Susie Skog knows Lake Norman Real Estate Inside Out

If you’re like many people, you tend to do at least a little work from home.

Dont let an outdated office hold you back.

Give your home office an upgrade by splurging on something inspirational. Something that excites you.

Next, focus on lighting. The best bet is to set up your work station by a window.
And be sure to incorporate lamps into the space. They will come in handy when working after hours.

Set yourself up for further success with a good storage system.
While papers should be stored out of sight, they need to be accessible.

Lastly, create a signal to let people know when youre in the zone.

By upgrading your work space, youre destined for success.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you purchased your home as a two-income family, the prospect of living on only one income can be daunting if not downright scary.

But dont despair if a sudden job loss, a new baby, or some other life circumstance is putting you in that position. Take a deep breath, take some time to consider, and review these tips from Parents Magazine:

• Cut back " This may seem elementary, but many couples who have been living with spare cash may not have a clue where to start. Begin by keeping a written account of one months spending. Then study it to identify areas " like entertainment, cable costs, or eating out " where you can easily rein in your spend. What you should be left with is a working budget. Stick to it.
• Cut your grocery bill " You dont have to go on a starvation diet. But cut out expensive convenience foods in favor of cooking or baking. Make your own baby food. Look for sales. Use coupons. You may be amazed at how much money you can save.
• Use cash, not credit " Use credit cards sparingly. Routinely paying by credit card can lead to bills you may find harder to pay off monthly " and building up credit card debt and/or interest is the last thing you want to do
• Become more self-sufficient " If youve been paying for lawn care, housecleaning, or other services you can do " or learn to do " yourself, you can be well on the way to saving serious money.
• Barter for services " Instead of paying for babysitters, exchange babysitting services with another family. Use Craigslist to swap lawn services for public relations assistance. The possibilities are endless.
• Earn extra cash " Just because a spouse has left the workforce doesn’t mean they are powerless to earn. Try part-time freelance work. Organize garage sales. Offer specialty catering services. Use your skills to bring in additional income.
• Sacrifice " It may be tough to resist those season tickets or to nix a Caribbean vacation. On the other hand, you can explore new pursuits; cooking together, music lessons, game nights with friends or family.

For more tips for the home, contact me anytime!

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Having more meaningful relationships with friends both new and old is a great goal, and it can start with your conversations. Below are five tips for those of us frustrated with small talk.

Skip the weather. As tempting as it may be to springboard off the weather, this can lead you down the empty-conversation rabbit hole and into a twenty-minute dialogue about rain. Asking about almost anything else should yield more interesting results.

Think of base questions. So, what should you talk about, if not the weather? Come up with a short list of base questions you can turn to in a flash. If you’re talking to a stranger or new acquaintance, try “have you done any traveling lately?” or “are you reading any good books?” These more personal questions show genuine interest and will actually reveal something about your conversation partner.

Make eye contact. Regardless of what you’re discussing, work to maintain or at least occasionally create eye contact, which signals to your conversation partner that you’re listening; this can help forge intimacy.

Keep asking questions. An awkward lull in the conversation? Keep asking questions. If you know your convo partner well, turn to questions about their family or hobbies. If it’s a new acquaintance, ask them if they’ve checked out a specific restaurant you loved, or what they do for fun in the area.

Understand how to wrap up. Nothing is more uncomfortable than not knowing how to escape a conversation when it has run its course. A simple, “well it was great chatting with you,” should suffice, and is a lot less uncomfortable than floundering in social agony.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Do you need to put down 20 percent to buy a house?

Not necessarily. In fact, most buyers make lower down payments.

But putting down 20 percent or more does come with major perks.

A mortgage lender would consider you more financially stable and less risky.

That means you wouldnt need to pay for private mortgage insurance.

Youd receive lower interest rates, too, which could save you thousands of dollars over your loan period.

With a larger down payment, youd also likely stand out among your competition if a seller has multiple offers.

A 20 percent down payment isnt necessary, but if you can afford it, consider these upsides.

Published with permission from RISMedia.