August, 2009
Five Weekend Fixes to Raise Home Values
Boost your homes value by following these quick fixes.
Is Cash For Clunkers Right For You?
The Cash for Clunkers program is a strategic new incentive program, that Congress passed as part of Bill H.R. 2463. This stimulus plan allows for used car owners to trade in their current clunkers at an automobile dealer in exchange for a voucher savings towards a new more fuel-efficient vehicle. The incentive encourages individuals to get rid of their old cars in favor of more environmentally conscious vehicles, while also helping to boost car sales. The plan aims to help not just the environment, but also the consumer spending and the automotive industry all at once. Many car companies are also adding in other deals to sweeten the pot, such as extra savings that can be combined with the cash for clunkers voucher.
To qualify for the Cash for Clunkers stimulus voucher, it’s important to follow all requirements and rules. Your car must be under 25 years of age and drivable when you bring it to the dealership. The automobile also must be registered and insured under your name for at least the past year. Proof of registration and insurance will be necessary, and you will also need to be sure the title has no liens against it. If the title has liens or other issues, it’s important to clear those issues up prior to heading to the dealership. The clunker is defined as a car that gets 18 miles per gallon fuel efficiency. Customers will qualify for a voucher for $3,500 to $4,500 which will be applied to the purchase or lease of a new car. In the case of a leased vehicle, a five year lease is required.
To participate and receive the cash for clunkers voucher, all a customer needs to do is bring the appropriate information to the dealer such as the insurance, registration and title. Once the customer has signed off on the deal for the purchase or lease of their new vehicle, the dealer takes it from there. Paperwork is submitted to the appropriate agency by the dealer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) takes over from there, making sure all requirements have been properly met. Then, in about ten days, a finance credit voucher is sent to the dealership an applied towards the customer’s recent lease or purchase.
As you can see, Cash for Clunkers offers a pretty simple, yet nice stimulus program for both consumers and the economy. It may be just the boost that struggling automotive companies need to revive their businesses, and bring back jobs as well. And with just a few simple steps and rules to adhere to, new car buyers will receive a nice bit of savings off their new car, while becoming more environmentally-conscious as well!
The new Cash for Clunkers program will last from July 2009 until November 2009. For more information also refer to Cash for Clunkers program.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_C
Solar Electricity For Home Energy
For years, homeowners have been disturbed by the fact that while solar kits are available for home use, the cost of using them to offset any significant portion of a home’s energy use is more than the cost of using a standard electricity company. Why would we pay more for electricity than we do now?
The answer, of course, is that we should be converting to these forms of home energy in order to help the environment. It’s understandable that we don’t want to pay too much to do so. In today’s credit environment, it is likely most homeowners couldn’t afford a professional solar installation even if they wanted one.
The government has attempted to increase the use of solar and wind technology by homeowners through expansion of the energy efficiency tax credit, but there’s still the cost of being able to finance the purchase up front.
Fortunately, times are changing fairly quickly and solar panel manufacturers are striving to bring down the costs of making these panels. As these panels become more available, and less expensive, more and more homeowners will see the advantages of supplementing their home’s energy with solar electricity.
Today, consumers can buy solar panels themselves and with the right guide they can install a solar kit to grab some of the sun’s energy and convert it to electricity. Whole kits are available that can be used when camping or for those who travel in an RV. In the next few years, we’re sure to see increasing numbers of solar electricity kits being used in our homes.
As these events unfold, homeowners should study up on how these technologies can help them reduce energy consumption and lower their overall electricity bills. Being prepared can help you get in on the savings early.
Reducing electricity usage is great for the environment and since it can also reduce your electricity bill, it’s a win-win situation. There’s some math involved in getting into the nitty-gritty details of your electricity usage, however. Standard calculations applied monthly can guide your efforts to realize true cost savings in your electricity bill and help you reduce the amount of energy used in your home.
Make sure that you either keep your electric bills on file or have access to them online. These bills are filled with the information you need in order to find ways to save money. They establish the baseline of your current energy saving activities and can be used to help you monitor on-going improvements.
Compare electricity bills and keep track of the changes you’ve made. If you’re part of a family, all members need to know what the plan is for reducing electricity and need to help out. Family discussions and a rule sheet posted on the refrigerator are great reminders of the family goals and get children involved and aware of their impact on the environment.
Many new advancements have been made in the areas of wind and solar power, as well, making these options more affordable and cost efficient for homeowners. The expanded tax credit put in place by the economic stimulus package offsets 30% of the costs of these packages.
Spend some time really researching the methods you can use in your home to save electricity and you’ll be seeing lower bills in no time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erica_L._Stone
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