Home Goes Strong

DIY Dishwasher Fix

leahingram — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0000

I was convinced that my dishwasher was broken. My plan was to take advantage of Presidents' Day sales to buy a new one. I'd tried everything to get my dishwasher to actually clean my dishes. Every fix I'd tried resulted in my dishes still coming out of the dishwasher with food and a white film on them.

Living Together, Part II: Men’s Relationships Tips

sooze21 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:02:27 +0000

I recently received quite a few responses to my call for advice to couples who are living together or who are considering living together. It surprised me how many men offered advice for how two can get along in one space.

Great Backyard Bird Count

leahingram — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:16:31 +0000

Every year bird-loving Americans and Canadians participate in one of the largest birding events without leaving the comfort of their backyard. Called the Great Backyard Bird Count, it's when volunteer bird watchers tally millions of birds in the annual count coordinated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada. This year's Great Backyard Bird Count starts on Friday, February 17 and ends on Monday, February 20.

Living Together: Tips for Relationships Part I

sooze21 — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:14:24 +0000

Back in the late Sixties, my parents were shocked that my college boyfriend Dizzy and I were living together in a garden apartment after graduation. Today, couples of all ages set up joint households without exchanging vows, and few people think anything of it.

According to a 2007 report by the National Marriage Project, "Over half of all first marriages are now preceded by living together, compared to virtually none 50 years ago."

Setting a Romantic Table

leahingram — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:42:02 +0000

If you're taking a frugal approach to Valentine's Day today, you may be planning to eat in. That's a great way to save money and ensure that you and your sweetheart won't be rushed through your meal. It's the worst when you've gone out for a romantic dinner and the next thing you know your server is shoving the bill at you, because they need your table for the next seating. With a romantic dinner, you want to be able to linger, and the best place to do that is at home.

Valentine's Day Chocolate

leahingram — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:50:45 +0000

Giving chocolate to your sweetheart on Valentine's Day is a time-honored tradition. So it should come as no surprise that by the time Valentine's Day has come and gone, Americans will have spent $1 billion on Valentine's Day chocolate and purchased some 58 million pounds of chocolate.

Hopefully, those on the receiving end of this chocolate gift won't be eating it all in one day. So, if you are trying to savor your chocolate for days and weeks after Valentine's Day and keep it from spoiling, it may already be too late.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

leahingram — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:10:26 +0000

While most people think about chocolate hearts as being the quintessential Valentine's Day treat, many others find chocolate covered strawberries to be the ultimate Valentine's Day dessert. Maybe it's because of the very nature of how one eats this sweet—and how it encourages you to feed one to your significant other—that makes these extra special strawberries a popular choice for February 14th.

Florida Villages

leahingram — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:25:25 +0000

When you think about retirement communities in Florida, you're probably thinking about a little village where life moves at a slower pace. Maybe you'll play bocce on Monday, go bowling on Tuesday, and head to the clubhouse for an early dinner on Wednesday. However, if you've always lived your life in the fast lane—whether by listening to rock and roll, or riding on your hot rod—you may not be interested in changing over to the slow lane for your retirement.

8 Energy Saving Tips

leahingram — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Many places in Europe have been experiencing historically cold weather in recent days. Plenty of places in America are dealing with cold weather, too—many with lots of snow.

Even if you don't live in a place living through an extreme cold snap, you are likely going to be chilly at one point or another this winter. You may be tempted to simply turn up the heat at home now, and deal with the financial consequences later. But don't.

Important Papers to Keep

leahingram — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:21:34 +0000

This past weekend I had some extra time to declutter paperwork that had been piling up in the kitchen. Included in that paperwork were copies of tax forms, my 1099s for freelance work, my husband's W-4 tax form from his job, and a letter about our recently refinanced mortgage.

Of course, all of those forms are relevant right now, as we prepare to do our taxes with our accountant. But it got me thinking. How long do I really need to hold onto important papers and paperwork? What I discovered may surprise you.