House and Home

It seems all you hear today is about living a greener lifestyle. You need to reduce your carbon footprint and your environmental impact. We all know that this is important, but it can feel like being lectured at times.

However, there are some easy ways to live a greener life. Curbside recycling is in place in most cities, where you can simply place your recyclables out with your trash for pickup (in a separate container, of course). It's easy to separate your plastic, aluminum and other recyclable materials. The recycling pickup service takes care of the rest - all you have to do is to take it outside!

There are many things you can do to cut down on driving. Try to do everything in one trip if possible. You will save money, cut down on traffic, and reduce emissions into the environment. Driving is stressful and stress is not good for you so less driving means less stress. Ride with someone or use public transportation if you can. You can ride a bike or walk in some cases and it will also give you some healthy exercise.

Food scraps make great fertilizer when composted and a mess in the garbage can, so why throw it away when it can be used? You can add leaves and grass as well as coffee grounds and egg shells to your pile of compost. Fruit and vegetables that have spoiled or waste from peeling or chopping certain foods such as potatoes can also go into the pile. Don't use meat or bones as it will take too long to break down and also attract flies and other nasty insects. Water it down when it needs it to keep it active and when it comes planting time you can add it to your garden soil and grow some nice healthy vegetables.

You can use solar lights in your yard - these lights work just as well as electric lights, but cost nothing to operate and conserve the use of electricity. There are many appealing designs available and they can fit into anyone's budget. You don't need to have an electrician install them and the lights are quite bright enough to illuminate your yard. You can even get solar holiday lights, adding a cheerful seasonal touch without adding a thing to your electric bill.

Batteries are another way that you can save money and go green at the same time. Modern rechargeable batteries are long lasting, easy to charge and save you a lot of money. When they do finally run out of charges for good, they are recyclable at your local hardware store, just like broken fluorescent bulbs.

Contrary to popular opinion, it is easy to be green and even easier too go green. It saves you money while doing something good for the environment. Before you know it, living green will be second nature and you'll be looking for ways to add some more green living to your lifestyle.

This article talks about the reputed company Bruce Flooring which provides innumerable options to the customer. They have great facilities for trying out different ideas with their flooring and you will be very satisfied if you opt for Bruce flooring.

If you are looking for a company for great flooring products in laminate and hardwood materials, then Bruce Flooring is the right one for you. They have branches in the UK, US and Canada and provide different flooring options for you. Bruce Company started as far back as 1884 and they have consistently built up their business while adhering to their original intention of satisfying homeowners with their range of flooring options.

Facilities for viewing Room Designs

Flooring is not something that you can change according to your whims and fancies. Once you have installed a particular type of flooring and decide that you do not like it, there is nothing much you can do about it unless you are willing to go to a lot of trouble and incur a lot of expense. This is where the software provided by Bruce Company in their website comes in very handy. With the help of this software, all you need to do is take photographs of your various rooms and then upload them. By doing this, you can experiment with the products before making your final decision. In this way, you can avoid the pitfalls of buying something which looks attractive at the store but looks awful in your house.

If you do not want to install expensive hardwood flooring, then the best bet for you is to go for laminate flooring. With laminate flooring, stone and wood are the styles available and they come in a range of designs. If you are planning to install the flooring by yourself, it is perfectly within your reach as the company incorporates clear and minute instructions to help you out. If you desire the hardwood look, there is no need to be disappointed as the laminate provided by Bruce can be easily mistaken for real wood. The icing on the cake is that laminate floors from Bruce are heavily insulated so they cannot be damaged by moisture or spills that would normally harm other laminate floors.

More Information

The trademark of Bruce Company is transparency and so their website furnishes all the warranty details which you can go through when you have the time to do so. In addition, their website has a glossary to facilitate the understanding of strange terms. They also make the process easier for you by sending it by post. If, on the other hand, you wish to download the information, you can do so. As their customer support department is well-equipped, you can request a brochure or ask for other assistance which is promptly given to you.

Reputation and Quality

Armstrong group of companies is the parent company of Bruce Company. Armstrong is well reputed internationally for its quality products which include ceiling, flooring and cabinets. You, therefore, need have no qualms about investing in products, especially exotic hardwood flooring, from their company as it will be well worth the cost.

Everyone knows that landscaping improves the appearance of your garden, however, this is not the only benefit. The following points are other advantages of proper landscaping.

Landscaping to increase labor productivity

There have been a number of studies conducted that suggest an office or workplace that is properly landscaped has in turn less employee absenteeism and higher retention of staff. People who work in environments that contain a landscaped area with plenty of color also have greater productivity. Why? It is an established fact that humans have an affinity with nature and a desire to remain in contact with it. Color also has a powerful influence on our emotions and perception.

Landscaping to help people recover faster

What better way to recover from an illness or injury than to be able to engage with a beautifully designed garden? Many hospitals now have these areas specifically with patient recovery in mind and it has been proven that a speedier recovery is more likely when the patient is exposed to a beautiful garden.

Landscaping for air purification

We all know that plants are nature's filters. They absorb carbon dioxide for their food production and release oxygen. Planting trees in your garden can assist in reducing the effects of pollution and they can also be used as wind breaks, to reduce unwanted noise, control erosion and even to disperse fog and control deposits of snow.

Landscaping for energy savings

We can reduce our energy usage, especially in summer, by the careful positioning of plants in our gardens. The water vapor that is released by the plant during transpiration is a natural coolant. Trees planted along a wall will minimize the effect of solar radiation in the house.

Deciduous trees will provide shade in summer and when they drop their leaves will allow welcome sunlight through in winter. Vines are also useful in providing shade on to walls to reduce surface temperature and shrubs. When placed appropriately with bricks-made walls, vines will slow down the conduction of heat from glass windows and doors. When the landscape plan is done properly, the average house can reduce energy bills by up to 40%.

Landscaping to increase property value

A house with good landscaping will attract more potential purchasers and as a result increase the value of the property. Features that are particularly good for this are greenery, pathways, decorative and structural arches, patios, decking and ponds.

Landscaping can provide privacy and home security

The clever use of landscaping can allow you to replace unsightly views with beautiful screening plants, avoiding having to resort to building high walls around the perimeter of your property.

These are just some of the reasons why you should seriously consider landscaping.

As a mom, I am always trying to find exciting new tools that help me with my baby. My new favorite is an online baby journal (also called an online baby book ). An online baby journal helps parents store and preserve memories of baby's first moments. With its online nature, these memories are easy to share with family and friends.

I like online baby books for two main reasons. 1) They let me collect all the moments and memories of my baby in one well-organized location. 2) These memories can be easily shared with family & friends.

What to look for in an online baby journal? I recommend to focus on three main elements. 1. It should be easy to use and share with your friends and family. 2. It should cost you nothing. 3. It should allow you to order your online book as a real professionally-bound book.

As my online baby book, I have used a service called BabyChapters. It is a free online baby book to store your baby's precious memories and share them with family and friends. When your online book is complete, BabyChapters offers an option to order your book as a professionally-printed hard-cover book.

There are three easy steps to create an online baby book. 1. Point your browser to BabyChapters.com to start your online baby book for free. 2. Capture your baby's moments into chapters such as Introduction, Family Tree, Journal, Firsts, Baby's Favorites, Growth Charts, Photo&Video Gallery, and Guestbook. 2. Invite guests to visit your book. Finally, after your book is complete, you can choose to get it a hard-cover book.

Buying a house may be the biggest financial decision that most people ever make. Many of us, however, can't just go out and spend the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to buy a house. Instead, most homebuyers must borrow most of their home's purchase price through a mortgage.

This article will focus on adjustable-rate mortgages, also known as an ARM. We will look at how ARMs work, and look at the different varieties of adjustable-rate mortgages.

An adjustable-rate mortgage is a mortgage where the interest rate charged on the mortgage changes based on a general interest rate. As that rate changes, so will the mortgage's monthly payment. An ARM is the opposite of a fixed-rate mortgage, which has a set interest rate and mortgage payments that are always the same.

The adjustable-rate mortgage lets the borrower get a mortgage that usually has a lower interest rate than the fixed-rate mortgage. This interest rate usually is a fixed amount above the index rate, and increases or decreases as the index rate changes.

Hybrid ARM

A hybrid ARM is the most common type of adjustable-rate mortgage. This ARM has a set period of time (usually five years) where the rate is fixed. After the five years is over, the interest rate resets every year. The hybrid ARM especially can be helpful if you are planning to move from your home after a few years. You will get a lower interest rate during those few years and can sell the home before the monthly payment changes.

Example: A hybrid ARM versus a 30-year fixed mortgage

If you borrowed $250,000 for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 6.5 percent, your monthly payments for the lifetime of the loan would be $1,580.17. If you had a hybrid ARM for five years at 4 percent with an indexed rate for the remaining 25 years, however, your first 60 payments would be $1,193.54. Those payments would then change year after the 60 payments were finished. If, for example, the rate at the state of year six was 8 percent, the payment would become $1,745.22. The payment could go up or down, depending on how the index rate changed.

Option ARM

An option ARM may offer various payment options, including a minimum payment option and an accelerated payment option, which cuts down the term of the mortgage.

Some borrowers may find the option ARM appealing because this type of mortgage has low minimum payments and interest-only options. These options enable some borrowers to qualify for larger mortgages. Keep in mind, however, that these payments carry additional risks for the borrower. Primarily, any difference between the minimum payment and what would be paid under a fixed-rate or fully amortized loan is added to the amount of your mortgage. When that amount rises to a certain limit or a set time passes, the payment will reset. The borrower then will have to pay off the principal and the interest throughout the remainder of the loan.

Example: Option ARM Payment Scenario

If you borrowed $250,000 at a teaser rate of 1.5 percent, your initial monthly payment would only be $862.80. The fully amortized payment for the index rate of 6.2 percent, however, would be $1,531.17. The difference of $668.37 will be added to your mortgage every month. In the second year of your mortgage, the loan's terms will cause your payment to increase to $927.51, but the full amount would be $1,659.40 because the index rate is now 6.56 percent; $731.89 would be added to the principal balance each month. By year five, you will pay a minimum of $1,071.85 and you are adding $940 a month to the principal.

At year six, though, the bank will ask for its money back. This is the year when the option ARM will reset. You now owe almost $300,000, rather than $250,000. Your monthly payments for the next 25 years will be $2,312.10 at an 8 percent interest rate.

This loan is best for people who want an initial low monthly payment, but can afford a higher payment. This loan also may be a wise idea for people who plan to move from their homes before the ARM resets. You should not use an option ARM to buy a bigger house with a larger loan because you can afford the low payments.

How to Avoid Being Bitten by your ARM

There are several things you can do to avoid the shock of sudden increases that will happen when the rate and payment reset. You must plan ahead.

Your Payment: You should be aware of how much of each monthly payment goes toward interest and how much goes toward principal. You should try to pay off all the interest so that your loan amount does not grow. If you have an option ARM, that means you must ignore the tempting low payments and pay a higher payment from the start. If you have a 6.2 percent interest rate, a $250,000 will create $1,291.67 in interest during the first month of the mortgage. If you're not paying at least that much, the interest will be added to your balance. That will make things much worse in the years to come.

Your Lender: Talk to your lender before you make late payments or default on your mortgage. The lender wants its money back, and would much rather negotiate with you rather than take your home through foreclosure. You also have an interest in paying your loan: You want to keep living in your house. You might consider changing the mortgage to a fixed-rate mortgage, or offer to make a balloon payment. You can make a balloon payment when you sell your house, or by negotiating again at the end of your fixed years of the ARM.

Your Income: Bringing in more income will help you be prepared for the higher payments when they start. You could consider getting a part-time job, or renting out a room in your home. Although bringing in roommates isn't a suggestion for everyone, it will help offset your mortgage payments. You should be aware, though, that this may have income tax implications. You also would need to become familiar with the landlord-tenant laws for your area.

Your Expenses: You should cut out any expenses that are not absolutely necessary. Do you really need premium cable channels? Do you really need an unlimited text-messaging plan on your cell phone? What about the second or third car? You don't need a car to fit every slot in your garage.

Your Location: As much as it may hurt, consider moving. Although you could afford your house with a low monthly payment, the amortization may put your dream home out of reach. It may be a wise idea to sell your house, downsize, and move to a home that you can afford. With luck, you will be able to sell your house for enough to pay the principal. Leaving on your own terms is much better than going through a foreclosure if you default on the terms of your mortgage.

What Should I Do Next?

Although adjustable-rate mortgages work well for some homebuyers, they're not the best option for everyone and usually has the same effects as having loans with bad credit. Some types, like the option ARM, can be devastating and risky if you aren't aware what interest resetting can do to your payments. Make sure to look beyond the tempting low payments for the real terms of your mortgage and prepare some sort of debt consolidation for review. Ask your lender what it all means if you don't understand the loan. This is your home, and you want to keep it.