Get Free money-saving home tips at my web site: BchRealEstate.com
Do You Know About the 3.8 Tax?
Effective January 1, 2013, Applies to Individuals with adjusted gross
income from Interest, Dividends, Rents, Capital Gains
For more information go to:
www.BchRealEstate.com
1
Brain Teaser…
What is the longest word in the English
language that does not use any vowels?
(See page 4 for the answer.)
Real Estate Question?
Maybe you want to know how much
your home is worth. Or maybe you just
need a recommendation for a
handyman, carpet cleaner or plumber…
Either way, I love hearing from all of
my good friends and clients. And I’m
always looking to answer pressing
questions you might have about
anything relating to real estate or home-
ownership.
If you have a question, tip or idea,
please feel free to call me at
805-701-
8410
. I’m here to help!
Snack To Lose Weight
If you have excess weight around your
belly, you might benefit from eating a
high protein snack between 3pm and
4pm every day. A protein bar, low-fat
cheese or about 12 almonds are enough
to boost your metabolism. This type of
snack also helps avoid a drop in blood
sugar and maintains the body’s insulin
level. Keeping insulin levels low helps
protect against weight gain in your
midsection.
Safe Kids On The Net
The Federal Trade Commission has
published a downloadable book to teach
parents how to keep kids safe while
using today’s technology.
Go to
www.onguardonline.gov
and
search for
Net Cetera: Chatting With
Kids About Being Online.
Here are a
few things you will find inside:
Page 9 – Advice for parents of kids
at different ages.
Page 18 – Safe screen names to use.
Page 20 – Cyberbullying and what
to do about it.
Page 28 – Mobile phones: texting,
sexting, and GPS dangers.
Page 35 – Free stuff can crash
computers.
Page 42 – Privacy protection for pre-
teens.
5 Simple Memory Tricks
It’s frustrating not remembering where you put important items or
forgetting basic details. Use these tricks to keep track of things:
Cluster numbers:
Help your brain process the numbers “2, 8, 4, 9” by
clustering them into “twenty eight, forty nine.”
Say it out loud:
Tell yourself that you’re locking the door as you leave.
Repeat that you’re going to the kitchen for scissors either out loud or to
yourself. This will keep you from becoming distracted.
Convert grocery lists to meals:
If you need hot dogs, milk, mustard,
cereal and buns, you can think breakfast (cereal and milk) and lunch
(mustard, hot dogs, and buns).
Designate a place:
Store your cell phone and keys in the same place
close to your front door. This way you’ll know exactly where they are the
next time you’re running late for an appointment.
Use visual triggers:
For example, leaving a piece of paper on your car
seat before going into the office will remind you to get gas before you
return home. Or, putting a DVD by the front door reminds you to return it
to the rental store before you leave the house.
3 Easy Steps To Make Your
Home ‘Green’ and Save $
Step #1: Change the light bulbs.
Replacing one light bulb with a compact
fluorescent or LED bulb can save almost $50 over its lifetime. Shop for
environmental products at:
www.greenhome.com
.
Step #2: Replace bathroom faucets.
Water-efficient products can save an
average family 500 gallons of water each year. Faucets account for about
15% of a family’s water consumption. Learn more at:
www.epa.gov/watersense
.
Step #3: Recycle gray water.
An average bath uses 30 to 50 gallons of
water and it flows into the same sewer system as when you flush the toilet.
A better use of this “gray water” from showers, tubs, and washing machines
is to water the landscape. It conserves water, lowers the load on sewer
systems, and saves money. For info, go to:
www.greywateraction.org
.