Residential real estate offers great investment opportunities. If you’re someone who is looking to turn a profit and are willing to put in the work, fix-and-flip properties can be a wonderful consideration. While this is one of the easier ways to see a return on your investment, there are still plenty of risks involved. To see the best results, consider these tips for beginners.
Conduct Heavy Research
Before you purchase a property to restore, you need to dedicate time to research. Not only do you need to understand the ins and outs of how much work is involved with fixing up a piece of real estate, but you also want to know about how to select the right property. Different neighborhoods will be easier to sell a home in than others. Learn about which areas are in demand and it can dramatically alter the results of your journey.
Consider How You Buy
Financing is a big part of any transaction involving real estate. While this is not going to be possible for everyone, cash buyers real estate is a great option for those with extra funds to spare. Without the need to take out a loan or explore alternative methods of financing a property, you can cut back on overhead and sink all of your money into the project. Plus, people are more likely to sell when they receive a cash offer.
Be Prepared To Work
Fixing up a home to flip it on the market is not a small task. A lot of difficult work is involved, especially when it comes to remodeling the space. If you are going to see lasting success from this endeavor, you need to be willing to get your hands dirty and commit to long hours of painting, peeling, hammering, and anything else involved with restoration.
Sensible investments are the best way to see a return on your funds. While not a guarantee, trying your hand with fix-and-flip properties can be an amazing way to get more out of your future finances.
ZeroPoint foods are super-flexible and can be used in lots of delicious (and unexpected) ways! These foods form the foundation of a healthy eating pattern, so they don’t need to be measured or tracked. The new myWW is the groundbreaking, most customized program ever offered. On myWW, each plan has different items that are designated as ZeroPoint foods. If you are not familiar with ZeroPoint foods, be sure to check out this post where I explain what they are.
When it comes to losing weight, everyone’s needs are different. What works well for one person may not work as well for you. While Weight Watchers (Reimagined) has always offered a personalized SmartPoints Budget based on age, weight, height, and sex, now you have the option of three unique ways to experience the WW journey. And if you find that your plan is no longer working for your life, you have the ability to switch to one of the other plans! I love that all three plans are equally flexible, simple, and effective when it comes to losing weight. Each one just helps you get there in a different way.
Each food plan has a unique balance of SmartPoints and ZeroPoint™ foods.
With myWW Green you’ve got the largest number of SmartPoints to spend on any food you choose, and 100+ ZeroPoint foods (fruits and non-starchy veggies) that are zero!
GREEN ZEROPOINT LIST
FRUITS
Apples
Applesauce, unsweetened
Apricots, fresh
Bananas
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Clementines
Cranberries, fresh
Dragon fruit
Figs, fresh
Frozen mixed berries, unsweetened
Fruit cocktail, unsweetened
Fruit salad, unsweetened
Grapefruit
Grapes
Guava
Honeydew
Kiwi
Kumquats
Lemons
Limes
Mangoes
Meyer lemons
Nectarines
Oranges
Papayas
Peaches
Pears
Persimmons
Pineapples
Plums
Pomegranates
Pomelo
Raspberries
Star fruit
Strawberries
Tangerines
Watermelon
VEGETABLES (NON-STARCHY)
Acorn squash
Artichoke hearts, no oil
Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Baby corn
Bamboo shoots
Basil
Beet greens
Beets
Bok choy
Broccoli
Broccoli rabe
Broccoli slaw
Brussels sprouts
Butter/Bibb lettuce
Butternut squash
Cabbage
Canned pimientos
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cauliflower rice
Celery
Chives
Cilantro
Coleslaw mix
Collard greens
Cucumber
Eggplant
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Frozen stir-fry vegetables, no sauce
Garlic
Ginger
Green leaf lettuce
Hearts of palm
Iceberg lettuce
Jicama
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Mint
Mixed greens
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Napa cabbage
Nori (seaweed)
Oakleaf lettuce
Okra
Onions
Oregano
Parsley
Pea shoots
Peppers
Pickles, unsweetened
Pico de gallo
Pumpkin
Pumpkin puree
Radishes
Red leaf lettuce
Romaine lettuce
Rosemary
Rutabaga
Salsa, fat-free
Sauerkraut
Scallions
Shallots
Spaghetti squash
Spinach
String beans
Summer squash
Swiss chard
Tarragon
Thyme
Tomatillos
Tomato puree, canned
Tomato sauce, canned
Tomatoes
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Wax beans
Zucchini
With myWW Blue you’ve got a moderate amount of SmartPoints to spend on any food you choose, and 200+ fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and more that are zero points!
BLUE ZEROPOINT LIST
INCLUDES EVERYTHING ON THE GREEN LIST PLUS
VEGETABLES (STARCHY)
Canned corn
Corn
Green peas
Parsnips
Peas
Split peas
Succotash
BEANS & LEGUMES
Adzuki beans
Alfalfa sprouts
Bean sprouts
Black beans
Black-eyed peas
Cannellini beans
Chickpeas
Edamame
Fava beans
Great Northern beans
Hominy
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lima beans
Lupini beans
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Refried beans, canned, fat-free
Soy beans
CHICKEN & TURKEY BREAST
Ground chicken breast
Ground turkey, 98% fat-free
Ground turkey breast
Skinless chicken breast
Skinless turkey breast
EGGS
Egg substitute
Egg whites
Egg yolks
Eggs
FISH/SHELLFISH
Abalone
Alaskan king crab
Anchovies, in water
Arctic char
Bluefish
Branzino
Butterfish
Canned tuna, in water
Carp
Catfish
Caviar
Clams
Cod
Crabmeat, lump
Crayfish
Cuttlefish
Dungeness crab
Eel
Fish roe
Flounder
Grouper
Haddock
Halibut
Herring
Lobster
Mahi mahi
Monkfish
Mussels
Octopus
Orange roughy
Oysters
Perch
Pike
Pollock
Pompano
Salmon
Sardines, canned in water or sauce
Sashimi
Scallops
Sea bass
Sea cucumber
Sea urchin
Shrimp
Smelt
Smoked haddock
Smoked salmon
Smoked sturgeon
Smoked trout
Smoked whitefish
Snails
Snapper
Sole
Squid
Steelhead trout
Striped bass
Sturgeon
Swordfish
Tilapia
Trout
Tuna
Turbot
Wahoo
Whitefish
TOFU & TEMPEH
Firm tofu
Silken tofu
Smoked tofu
Soft tofu
Tempeh
With myWW Purple you’ve got a small number of SmartPoints to spend on any food you choose and 300+ ZeroPoint foods that are zero!
PURPLE ZEROPOINT LIST
INCLUDES EVERYTHING ON THE GREEN AND BLUE LISTS PLUS
POTATOES & SWEET POTATOES
Baby potatoes
Baked potatoes
Baked sweet potatoes
Canned sweet potato, unsweetened
Cassava
Fingerling potatoes
Frozen potatoes, prepared without fat
Idaho potatoes
Japanese sweet potato
Mashed potatoes, plain
Mashed sweet potatoes, plain
New potatoes
Oven-roasted potato wedges, without oil
Oven-roasted sweet potato fries, without oil
Purple potatoes
Red potatoes
Roasted potatoes, without oil
Roasted sweet potatoes, without oil
Russet potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Taro
White potatoes
Yams
Yellow potatoes
Yucca
Yukon gold potatoes
WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA & GRAINS
Air-popped popcorn, no oil or sugar
Air-popped popcorn, no oil or sugar, with salt and/or spices
Shop Smart with these 12 Financial Tips For Holiday Shopping
Once again retailers have their red mark-down pens out early and many consumers will begin taking advantage of bargains well in advance of the traditional Black Friday rush.
As you hit the stores this holiday season, whether you’re an experienced shopper with many years of finding the perfect gift at the right price or a novice who is just learning the ropes, it’s always smart to prepare yourself with some timely shopping tips.
Create a holiday budget. Just having an overall idea of what you want to spend floating around in your head isn’t good enough. Without a thoughtfully planned out budget, you’ll likely get caught up in the excitement and overspend in the blink of an eye.
Shop with a list. Santa thinks it’s a useful tool, and so should you. On your list include the names of those for whom you need to a purchase gift for, what you plan to give each of them, and the amount you intend to spend for each gift. We’ve got two great forms to help you plan your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping strategy at the bottom of this post! You can also download the Word Documents for each of them here Black Friday Checklist and Cyber Monday Checklist.
Avoid the high-margin items at the entrance or near the cash registers. They’re there to encourage you to impulse-buy.
Do not carry large amounts of cash. This is the prime season for pickpockets to take advantage of crowded areas and distracted people. Instead, plan to make frequent trips to the ATM to replenish your cash as needed.
Do not carry your checkbook or more credit cards than you will use during the shopping trip. If your wallet is lost or stolen, this will limit the damage.
Purchase or earn discounted retail gift cards. This tip comes from Money Talk News. Some websites sell gift cards at a discount. When you purchase these cards you create your own built-in savings when you shop or gift them. Also, throughout the year you can perform specific tasks such as surveys or visiting a store with their app open in exchange for points that can be cashed in for free gift cards.
Do not shop when you are in a hurry or at the last minute. You’ll end up spending more than you should simply so you can mark an item off your list. Also, plan to visit stores during the first hour of business as salespeople are more likely to be in a good mood. Therefore, more likely to help or offer you a friends-and-family discount.
Do not pile new debt on top of old. Some people are still paying for last year’s holiday expenses as they enter the new buying season. Don’t make your financial situation worse by being one of them. If you are in a tenuous financial situation, it will only be made worse through irresponsible spending.
Being financially responsible this holiday season is a gift to yourself and to those you care about. If you need help creating a holiday budget or paying off an existing debt load, don’t delay reaching out for help. A non-profit credit counseling service is a good place to look for help.
If the debt you have is too much to pay off in one year, consider a personal, debt consolidation loan. These loans offer lower interest rates than your credit card. You can use it to pay off medical bills, private student loan debts, as well as credit cards that carry high-interest rates. Debt consolidation loans will lower your monthly expenses and while helping you pay off your high-interest debt.
Use your smartphone while in the store to compare prices on the spot with competitors. Don’t worry about offending sales associates, ask them to match any lower prices that you find.
Sign up for emails and filter them by adding a folder for them to your inbox. Make sure you specify what kinds of emails you want to receive from them (ie. only sales, not what’s new). Don’t ignore the emails you get from brands you care about, because once in while there will be a really good deal offered only to email subscribers only.
To find the best discounts you will need to be on alert for the timing and location of the best deals. According to consumer research firm America’s Research Group, 65% of customers want discounts of 60% before making a purchase. Many retailers are hoping to wean shoppers off their addiction to discounts. So they aren’t only trying to be more strategic about the timing and duration of promotions, but also about what merchandise and even locations are included. Some have started offering shorter, limited-time-only sales, while others are launching promotions when shoppers least expect them. Many stores are also tailoring specials for its app users, credit-card holders, and rewards members. Be sure to scour social media and sign up for promotion alerts from the retailers you intend to shop. Are you planning on doing some Black Friday shopping? Be sure to check out this Wall Street Journal article for some great tips to get discounts, perks, and even bitcoin.
Give DIY gifts. Not only can a homemade gift convey a more heartfelt sentiment but it may save you some money too. If you aren’t creative, shop at craft fairs, Etsy, or give a food gift from your own kitchen. Homemade jams or mixes are always fun to give and receive. You could also give the gift of your time.
This time of year, shopping is as confusing as it gets. Your social media, mailbox, and email are bombarded with news about sales and holiday promotions. You feel like you’re missing out if you miss a deal and end up paying full price. Stores are packed and roads are already busy with shoppers traveling to the stores get a head start on this year’s shopping. More than ever, smart shopping at the holidays means finding ways to cut through the clutter and know when to buy. We hope that with these tips you will not only be one of the shoppers who get the best deal but one who stays on budget. Wishing You and Yours Happy Holidays, Happy Shopping!
I want to take a few minutes to explain what ZeroPoint Foods are for those who are not familiar with them. For many years one of the main features of the Weight Watchers program has been their point system. All foods are given a points value and your goal is to stay within your daily points allowance. Now with the Weight Watchers Freestyle program, many foods such as lean proteins, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu, nonfat plain yogurt, veggies, and fruit are called ZeroPoint Foods. The foods on this list form the foundation of a healthy eating pattern, so you don’t need to weigh, measure, or track any of them. They are a great way to stay within your daily points budget.
ZeroPoint Vegetables – You can enjoy most non-starchy vegetables for zero points on the plan. You will have to count any oil or butter the vegetables are cooked with. This includes fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables as long as they aren’t packed with any additional oil, sugars, or fats. There are a few vegetables that are not zero points including potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, cassava, mushy peas, yuca, and olives.
ZeroPoint Fruits – Almost all fruits are zero points but they should be eaten in moderation since they can quickly add up and slow your weight loss. This includes fresh fruit as well as frozen, canned, or jarred fruit as long as it doesn’t have added sugar. However, avocados, plantains, and any fruit that is made into a drink or smoothie are not ZeroPoint foods. This is because a smoothie contains much more fruit than you would normally eat in one sitting. For example, you would not normally eat several whole fruits, a cup berries, and some pineapple in one sitting but is common to have all this and more in a large smoothie.
ZeroPoint Condiments, Flavor Enhancers, and Spices – The WWFreestyle program also includes as ZeroPoint Foods spices, low calorie, low sugar condiments, and many of the things that we use to enhance the flavor of foods. Some of them are vinegars, broth, fresh and dried spices and rubs, mustard, hot sauce, capers, and salsa. Note: These are zero points when used in small amounts but if you are using more in a recipe you may have to count the points.
Alphabetical List of ZeroPoint Foods
A
Apples
Applesauce, unsweetened
Apricots
Arrowroot
Artichoke hearts
Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
B
Bamboo shoots
Banana
Beans, including adzuki, black, broad (fava), butter, cannellini, cranberry (Roman), green, garbanzo (chickpeas), great northern, kidney, lima, lupini, mung, navy, pink, small white, snap, soy, string, wax, white
Beans, refried, fat-free, canned
Beets
Berries, mixed
Blackberries
Blueberries
Broccoli
Broccoli rabe
Broccoli slaw
Broccolini
Brussels sprouts
C
Cabbage, all varieties including Chinese (bok choy), Japanese, green, red, napa, savory, pickled
Calamari, grilled
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Cauliflower
Caviar
Celery
Swiss chard
Cherries
Chicken breast, ground, 98% fat-free
Chicken breast or tenderloin, skinless, boneless or with bone
Clementines
Coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots), packaged
Collards
Corn, baby (ears), white, yellow, kernels, on the cob
Note: There are plenty of other spices and seasonings that have a 0 SmartPoints value but aren’t considered ZeroPoint foods. Only foods that form the building blocks of healthy habits are included in the ZeroPoint foods list.
Common Online Shopping Mistakes That Cost You Money
No question, online shopping can be wonderful. Online shopping is such a huge part of our life that it’s hard to even recall when it wasn’t possible to get what you needed with just a few clicks. While the selection of items is nearly limitless and delivery can be fast, there are also many ways to mess up when shopping online.
Here are some of the most common and costly online shopping mistakes:
1. Paying with your debit card
Because using a debit card to pay for purchases is more like using cash than using a credit card, it is always safer when shopping online to use a credit card. The minute you check out with a debit card, money leaves your bank account. And, even more worrisome is than that card numbers entered online are more vulnerable to theft and hacking.
Under federal law, credit card transactions enjoy more protections than debit card transactions. If someone gets your credit card info and uses it fraudulently, you’re not out money while your credit card company investigates. That is often not true if the wrong person gets your debit card info, they might be able to drain your checking account of all its funds. When criminals fraudulently use your credit card, they’re spending the credit card issuer’s money. However, when criminals fraudulently use your debit card, they’re spending YOUR money.
2. Missing out on cashback
Whether shopping online or in a brick and mortar store, there are multiple ways that you can get paid to shop. There are several apps such as SavingStar and Ibotta that give you cash rebates when you shop. We believe Checkout51 is one of the best apps because it pays when you scan receipts from virtually any physical store or by scanning itemized packing slips for online purchases. Shopkick differs from the other cashback apps in that you don’t have to make a single purchase to start earning. You just have to walk into stores and scan items’ barcodes. (Use code EASY808823 to get started with 250 free kicks.) Of course, you’ll earn more points when you make purchases (online or in-store) with a connected card or snap photos of qualifying receipts. You can also get cash rebates by shopping via cash-back websites such as Rakuten Ebates, Drop, TopCashback, and Swagbucks Shop.
You can get cashback, also, by paying with a cash-back credit card. Just be sure that you pay off your bill in full every month to avoid interest charges. And of course, be sure that you take advantage of retailers’ own rewards programs to get more for your money.
3. Using a public Wi-Fi connection
You’re hanging out at your coffee shop or killing time while the kids play in the ball pit and remember that you need to order a gift. Hold that thought and that purchase!
“Sure, shopping doesn’t seem like it involves sensitive data, but making purchases online requires personal information that could include bank account and retailer login credentials. Shopping isn’t something you want to do on an unsecured Wi-Fi network.”
Wait until you get home, you don’t want to transmit your sensitive info over a public internet connection.
4. Being fooled by fake list prices
Don’t be tricked by a big red slash through a supposed list price, claiming that the item has been hugely discounted. They may be claiming an item as 50% off, but what is the real original price of that item?
Some items don’t have list prices, so they could have just made one up. Or, they could have raised the list price to make the discount appear greater than it really is. Several big-name retailers have been sued for allegedly misleading customers by manipulating list prices.
The practice of raising the list price is also done by companies offering discount codes for items. They make you think you are scoring a great deal when you could have purchased the item at the same or lower price without the code on another seller’s listing, on another site, or even in your local store.
Thankfully, just as it’s easy to do our shopping online it’s also easy to find out how good of a deal you are really getting. Simply, search for an item on other sites and see how the prices compare.
5. Depending on reviews
Online reviews are a great resource but you still need to do your own research. We tell our children not to take candy from strangers so why would you spend money based on an opinion of a random stranger?
Reviews can be manipulated. It’s always in someone’s best interests that you fork over your hard-earned cash for a purchase. But websites such as Fakespot and ReviewMeta can help you ferret out fake or suspicious critiques.
These sites use algorithms to analyze reviews, parsing them for signs of phoniness. ReviewMeta only works for Amazon reviews, but Fakespot now analyzes reviews on the sites of other retailers, including Walmart, Best Buy and Sephora. Learn more about these two product review analyzers.
6. Not knowing the return policy
Be sure the site you’re shopping has a clear and generous return policy. You should know the answers to these questions before buying:
Under what conditions does the site accept returns?
How long does the site give you to return an item?
Will the site provide a paid mailing label, or are return shipping costs on you?
Can you return an item to a local store instead of mailing it back?
What’s the biggest online shopping mistake you’ve ever made? Do you have a tip that should be included in this list? Share it with us by commenting below.
