If you're considering purchasing a new home, you probably want to pinch a few pennies along the way. One major way to cut back on the cost of moving into a new home is by purchasing an older home. Actually, not only does purchasing an older home help save you some money, it also helps preserve the structures of our country's past.
However, while they still seem to be in good condition upon visual inspection, many of today's older homes contain dangerous materials beneath the surface. One of the most common dangerous materials found in older homes is lead paint, and as we all know, or should know, lead paint can lead to lead poisoning – especially in children.
You shouldn't run from a good deal just because it may contain lead paint; however, you should take all necessary measures for good home management, and this includes checking for the presence of and removing any lead paint in the home. Not only will this protect your family, but it will also help you cut the costs of homeowner's insurance. Many homeowners are required to purchase homeowner's insurance if they have borrowed money in order to pay for the home.
The beginning steps of home management are a sort of balancing act. You need to make the necessary repairs to the home before you move in, and you need to purchase homeowner's insurance. At the same time, you don't want to get a homeowner's insurance quote with dangerous chemicals in the home, such as lead paint. Have your home tested for the presence of lead paint. Remember, most homes have several layers of paint, so be sure to scrape through them all. If lead is detected in any layer of paint, get rid of it!
Getting rid of lead paint isn't just part of effective home management. It can help lower your homeowner's insurance rates as well as promote your family's health.
Get Rid Of Fleas In The House
The true measure of success may be how much time you spend doing exactly what you want. Never mind the money, if you already have enough. How much of your time is spent doing that which either aggravates you or wastes your time? Even the very rich can find themselves caught up in stressful situations that cry out for a solution. Most of the time, eliminating them altogether is the best strategy.
The problem is one of habits. If you've always done things a certain way, you may be creating a problem that can be solved by a change in thinking, followed by a change in acting. Are you checking your email more than 5 times a day? More than 50? Why? Consider checking email twice a day, at the most. If you warn people that you only check email twice a day, you may find that those who depend on you to respond immediately change how they behave towards you.
Another consideration is negative influences. You may have a majority of customers that are a pleasure to deal with, and a few that are nasty, negative and chew up most of your time. Consider firing the troublemakers. That will make room for more good customers and make sure your attitude isn't negatively affected by dealing with people who delight in making you miserable.
Cut yourself off from the "news". Television and newspapers seldom serve up news that is actionable by you. When was the last time a public official or government agency contacted you regarding your take on the latest news bulletin? For that matter, when was the last time you missed something important in life that you didn't hear about from a friend or neighbor? If the world is about to blow up, I guarantee you'll find out about it without resorting to the media. Eliminate daily news briefings. You don't need the negative influence in your life.
Try outsourcing your chores. If you've automated your business so you can spend more time on yard work, housecleaning or maintenance, stop and think! How much will it cost you to pay someone to mop your floors, mow your lawn and clean your rain gutters? Unless you are a seasoned professional at such labor, you'll probably get a better result than if you keep doing it yourself. Even if you are a seasoned professional at such labor, isn't the reason you got into IM precisely to free yourself from daily drudgery?
Learn how to shut your mind tightly against negative thinking and the negative influence of other people. You can begin by practicing meditation, where you stop thinking about your thoughts and simply remain quiet, in your mind. With practice, you'll find it's easy and effortless to break a train of thought you do not wish to encourage. You'll also find it beneficial to cut out all the people who want to dump their problems on you. You don't have to be nasty or rude. Just stop allowing them to invade your life with the things that they, themselves, are unwilling to deal with. It is not your duty to hear other people whine about their life.
There are troubles and duties we all must deal with. I'm not suggesting you drop your responsibilities and slack off on what you know you must do. Just take the time to question all of your assumptions regarding duty and responsibility. Figure out how much of your life is spent doing things that you really don't have to be doing. Get rid of all the old, bad habits that cause unnecessary aggravation and eliminate them from your life.
Both Elizabeth Newberry & Jo Han Mok are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
