Month: December 2018

Guest post by Hannah Jones

Most homeowners like to upgrade their lawn for it to have a fresh and new look.

A beautifully done garden will instantly make your house look well maintained.

Spending some time can add points and value to your home.

From time to time, your garden will needs a little TLC so here are some brilliant ways on how to upgrade your garden or lawn:

Upgrade your shed

Most homes have garden sheds in their backyard, but not all homeowners do use their sheds.

If you are one of these homeowners, perhaps you can upgrade it into a little guesthouse, or even a playhouse for your kids.

Start by cutting and shaping your lawn.

A garden will always look nice if it is cut and shaped.

Take away any unnecessary weeds and give your lawn an excellent shape.

You can go basic with a square, following the natural shape of your perimeter, or go adventurous by making your lawn circular while filling out the edges with garden stones.

Shaping is cost-effective improvement as you can do it all by yourself.

Do remember that your lawn is one of the first things that home viewers, buyers, or visitors will see upon arriving at your house.

Experts have found that 24% of owners found garden issues when buying a home, and most of these issues centered on ill-shaped lawns.

Plant flowers

If you feel that your garden is looking a little bit bare, you could add more greens and color to it by planting. I

t can easily lighten up the feel of your home, and gives your area a more relaxed feeling.

You can mix and match with pots and flower beds too.

A bonus tip would be to try out colorful native baskets with tassels or pom poms that you can add to liven up an otherwise dull-looking lawn.

Make space for a vegetable garden

There are numerous vegetables like tomatoes, spices, herbs, and eggplants that you can grow even with a small area in your back garden.

Doing this adds to the sustainability of your home as well.

Not only does growing your vegetables give an upgrade to your garden, but it also helps your family live a healthier lifestyle.

You are sure that your plants are chemical-free and organic.

Make space for a tree

Planting even just one tree in your garden will make it have a more cozy feel.

It also controls the heat by adding up some shade.

The tree will make you want to hang out in your garden even more.

You can choose a fruit-bearing tree so you can enjoy the harvest later on.

Having trees will also make your home look more beautiful at night, as you can hang up tree lights/fairy lights/rattan ornaments to give your house a very boho-chic and relaxed ambiance.

Clean your fence

Cleaning your fence sounds like a pretty obvious thing to do, but believe it or not, most landscapers will say that this is one of the most neglected outdoor chores of homeowners.

We often forego cleaning the fence, thinking that we don’t need to, as it can get dirty easily anyway.

Experts agree that washing your fence regularly will help give your garden the upgrade that it badly needs.

If your wall is in dire need of a paint job or some carpentry, a fresh new paint and color will jazz up your garden.

A bonus tip is to add vertical gardens using hanging corianders, tin cans, etc., on your fence.

Use colorful throws and cushions

Your outdoor space is not meant to be dull and monochromatic.

A perfect contrast to greens and your brown furniture are always bright, colorful and playful cushions.

If you are not the type to keep flowers in your home, then doing this is one of the easiest ways for you to add some color.

Install a garden hammock

Garden hammocks are a brilliant idea for the following reasons:

• They usually come in different colors, so it adds life and variety to your garden.
• If you have trees and shade, you now instantly have a place to read a book and relax in the summertime.
• Kids love it too, as they can turn it into a swing.
• It can serve as a part of an outdoor  entertainment area.

Hammocks are usually inexpensive, so purchasing one will not break a hole in your pocket, allowing you more spare change to accommodate other gardening projects as well.

Up-cycle tin cans, drawers, and even an old vintage bike as a planter

Cans are perfect for pots and planters.

You can either keep the original labels on the can or choose to repaint them with your designs – and even ask the kids to help out.

It will be an enjoyable project to do. If you’ve got an old bike around the corner that is no longer in use, you can hang flower baskets on it.

These ideas can help your garden have that breath of new life that it might badly need.

Even a simple change that you can do yourself will make a significant improvement on the appearance of your garden.

All you need is a little patience and hard work, and it will be transformed into your very own outdoor haven.

 

 

Guest post by Martin William

The desire and need to borrow money from a financial institution has crossed our minds at least once.

It’s hard to find a person who hasn’t thought about applying for a loan for a specific situation.

It’s even harder to imagine a person that doesn’t use the services of the financial institutions.

Maybe in some South African tribes don’t know what a loan is, or what a credit officer does, but we definitely live in a developed financial system and have financial needs.

The tradition of Feneration (usury in some cultures) and money lending in simpler words, has been around since the year 400 B.C.

The chroniclers describe a regular moneylender as a person sitting behind a table and offering their financial services.

But there were lots of moneylenders back then sitting behind the table. The situation has not changed.

We simply upgraded the technology and adapted our money lending with modern innovations.

Most probably get some messages and pop-up ads on your social media from banks and other financial institutions.

They are all telling you to apply for a loan with them. . . but which one to choose?

That’s the hard question to answer.

Well, we hope these 3 key factors will help you decide with the comparison of loans.

Low Interest Rate

When you are looking for a loan, you are looking for something that won’t rip you off your money at the end of the final payout.

People are always looking for lower rates, and that’s perfectly reasonable.

Think about small business loans and how they benefit your business.

You would want to pay the smallest rate to return the money, or you’d be again putting your company in a tight financial situation.

Different banks have different options for their loans.

Even a specific bank has different options on its different loans.

You need to carefully read the terms and conditions and ask your credit officer every question that comes to your mind.

Consider also this. Some financial institutions like to beautify their loan announcements with 0% interest rate.

Remember, some companies do offer customers 0% interest rate, but for the first loan, and for the first month.

It’s a great opportunity for a customer to try out the services of an institution and decide if they are compatible with their desires.

Paying off the debt early

Look into the details of early payments.

Sometimes we need to borrow some money and turns out that we didn’t have to stretch it out on one year.

Maybe after a few months, your financial state allows you to pay off the debt completely. In this case, consider looking into their terms and conditions.

Don’t let the credit contract slip away from your attention.

Read it thoroughly and see if there’s any catch.

Finance experts Max Funding say “when completing application forms for a loan, it is essential to read and understand the fine print.

Read through all the terms and conditions and consult a lawyer and your accountant to ensure you do not run into any financial trouble or get hit with any unexpected fees.

The thing is that some companies and banks offer you free early pay off and are happy to assist you with more.

Some companies have their own rules and terms and will ask for some fee, tax or a percentage of your loan to cover in order to pay off the debt in advance.

You would want to know about that.

Hidden charges

Something you should remember about financial institutions is that they love hidden charges. because many regular customers don’t bother to check the contracts and requirements to see if there are any extra costs to cover.

Hidden charges include some extra communal fees, fees for internet and mobile bank services, etc.

Make sure that your desires and needs are combined when making a decision to choose a loan and the bank.

An ad may seem attractive and appealing, but remember that conditions and requirements are most important when it comes to the final result.