When Marylee is your Realtor, Start Packing!

Social Consciousness

2012-02-13T16:53:00.000-08:00

License Law, the REALTOR Code of Ethics and other regulations will apply to your business related communications whether you are saying it with your real voice to another person, talking on the telephone, texting, "tweeting," chatting on Facebook or "You-tubing" - anything you type or video is creating a record. We can likely expect to see more lawsuits involving such subjects as copyright infringement, invasion of privacy, defamation, libel, and slander.
As a licensee it is important for you to check your office policy with regard to the use of social media. If your company foes not have one it should. Some Companies will not allow its licensees to use social media within the office at all.
If you are allowed to use social media within your office, check to see if there is a person to whom you should go with any questions or concerns.

Property Taxes can be appealed!

2012-02-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

Here are some Web Sites to get you started:
Cook County: www.cookcountyassessor.com
Lake County: www.co.lake.il.us/services/category.asp?parm=Property%20Taxes
McHenry County: www.co.mchenry.il.us/countydpt/assess/assessforms.asp
DuPage County: www.co.dupage.il.us/soa
(Click on "Forms & Documents") (Click on "Coard of Review Appeal Form")
Will County: www.willcountyillinois.com

Good Luck!

Paper Clutter

2012-02-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

A paper shopping bag is perfect for shreddings and other paper recycling.
Register on the Direct Marketing Association;s dmachoice.org and the Consumer Credit Reporting Industry's optoutprescreen.com to remove your name from lists for mailings and credit card offers. Call your card issuers and ask them to stop sending superfluous stuff, like balance transfer checks (you can always request them later). When shopping online, uncheck the prechecked boxes authorizing merchants to mail you catalogs.
Set up a shredding station. Choose a binned shredder that crosscuts (to protect your privacy) and has a higher sheet capacity than you may need - say 10 sheets at a time.
Speed up the recycling process. There is no need to pull out staples or remove those little plastic windows from business envelopes - all can go into the recycling bin.
Stop the printing presses. Make PDFs of online-purchase confirmation pages and save the files in a folder called Receipts until your shipment arrives. On both PCs and Macs, tell your browser to print, then select the Print to PDF or the Print to File option.
Switch to online bill pay. Manilla.com imports all your bills to one spot (saving them as long as you want), then sends you reminders when payment comes due.
Toss out most receipts after checking them online against your bank activity ( software like Quicken simplifies this). Or, try a smartphone app like Expensify to scan and save receipts digitally (keep originals for tax, warranty, insurance, or rebate reasons).
To save kids' art projects without overwhelming your fridge, take pictures and make keepsake books on a photo site.
Declutter your inbox.
Spam isn't just a nuisance - it can let in viruses or identity thieves (major time-wasting hassles). Its less nefarious cousin, cleverly called "bacn" (sounds like "bacon"), is the e-mail you signed up for, yet seldom read. to rein it all in:
Limit what you receive. Check that spam blockers are on, or set your inbox security to the highest level. This moves suspicious messages directly to the junk or spam folder (or deletes them entirely) and directs only messages form senders in your address book into your inbox. Review the junk folder weekly to rescue e-mail that lands there in error. For bacn that you might read later, create an e-mail filter (consult the Help menu) that diverts messages into a separate folder.
Get them to stop sending it. Set you e-mail to block messages' images or "content," which can contain they've hit an active account. Never click anywhere in a spam e-mail. Instead, mark junk mail as spam so it'll be blocked for you. Certain messages is bacn, it's fine to click on the Unsubscribe link to take your name off the list.

Trend heat up today's kitchen

2012-01-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

Kitchens are no longer rooms unto themselves. They are part of a larger multipurpose rooms, which allows families and friends to gather, entertain, cook, confer over homework and watch television. The kitchen is the heart of the home and people have finally realized that you are not going to get everyone out of the kitchen.
Kitchen layouts and cabinetry have changed to meet these needs. The advent of dual-chef households also changed the way in which kitchens are used. Husband and wife often want their own prep sinks and other food preparation areas so that they are not tripping over each other.
Islands are becoming more important. Effective storage is also necessary
Aesthetically, homeowners are avitating toward contrasting cabinets within the kitchen with the island cabinets looking totally different from the perimeter cabinets as a focal point to accent stained wood cabinets elsewhere are very popular now. Islands and stove cabinets are the areas most commonly chosen to be painted accents.

Point, Click, and Cut Remodel Bills

2012-01-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

For high-end appliances
A new Viking, SubZero, or other commercial-grade appliance can run $10,000. Greendemolitions.com sells used units with years of life left in them. Some well-off homebuyers tear out two- and three-year-old, high-end kitchens. 50% to 90% below the cost of buying new.
For remodeling
Diggerslist.com is a Craigslist for so-it-yourslefers, selling all sorts of renovation castoffs from other weekend warriors' projects. Pick up bricks, door, tiles, lumber,and cabinet hardware for 50% to 70% discounts. Everything is sold as is; go see it and make sure it's in good shape before you buy.
For stone counters
When you need only a small stone countertop - for a kitchen island say - you can save about 50% by buying a remnant instead of a full slab. Thestonbroker.com lets you search local yards' remnants. The site tacks on $200 for any stone you end up buying. Buy you save $500 or more on the $1,000- to $2,000-and-way-up cost of using a full slab.
For Luxe lighting
High-end light fixtures make your home distinctive, a single chandelier can cost $800 to $1,500 or more. Buy factory direct from one of the finest manufacturers at rejuvenation.com. It offers dozens of lighting styles, made to order in your finish and size needs, for 20% to 30% less than what you'd pay for a similar fixture at a specialty shop.

Insulation choices to consider when what's in the walls isn't up to par.

2012-01-09T13:21:00.000-08:00

If you're looking to take advantage of a renovation to add or replace insulation, you've got a lot of choices - fiberglass, shredded paper, even plastics, denim scraps, and wool - in several forms. Which material is best for you? Things to consider: site conditions, your budget, the material's efficiency (expressed as an R-value that measures resistance to heat transfer), and the skill level needed for the installation; insulating with rolls or batts, for example, can be a do-it-yourself project, while filling walls with pray foam is a job for the pros. To get a handle on some of the options that may best suit your renovation, read on.
Rolls or batts
They are fluffy blankets in long strips or precut pads that fit between studs. These are most commonly made of fiberglass, but you can also find ones made from cotton, mineral wool, and real sheep's wool.
It is best used in walls gutted down to the studs or in attics.
This is a job you an handle
Loose fill
These are dry bits of insulation that get blown into attics. The material is also injected into wall cavities through holes about 2 inches wide. It goes in either from the exterior, which requires prying up siding and drilling through the sheathing - adding to the cost of professional installation - or from the interior walls, which require patching holes. There are three main types: fiberglass, either treated with formaldehyde or untreated; cellulose, which is about 80 percent ground-up newsprint and 20 percent borate, a mineral dded as a fire retardant; and mineral wool.
It is best used to beef up attic-floor insulation, or inside existing walls when the budget is thigh.
If you decide to do it yourself, you can rent a blower from a home center.
Expanding foam
This is made of either open-cell or closed-cell polyurethane, or a special cement, this insulation goes on as a soft foam or foaming liquids, filling all spaces, then stiffening in place. Applies only by professionals, it's more costly than other options but is the best at plugging air leaks. Open-cell polyurethane is a low-density, spongy foam. It's sprayed between exposed studs and expands to 100 times its volume in seconds. For finished walls, installers pour a tamer version through small holes; it expands over minutes to 60 times its volumer. Closed-cell polyurethane foams to 30 times its volume and dries to a very hard shell. Cementitious foam, which goes on like shaving cream but hardens over days into a meringue-like consistency, requires mesh across the studs to contain it.
The is best used when you can look beyond initial cost to long-term comfort.
You should most likely let the professionals do it.

Safety First - Protecting your devices from onlie attacks.

2012-01-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

Those who own a computer, smartphone, or tablet likely understand the importance of protecting their favorite digital device - and perhaps more important, the information that resides on it - but only a third of us are actually taking the proper precautions to do so.
Our PSs, Macs and mobile devices today house a larger number of valuable digital assets - everything from photos and music topersonal and financial data. Losing these asses can be devastating, given the money and yime we invest in acquiring them.
Also, a growing abundance of cyber-criminal acivity, perpetrated by people out to pilfer sensitive information like credit card, bank account and Social Security numbers, with the goal of stealing your identity for financial gain,
Potentially damaging software is infecting mobile devices through websites or downloaded apps that might contain hidden files, on top of the man voice-, email- and text-based scams.
The following is a short checklist that should help you protect your devices, your information and your family.

Back up your data.
Back up your important files on a regular basis just in case they're compromised due to a malware attack, theft, fir or flood, or hardware malfunction. For you computer, pick up an external hard drive and make a backup of your irreplaceable digital photos and camcorder footage, documents, importnat emails, contacts, calender appointments, Web bookmarks and so forth.
To back up info on your smartphone or tablet, synchronize your device with your computer via USB cable or back up data to an online "cloud" service where it can be easily retrived, if needed.

Use anti-malware programs.
Invest in good antimalware software, which includes antivirus and anti-spyware toold, and a two-way firewall. Updats are usually handled automatically and pushed to your device, which will protect you from the latest threats as soon as they're identified.

Be safe and sensible.
Along with regular backups, this includes using strong passwords, downloading only from trusted resources and not leaving your devices unattended. Also, don't be tempted to act on email or text messages that ask you to reveal personal or financial information - they are likely a "phishing" attempt from a scam artist.
Rather than placing an Internet-conected computer in a child's rom, keep it in a central location in the home, such as a kitchen, family room or any other highly trafficked area. Kids can feel independent while surfing online but not be "alone."
Remind them to never give out their address, phone number or other personal information, such as where they go to school - or upload and photos that might reveal this info. This applies to social networking sites (such as Fackbook), instant messaging programs, chat rooms, and emails.

Check this out!

2011-08-02T08:43:00.000-07:00

You can cut your heating and cooling costs up to 80%! ClimateMaster geothermal systems provides heating, cooling, and hot water by tapping the constant temperature of the earth. Your home will stay comfortable all year while trimming your energy use up to 80%. You can save an additional 30% with new federal tax credits on the total installation. ClimateMaster systems are a cleaner choice of investment for the environment. Visit climatemaster.com or call 877-436-6263 to learn more today.

Great Ways to Save

2011-07-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Car tips:

1. Buying a car at the end of the month is the best time because businesses are scrambling to make sales quotas.
2. Gasbuddy.com! This is a website in which drivers can use to check local gas prices. It has also gone mobile so you can use this as an app on your phone!
3. Be sure that your gas cap fits correctly and is twisted tight. 1 in 6 cars do not have caps that fit properly. A gas cap that doesn't fit properly can reduce a car's mileage by up to 10%.
4. Cut your costs by choosing the right credit card when getting gas. Some cards with cash back credit offers high rewards for purchasing gas.

Financial Tips:
1. Many jurisdictions give property tax relief. If you are an older homeowner, you can receive this based on your income. However you might have to submit documentation on your income and social security benefits.
2. Prepaying can dramatically shorten your mortgage life and save you a lot of money in interest.
3. BillShrink.com analyzes your everyday costs. FindABetterBank.com compares your checking account plans at banks and credit unions. BrightScope.com compares your financial advisers and your 401(k) plans.

Health Tips:
1. See if a local health club offers a pay-per-visit plan. By paying for a monthly membership, most people overspend because they are able to go to the gym only on an average of once a week.
2. New healthcare provides free preventive tests by medicare providers. Wellness checkups much of the time require a 20% copay. Check with your medicare participating doctor.

Utility Tips:
1. You can save up to $200 a year by insulating your electric water heater and its outgoing pipes. Pipe sleeves start at $2 for 12 feet, and heater blankets run about $20. Check with a plumber for the safety.
2. Install a programmable thermostat, and a homeowner can save up to $180 a year in heating and cooling bills.
3. Replace your incandescent bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs. By replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb with a 15-watt CFL, you can save $69 over the life of a new light bulb.
4. You can save 6% on power consumption of your refrigerator if you keep your coils dust free.
5. If you are buying an oven, consider a convection model. This can cut oven energy use by 20%. Why? This is because it is continually circulating heated air around the food.
6. Only use bathroom and kitchen vent fans in the summer and winter. By using regular fans, it costs money and will blow your heated or cooled air outside. This forces your furnace or air conditioner to make up the difference.
7. Inflatable fireplace dampers keeps the warm air in your home from escaping through the leaky metal damper. You can save $50 to $200 a year if you pay $50 to $200 ONCE.
8. Turn off radiators or close heating and cooling vents to conserve energy in vacant rooms. Maybe invest in heavy drapes because it lowers energy bills.

Travel Tips:
1. Buy an airline ticket on a week day instead of a weekend when prices are often the highest. Tuesday is the best day to buy because many sales are launched on Monday nights. Competitors then typically try to match prices by the next morning.
2. Instead of paying for a day's fun around a Caribbean Island, invest in a day pass to an island resort. Or you can book your own excursions before sailing to avoid these high-prices outings which are offered onboard.
3. You can find senior discounts through clubs such as the Over the Hill Gang International and the 70+ Ski Club.
4. Find great rental car one way rates. In the spring, rental car companies move their fleets north from Florida.
5. Bring your ATM card. Use an ATM if you need a foreign exchange currency. This helps to avoid fees by using the machines which are affiliated with your home bank's global network.
6. Many credit card companies add 1-3% when you are overseas. Cards at sites like CreditCards.com and Cardhub.com makes sure that benefits aren't outweighed by interest rates or high annual fees.
7. To avoid rental car damage charges, take pictures just in case you are blamed for someone else denting the car.
8. If you are on vacation, shopping at thrift stores are the cheapest way to find well priced souvenirs or even a bike.
9. Instead of renting a car, you have the option by using public transit or a shuttle.

Shopping Tips:
1. Compare prices online. PriceGrabber.com, Nextag.com, Bizrate.com, and Pricewatch.com are good price comparing sits.
2. Wholesomewave.org brings affordable, fresh, local produce to american homes.
3. Devote 20 minutes a week to finding coupons to saving more money.
4. Join groupon, livingsocial and buywithme for daily deals to show up in your email. This promises local discounts on everything you cold ever need. Dealfind and Dealon feature deals on food, local events and services. Dealery.com and Yipit aggregate offerings from multiple sites for one-stop e-shopping.
5. Organicconsumers.com for bulk-buying co-ops is a good way for lower shipping costs for fruits and vegetables and to find farmers' markets in your area.
6. Before eating out, find dining bargains online and look at the menu.
7. Pay your bills online for free instead of buying checks, envelopes, stamps, and late fees.
8. 20-40% of shoppers never collect their rebate. Prove merchants wrong by saving all receipts, forms and packaging needed to apply for your rebate. Be sure it doesn't expire!
9. Many merchants will give you replacement items for free if something breaks, so don't rule out that nothing is returnable.
10. Buying homes, exercise equipment, and buying TVs is best to do in the winter time. Spring is the best for buying computers, digital cameras, and carpeting. Summer is the best for buying indoor furniture, camcorders, and snow blowers. Fall is the best time to buy lawn mowers, gas grills, and GPS navigation systems.
11. Ask if you can keep the hangers when you buy clothing at a store. Most clerks will say yes.

Home Tips:
1. Netflix! This is a movie streaming website which costs $8 a month. You can also see free TV shows at Hulu.com, TVClassicShows.com and TVLand.com. Redbox movie kiosks also cost $1 a movie.
2. Use your pantyhose to scrub dishes, shine shoes, train shrubs, or to store onions, flower bulbs and paintbrushes. This can also protect squash and melons from garden critters.
3. Cut your dryer sheets into two because each has has enough of an active ingredient for a large load of laundry.
4. Free music online. Internet radio stations like nuTsie, SeroMood and Jango offer music to fit your taste.
5. Do not brush your hair over a sink. Also, discard cooking grease into cans and not the drain. Pour a kettle of boiling water down each sink monthly so you can dislodge grease and soap scum before it clogs and hardens.
6. To control pests, spray simmered water near baseboards because cockroaches hate that. Also, to repel mosquitoes, dab lavendar oil on your skin or drink two teaspoons of cider vinegar in a glass of water for a pore-emitted repellent. Otherwise, check out the commercial products on the market if this repels you.
7. Some stamp dealers will sell you bulk quantities of old regular stamps at a discounted face value.
8. Cheap textbooks. Cut the average cost of textbooks for college by checking at Bartelby.com or Gutenberg.org for free downloads of selected textbooks. You can also rent books and Chegg.com, BookRenter.com and CampusBookRentals.com
9. Pet Meds. Walmart, Petsmart, and Petco offer lower-cost generic versions of products such as Frontline flea and tick protection. Ask these local pet shops and animal shelters also about lower cost vaccines and neutering clinics.
10. Hair cuts are cheaper at barber and salon training programs.
11. Sciddy.com lists discounts in your area for people 50 or older.
12. Home Spa- your kitchen has natural beauty products. If you want to soften your skin and exfoliate, pour a gallon of whole milk into a warm bath. Add honey or lavender oil for scent. Or you can wrap whole oatmeal in a cloth, immerse in warm water and squeeze out several times. Splash your face with this and make it into a scrub my mixing 4T cornmeal with the juice and pulp of half an orange.
13. Freephone2phone.com lets you call 10 minutes overseas for free.
14. Gather the free fireword which drops in your yard over the course of the year.
15. Use the water from your fish tank on your garden instead of throwing it out. This is great fertilizer.

Makeovers for your Backyard- Four low-cost-do-it-yourself projects!

2011-07-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

While fixing your frontyard may improve curb appeal, fixing up your backyard can improve your life. By doing this, it will draw your family outdoors for everything from dining alfresco to tending a kitchen garden to playing lawn games. Here are four do-it-yourself projects which can help you out there.

1. Create natural screening. Skip getting a wooden fence, and plant a row of evergreens. Choose a naturally slender variety. This won't eat up land or need much pruning.

2. Quiet the din. Drown out the noise of your neighbor's parties and that barking dog. Invest in a water fountain. Get a self-contained model which requires no excavation work or piping.

3. Control the sun. Build a simple pergola if you have basic carpentry skills. Build this with a few hundred dollars' worth of cedar or redwood timbers.

Add attractions! Put in an easy to grow fruit bushes like blueberries or grapes. Invest in a fire pit! Or invest in a hammock!

Three Ways to Save on Home Costs

2011-07-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

1. Negotiate on repairs and upkeep! In a survey in May by consumer review, 81% of contractors said they would negotiate labor costs. Some of them will drop their price at 10%. They will do whatever it takes to strike your business. Be sure to get multiple price quotes, because then you will have the most bargaining power while being flexible about your project and its timing.

2. Trim the Cost of Borrowing! The average rate on a 30-year mortgage was 4.7% in May. Next year it is expected to hit 5.8%. Some borrowers will pay more when loan limits expire in the fall. Last year's rate was 5.1%. Since it has lowered, this has opened up another refinancing opportunity. Request a good-faith estimate before applying. You can negotiate fees that the lender charges.

3. Get a deal on furniture! When sales are slow in the summer, this is your opportunity to ask for 20% off. Why? Many "mom-and-pop shops" will make deals to move inventory. Also as a tip, gently used floor models can sell for 25% off.

Cool it now! Smart ways to save on AC!

2011-07-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

1) Set your thermostat at 70 or 75 degrees when you are home. When not home, set it at 80 degrees. Don't turn it off completely because it can cost more to cool the house back once it is overheated.
2) Place room units on the north side of the house. An AC unit which operates in the shade operates up to 10% less electricity than one that is in the sun.
3) Know when to upgrade. You might want to consider a new AC if yours is more than 10 years old or 12 years old and it is not cooling as well as it is used to.

-More tips: Move indoor plants outside because they produce a lot of airborne moisture. Also, invest in a dehumidifier. It zaps humidity! Last, run bathroom exhaust fans for about 20 minutes after a shower or bath to dry the air.
-Be sure to insulate areas from the rest of the house. Attics can reach temperatures of 150 degrees.

Protecting Personal Information: 5 Steps for Business

2011-06-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

1. Take Stock. Know what personal information you have in your files and on your computer. Be sure to know how your personal information moves through and into and out all your business and who has access.

2. Scale Down. Only keep what you need for your business. If you don't have a legitimate business reason to have sensitive information in files or on your computer, do not keep it.

3. Lock it. Protect your information! Be aware of physical security, electronic security, employees that you train and the practices of your contractors and affiliates.

4. Pitch it. Be sure you properly dispose what is no longer needed. Invest in a paper shredder or be sure to burn or pulverize your information so that it cannot be reconstructed by an identity thief.

5. Plan ahead. Draft a plan to respond to security incidents.

On Guard! Protect yourself and your clients from Identity Theft

2011-06-29T11:47:00.001-07:00

Did you know that Illinois ranks 12th in the nation for this white-collar crime in credit card fraud. This is the most common followed with bank and load fraud, and utility fraud. This is according to the Federal Trade Commission. Stats show that for every 100,000 people in Illinois, 78 are victimized to identity theft each year.

Freebies!

2011-06-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Love books? Get them free! Gutenberg.org/catalog. Project Gutenberg has 28,000 eBooks. You can download them and print them for free!

Love eCards? Get them free! hipstercards.com. Cards for any occasion to acknowledge!

Need graph paper? Get it free! Incompetech.com/graphpaper. You can download a variety of designs to print out as much as you need.

Love music? Get it free! Pandora.com. This is a free website which plays an ongoing stream of music based on songs, artists, or genres you like.

Need to print photos? Do it for free! kodakgallery.com, or snapfish.com. This website gives away 20 free prints when you sign up online!

Need a planner? Get it free! DIYplanner.com. This website lets you customize your own DIY Planner. You can choose from more than 100 templates!

Travel Tips: Rental Car Insurance

2011-06-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

Check to see if your credit card company offers rental car insurance as a perk. Why? Saying yes can add anywhere from $9-$30 or more per day to the cost of a rental car. Check and see if your existing auto policy includes third-party liability, collision and comprehensive coverae for rentals.

Know What You Have!

2011-06-29T11:27:00.001-07:00

Knowyourstuff.org. This website helps you to inventory your belongings so you can have a handy list just in case of a fire or theft. This website even generates a home maintenance calendar. Then it emails you occasional reminders to upkeep!

Computer Software

2011-06-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

Have you recently bought a new computer? You don't have to spend even MORE money loading it with software. Go to freewarehome.com. This website lists more than 5,500 programs that are free! There is no request for money or nag screens asking for payments! Check it out!

Property Taxes: How to Save

2011-06-29T11:22:00.001-07:00

Over half of assessments are too high. This is according to the National Taxpayers Union. To save, talk 'em down! Get going with the Homeowner's Property Tax Reduction Kit. (You can get it free at AHAhome.com). Be sure that you have no mistakes in your tax bill. List whatever problems that could lower your home's value and then find similar nearby homes which have been recently sold for significantly less. Then call the assessor's office in your city hall and ask about the appeal process.

Idea File

2011-06-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

ONEKINGSLANE.COM-
Want good bargains? This is the website for you. This is the perfect site for for home decor. You can sign up for email alerts to get designer's items. Some of these include Archipelago Botanicals Candles or Dransfield and Ross accents. Up to 70% off!

Steps to Dumping your Credit Card Debt

2011-06-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

Is it your goal to pay off your credit card debt? You are not alone. Millions of Americans set this goal each year. Here are the steps in succeeding.

1) Cut the cards. Stop adding to your debt. Stop routinely using them by carrying cash, using debit and not credit, and by keeping them out of sight.

2) Lower rates/ cut a deal. Get your spending under control first, and then negotiate your rates. Call your credit card issuers and ask for a better rate. Transfer your balances. Consider doing this from cards with high interest rates to a different card. Shop around. Do a little investigating to find the best credit card offers.

3) Reduce your debt. Sort it out- make a list of each credit card and include the existing balance, interest rate and the minimum payment. Develop a plan by paying as much money as you can on your card with the highest interest rate while paying the minimum on the other cards. This helps you to pay it off quicker. Last, build a debt snowball. Once the highest interest rate card is paid off, take that same amount you paid and add it to the minimum payment on the next highest interest rate card.

4) Think ahead. Invest. Invest the same amount of money you've been applying to your debt every month. Last, visualize each day imagining a debt free life and paying cash for each purchase.

TIP: Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT to stop the flood of credit card offers from reaching your mailbox.

Your 'Missing' Money Awaits You

2011-06-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Did you know that at least $33 billion sits in state treasuries and other agencies waiting to be returned to its rightful owners? You could be one of them. This has occurred because of 117 million accounts that are inactive or whose owners or their heirs cannot be located. It is the law for financials institutions to get in contact with their owners. However, when they are unable to, the money is then turned over to the government of the state. To check if you are entitled to a payoff, go to http://www.missingmoney.com/ or http://www.unclaimed.org/ or call the state's treasurer office if you don't have a computer. A tip would be to search every state you have lived and to check maiden names and those of deceased family members. Be sure to avoid those services who request fees in order to help you search or claim money on your behalf.

7 Steps to a greener life

2011-06-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

In this day an age, we should do our part to help the environment. Here's some interesting facts: According to Nubius Organics, more than 26 billion bottles are thrown away each year. Plastic from bottles is not biodegradable. Therefore, it stays as a permanent part of landfills. A tip to "a greener life" would be to invest in water bottles that are reusable. Keep extras in the car so you aren't tempted to go back . This will help contribute to less garbage in our landfills and to save energy.

Summer energy efficiency tips for your refridgerator

2011-06-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

Because your refridgerator runs continuously to keep food and beverages cold, it can be a major consumer of energy. To reduce the amount of electricity your refridgerator uses, and lower your electricity bill, consider these simple, smart ideas.

Clean your refridgerator coils on a regular basis.

Maintain your refridgerator temperature at 35 to 38 degress Fahrenheit.

If you have a second, working fridge or freezer, did you know that it could be costing you up to $150 a year in electricity? ComEd's Fridge and Freezer Recycle Rewards will pick up that second appliance for FREE, recycle it in an environmentally friendly way and mail you a check for $35 per appliance.

Restrictions apply. For information, visit

ComEd.com/ApplianceRecycling or call 888-806-2273

Published from ComEd's Energy@Home publication. May 2011

Ask the ComEd Energy Doctor

2011-06-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

Answers to questions about energy effeciency and electricity usage.

Q. How can I determine the amount of electricity and appliance uses in my home?
A. ComEd's Smart Ideas "An Energy Usage Guide" can help you identify how much electricity your individual appliances use each month. To download a copy, visit Customer Service > Brochures & Forms at ComEd.com.

Also, a simple device such as a Kill A Watt monitor can measure the actual electricity consumption of any appliance plugged into it. Kill A Watt monitors can be purchased at select home improvement stores and are available on loan at some public libraries in ComEd's service territory.

-The Energy Doctor

Found in ComEd's Energy@Home publication May 2011

What To Do If Your Cell Phone Gets Wet

2011-06-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

So your cell phone got wet. Now what? Before you go out and buy a new (and expensive!) cell phone, try these tricks after you remove your phone from the water (or other liquid). They could be just the phone-saving tips you need!

Remove the battery and SIM card.

Get a towel (or paper towel or tissues) and remove as much excess water as possible.

Also consider sealing the phone (after the battery and SIM card have been removed) in a plastic bag with silica gel packs to allow the silica to absorb the moisture.

Another option may be to place your batter in a bag of rice to help abosrb the moisture.

As tempting as it may be, don't put the battery back in until it's been long enough for your phone to dry out. Otherwise, further damage can result.

Let your phone dry-out for 2-3 days. Can't survive that long without it? See if your wireless company offers a loaner phone.

After the 2-3 days are up, try reattaching your battery. If it doesn't work, you may want to invest in a new battery and see if that will allow your phone to turn on.

NO SUCH LUCK?

Tried the tips, but they didn't fix your water-logged phone problem? Consider taking your phone to an authorized dealer to see if they can get it back on track or at least access the data stored in the phone. And, if your authorized phone dealer can't help fix the problem, think about asking them to help ou choose a new one. They may be able to recommend a similar model or tell you about specials and/or discounts available. For safe disposal of your non-functional phone, locate a phone recycling center near you.

Recorded from http://ezinearticles.com.

Carbon Footprint

2011-02-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

Each of our everyday actions consumes energy and produces carbon dioxide emissions such as taking holiday flights, driving our cars, putting items into landfills and heating and cooling our homes. Carbon offsets can be used to compensate for the emissions produced by funding an equivalent carbon dioxide saving somewhere else.

Visit www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx to calculate your footprint. You can track your future carbon use and work to reduce it by making changes in your everyday life and by using less energy. Recycling is one of the most important acts to follow in our daily lives because it can reduce the amount of waste in our landfills, sustain our natual resources and provide better air and water quality.

Lighten Your Key Ring Load

2011-02-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, you have way too many cards to carry for various stores. This card is a great idea to get the bar codes onto one card - and get rid of the clutter in your wallet!

This is an innovative and handy new way to manage all your store "loyalty cards". Combine up to six cards/tags on one card! Visit http://www.keyringthing.com/ for all the details and easy instructions on how to order and start enjoying the many benefits today.

Use number 33678 as your promotional code to get a 10% discount.

Winter Months can be a Difficult Drive

2011-01-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

Stop Your Windows from Fogging with... Shaving Cream!
To stop your windshield and other windows from fogging up on cold days, just dab the glass inside and outside with foam shaving cream, then wipe it off with a paper towel. It contains glycerin- the same ingredient found in commercial defoggers! - which leaves an invisible coating that prevents water vapor from fogging up windows for several weeks. In fact, it works so well, you can even use this trick to keep your bathroom mirrors from fogging up!
TIP: Wipe off wet or icy boots and umbrellas before entering your car; the less moisture inside, the less moist air and the less chance of your windows fogging up.

Keep your Headlights Bright with... Car Wax!
Road salt and slush can accumulate on your headlights, cutting your visibility by up to 30%. To the rescue: Car Wax! It has special repellents that prevent buildup; one quick swipe can protect your lights for up to a month!