fbpx
:::: MENU ::::

Posts tagged with: foreigners
Apr 24, 2024    |      0 comments

Lower Maintenance Yard – Goals

by

I am sure you are tired of hearing me complain about yard work. Frankly, I am tired of it too. And I haven’t even started. So I decided to start making my lawn, less of a lawn. Lower maintenance. More edible. And that’s started…

I’ve imagined up and drawn out a backyard design that includes lots of plants native to Georgia, multiple areas with standing garden beds and pathways with pavers.

Why Native Plants

  • Native plants do not require fertilizers.
  • Native plants require fewer pesticides than lawns.
  • Native plants require less water than lawns.
  • Native plants help reduce air pollution by eliminating mowing.
  • Native plants provide shelter and food for wildlife.
  • Native plants promote biodiversity and stewardship of our natural heritage.
  • Native plants save money.

Source: H2GrOw

The Plan

A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I built a couple more standing beds. And I began covering sections of the yard with thick layers of cardboard (free from my local part time job) and landscaping fabric. As I have time, the energy, and the funds, I am going to cover those areas with mulch. I’m also watching for mulch sales.

Beauty and her boyfriend have taken on a few garden beds as well. She is definitely the chef of our family and loves using fresh herbs. We have rosemary and mint growing in abundance, she has plans to built out a full offering of herbs and specialty items.

We have plans to plant berries and fruit trees; however, I don’t think that will be in the budget this year. My real goal is to lay out all the beds and get the ground cover done.

Now is the Time

With the plan to NOT travel other than this last minute trip to Texas. I should have lots of time to spend in the yard doing a little at a time. Which is all my back will allow…growing older can sure be hard on the body!

I am relying heavily on local greenhouses to guide me in the native plant, low maintenance selection. I know it will take time, and we all know patience is not one of my virtues. But the vision of a “wild” beautiful yard keeps me motivated.

Resource Sites

GSU Perimeter Garden

Native Plant Community Design

Using Georgia Native Plants

Athens-Clarke County: H2GRow

 

 

Apr 23, 2024    |      0 comments

Tips for Making a Debt Management Checklist

by

Being in debt can feel like someone is sitting on your chest all the time. It’s a feeling of constant dread, and it can overwhelm you if you don’t take steps to manage it. You can do that by creating a checklist that you can follow along with to ensure that you are making progress. Here are some tips for making

Assess Your Current Situation and See Where You Stand

Here’s where you’re going to be able to see what kind of beast you’re trying to get your arms around. When you see everything written down in front of you, it can give you some clarity about how to go about attacking the debt. See if you can pay off the smaller ones and then negotiate with the larger ones to lower the amount that you owe. There are times when they will just want to get something instead of nothing.

See How You Can Save Money

There are ways that you can lower some bills in your home. For example, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, you can save up to 20% on your monthly energy bills by sealing air leaks and adding insulation. You can then use that money to pay your debts.

Although you don’t want to wind up adding to the debt, there are times when you can get loans to do things like home improvement. According to Investopedia, you can use that money to pay off 100% of the renovation. Then, if you put your home on the market, you can get a return on that investment and pay the loan before too much, or even any interest accrues.

Maintain Things

You also need to make sure that certain things, like appliances, run smoothly. Your plumbing system, too. According to Angi, if it’s a newer system, you should have it receive maintenance once every two years. While you might be in debt, you also don’t want to sink more money into getting a replacement for something instead of getting it repaired. Doing that will be a long-term strategy for putting money back in your pocket to use for your debt.

Cut Unnecessary Expenses

The things that we listed above can be seen as necessary. You’ll need a vehicle to drive back and forth to work to make money to pay for your debts. There are things that aren’t necessary, though. You don’t need to pay a lot of money to eat out every night or to order delivery. You could save a good amount of money by grocery shopping or making sandwiches for lunch. You don’t need multiple streaming services – see if you can get free options. A few commercials are a small price to pay. That’s money that can be redirected to your creditors and help you stop being a debtor.

Manageable Side Hustles

There are other possibilities. You might consider getting a second job or finding a side hustle, like selling things on sites like eBay or Craigslist. Some people make a career of doing this. Find something that you’re good at. Are you skilled at finding collectible sports cards in places that others might not know where to look? You can do that and put the profits toward paying off debt.

By doing the above things, you can create a checklist to get you on the path to being debt-free. Don’t let the panic set in. Just take several deep breaths and write out the checklist. See if you can talk to any financial advisors. They can go into more detail about the things you can do. There are debt refinancing companies that can negotiate with your creditors and get your payments lowered. See how many options there are out there.

1 2 3 … 1,877