50/30/20 Budgeting Rule: How to Use It [Instructions + Calculator]

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Money Basics Tagged apartment, budget, Budgeting, budgeting software, Buy, car, Career, Credit, Credit Card, Debt, deposit, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Grow, Home, house, housing, How To, keep, Life, Lifestyle, Luxury, Make, money, More, Pay Off Debt, paycheck, Paying Down Debt, Personal, Popular, Retirement, save, Save Money, Saving, Saving Money, savings, Savings Account, second, Security, Spending, studio apartment, Style, sustainable, Transportation, Travel, trends

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The 50/30/20 rule (also referred to as the 50/20/30 rule) is one method of budgeting that can help you keep your spending in alignment with your savings goals. Budgets should be about more than just paying your bills on time—the right budget can help you determine how much you should be spending, and on what.

The 50/30/20 rule can serve as a great tool to help you diversify your financial profile, reach dynamic savings goals, and foster overall financial health.

50/30/20 Budget Calculator

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Essentials$0.00

Wants$0.00

Savings$0.00

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In this post, we’re taking you through the steps of budgeting using the 50/30/20 approach so that you can learn how to set up a budget that’s sustainable, effective, and simple. Use the links below to navigate or read all the way through to absorb all of our tips on how to budget using the 50/30/20 method:

What is the 50/30/20 Budgeting Rule?

Popularized by Senator Elizabeth Warren and her daughter, the 50/30/20 budgeting rule–also referred to as the 50/20/30 budgeting rule–divides after-tax income into three different buckets:

Essentials (50%)
Wants (30%)
Savings (20%)

Essentials: 50% of your income

To begin abiding by this rule, set aside no more than half of your income for the absolute necessities in your life. This might seem like a high percentage (and, at 50%, it is), but once you consider everything that falls into this category it begins to make a bit more sense.

Your essential expenses are those you would almost certainly have to pay, regardless of where you lived, where you worked, or what your future plans happen to include. In general, these expenses are nearly the same for everyone and include:

Housing
Food
Transportation costs
Utility bills

The percentage lets you adjust, while still maintaining a sound, balanced budget. And remember, it’s more about the total sum than individual costs. For instance, some people live in high-rent areas, yet can walk to work, while others enjoy much lower housing costs, but transportation is far more expensive.

Wants: 30% of your income

The second category, and the one that can make the most difference in your budget, is unnecessary expenses that enhance your lifestyle. Some financial experts consider this category completely discretionary, but in modern society, many of these so-called luxuries have taken on more of a mandatory status. It all depends on what you want out of life and what you’re willing to sacrifice.

These personal lifestyle expenses include items such as: your cell phone plan, cable bill and trips to the coffee shop. If you travel extensively or work on-the-go, your cell phone plan is probably more of a necessity than a luxury. However, you have some wiggle room since you can decide upon the tier of the service you’re paying for. Other components of this category include gym memberships, weekend trips, and dining out with your friends. Only you can decide which of your expenses can be designated as “personal,” and which ones are truly obligatory. Similar to how no more than 50 percent of your income should go toward essential expenses, 30 percent is the maximum amount you should spend on personal choices. The fewer costs you have in this category, the more progress you’ll make paying down debt and securing your future.

Savings: 20% of your income

The next step is to dedicate 20% of your take-home pay toward savings. This includes savings plans, retirement accounts, debt payments and rainy-day funds—things you should add to, but which wouldn’t endanger your life or leave you homeless if you didn’t. That’s a bit of an oversimplification, but hopefully you get the gist. This category of expenses should only be paid after your essentials are already taken care of and before you even think about anything in the last category of personal spending.

Think of this as your “get ahead” category. Whereas 50%(or less) of your income is the goal for essentials, 20 percent—or more—should be your goal as far as obligations are concerned. You’ll pay off debt quicker and make more significant strides toward a frustration-free future by devoting as much of your income as you can to this category.

The term “retirement” might not carry a sense of urgency when you’re only 24 years old, but it certainly will become more pressing in decades to come. Just keep in mind the advantage of starting early is you will earn compounding interest the longer you let this fund grow.

Establishing good habits will last a lifetime. You don’t need a high income to follow the tenets of the 50/30/20 rule; anyone can do it. Since this is a percentage-based system, the same proportions apply whether you’re earning an entry-level salary and living in a studio apartment, or if you’re years into your career and about to buy your first home.

A note of caution, though: Try not to take this rule too literally. The proportions are sound, but your life is unlike anyone else’s. What this plan does is provide a framework for you to work within. Once you review your income and expenses and determine what’s essential and what’s not, only then you can create a budget that helps you make the most of your money. Years from now, you can still fall back on the same guidelines to help your budget evolve as your life does.

Ask Yourself: Why is a 50/30/20 Budget Necessary?

According to Consumer.gov, there are plenty of different reasons why people start a budget:

To save up for a large expense such as a house, car, or vacation
Put a security deposit on an apartment
To reduce spending habits
To improve credit score
To eliminate debt
To break the paycheck to paycheck cycle

Identifying the reason why you’re budgeting with the 50/30/20 method can help you stay motivated and create a better plan to reach your goal. It’s kind of like the “eye on the prize” mentality. If you’re tempted to splurge, you can use your overarching goal to bring you back to your saving senses. So ask yourself: why am I starting to budget? What do I want to achieve?

Additionally, if you’re saving up for something specific, try to determine an exact number so that you can regularly evaluate whether or not your budget is on track throughout the week, month, or year.

How to Budget with the 50/30/20 Rule

To make the most of this budgeting method, consider following the steps below:

Deep Dive Into Your Current Spending Habits

Before implementing a 50/30/20 budget, take a long, hard look in the mirror (or maybe your wallet, rather). We’re talking about analyzing your spending habits. Do you overspend on clothes? Shoes? Food? Drinks? Figuring out your spending vices from the very beginning will help you learn how to use a 50/30/20 budget that effectively cuts spending where you need it most.

Take a look at your bank and credit card statements over the last few months and see if you can find any common trends. If you find that you’re overspending on going out for food and drinks, come up with a plan for how you can avoid this scenario. Cook dinner at home before, have a potluck with friends, find happy hour specials around town. There are plenty of ways to budget and save money without compromising your social life.

Pro Tip: Using Mint’s easy budget categorization, you can identify where you can cut back on unnecessary expenses.

Identify Irregular Large Ticket Expenses in the “Wants” Category

Of course, there are expenses in life that we simply can’t avoid. Maybe you need to make a repair on your vehicle, or perhaps you’re putting a down payment on a house in the next six months. Oftentimes these bills are necessary expenses, so you’ll have to factor them into your budget.

When you’re coming up with your 50/30/20 budget, take a moment to look at your calendar so that you can plan for these expenses and adjust your spending in the time before and after you incur the expense.

Add Up All Income

Totaling your income is an important first step when learning how to budget your money using the 50/30/20 rule, but it’s not always as simple as it sounds. Depending on your job, you might have a relatively steady paycheck or one that fluctuates from month to month. If the latter is the case, collect your paychecks from the last six months and find the average income between them.

Is the 50/30/20 Budget Right for You?

The 50/30/20 budget isn’t the only option. Other popular methods include:

Zero-sum: The principle of the zero-sum budget is that you must allocate each and every dollar you earn toward a specific expense, savings account, debt, or disposable income account. This style can help deter unnecessary spending because you’ll know exactly how much you have to spend on what items.

Envelope budgeting: Swiping your card left and right is easy—but the envelope method doesn’t let you succumb to this temptation. Rather than using your card to spend, you use a predetermined amount of cash as your spending pool, nothing more.

Choosing a budgeting style that works for you depends on a variety of factors; there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to budgeting and saving money. That said, the 50/30/20 tends to be a simple yet effective option for getting started on your budgeting journey.

Main Takeaways: How to Budget Using the 50/30/20 Rule

Here are the key tenets of the 50/30/20 rule of budgeting:

This budget rule is a simple method that can help you reach your financial goals
This budgeting method stipulates that you spend no more than 50% of your after-tax income on needs
The remaining after-tax income should be split up between 30% wants or “lifestyle” purchases, and 20% to savings or debt repayment

Mint offers budgeting software and a helpful budgeting calculator that makes it easy to live in accordance with the 50/30/20 rule (or any budget that suits your lifestyle) so that you can live life to its fullest. After spending just a little bit of time determining which of your expenses fall into which category, you can create your very first budget and keep track of it every day. And when your situation undoubtedly changes, Mint lets you adjust, so your budget can change with you.

Sign up for your free account today, build your 50/30/20 budget, and make this the year you build a strong foundation for your future.

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Source: mint.intuit.com

Homebuying Must-Haves: How COVID-19 Has Changed What’s Hot or Not in a Home

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Cleaning And Maintenance Tagged Architecture, Blog, Buying, Coronavirus, covid-19, Debt, design, estate, existing, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Florida, front, Grow, Home, homes, hot or not, house, Investing, living room, market, More, must-haves, real, Real Estate, realtor, selling, Selling a Home, staging, Style, trends, versus

The last two months of stay-at-home orders and quarantines have drastically changed how people are utilizing and enjoying their home. The needs of homeowners have changed and that has altered what home buyers are now looking for in a home. What used to be the “must-have” item or space in a home is changing as homes have become people’s offices, playrooms, restaurants, and classrooms. Here’s what you can expect to come back in style, and fade out, in a post-coronavirus market.

What’s In

The Rise in Home Offices

As both children and parents are now working from home, homeowners are discovering the necessity for dedicated home offices. While the new normal post-coronavirus remains to be seen, companies are already planning for employees to work remotely more often. The days of utilizing the dining table as a workspace are proving to not be functional or realistic for the new reality. With an estimated 56% of the US workforce employed in a remote work compatible field and an estimated 66% of employees currently working from home during the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s now a critical element for home buyers that a home has a dedicated home office or an area that could be utilized as one. As sellers list their homes this summer, they’d be wise to cater to this new need by staging a room or area as an office for home buyers to see the potential.

Comfortable workplace with computer near wooden wall in stylish room interior. Home office design

Taking the Living Room Outside

The yard and extended living areas have always been a factor in the home buyer’s mind. But as community swimming pools and playgrounds are shuttered due to the outbreak, the importance of ample backyard space or additional outdoor areas to enjoy and relax have risen in popularity. As quarantine grows, many are looking for ways to escape their four walls in a safe way. Since COVID-19 and food scarcity, many homeowners value the area to create their own garden. Buyers will be looking for existing gardens or spaces to create one.

A Need for Flexible Spaces

As homeowners utilize their homes in new ways, spaces that can serve double (or triple) duty has major appeal. A guest bedroom that also provides a home office area, or a bonus room that serves as a media room and an at-home classroom. Homeowners are getting creative with their spaces and needing their spaces to serve multiple purposes. For those selling in the coming months, staging to promote and define flexible spaces would appeal to home buyers!

What’s Out

Open Concept Floor Plans

Although it has been all-the-rage for the last several years, open concept makes it difficult for homeowners that are cooking, Zoom-learning, and conference calling more often. As many modern designs offer one large room that serves as the living room, dining room, and kitchen, its popularity has waned as families need more individual, quiet spaces to work and learn at home.

Stainless Steel

What has been the “gold” standard in kitchens for many years, in a post-COVID world, home buyers are looking for sanitary surfaces. If you’ve ever stepped back to look at your stainless steel dishwasher, you’ve probably seen its front cluttered with fingerprints and handprints. Having lived through Coronavirus, we know the detrimental power of transferring germs and viruses from touch. More sanitary surfaces such as copper will most likely grow in popularity with buyers. In fact, in a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine and funded by the National Institute of Health, researchers discovered that the novel coronavirus survived for only four hours on copper versus three days on stainless steel.

While the future “new normal” is still up in the air, the real estate market is still moving homes. As with other previous events, COVID-19 has forced a change in the needs of buyers—and those needs may continue to evolve as more of our day-to-day lives are changed because of the pandemic. But, buyers are already shifting their needs and wants which we can reasonably expect to have a long term effect on home design.

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Jennifer is an accidental house flipper turned Realtor and real estate investor. She is the voice behind the blog, Bachelorette Pad Flip. Over five years, Jennifer paid off $70,000 in student loan debt through real estate investing. She’s passionate about the power of real estate. She’s also passionate about southern cooking, good architecture, and thrift store treasure hunting. She calls Northwest Arkansas home with her cat Smokey, but she has a deep love affair with South Florida.

Source: homes.com

American History: Massachusetts Home Built in 1647 Is This Week’s Oldest House for Sale

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Crime and Safety, Unique Homes Tagged architect, building, Curb Appeal, design, estate, Family, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, front, historic homes, Home, house, Life, lists, living room, Main, market, News, oldest, Original, patio, property, realtor, Style, Unique Homes

The United States has seen presidents come and go since 1789, but the oldest homes in America have been standing even longer than that.

Only a handful of homes in the nation can claim seniority over the oldest house to hobble onto the market this week. Built centuries ago, in 1647, the residence sits near the Atlantic Ocean in Marshfield, MA, and is one of the oldest homes in Plymouth County.

Updated inside and decorated in a nautical scheme of navy blue with crisp white accents, this old house doesn’t look as if it’s been around for nearly 400 years.

Besides the 17th century abode, there are several other can’t-miss Colonials on this week’s list—two in Bridgewater, MA, alone. There’s also a gorgeously renovated historic home in Charleston, SC, filled with fresh touches that elevate its historic status.

Scroll on down and have a look at all 10 of the oldest homes to land on the market this week.

Price: $659,900
Year built: 1647
Kenelm Winslow House: Lovingly updated, this Colonial sits on just under a half-acre at the end of a cul-de-sac near Rexhame Beach. Besides a plaque denoting its historic status, there’s also a gravestone out front with information on Kenelm Winslow.

The four-bedroom interior includes wide-plank pine floors, six fireplaces, beamed ceilings, built-ins, and a seamless mix of antique and contemporary finishes. The property also has an antique carriage house and storage sheds.

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Price: $1,550,000
Year built: 1704
The Georgian House: Once frequented by a who’s who of historic figures—including the signers of the Declaration of Independence, according to the listing—this is one of the city’s oldest homes.

The five-bedroom home has its original red pine floors, new bathrooms and kitchen, exposed wood beams, an updated country kitchen, and mudroom. Outside, the garden includes a patio, a wisteria arbor, and mature trees.

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Price: $750,000
Year built: 1705
Whitman-Rome House: The listing says this four-bedroom home is loosely associated with the poet Walt Whitman, who once lived in the area.

The charming residence has been updated in all the right places. The old wide-pine floors are still there, as are four fireplaces.

Each door on the main floor boasts a unique design. The nearly 2-acre lot also has a three-stall horse barn, so you can saddle up and explore the nearby 800-acre West Hills County Park, with its miles of trails.

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Price: $515,000
Year built: 1716
Greek Revival: This 18th-century farmhouse sits on just over an acre. Completely restored in the 1970s by an architect and updated again in 2020, the two-bedroom, 1,722-square-foot home includes a light-filled living room with fireplace, repainted interiors, and a large eat-in kitchen. The basement has a brick floor and workshop, and there’s also a garden shed out back.

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Price: $524,900
Year built: 1736
Wood/Crowley House: This charcoal-colored, three-bedroom home sits on nearly 3 wooded acres, and includes professional landscaping, an oversized barn and a garage. The antique home recently received a new roof and insulation, as well as a new water heater.

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Price: $2,000,000
Year built: 1740
Exclusive Charleston: Situated on one of the most historic streets in the city, this beautiful brick three-bedroom home has undergone several recent renovations and upgrades.

Updates include the custom black wooden shutters and copper gutters, a kitchen with a Calacatta Gold marble island, and a private, brick-enclosed garden. The gorgeous interiors are a potent blend of vintage style and modern touches.

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Price: $749,000
Year built: 1750
LaBasseur-Martinangle House: This historic four-bedroom home sits close to the water and received a restoration in 2007. Curb appeal is readily apparent, thanks to its covered porch and patio. Awash in airy pastels inside, this dreamy home is a one-of-a-kind antique.

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Price: $549,000
Year built: 1765
Joseph Hewes House: Bearing the name of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who is said to have owned this property, this historic Colonial is just steps from the waterfront, shops, and dining.

After several additions over the years, the handsome home has four bedrooms, a roomy kitchen, and an added closet in the owner’s suite. There are gardens and a storage building in the fenced backyard.

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Price: $579,600
Year built: 1760
Red, white and black: Impeccable from the exterior, thanks to its lovely lawn and bright-red front door, this Colonial has been updated throughout.

Highlights of the five-bedroom home include the sunny kitchen, four-season sunroom, wide-plank pine floors, and beehive oven. Outside, the 2-acre property has an in-ground pool, a barn with stables, plus a one-bedroom apartment with kitchenette and living room.

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Price: $239,900
Year built: 1770
Post and beam: This old farmhouse was restored to create a gorgeous, modern family home with character to spare.

Beamed ceilings, wood floors, and a stone fireplace are just a few of the vintage touches. A new kitchen, modern bathrooms, and updated systems have given this old three-bedroom house new life. The surrounding acreage is filled with fruit trees, raspberry bushes, a patio, and a small horse barn.

Source: realtor.com

Where to Sell Your Stuff for Top Dollar

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Life Hacks Tagged away, big, Buy, CDs, Credit, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Home, house, Make, market, money, Personal, School, selling, Sports, Style

Woman cleaning out her closet — tartanparty / Shutterstock.com

Believe it or not, winter will turn to spring before long, and with spring will come the nearly irresistible urge to purge your house of all the extra stuff lurking in the closets, the garage or under your kids’ beds.

A yard sale can be a quick and easy way to unload all that clutter, but you’re unlikely to get top dollar for your stuff from local bargain hunters. If your goal is to make as much money as possible, you must know where to sell.

Following are some of the best places to sell various types of wares.

Clothes

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com

If you have brand-name or designer duds in good condition, your best bet is probably to take those items to a local consignment shop, whether an independent store or one that is part of a chain like Style Encore or Plato’s Closet.

Depending on the shop’s policy, you might be paid either upfront or when an item sells.

How much you get also depends on the store. In addition, you might make more if you accept a store credit instead of cash for your items.

If you live in an area with no consignment shops nearby, consider an online option such as Swap.com or ThredUp.

If nothing else, turn in your old clothes at a local retailer with a recycling program and receive a discount in return. We detail these programs in “10 Retailers That Will Pay You to Recycle Your Old Stuff.”

Books

Stores selling used books are a dying breed. But if you have one nearby, see what your book collection would garner there.

If you live near a Half Price Books store, selling your books there is another option, as we detail in “9 Companies That Sell Your Stuff for You.”

If not, see how much Powell’s might give you. This independent bookstore chain in Oregon will cover the cost of shipping if you sell your books to it.

Otherwise, there are websites like Decluttr that can help sell your old titles.

To find out how much you could get selling your books online, head to BookScouter’s website, which lists offers from more than 30 book buy-back programs.

Electronics

Man making a plan on laptop — Bplanet / Shutterstock.com

There’s no shortage of ways to sell old electronics. To name a few, you can go through:

How much you get and how you are paid will differ from site to site and program to program. So, get quotes from a few places.

If you have outdated or nonworking electronics, read “10 Retailers That Will Pay You to Recycle Your Old Stuff.”

Regardless of how you sell an old electronic device, don’t forget to wipe the hard drive of any personal information first.

Movies, music and video games

Music CDs — Telekhovskyi / Shutterstock.com

The Amazon Trade-In program accepts video games. And Decluttr is also an online option for clearing out old CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays.

For an off-line option, check with a Half Price Books or video game store such as GameStop.

Collectibles and antiques

If you have a truly valuable antique or a collection of highly prized items, you’ll likely get the most money through an auction house. Look for one that specializes in your type of item to ensure it is able to attract the right buyers.

If you have antiques or collectibles that aren’t quite auction-house caliber, look for an antique store that might be interested in either purchasing them or selling them on consignment.

You can also test the waters with eBay, but unless it’s an item with a devoted following, your auction might get lost in the millions of other listings. Try listing with a “Buy It Now” price if you’re hoping to get a specific price.

China and dishware

Even good-quality china and dishware can be difficult to sell for any significant amount of money nowadays.

Replacements Ltd. and the International Association of Dinnerware Matchers will buy china and dishware. These options might offer the easiest way to get a decent amount for your china.

Of course, these sites are going to turn around and sell the items to others for a significantly higher price. If you want to cut out the middle man, you can try selling on eBay. But, as with antiques and collectibles, your listing can get lost in the competition.

Research the going rate for your particular brand and style of china. Then, consider selling individual pieces rather than the whole set to maximize your profits.

Sports equipment

hockey sticks — Alexandr Grant / Shutterstock.com

Some resale chains such as Play It Again Sports specialize in used fitness equipment.

You can also turn to Craigslist for sales of sports equipment. If you do sell on Craigslist, be sure to follow some simple safety precautions.

To avoid getting caught up in a scam, stick to local transactions paid for with cash or money order for an exact amount.

If possible, meet the buyer in a public place rather than having someone come to your home. If you are selling something large like a treadmill, try to move the item to a garage or entryway to limit a stranger’s access to your house. Also, have a friend — or big dog — home with you at the time of the pickup.

Musical instruments

Boy playing electric drums — Bignai / Shutterstock.com

Some old musical instruments are a dime a dozen, and you’re lucky if you can give them away. However, others might have some value.

Before selling an old instrument, your first stop should be a music supply store. It might cost you a couple of dollars, but ask whether the store can give your instrument a once-over to clean it up, check for any defects and estimate a value. Then, ask if they sell instruments on consignment.

If not, contact local school music departments and let them know you have an instrument for sale. Band teachers might be happy to pass along the word to families in the market to buy.

Or, if you live near a specialty resale store like Music Go Round, find out what it would pay you.

If neither of these options works, try Craigslist.

Furniture

Unless a piece of furniture is a valuable antique that might be of interest to an auction house, you are likely to come away with the most money by listing it on Craigslist or in local classifieds. Or, if you have a way to transport the item there, look for a furniture consignment store in your area.

You can use the Splitwise furniture calculator to determine how much your piece has depreciated. However, be aware that the depreciated price isn’t necessarily the same as the fair market price. Depending on your area, you can end up selling practically brand-new furniture for 50% off.

Everything else

Finally, we come to everything else: the kitchen gadgets, the toys, the knickknacks, the picture frames and all the rest.

Except in rare cases, most of this stuff is, sadly, not going to fetch much. These are the items that are primed for your yard sale.

Alternatively, load everything up and take it to your local thrift store. In some areas, the thrift store will even pick up your boxes of unwanted treasures.

Disclosure: The information you read here is always objective. However, we sometimes receive compensation when you click links within our stories.

Source: moneytalksnews.com

Compliments to the Chef

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Investment Properties Tagged away, brooklyn, design, Entertainment, Family, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Home, house, keep, Life, Luxury, Main, new york, Personal, planning, Style, weather

As more Americans turn to home cooking and entertaining, the functionality of a kitchen is more important than ever when choosing a home.

Over the past half-century, kitchens have become somewhat fetishized; a place to display high-tech appliances and high design cookware, a social hub for friends and family, and a continuation of home style that showcases elegance and considered design choices. Pare it back to basics, though, and today’s kitchen is still essentially what it always has been: a place to prepare food. And homeowners, spurred recently by stay-at-home orders, but also inspired by home-cooking television shows, health concerns and the rising expense of dining out, are increasingly relying on their kitchens in times when eating out is not an option, as well as using their kitchens as additional entertainment space; somewhere to try their hand at cooking for their friends and family. For house hunters who relish the opportunity to regularly entertain and prepare food for guests, it pays to know what to look for when assessing kitchen space during your house search—and the best person to ask is an expert.

Edouard Massih is a private chef and caterer in New York City. He hosts intimate dinners in his own home, giving local diners the experience of enjoying his food in a less formal, more personal way. Massih, who was born in Lebanon, found his love for cooking in his grandmother’s kitchen. Sharing food and creating community has always been the driving force behind Massih’s cooking, and he has discovered a way to do that in his own backyard—literally.

“I wanted to invite people into my backyard, because I had a very unique space in Brooklyn, and not a lot of people [in New York] get to have dinners in a backyard,” Massih says. To bring to life his vision of cooking for the community, Massih extensively renovated his Greenpoint backyard, creating a lush urban escape where guests can enjoy the exquisite food that he prepares in his own kitchen—each dish enhanced by a dash of his grandfather’s olive oil, all the way from Lebanon.

Having worked on his kitchen to ensure that it had everything that he needed to support his at-home dining experiences, Massih has the knowledge of both a professional chef and a home cook. We asked him for some tips to help aspiring culinary hosts to choose the right kitchen space, starting with the five kitchen elements that he finds to be indispensable. First, Massih says, is “the right fridge, or the right fridge space.” Part of taking the pressure off yourself when entertaining, he says, is making sure that you’re prepared in advance. “Entertaining is all about making it simple for yourself when people are there— being able to prep ahead and batching the drinks; having the pitchers of water ready in the fridge; and having everything ready to go. Maybe serve more cold stuff than hot. You can do a pasta salad and an orzo salad, and make it two hours in advance.”

Preparing food in advance, chilling drinks and ensuring that all of your produce is fresh all comes down to having the right fridge. And while interactive fridges with weather forecasts and recipe databases can be useful, the main thing is space—and plenty of it. If you want to get fancy, you could go for a hot-water dispenser and temperature-adjustable drawers, both of which assist in various cooking processes; just make sure that you have enough shelf space to hold all of the food and beverages that you’ve prepped for your guests.

Because you can’t make a lot of food without creating a lot of mess, Massih insists that having two sinks is vital: one dedicated to food prep, and one to cleanup. You can keep your prep equipment near your prep sink (think bowls, colanders, appliances), and dishes near the cleanup sink (which should ideally be close to the dishwasher). In addition, having two sinks creates more flexibility for multiple cooks, and streamlines the flow while you’re cooking.

The third must-have for Massih is “a lot of prep area—lots of counter space.” You need space for laying out, preparing and organizing ingredients, which most people consider when thinking about counter space; but if you’re planning on entertaining groups of diners, you also need enough counter space to plate all of the meals at once. Nobody wants to be balancing plates on top of kitchen stools because there’s not enough room for everything on the countertop.

Fourth for Massih is storage, in terms of both kitchen cabinets and a decent pantry. You want plenty of space, and also space that complements your cooking flow. Pots and pans should be as close to your stove as possible—either on a rack above or in a cabinet below—and serving utensils like spoons and tongs should be close to where you do your plating, to minimize the number of steps you have to take to collect your cooking tools, which helps with efficiency when you’re cooking for a group of people. A walk-in pantry is ideal, with various shelf sizes and storage options for appliances that are not in regular use. For chefs, there’s nothing worse than a cluttered cooktop.

Lastly, Massih emphasizes the importance of, as he calls it, “legit trash.” “You want a trash can that’s near the sink or accessible around [where you’re working], and not one of those little tiny trash barrels that fits nothing,” he says. “Otherwise, every two minutes, you’ll have to take the trash out when you’re prepping.” Massih also spends a lot of time cooking in other people’s kitchens as part of his catering and private-chef business, and the one feature that he is always delighted to see is a back kitchen.

“What is really nice about some of [the private homes that I cook in] is they have a back kitchen, like the ‘help’ kitchen,” he says. “That really does help a lot. If I [had the resources], and I was looking for a house to entertain in a lot or to do a lot of dinners in, then that’s definitely something that I would look for. “A lot of these kitchens nowadays are very open-plan, because the idea of it is that it’s really fun. But it gets annoying when you’re [hosting] a formal dinner, and you can’t do dishes [or hide them away] while your guests are eating. Having a small back kitchen really helps, because then you can hide all of the stuff that you don’t want people to see.”

There’s nothing wrong with a kitchen as a style statement, and most people whose interests lie in kitchens will admit to some fetish-like reverence. Just keep practical concerns in mind, particularly when you have culinary aspirations; remember, you can have a waterfall countertop AND legit trash. That’s what we call the best of both worlds.

For more information on Edouard Massih and his home-style cooking, visit www.edouardmassih.com.

Source: century21.com

Daniel LaRusso’s House on Cobra Kai: A Real-Life Tuscan-Style Villa

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Investment Properties Tagged Architecture, as seen on tv, away, building, california, car, Cities, Credit, Family, Featured, filming locations, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, georgia homes, Home, house, Life, Luxury, Movie & TV Homes, netflix, Original, Popular, real, School, Style, tax

In Netflix’s popular series inspired by the iconic ’80s movie the original Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso, has moved up in the world — and traded the rundown apartment complex he lived in with his mother for a downright gorgeous Tuscan villa in a posh Los Angeles neighborhood.

In the 30 years or so since Daniel (played by Ralph Macchio) famously defeated the Cobra Kai star student and two-time winner of the All Valley Karate Championship, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), LaRusso becomes the owner of a successful car dealership chain in Southern California. He lives happily with his wife, Amanda, and their two children, Samantha and Anthony, in a large home with a swimming pool in Encino — an upscale neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. At least that’s what the storyline of Cobra Kai claims.

^{Daniel LaRusso’s house in Cobra Kai. Image credit: Netflix}

With countless scenes in the series taking place at the LaRusso residence, we couldn’t help ourselves and had to track down the house featured in the Netflix show. Especially since the Tuscan style house is so damn beautiful (and I’m willing to bet I wasn’t the only one reduced to tears to see members of the Cobra Kai dojo make a complete mess out of it at the end of the third season).

Where is Daniel LaRusso’s house in Cobra Kai?

Carefully picked to reflect Daniel San’s new status in the world, his luxurious-yet-homey Spanish-inspired villa is said to be located in Encino, a quiet, affluent neighborhood in San Fernando Valley. While still geographically close to Reseda, where Daniel lived with his mother after moving to Los Angeles, Encino is worlds apart in terms of affordability and home prices — which also signals the divide between Daniel and Johnny, and which worlds they belong to as grown-ups. Boasting impressive architecture and verdant green spaces, Encino has housed a number of notable residents, from Richard Pryor to Johnny Cash, and even got a shot-out from Frank Zappa in his 1982 hit song “Valley Girl”.

^{Daniel and Johnny next to the pool of the LaRusso house in Cobra Kai. Image credit: Netflix}

Where to find it in real life

With its Tuscan-style architecture, Mediterranean-inspired décor, lush landscaping, and generous pool area, the house looks like it was taken straight out of a rich Los Angeles neighborhood. So much so, that many people have pointed out the striking similarities between Daniel Larusso’s house and that of the Walsh family from Beverly Hills 90210. While the two TV homes do share some architectural features, two very different locations were used for filming.

In real life, the LaRusso house isn’t even in California. The house is actually in Marietta, Georgia, a beautiful community located just northwest of Atlanta. While we won’t provide the exact address of the home (out of privacy concerns, as this is an actual single-family house that a lucky family calls home), we did manage to track it down on Zillow.com, and find out quite a few things about it.

With an estimated worth of $1.7 million, the charming Tuscan villa has 6 bedrooms and 7 baths spread across roughly 9,000 square feet of living space. As seen on the Netflix show, the house comes with tons of outdoor space, including a resort-like pool and al fresco dining, and there’s also a greenhouse and an indoor atrium. Other nice features include cork floors, clay walls, and many expansive, rounded windows that add to the appeal of the house.

^{Cobra Kai – Season 2 – Episode 205. Scene filmed inside the LaRusso house. Image credit: BOB MAHONEY/NETFLIX}

^{Daniel and Amanda LaRusso in their fictional home in Cobra Kai. Image credit: BOB MAHONEY/NETFLIX}

Other Cobra Kai filming locations are split between Georgia and California

Despite the action of the show taking place in California, many of the locations seen on screen are actually in Georgia. Just like the LaRusso family home, their dealership and the country club they belong to are both in Georgia, as is the fictional West Valley High School (scenes take place C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center in Adamsville, Atlanta).

In fact, the only prominent location from the series that’s actually based in California is Johnny Lawrence’s apartment building, said to be in Reseda. In reality, it’s located about a 10-minute drive away, on Burbank Blvd in Tarzana.

^{Outside Johnny Lawrence’s apartment building on Cobra Kai. Image credit: Mark Hill/NETFLIX}

This isn’t the first time Georgia serves as filming grounds for shows said to be based in different cities. Due to its great tax incentives, the Peach State has been attracting film crews in droves, with many popular shows being filmed here including Ozark, The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, The Haunting of Hill House, Sweet Magnolias, and many more.

More homes from popular TV shows

The ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ House Isn’t Even in Bel-Air
Is it Real? Lucifer’s Den of Sin & Luxury Penthouse at Lux
Where to Find the Real Carrington Manor from ‘Dynasty’
Are They Real? The Opulent Homes in ‘Bridgerton’

Source: fancypantshomes.com

Charming Estate With Ties to The Beatles On the Market in Connecticut

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Investment Properties Tagged Credit, estate, Family, Featured, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Home, house, IRA, Life, market, nyc real estate, outdoors, Personal, Popular, property, real, Real Estate, Style

A gorgeous, sprawling Connecticut estate with ties to The Beatles, Prudence Farrow, and the Gershwin brothers is up for sale in Westport for $9 million.

The seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom, 9,360-square-foot property at 157 Easton Road, also known as River Run Estate, is being marketed by Compass’ Susan Vanech. It was originally built in 1955, and completely renovated in 2020, pairing old-school charm with modern-day amenities.

The marketing for the resort-style estate is inspired by John Lennon’s ‘Imagine,’ as a reflection of the home being restored and getting a new lease on life. But there is also another, far more fascinating connection to The Beatles.

^{Westport, CT home with ties to The Beatles. Image credit: Compass}

Their song ‘Dear Prudence’ was based on Mia Farrow’s sister Prudence Farrow, who fell into a deep depression during her teenage years after her father’s sudden passing. John Lennon and George Harrison, who were in the same social circles as Prudence, wrote the song to help lift her spirits — and it ended up becoming a massive hit.

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At the time, Prudence Farrow was living at the River Run Estate, and in her memoir, she describes hiking in the woods near the property, canoeing, skating on the pond, and playing with the neighborhood kids.

Back when Prudence resided at 157 Easton Road, the property was owned by violinist and photographer Leopold Godowsky Jr., and his wife Frankie Gershwin, younger sister to George and Ira Gershwin (the songwriting team whose songs were synonymous with the sounds and style of the Jazz Age). The frequent parties and gatherings at River Run Estate are said to have maybe inspired some of the Gershwins’ most popular compositions.

The estate is the epitome of relaxed, outdoorsy Connecticut living, featuring personal tennis courts, a home gym, and access to the river waterfront with waterfalls to canoe, paddle, or swim.

^{Westport, CT home with ties to The Beatles. Image credit: Compass}

There are also plenty of walking and hiking trails, as well as a pool and spa with a steam room. The outdoor area also includes a river house and a greenhouse, so the property would be an ideal fit for someone who loves the outdoors and enjoys being in nature year-round.

Inside the property, there is an exquisite owner’s suite, as well as separate guest quarters for when friends or family come to visit. The home incorporates quiet offices, perfect for a work-from-home setup, a spacious dining room, multiple fireplaces, and fantastic views.

^{Westport, CT home with ties to The Beatles. Image credit: Compass}

Keep reading

A Charming Home Featured on HGTV’s ‘Property Brothers’ is Looking for New Owners
Shigeru Ban-Designed Home in Sagaponack, NY is the Prized Architect’s Only Project in the Area
New Jersey’s Gloria Crest Estate, Once Home to Hollywood Silent Film Starlet, Is on the Market
These 5 Unique Listings Will Remind You of Everything that Makes NYC Real Estate Special

Source: fancypantshomes.com

The Home Gym Gets a Makeover

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Investment Properties Tagged Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Home, Luxury, Personal, Style

Where you work matters as much as where you work out. Like the home office, the home gym has moved from afterthought to forethought in the COVID era. Affluent homeowners are now creating workout spaces loaded with personal style. Whether it’s designing around Peloton bikes and Mirror systems or creating complete wellness suites for relaxation, the new home gym is all about you.

Source: century21.com

How to Pay Yourself First

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Home Improvement Tagged big, budget, Budgeting, building, car, Checking Account, cons, Credit, Credit Card, Debt, Emergency Fund, Entertainment, Financial Goals, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Grow, Health Insurance, Home, housing, How To, Insurance, Investing Advice, keep, Life, Lifestyle, money, Mortgage, mortgage payments, paycheck, Paying Down Debt, Personal, pros, Pros and Cons, rent, Retirement, retirement funds, save, Saving, savings, Savings Account, savings accounts, Spending, Style, tax, Taxes

Paying yourself first is a budgeting strategy that suggests individuals should contribute to a retirement account, emergency fund, savings account, or other savings vehicle before spending their paycheck on anything else.

The pay yourself first method is a pretty simple concept to understand, but actually applying to your own finances can become a little more complex. To help our Minters put this plan into practice, we’re breaking it down step-by-step and revealing some of the advantages and drawbacks of paying yourself first.

If you already have a solid grasp on the topic, use the links below to navigate throughout the post, or read all the way through for the full picture.

What does it mean to pay yourself first?

Pay yourself first definition: The pay yourself first method, also known as reverse budgeting, is a savings strategy that says individuals should save a portion of their paycheck before spending any other money on bills, groceries, or discretionary items. The amount saved is typically predetermined as part of a larger savings goal, and is often funneled into retirement funds and/or savings accounts.

Many financial experts and individual consumers who subscribe to this method choose to have funds automatically redirected into their elected savings account(s).

For example, if you want to put $200 of every paycheck toward your 401k, you could set up an automatic contribution rather than physically transfer funds each pay period. For many savvy savers, this makes it easier to commit to a monthly goal, because the amount never actually reaches your checking account, but is rather allocated directly toward your savings.

Note: There are several options you can employ to make the pay yourself first strategy work for your finances. If you prefer to make the transfers on your own instead of automatically, that’s totally okay! This budgeting style is really all about consistency — contributing a set amount each month to your retirement plan or savings account can really pay off over time.

Advantages of the pay yourself first method

Like any financial decision you’ll make in your lifetime, you’ll want to consider the pros and cons of subscribing to the pay yourself first philosophy.

The primary benefit of setting aside savings first, is building the amount you have saved over time. This strategy forces you to live within, or below your means — so long as you don’t start swiping your credit card recklessly instead.

Here are a few other potential benefits you could reap if you employ the pay yourself first strategy:

You can save up for big purchases, like a home, car, or dream vacation. Or, put your hard-earned dollars toward an emergency fund, personal savings, or retirement.
Contributing to accounts that earn compound interest allows your money to continue growing the longer you leave it untouched.
Many retirement funds and other savings options are considered “tax-advantaged.” This means that your dollars may be exempted from tax, or in the case of IRAs and 401ks, tax-deferred; so you’ll pay taxes later on when you make a withdrawal.

Drawbacks of the pay yourself first method

In addition to the positive aspects a pay yourself first budget may offer, there are some potential drawbacks that could ensue under certain circumstances. Put simply, the strategy simply does not work for everyone. As you learn about the pay yourself first method, consider how it fits into the context of your personal finances.

Here are a few examples where paying yourself first may not work to your benefit:

Without following careful money management advice, you may find yourself scraping for change to make ends meet. Before you commit to a monthly savings goal, use a budgeting calculator to determine how much money you can reasonably afford to save each month.
While prioritizing your savings can help you boost the balance in your savings account, it may be worth paying down debt first. Because interest compounds over time, waiting to pay off a credit card or a student loan, for example, means that you’ll pay more interest the longer there is an outstanding balance.

As you consider the various strategies you can use to build your savings, remember to take a close look at the potential pros and cons you may encounter. There are plenty of saving styles you can leverage, so don’t count yourself out if this one isn’t the best fit for you. For more help creating a budget and savings plan that meets your needs, check out how Mint can help!

How to Pay Yourself First

Now that you know what it means to pay yourself first, and have had a moment to consider the potential benefits and drawbacks, let’s take a look at how this strategy actually plays out, step-by-step.

1. Evaluate your monthly income + expenses

Before you decide on the amount you want to save each month, take a look at both your fixed and variable expenses. Your fixed expenses are those costs that stay consistent month over month, like your rent or mortgage payments, student loan bill, and health insurance, for example.

Your variable expenses, on the other hand, aren’t always the same amount each time, and sometimes you don’t incur them at all. Entertainment costs, vehicle maintenance, and groceries are all examples of variable costs, and so, their price tag may vary from one month to the next — just do your best to estimate these.

Once you can project your monthly expenses, subtract the amount from your monthly income to see what’s leftover. Depending on your savings and greater financial goals, you can tweak some of your spending to free up more cash.

2. Identify your savings goals + commit

Now that you have a better understanding of your income and expenses, you can set some savings goals!

If you’re not sure where to start, consider the 50/30/20 rule.

The rule says…

50% of your budget should go toward essential expenses such as housing, food, utilities, an minimum debt payments
30% should be reserved for wants and lifestyle expenses
20% should be funneled into your savings and any extra debt payments

If you don’t want to crunch the numbers on your own, try out our 50/30/20 calculator and we’ll do the heavy lifting for you!

In addition to setting forth a savings target, you’ll also want to think about where you want your reserved cash to live, and hopefully, grow. If you want to save up for retirement, a 401k or an IRA might make sense, whereas traditional savings accounts might work better for those wanting to save up funds for a shorter length of time.

3. Review + reevaluate

Whether you’re using the pay yourself first method or another savings strategy, it’s important to remember that your budget should never be static. As life changes, your finances follow. A better salary or a reduction in your living expenses could present more opportunities to save, while a pay cut or recently incurred expense could have the opposite effect.

To keep your budget optimized and up to date, take the time to review and reevaluate it on a regular basis, and when significant changes arise.

Wrapping Up

The pay yourself first budgeting style can be a favorable way to boost the balance in your savings account, retirement fund, or other savings goal. However, budgeters should reflect on their unique financial situation to assess whether this strategy suits them. In most circumstances, it would be in your best interest to pay down debt before you start making monthly contributions to your savings.

If you subscribe to the pay yourself first philosophy, follow these three steps:

Evaluate your monthly income + expenses
Identify your savings goals + commit
Review + reevaluate

Need some extra guidance to find the right budget for your lifestyle? Mint gives you a data-driven perspective, helps you launch and track savings objectives, and empowers you to actualize your greater financial goals.

Learn more about security

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Source: mint.intuit.com

Staying Home for the Super Bowl? 9 Items To Give Your Place a Sports Bar Vibe on Game Day

February 10, 2021 by Liam Lane Posted in Home Improvement, Travel Tagged bar, big, Buy, Decor, estate, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, football, front, Holidays, Home, home bar, Home Improvement, Life, money, News, pros, realtor, rent, Sports, Style, Super Bowl, Vs.

Truth: Some folks were just fine with the fact that Thanksgiving and other holidays had to be scaled back last year due to the coronavirus. Frankly, less exposure to Aunt Martha meant you could avoid her gloppy casserole and prying questions about your love life.

But we’ll admit that watching the Super Bowl at home—when you’d rather be at your favorite sports bar tossing down hot wings and yelling at the screen—is just a wee bit depressing.

Alas, we still shouldn’t gather indoors as the pandemic hangs on. But the game (and the halftime show!) must go on—and there’s no reason we shouldn’t enjoy it in style. So why not transform your den into your own mini sports arena? For some help, here’s what the pros would include for maximum fun on game day.

1. TV trays

Tuck this slender piece along your couch end when the game is over.

Wayfair

“The Super Bowl is all about the snacks, so I’d pick these retro TV trays, especially since you can also use them as a mini desk after game day,” says Darla DeMorrow, author of “Organizing Your Home With SORT and SUCCEED.”

This wheeled pick can be slid into place easily, plus the lower shelves neatly hold remotes, books, and other den gear ($105, Wayfair).

2. TV wall mount

Swivel this device for the right angles in your TV room.

Amazon

Among the best parts of sitting in a sports bar are the multiple screens and replays, which means you’ll never miss a single fumble. At home, you can up your game with a sturdy wall mount so your flat-screen TV is perfectly tilted.

You can mount the bracket on wood, brick, or concrete and then relax, knowing the 10-year warranty has you covered ($27, Amazon).

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Watch: Rent vs. Buy: Yes, Even NFL Players Should Run the Numbers

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3. Cozy seating

Compact chairs are smart for small spaces,

Crate & Barrel

Comfy recliners or—better yet—smart-looking swivel chairs are the ultimate in seating in front of your big-screen TV, says Karen Gray-Plaisted of Design Solutions KGP.

This barrel shape sports a ’70s vibe as well as durable boucle upholstery that’ll help hide black bean dip drips ($1,199, Crate & Barrel).

4. Themed tumblers

Steel-lined, splash-proof mugs are a must during touchdowns.

Macy’s

Real fans feature their favorite team’s colors and logo at Super Bowl time, whether it’s a jersey hung on the wall or a set of cool containers for serving drinks.

If your money’s on Tom Brady to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the championship this year, outfit your den with these bright tumblers. Beverages stay cold for a full 24 hours thanks to double-wall insulation ($30, Macy’s).

5. Air fryer

A toaster oven and air fryer in one sleek device

Kohl’s

Homemade mac and cheese balls are cheaper (and possibly even more delicious) if you prep them yourself. But the best home cooking perk comes from using an air fryer, which yields healthier results.

If you can swing it, this high-end appliance is a workhorse that air-fries, bakes, broils, and toasts all of your snacks and breakfast foods in a stylish, stainless-steel package ($250, Kohl’s).

6. Floor pillows

Choose from 10 shades and striped combinations

Wayfair

“Since this year is all about staying safe at home, I think football fans should get cozy with big floor pillows, and this way, everyone has a direct line-of-sight seat for the game,” says DeMorrow.

This twill fabric features a simple color palette that’ll mesh with most decor schemes ($97, Wayfair).

7. Mini fridge

Smart door storage keeps soda cans secure.

Wayfair

What’s the one thing you can’t run out of during the Super Bowl? That’s right, cold beer. To ensure easy access to your suds, consider a mini fridge (especially in this sea-foam shade) for your den or rec room. This little guy pulls its weight as it also includes a freezer compartment ($180, Wayfair).

8. Panini press

A press that comes in chrome, red, or stainless-steel finishes

Amazon

Wonder why those subs taste so good at the bar? They’re crisped on the outside and melty between the layers—and you can achieve this same hoagie nirvana in a panini press.

“I love to lay out cold cuts, bread, and condiments, and then each person can make their own hot sandwich at halftime,” says Gray-Plaisted.

Thick paninis are no challenge for this nonstick press, which is also aces at griddling quesadillas ($50, Amazon).

9. Cheese tray

Perfect for charcuterie or a pile of brownies and whoopie pies

Wayfair

Aww, did you think we wouldn’t give the Kansas City Chiefs equal time? They’re in it to win it, too, this year. Plus you can’t have too many trays and serving platters during the Super Bowl.

This well-priced choice comes with its own nifty cheese knife with a handy pick at the end for spearing the fattest piece of brie ($53, Wayfair).

Source: realtor.com

What is the 50/30/20 Budgeting Rule?

Essentials: 50% of your income

Wants: 30% of your income

Savings: 20% of your income

Ask Yourself: Why is a 50/30/20 Budget Necessary?

How to Budget with the 50/30/20 Rule

Deep Dive Into Your Current Spending Habits

Identify Irregular Large Ticket Expenses in the “Wants” Category

Add Up All Income

Is the 50/30/20 Budget Right for You?

Main Takeaways: How to Budget Using the 50/30/20 Rule

What’s In

The Rise in Home Offices

Taking the Living Room Outside

A Need for Flexible Spaces

What’s Out

Open Concept Floor Plans

Stainless Steel

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What does it mean to pay yourself first?

Advantages of the pay yourself first method

Drawbacks of the pay yourself first method

How to Pay Yourself First

1. Evaluate your monthly income + expenses

2. Identify your savings goals + commit

3. Review + reevaluate

Wrapping Up

Related Articles

1. TV trays

2. TV wall mount

3. Cozy seating

4. Themed tumblers

5. Air fryer

6. Floor pillows

7. Mini fridge

8. Panini press

9. Cheese tray