meetings. Make sure the room is located far from busy areas of the house, like the kitchen and family room, to avoid excessive noise and distractions.

Differentiate your home address from your work address. Consider using a post office box if you don’t want clients knowing you work from home. Alternatively, you could add a “suite” number to your home address to help separate your business mail from your regular mail.

The grilled cheese: A new spin on an American classic

Posted on Sep 23, 2015

Double Delicious Grilled Cheese

Create a sandwich to satisfy any adult’s taste buds with this recipe. Replace the traditional white bread with your choice of thickly sliced artisan bread and upgrade your cheese selection with any of Great Midwest’s flavored Cheddars or Monterey Jacks. Add some spice to your sandwich by selecting Mango Fire Cheddar or infuse it with the savory taste of Morel & Leek Jack. If fruit is more your thing, try Blueberry Cobbler or Cranberry Cheddar. This recipe allows you to build four sandwiches so try them all.

To make these sandwiches, you will need:

* 3 to 4 tablespoons butter, melted

* 8 slices artisan bread, thickly sliced

* 7 to 8 ounces Great Midwest Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, sliced

Instructions:

Using a pastry brush, butter each slice of bread on one side and place four slices, buttered side down, on a work surface. Place a portion of Great Midwest flavored Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese on each slice. Top with the remaining four slices, butter side up.

Lightly butter and heat a griddle, heavy skillet or Panini press until hot. Place two sandwiches in the skillet. Brown slowly on one side for two to three minutes before turning with a spatula and grilling the other side until brown and the cheese melts. It may be necessary to add a bit of butter to the skillet.

Repeat with remaining two sandwiches and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions:

Spread mayonnaise or mustard – if you prefer – on the unbuttered side of the bread.

Add vertical slices of dill pickle, thinly sliced ripe, medium-sized tomatoes or red onion rings for an extra punch of flavor.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Peach Apricot Preserves

Tantalize your palate with the wide array of flavors in this delicious sandwich. Paprika, garlic, peach apricot preserves and flavor-infused Cheddar cheese all come together for one sumptuous offering. Interested in shaking it up? Swap out the peach-apricot preserve for another of your choice. Satiate your taste buds with a little extra pop of flavor by adding Great Midwest’s Apple Cinnamon Cheddar to your sandwich. Or, if you want a little spice, try Chipotle Cheddar.

To make this sandwich you will need:

* Two slices of your favorite artisan bread

* 2 tablespoons butter, melted

* 2 ounces Great Midwest Cheddar cheese, sliced

* 1 ounce of peach apricot preserves

* 2 thick slices of tomatoes

* Arugula

* 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

* 1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced

* Lemon juice

* Paprika

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, a splash of lemon juice and a dash of paprika. Set aside.

Using a pastry brush, butter each slice of bread on one side, and place the slices, buttered side down, on the work surface. Top each of these slices with Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, arugula, the mayonnaise mixture and preserves. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

Lightly butter and heat a griddle, heavy skillet or Panini press until hot. Place the sandwich in the skillet. Brown slowly on one side for two to three minutes before turning with a spatula and grilling the other side until brown and the cheese melts. It may be necessary to add a bit of butter to the skillet. Serve immediately.

Across the nation adults are recognizing the versatility of this American classic and making their own unique grilled cheese sandwiches. What is yours? If you think you have a great idea for a grilled-cheese sandwich, visit greatmidwestcheese.com and enter the I Love Grilled Cheese contest. You could win a weekend getaway to the “Great Midwest” or other prizes that will help you reinvent the grilled cheese over and over again to the delight of your taste buds.

Choose a certified installer to create curb appeal with confidence

Posted on Sep 16, 2015

(BPT) – Looking for a way to

improve the curb appeal of your home? Re-siding your home with vinyl siding is a great investment because it never needs painting to maintain its beauty and durability.

Once you’ve made the decision to re-side your home with vinyl siding, however, you need a qualified contractor to install it properly to ensure long-lasting curb appeal.

“Vinyl siding is not something anyone with a hammer can install,” says Matt Russo, production manager with Hollingsworth Home Improvement. “There are techniques that need to be followed.”

Look for installers certified through a program sponsored by the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI). A VSI Certified Installer knows how to:

• Correctly fasten siding to allow for vinyl’s normal expansion and contraction properties and keep it straight and secure on the wall.
• Properly prepare the area around doors, windows and other openings to prevent water infiltration.
• Pay attention to details that will give your home a beautiful appearance that will last.

When Margaret Seibert needed to have her 30-year-old siding replaced after a particularly heavy Minnesota storm, she looked to a firm that used only VSI Certified Installers to ensure a quality job. “They did a really good job, and I’m very satisfied with how it looks,” Seibert says.

“The main thing is not nailing the siding too tightly, but letting it move,” says Matt Ocel, owner of Ocel Buildings in Farmington, Minn., which completed Seibert’s re-siding job. “Especially with a climate where you go from 100-degree days to 40-below, you have to leave room for vinyl siding to expand and contract.”

With nearly 3,500 VSI Certified Installers across the U.S. and Canada, VSI offers a locator tool to help homeowners find professionals in their area. Log on to www.vinylsiding.org to learn more. Ask if your builder or home improvement contractor is using VSI Certified Installers; these qualified professionals carry a photo ID with their current certification number and expiration date.

VSI Certified Installers have demonstrated their installation skills and knowledge of the industry standard ASTM 4756, verified by an independent quality control agency. ASTM standards are used around the world to improve product quality, enhance safety, facilitate market access and trade and build consumer confidence. VSI Certified Installers must have a minimum of one year of experience installing vinyl siding and accessories, attend a hands-on course taught by a VSI Certified Trainer, pass a written test about proper installation practices, and be re-certified every three years.

Vinyl siding installation companies can also become certified. The company must have an approved quality control program, as well as a certified installer or trainer present on every job crew where vinyl siding is being installed.

For more information about VSI’s program, visit www.vinylsiding.org/certifiedinstaller.

Remodeling for aging in place today will help sell your home tomorrow

Posted on Sep 16, 2015

Only one in 10 adults believes
this is a good time to sell a home. If you’re on hold in the real estate market, now is the time to get your house in order – literally. Make the right changes today, and you’ll get a better price tomorrow.

But before you invest in a home-improvement project, consider your potential buyers with this fact in mind: More than 3.5 million baby boomers turn 55 each year, according to the U.S. Census. Since people aged 45 to 64 make up more than a quarter of today’s U.S. population, there’s a good chance you’ll be selling to someone in this age group. Will your home appeal to them?

Your chances will be better if your home has “aging in place” design features that make it easier for older adults to live on their own longer. These modifications are the fastest-growing segment of the home remodeling industry, says the National Association of Home Builders. Because they range from simple fixes to full-scale renovations, making aging-in-place changes can suit any budget.

Best of all, this type of project not only improves a home’s resale value for the future, it also increases its safety and comfort for all residents right now.

Add a bath where none exists

Adding a bathroom on the main living level is a smart strategy to appeal to older adults, says national home safety expert Meri-K Appy. “Falls are the leading cause of home injury deaths, and older adults are at greatest risk for them,” she says.  “Eliminating the need to use stairs and reducing the distance to a bathroom can be a great safety advantage.”

A new bath is also a sound investment. This one improvement was shown to return more than 53 percent of its cost at resale in the Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report.

A macerating toilet system is a good way to lower the cost of adding a bath, says Otis Dardy, owner of Dardy Construction in Conyers, Ga. Dardy recently used macerating, or up flush, technology to install a full bathroom in a home that lacked below-floor plumbing drainage. With conventional plumbing fixtures, Dardy would have had to dig through the concrete, creating a costly and time-consuming mess. Instead, he used up flush technology, which allows you to add plumbing to any room in your home, even the basement, without having to break up the floor.

Macerating plumbing systems pump waste and water from a toilet – as well as a sink, shower, wet bar, even a washing machine – upward through small diameter piping.

Before Dardy knew about macerating plumbing systems, many of his customers who wanted a bathroom couldn’t afford the cost of creating new drainage. “I can save them a ton of money now,” he says. “It will also work if you want to convert a walk-in closet into a powder room.”

Looking for more ways to update a bathroom with aging adults in mind? Put a telephone line in the bathroom. You may also want to install grab bars in and near tubs and showers while adding a hand-held showerhead. It not only makes bathing easier, but it also helps when it’s time to wash a pet or clean the tub. Use low, open shelving, and place nightlights in hallways and bathrooms to improve illumination and reduce falls.

Universal improvements

If you’re doing a kitchen remodel, consider using nonslip flooring. Some designers recommend cork tiles, which have the added advantage of being environmentally friendly.

To make your kitchen workspace more user-friendly, vary the height of your countertop areas to accommodate both standing and seated cooks, and don’t forget to install bright task lighting. Always choose appliances with controls that are easy to read and easy to use.

Push/pull levers are a must for kitchen faucets, and installing thermostatic and anti-scald devices can reduce hot-water burn injuries.

If you’re replacing windows, make sure the hardware is easy to operate. Installing a new entry door? Choose a low-maintenance alternative to wood. All stairways inside and out should have two handrails and bright overhead lighting.

Less-expensive improvements include replacing doorknobs with handles that are easier to open and putting D-shaped pulls on drawers and cabinets. Replace any dim bulbs with bright overhead lighting.

Be patient while looking for deals with best mortgage rates

Posted on Sep 9, 2015

Mortgaging is kind of like a collectivized loan that can affect you and your family for a long time if it is not worked out properly. People generally fall for deceptive advertisements boasting about best mortgage rates, so you need to be cautious.

Many people who have fallen into the trap of companies offering the best mortgage rates have experienced problems down the road. It is very important to go through each and every piece of the mortgage deal that you are making. Do not get carried away by those deceptive advertisements that would make your life a disaster. A small mistake, or one wrong signature, and you could end up paying installments for your mortgaged property for the rest of your life. 

A thorough study of the entire plan, and all its terms and conditions, is  necessary if you want to go for a safe mortgage plan with the best mortgage rates. Buying a home is the biggest investment that you will make in your life, and you would not want anyone to fiddle around with it. Mortgaging is an option for  people who cannot afford to pay entire amount in a single go, and thus they look for deals with mortgage rates suitable for their pockets.

Always try to understand the power of credit limits that you can impose on yourself. There have been many examples from the market where people have actually gotten deals with great mortgage rates, but due to their negligence and insufficient funds, they have created traps for themselves and fallen in.

If your relations with your bank are good, then they would also offer you some interesting deals with a good mortgage rate. If you are one of their privileged clients, then you might be entitled for special discounts on mortgage rates. If you go into your loan search with a high credit score and a clean credit record, you would also have better bargaining power.

If you have stains on your record, you should try to get them cleaned up before going into negotiations. If you can afford to, hire a financial advisor who can help you out with the deal, making the best possible negotiation for you with the mortgaging company, credit union, Investment Company or banks with which you are dealing. Each person should play carefully in the mortgaging business, even if he is getting the best mortgage rates for his deal.

Always prefer fixed mortgage rates for your deals. This will be beneficial and score great mortgage rates with no regrets. Interest rates can  bounce around, but if your deal has a fixed rates, then it is one less thing for you to worry about. Proceed in your deal with sound mind and alert eyes and nothing will go wrong.

Tips for meeting your financial goals this year

Posted on Sep 2, 2015

As with any other goal, the key to achieving your financial goals is laying out a process that will ultimately lead you to success.

If you’ve set yearly financial goals in the past, but have failed to achieve them, now is a great time to re-evaluate your process. And don’t let past failures discourage you, because you are not alone – only 12 percent of consumers reached their financial goals in this year, according to a recent Zogby IBOPE survey commissioned by TransUnion, one of the three major credit reporting companies.

“Now is the perfect time to appraise your current financial situation and make goals for where you want to be,” says Heather Battison, TransUnion’s senior director responsible for consumer education.

So what can you do to ensure financial success in the coming year? TransUnion offers five tips for planning and achieving your goals:

* Check your credit reports every three months. Monitoring your credit can help you recognize bad financial habits, like making late payments, which can affect credit score. Regularly checking your credit report is also a way to protect yourself against identity theft. If you ever run into a situation where you suspect identity theft, TransUnion provides a guide for what to do next.

* Check for accuracy. Make sure the information on your credit reports is up-to-date and reflects your current credit history. Give yourself at least 30 days to resolve any issues. Online dispute forms are available at TransUnion.com.

* Know your score. Your credit score helps determine your interest rates on credit purchases. A healthier credit score can help you receive the best interest rate, ultimately putting more money in your pocket as your work toward achieving your financial goals.

* Create a monthly spending plan and stick to it. Breaking down your spending habits into smaller and more manageable increments can help you achieve your financial goals. Through breaking it down by month, you can also set aside a fixed amount each month to deal with unexpected financial emergencies that may come up later in the year. If you don’t have to spend this reserve fund, you can treat it as a year-end bonus, or, even better – put it toward next year’s goals.

* Take additional measures to minimize your exposure to identity theft. In addition to frequently checking your credit, you can sign up for a credit monitoring service that will alert you whenever something changes in your report.

Setting yourself up for a successful financial year means developing plans now that you can execute as the year goes on. Additional planning tools to help you understand your credit information, manage your debt load, protect your identity and help you achieve your financial goals can be found TransUnion.com.