Money Questions and Answers

The Unintended Costs Of Being A Landlord

Unexpected Expenses Of Being A Landlord My wife and I recently listed out home for rent with a property manager. I found a great property management company that I have really enjoyed working with after asking tons of questions before hiring a property manager.

Now that we have started to get the ball rolling finding renters and even showing our house to potential renters I have found a few expenses that have cropped up. Some of these costs were expected, but a few of these new expenses have kind of caught me a little off guard.

Unexpected Expenses Of Being A Landlord

Advertising fee with the property manager – $100
Getting our HVAC tuned up – $100
Purchasing a home warranty – $500 per yearOverdue yard maintenance – $300
Storage unit since we are downsizing – $150 a month
Moving truck rental – $300
Maintenance fund our property manager requested – $500
Carpet steam cleaning – $200

TOTAL INITIAL COSTS – $2,150

How to Spot and Prevent Medical Identity Theft

by Hank Coleman

It can happen out of the blue. You get a bill for health services that you never obtained, or maybe you file an insurance claim and your insurer tells you that you have reached your benefit limit. Identity theft can also be found in the medical and healthcare sectors. It is not just limited to your financial data. In this case, identity thieves confiscate people’s health insurance and personal details so they can obtain certain types of treatment, procure prescription drugs and receive medical care. How to Spot Medical Identity Theft Unfortunately, there are even people working in the medical field that are using patients’ information in order to submit bogus claims to insurance firms. Not only can your budget … Read more

How To Break Your Addiction To Infomercials And Buying Stuff!

by Hank Coleman

I normally do not write much about my personal life here on Money Q&A. A part of me thinks that you really don’t care about it, and I don’t really blame you. I’m not one to tell you how I overcame a mountain of credit card debt after college like everyone else or bore you with tweets about what I had for breakfast this morning.

There are tons of other great personal finance blogs out there where you can follow the saga of people and their lives. I’m just not that into it, and you don’t see much of it here. But, I thought that I would break my own rule a little bit and share with you a little inside information. I’m addicted to buying things off of infomercials on late night television.

There…I have said it. And, now everyone knows a little bit more about me. But, I wanted to share with you how I kicked the habit of buying Snuggies, Magic Bullet blenders, and wholesale lot knife sets from the Home Shopping Network (my college roommate and I would have made a fortune reselling if we didn’t keep them all for ourselves).

Five Ways To Break Your Addiction to Infomercials

Stop Watching Television

I’m a huge Gary Vaynerchuk fan. One of the first videos I saw of him on YouTube was a speech that Gary Vaynerchuk gave at the Web 2.0 Expo (caution…a few curse words). In the middle of his presentation, he talks about how you can get ahead in life and in business.

Strategies To Stretch The Travel Budget

by Guest Contributor

This Yakezie Blog Swap post is from Kay Lynn Akers who writes about money and life on the way to retirement at Bucksome Boomer. Head over there to read my best travel budget tip.

Save money on an Alaskan Cruise Do you love to travel? Me too but the costs can add up. I don’t want to be limited to camping trips or couch-surfing in order to travel. Fortunately, my family has found a way to stretch our vacation dollars regularly by utilizing two strategies.

Travel off Season

One way to save money is to travel to destinations when the weather is less desirable to most visits otherwise known as shoulder or off seasons. This tip made our last vacation to Alaska much cheaper.

Most people want to visit Alaska during warm, sunny weather which is why June through August commands higher prices. We went on the last cruise of the season in September and saved hundreds per person. The risk for bad weather is increased, but we decided we wouldn’t let rain stop us.

What Is Upromise And Why You Need To Use It

by Hank Coleman

The Benefits Of 529 College Savings Plans

What is Upromise? Upromise is a service that helps individuals save money to pay for college or to pay down existing student loan debt.

The beauty of the program is that you save money for college by simply shopping at the normal stores you visit every day. Upromise was created in partnership with Sallie Mae and is designed to help save for education costs.

What Is Upromise?

It is not a college savings plan (like a 529 College Savings Plan). It does not see tax deferred growth. However, what the program does offer is a great way to save through partnerships with retailers. Similar to a cash back rewards card, this plan puts rewards from retailers into an account that you can use to save money for school or paying down current Sallie Mae serviced student loans.

How Upromise Works

Once you join Upromise, you simply have to shop at eligible retailers. You can shop online and get anywhere from 1$ to 25% back that is credited to your account. There are more than 600 online retailers, including Target and more, which will give you rewards.

Many stores link your Upromise account with your loyalty card. You can also get up to 8% back from participating restaurants when you pay with a credit card or debit card that you have registered on the Upromise website. There are over 8,000 restaurants to choose from including many nationwide chains like Subway.

Twenty Questions To Ask A Property Manager Before You Hire

by Hank Coleman

More homeowners are finding themselves as accidentally landlords recently. Whether you are moving for a new job or relocating to be closer to home, many Americans are finding that they cannot sell their homes for what they owe on their mortgages. But, do you know the right questions to ask a property manager?

So, if you are a landlord, the next question becomes whether or not you hire a property manager? A property manager will help you find tenants, fix problems with your home, and collect the rent or do you do it all yourself.

My wife and I have recently decided to rent out our home. And, we have decided to hire a property manager. We are currently interviewing three different companies that were recommended by friends and coworkers. Of course, this is not a decision to be made lightly.

Questions To Ask A Property Manager

Here are several questions that you should ask a property manager before hiring them.

How many properties do they manage? – One property manager than I interviewed limited the number of properties they handle per person so they can give your property the attention it deserves.

What are the costs? – Do they take an industry norm of 10% of the rent as a fee? Is there another feed every time the home is vacant and a new tenant is needed? Is advertising costs wrapped up in the monthly fee?