Guest Contributor on Money Questions and Answers Blog

How To Save On Energy In Your Home Office – Create A Great Business

how to save on energy in your home office When you think of an ‘office’ you may think of a large expanse of a commercial building, solely used to go about daily, working life. But that’s not all that an office or business has to be – in fact, more and more people are choosing to create an office in their home, where they can build their business and travel along the self-employed path.

While a home business probably won’t require a good business gas supplier, the importance of energy efficiency and reducing your energy consumption is still of paramount importance. While you may share your home with family members, all of whom are already doing their bit for the environment by being a little green, your efforts shouldn’t stop there.

The concept of working from home must undoubtedly appeal to most people, but it’s certainly not easy. Building a successful work-life balance can be difficult and you need to be able to keep the distractions at bay. Treat your working day as though you’re in an office elsewhere, and don’t see it as a chance to potter around and run errands as well as work.

There are plenty of ways how to save on energy in your home office which will have a knock-on effect – not just on the environment but on your pocket, too. The less energy you have to use to operate your business, the more profit you will see in your bank and the more enjoyment you will have with your loved ones, reaping the rewards of your hard work.

DIY Plumbing Problem Solving: How To Clear Clogs

by Guest Contributor

The following is a guest post by Chris Long, a store associate at a Home Depot in the Chicago suburbs. If you would like to write an article for Money Q&A, please visit our Guest Posting Guidelines page.

dollar-bills-down-drain When your toilet is out of commission or your sinks are stuck, instead of calling in the professionals for a pricey sink or toilet repair, invest in a few inexpensive plumbing supplies and tackle the job yourself. You can tackle plumbing problem solving yourself to save money.

It’s true: many plumbing repairs are within your grasp, even if you are a first time DIY-er. Of course, the more complicated the problem, the more likely you’ll need to enlist some professional support but for many issues – namely, clogs – you can get by with some simple plungers and drain cleaners. You can handle DIY plumbing problem solving.

DIY Plumbing Problem Solving

Perfect Plungers

Believe it or not, that little Pepto-pink/rust-red rubber plunger that you can pick up for a couple of bucks (and are likely to find in any house on the map) is not even designed for the toilet. Which prefaces this nicely: not all plungers are created equal.

The “plunger” with which most folks are intimately familiar is actually designed for use in the sink, not the toilet. These are referred to as sink, forced cup or bell plungers and have a wide suction cup shape with a flat bottom edge in order to fully encircle whatever drain it is sitting atop.

Life Expectancies And The Changing Times

by Guest Contributor

Roman Soldier The following is a guest post from Chris Rice. If you would like to write an article for Money Q&A, please visit our Guest Posting Guidelines page.

During the Roman Empire, Romans had an approximate life expectancy of 22 to 25 years. In 1900, the world life expectancy was approximately 30 years and in 1985 it was about 62 years. Nowadays, in the 21st century, life expectancy for those living in a first world country like here in the United States has greatly increased.

Life expectancy rose dramatically amongst the world’s wealthiest populations from around 50 to well over 75 years. This increase can be attributed to a number of factors including improvements in public health, nutrition and medicine. Vaccinations and antibiotics greatly reduced deaths in childhood, health and safety in manual workplaces improved and fewer people smoked.

Thanks to healthier lifestyles and breakthroughs in medical technology, life expectancy for Americans has increased significantly during the past half-century. While it’s good news that you can expect to live longer in retirement and have a better quality of life, it also means your investment portfolio may need to last for 30 years or more.

7 Steps For Financial Success To Build A Solid Future

by Guest Contributor

Achieving financial success is a great part of the American dream, but it’s not easy to do if you aren’t focused on the goal. Real financial security doesn’t come about by accident. These careful steps for financial success will help you build a solid financial future.

Know Where You Stand

The average American household has $15,263 in credit card debt, $147,591 in mortgage debt, and $31,646 in student loan debt as of August 2013, according to NerdWallet. If these numbers seem big, either you’re managing your money better than the average citizen or you’re blissfully unaware of your financial state.

It’s easy to disregard the real figures and simply pay the minimum on your debt each month. If you don’t currently know how much debt you have and how much interest you’re paying on it, you need to find out immediately.

Take Advantage of Money Management Tools

With apps, online tools, and computer programs widely available, there’s no excuse for mismanaging your money. However, a CreditDonkey.com survey found that only 27 percent of people take advantage of a mobile app for money management. Forty-four percent reported using a website, but that’s still less than half.

Don’t rely on a paper ledger or your own mental math to help you get by. Track your income and spending carefully so you’re always confident that the money you’re bringing in far exceeds what’s going out.

Address Your Attitude Toward Money

Steps for Financial Success Most people can easily identify as either spenders or savers. If you’re a spender, it’s helpful to recognize this tendency so you can put more effort toward saving money for your future. The environment that you grew up in impacts your spending and saving tendencies as well.

In a bizarre phenomenon, it’s been observed that people who grew up poor will spend more during a financial crisis than those raised in wealthy homes. Facing your habits head on is the best way to thwart them if they’re not leading you toward financial success.

Are You Losing The Financial Game Of Life?

by Guest Contributor

Are you losing in the financial game of life? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. In 2008, 1 in 10 workers were made redundant. As a result, thousands of people were forced to open new lines of credit just to pay for basic necessities, and are now struggling to repay those debts. Financial games can be tricky when it comes down to financial decisions. Some financial mistakes can haunt us for years if we don’t act fast enough! Whether your financial game is on point or needs improvement, here are 8 things that could be holding you back financially: You’re paying too much interest on loans You’re overspending in areas where you need less money You’re not saving any … Read more

Don’t Be Kept In The Dark About The Costs Of Investing

by Guest Contributor

The following is a guest post by Kevin Cimring, CEO of Jemstep, an online investment advisor that helps people lock in more money for retirement. In this post, he talks about the costs of investing. If you would like to write an article for Money Q&A, please visit our Guest Posting Guidelines page. It’s not too surprising that investors have lost trust in financial institutions. After all, the shenanigans that nearly brought down the entire financial system in 2008 are fresh in our minds, and many portfolios are still recovering from the damage that resulted. To rebuild that trust, investors need transparency around investment advice. Investors need to know that the advice they’re getting is relevant and appropriate. They need to know how … Read more