5 Tips to Lower Your Monthly Mortgage Repayments

For many homeowners, mortgage repayments eat an enormous chunk out of their monthly salaries. This can make life difficult when times are tight financially. As a general rule of thumb, experts often recommend that a mortgage repayment should constitute less than 30% of your income.

If you’re on a budget and looking to cut costs, your mortgage is an excellent place to start. Here are five top tips for lowering your monthly mortgage payments.

1.Extend your mortgage term

A simple way to take some strain off each month is to extend the length of your mortgage term. This means you will pay less each month, albeit for a more extended period. You generally won’t even have to refinance your mortgage to do this, as most lenders will offer you this option for a small fee. Bear in mind, this will mean you will amass additional interest over time, so you’ll be paying more overall. But as a short term solution to struggling finances, extending your term can help bear the load.

2. Refinance to a lower rate

One way to lower your monthly outgoings is by applying for a mortgage refinance to take advantage of a lower interest rate and reduced monthly payments. Your credit score will determine whether or not this is a possible option for you. Understanding mortgage rates can be complicated, but getting advice from a professional mortgage broker such as Altrua Financial can help you find the lowest rates.

3. Make a larger down payment

When you buy your home, the larger deposit you give, the less you will have to pay on your mortgage. Although you may be more out of pocket initially, paying a more substantial sum upfront means you will feel the financial benefit in the long run. Taking a bit more time to save up before buying a house can set you up well for the future.

4. Choose an interest-only mortgage

An interest-only mortgage is more complicated than the standard repayment mortgage, but it can save homeowners a heap of money. In the initial years of your mortgage repayment, you will only be paying the interest, and the more significant proportion of the balance can be paid later on when you are more financially secure.

5. Make one extra payment per year

It might seem counterintuitive to save money by spending money, but making an additional payment each year can be an effective way of saving money in the long term. Prepaying your mortgage with one extra instalment in addition to your regular payments can reduce the length of your loan by a few years. Factor in the interest you’ll be saving on your shorter mortgage length, and you’ll have an idea of how much money you could save.

If you want to reduce the pain of your monthly mortgage repayments, there is more than one way to do so. To decide the best option for you, weigh up the pros and cons of each option and work out which is the best solution for you before moving forward.

How to Maximize the Value of Your Outdoor Space

You may feel that it's always what is inside that matter most, but the look of the outside of a property is incredibly important to its value and the impression people have of the people inside.

Any outside space that is well maintained and designed can add value to a property, as well as make it more appealing to prospective buyers. It also makes your home a more pleasant place to live, and leaves guests and visitors with a better first impression of your home.

There are some simple and easy things you can do to maximize the value of your outdoor space and add as much value as possible to your property’s value. Here is our quick guide.

Re-Design and Landscape Your Yard

Making some small, subtle changes to your yard can be enough to give your home’s outdoor space a revamp. The bigger the change, the more value you may add to your home, as long as the changes are tasteful and appropriate for the space.

Your home’s fencing is an important part of your outdoor space and its look. At Northland Fence you can find a range of tasteful and hardwearing vinyl fencing that can give your home a new look that will last a lifetime.

Make Space for Entertaining Outside

A home with a garden or yard is always more expensive than one without, yet people don’t make enough use of the space they have paid for.

If you are giving your garden a redesign or you are landscaping, consider setting aside some space for entertaining and eating. Adding a deck is a quick and simple way to create an outdoor area for eating and socializing, but if you have enough room, make a space away from the home that will be more peaceful and surrounded by nature.

Add an Outdoor Fireplace or Firepit

A great addition to any garden, especially if you are looking for more space for entertaining and cooking, is a fire burner or a firepit. 

They can also be very inexpensive, with many designs that can be hand-built in a few hours. This can give you a lot of return on your investment. Make sure the location you choose for your fire is away from any trees or bushes to avoid any fire hazards, and keep the seating close to the heat source so you can stay outside and enjoy the night sky in your garden.

Consider Outdoor Blinds

If you have a decked area, patio, or balcony, then you should have a look at outdoor blinds and awnings that can help you define your social space and bring a bit of the inside to your outside.

Blinds and awnings at the exterior edge of you outside social spaces can help create a visual and physical barrier between an eating and entertaining area, and your wider yard. This can help keep kids in check and keep ball games and activities away from your relaxed and sedate seating area. They can also provide some shade when on particularly hot and sunny days.

With just one or two of these additions, you can make a significant increase to your property value, as well as make more use of the space you have around your home.

Could You Plan For The Future? Some Of The Best Ways To Do It

We are all encouraged to live in the here and now. Making the most of the present day and doing what we can. But we are also a little guilty of expecting things to just fall into place at times, and obviously the future can fall into that category. When was the last time you made plans for the later years in your life, or thought about what you might do with your time? Do you have future goals? For now, next year, five years from now, maybe ten? With that in mind, here are some of the ways you can plan for your future.

Getting to the point where you can retire
Have you sat back and thought about retirement? Many people avoid thinking about it as it can seem like so far in advance, but we can all agree that time can move very quickly in terms of the years, and before we know it we are going to reach this point in our lives. Have you thought about how to retire early? About the age you might want to do it, or at what stage of your life you might be in? Take some time to consider your options and have a goal in mind for when you might want to start your retirement period. You may be able to consider it sooner than you realise. 

Life changing plans
The future doesn’t always need to be referred to as that long distance destination of retirement or old age. The future is tomorrow, the future is next week, next month and next year. We make life changing choices and that can include finding a partner and settling down, it can include starting a family and having a baby, and it can even mean career changes, starting your own business or working for yourself. Life changing plans can be made, changed and flipped on their head, but they will always be exciting milestones to reach. You might also want to think about getting a will in place and probate lawyer specialists such as bopprelawfirm.com could help when it comes to estate planning and your assets. 

The boring bit, how do you plan on financing the future?
The next thing to think about would be how you plan on funding those later years in life. This can be a difficult thing to understand, as there are many ways you can start to prepare for your retirement period now. Pensions are a great way to build up some funds for when you retire that you can then draw down from. You might want to invest some money now in longer term savings options or investment plans. This could become very lucrative over time. Finally, property is also a great investment and is something about the future that you can work towards right now that could considerably pay off in terms of value. 

The fun bit, what are your future goals and aspirations?
You do need to think about how you might want to spend your future from time to time and this can actually be a nice thought and goal to have. Perhaps you have a bucket list, where you plan on ticking off those destinations once and for all. Maybe you have some hobbies you would like to start again in retirement, or you need some time for yourself so you plan on starting a hobby in the near future. Future goals can mean things in the short term, perhaps running a marathon next year or getting fit and healthy in general. Making goals gives you the motivation to work towards them everyday. 
Let’s hope that these things have given you something to think about when it comes to your future

How to Take Your Garden from Everyday to Luxury

A beautiful garden in which to relax and appreciate nature is luxury in itself. However, if you are ready to take steps to transform your outdoor space into something truly magnificent, then you need to know exactly how to go about it. Therefore, this guide is the perfect solution for you. It will take you through everything you need to know about how to achieve a luxurious garden.  

Install a shady pergola 

You will absolutely adore retreating beneath your pergola during the summer months when the temperatures start to climb. The great news when it comes to these garden must-haves is the fact that you can get creative when it comes to the materials that the pergola is built out of. Choose from metal, wood, and if you are feeling particularly lavish, marble! 

Add a gorgeous fish pond

You will notice that most high-end gardens will boast a beautiful little fish pond, often in the heart of the garden. For many small gardens, a fish pond will even act as the focal feature. It does not have to be massive in order to have an impact and completely transform your outdoor space into a luxurious escape. The secret to installing a lovely fish pond is to ensure that you equip it with the right essentials, such as Aquamax filter pumps and weatherproof switch boxes. This will maximise your pond's appeal and improve its longevity. 

Invest in plush patio furniture 

You need a comfortable place to sit outside if you are to be able to admire all of your hard work. So, do not hesitate to spend a little bit extra on high-quality patio furniture. If your exterior is big enough, you should also consider going the extra mile and instaling a garden bench in a relaxing, shady spot with a view. Perhaps somewhere close to your fish pond or underneath a tall tree. 

Design and install a new water feature 

If you are keen to optimise the tranquillity potential of your garden, then you definitely need to think about having a water feature designed and instaled. From dancing water features to pondless fountains and cascading water blades, there are countless styles to choose from. 

Believe it or not, you don't need a lot of space in order to have a water feature placed. Speak to an expert or business specialising in garden supplies, or you could discuss your vision with a professional residential landscaping service regarding the best course of action for your particular outdoor area.

Decorate to your heart's content 

Once all of the main features have been added, it will be time to focus on the finishing touches for your luxurious outdoor haven. You will need to decide whether you want to create a masterpiece or whether you prefer the minimalist approach. If you opt for the former, don't hold back. Place countless lights, sculptures, bird feeders, and more. 

Alternatively, if you're keen to keep it simple, focus your attention on keeping your grass perfectly manicured and planting a few colourful flowers here and there. You can add other minimalist decorations throughout the year to transform your garden through the seasons so that it always seems fresh and welcoming. 

Happy gardening! 

How to Seek Out the Best Quality in Fashion

When you're buying clothing and accessories, you want to buy quality items. Spending money on something that is going to fall apart within a few months is going to please you, and it won't be great for your bank account either. Seeking out the very best quality isn't as easy as simply spending the most money, however. Although paying more for the things you buy does help to ensure that you choose quality fashion, you can still find that expensive items don't stand the test of time. So how should you find fashion that looks great, fits like a glove and will remain in your closet for years to come?

You can look at a number of different factors to find the very best quality clothing, jewelry and accessories.

Take Note of Construction

One thing that you might want to look out for when buying clothing and other fashion items is how something is constructed. If a garment or accessory is well-constructed, it is likely to last longer. Strong stitching, finished seams buttons that aren't going to fly off at the first sign of strain are all things that can make a difference. It can take a little while to learn what you should be looking for, especially as you need to consider different factors for different items.

How well something is finished should be one thing that you take into account. If you've never taken a close look at a garment of clothing inside out before, now is a good time to start doing it. It will show you which items are neatly finished and which ones are perhaps cheaper items of clothing. For example, one common method for finishing seams is a serged edge. This means the seam is finished off with a type of sewing machine called a serger, and it's usually used for cheaper items of clothing. Higher-end clothing will often use neater ways of finishing off a seam, such as a flat-felled seam (common on jeans).

One way to get a good idea of the quality of stitching is to look at top-stitching. This is the stitching that is visible on the outside of the garment. If it's nice and neat, you can take a good guess that the rest of the stitching will be good quality too. Another place to watch for stitching is around buttons and other fastenings. They should be firmly held in place, so you don't need to worry about them coming off. Speaking of fastenings, metal and other durable materials are usually better for buttons and zippers than plastic.

Understand Fabrics and Materials

When it comes to choosing high-end fashion items, it pays to understand what the things you buy are made of. From leather boots to silk shirts and gold jewelry, higher-quality materials usually translate into higher-quality items.

If you're shopping for clothes, natural fabrics are usually best - unless you're looking for high-performance fabrics for sports. That means fabrics like wool, cotton, silk, and leather. Within these broader categories, you will also find particularly fine examples of different fabrics, such as cashmere or angora wool. However, just because something is made from a particular material, it doesn't guarantee its quality. There are other factors to look at, too, including the weight of the material and the texture.

You might also need to consider materials such as precious metals and gemstones if you're buying jewelry. If you're looking at watches, you can also benefit from knowing which materials to watch out for. For example, if you're looking at diamond jewelry, it's worth spending some time getting to know how to spot a real diamond and how to assess its quality.

Look at Where It's Made

Does where an item is made really affect its quality? There's a good chance that it does. There are several countries and even specific regions that have a long history of quality textiles and fashion. Some of the manufacturing countries that people prefer include the US, UK, Italy, France and Spain. Of course, these aren't the only places in the world manufacturing quality fashion. Buying things that are made as close to your home as possible may not only increase the quality, but it's also good for the environment. If you're interested in sustainable fashion, it makes sense to buy things that haven't been transported halfway around the world.

Choose Brands That Have Stood the Test of Time

It can be difficult to know whether to trust a well-known brand. However, there are plenty of big-name brands that can be relied on. Not all designer names automatically equal quality, but there are many that do, especially when they are famous for making a particular thing very well. The biggest collection of Vintage Oyster Perpetual Watches can be found at Vintage Watch Online. Rolex have long been regarded as excellent watchmakers, with the Swiss manufacturer dating back to London in 1905. If a brand's products have a reputation for standing the test of time, you can usually guarantee that they will continue to do so.

Don't Get Too Caught Up in Brands

Even though it is a good idea to look out for quality designers, it's not the be-all and end-all. Some big names might be famous, but they can spend more money on marketing than they do on the quality of their products or on product development. Some well-established brands can fall behind, while new names start to take over. It's worth giving smaller brands a chance if you can verify the quality of their products. You could also save money by avoiding the big brands.

Read Reviews and Ratings

Reading reviews when you're shopping for something is always smart, especially when you're looking online. Fortunately, the internet makes it really easy to find out what previous customers have to say about the products that they have bought. A quick look at some ratings can give you a basic idea of the quality of a certain brand. However, it's worth reading some more in-depth reviews too, not just from general customers but also from professional reviewers and journalists.

Try On for Fit

Quality clothes and shoes are made to fit you well. You can get the best fit from your clothes by having them tailored to you, but the next best thing is to look for quality items with a good cut. Trying things on before you buy them helps you to ensure they fit well, and that there isn't any fabric bunching up or stretching in places where it shouldn't. Shoes should be tried on for comfort and fit too. Although you have probably "broken in" lots of shoes, some experts say that shouldn't be necessary. A good pair of shoes should fit comfortably without causing you pain for days or even weeks.

Ensure Genuine Materials and Designers

Finally, being able to spot a fake if you're buying designer items is a good skill to have. There are plenty of items that are copied and passed off as genuine designer goods when they're much cheaper replicas. To be able to spot them, you need to know the markers of a genuine product. Some of these are general things to look for, such as the quality of the stitching. However, there are also some things that are specific to certain brands, such as the label that they use.

When you're looking for quality fashion, learn what you should be looking for, from the construction to brand names. You will be able to make the most of your money when you only buy quality.

Looking After Your Mental Health In Lockdown

Many of us are in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic and although you’ll find plenty of social media posts and online content about getting in shape, there’s one part of our bodies that we seem to be neglecting - our mental health. 

Being locked down at home may seem like a paradise for some, but for others, the isolation can be very difficult to deal with. If you’re struggling with your mental health, or just want to make sure that you’re giving your mind the attention it deserves, then here are some things to try. 

Stay connected

Connecting with others is perhaps the single most important thing to do during the lockdown. Don’t just check-in with family or friend’s but really listen to how they are doing. There are a number of ways to communicate during the lockdown, including writing postcards, video chats, and of course simply picking up the phone. Alternatively, you can search counselling singapore, or something more relevant to your area, to find a therapist to talk to if you're really struggling.

Learn something new

Learning as an adult has been scientifically proven to improve a person's wellbeing, so why not use the extra time you now have at home to learn a new skill or to pick up a new hobby. Not only will this give you a sense of purpose and achievement but it will also help to keep your mind busy and away from things that could cause you stress or anxiety. 

Exercise every day

We all know that exercise is good for us, but now more than ever it is vital that we try to stay active. Exercise is a very important component of health and wellbeing and can help to release happy hormones that make us feel good. Make the most of no longer commuting by using a workout to help you transition from home to your work time, and if you have access to the outdoors, then use exercise to ensure you are still getting some Vitamin D. 

Reach out for help

Just because we are being told to stay at home does not mean that you should put off getting help if you need it. Whether you need counselling, drug rehab or simply someone to talk to, most of these providers are offering some sort of online or virtual service to ensure that they can still meet the needs of those who need them. Don’t wait until the lockdown is lifted to get the help you need, contact someone today. 

Try to limit your intake of negative media

Finally, many people find that their mental health is negatively affected by negative media. Try to limit your intake of social media and the news, especially if you find the discussions around COVID-19 to be particularly harmful. Instead, surround yourself with positivity, focus on the good that is happening in the world rather than the bad. If you want to ensure that you are staying up to date then give yourself a small time period to check the news each week, or inform a friend that you are coming away from the media and ask them to summarize anything you need to know for you.