Retirement in Your 40s
In our last post on retirement, we looked at "Retirement in Your 50s". When you're in your 40s, retirement's no longer a vague concept…it's a reality looming in your future. Money Talks editor Stacy Johnson explains in this short (1:29) video why "your kids DON'T come first anymore if you're at this age".
In our next post on Retirement… we'll look at "Retirement in Your 30s".
Any thoughts or comments? We'd love to hear from you. Just use the comment link below and tell us what you think.
Real Estate News - September 2008
Our September 2008 Newsletter is now up…
From the right Nav Menu, Find "PAGES AND NEWSLETTERS" and Select "September 2008 below "Our Monthly Newsletters".
Winter Heating Bills Could Soar
Home heating bills are expected to soar this winter and Americans, already struggling with high gas and food prices, are bracing for more financial hardship.
On average, consumers are expected to pay $1,182 to heat their homes this year, up 20% from last year, according to recent estimates from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
While consumers may have some leeway in how they manage their heating bills and can take steps to make their homes more energy efficient, most experts say there is little we can do to escape higher energy prices.
More than half of America's households use natural gas for heating purposes. The Northeast has the largest concentration of home heating oil users in the country. And the prospect of a 31% increase in the price of heating oil has the region on edge.
Many Northeasterners try to get a jump on heating oil prices by filling their tanks during the late summer and fall months when prices are typically lower. But this year's run-up in crude prices has altered the usual seasonal pattern, and filling up now COULD actually cost more than waiting if crude oil prices continue to tumble as they have recently. Pre-buying is not the slam dunk it used to be.
One way that may be more managable is by going the "Level Payment Plan" route. This type of plan allows consumers to spread heating costs out over a longer period of time at a fixed monthly rate, which is based on the customer's billing history. At the end of the year, however, if the consumer has used more or less than what is covered by the monthly payments, the bill is adjusted accordingly.
How to Complain Successfully
Customer Service can be a nightmare, but our Money Editor, Stacy Johnson, has some tips that should help you come away from your complaint with a little more restitution. Video runs 1:39…
Have you had a bad experience with a customer service rep? Either on the phone, in person, or online? Sound off and tell us about it. Use the comment link below to tell us your customer service experience, good or bad.
Tankless Water Heaters: Are They Right For You?
If you're in the market to replace a water heater, now may be a good time to consider a tankless variety.
After getting over the initial phobia of not having hot water sitting in a tank waiting for you to use (and wasting a lot of electricity at the same time) here are some of the things you need to know about tankless water heaters:
- Tankless water heaters don't require a lot of room. With traditional water heaters there are different sizes and shapes but when you are using one of these for your entire home you can be sure these water heaters will be a lot larger than the tankless heaters. The gas tankless water heaters are approximately the size of a suitcase and the electric tankless heaters are the size of a briefcase. So, obviously these heaters are going to take less room than the traditional water heaters.
- Tankless water heaters last longer than traditional water heaters. These days, traditional heaters last about 8 to 12 years. Tankless water heaters don't have water storage like the traditional heaters do so they last longer. The gas ones will last about 15 to 20 years and the electric ones will last 30 to 40 years.
- Tankless water heaters will save you money. To get a tankless water heater will be more expensive than traditional water heaters. The tankless heaters will save you money because they cost less to operate. With these water heaters you can save 40 to 50 percent on your water heating bill every month. Over time this will save you a lot of money.
- Do you ever run out of hot water when there is more than one person taking a shower? The tankless water heater will take care of this problem because these water heaters will make sure you always have hot water. Tankless heaters heat the water as it moves through so you will never run out of hot water.
So if your old water is due to be replaced, take the time to check out tankless water heaters so you can decide if this would be a good thing to have in your home. If you have to buy a new water heater, why not get one that has so many benefits to you?
If you have any experience with a tankless water heater, we'd love to hear about it, pro or con. Just click the comment link below and tell us about your tankless water heater experience. We'd love to hear from you. Don't worry, even though your email address is required to post a comment, it will never show up here when your comment does.
