Off to Arizona

Well, our friends are off to their home in Arizona. This year they put their house up for sale but the way things are, it hasn't sold yet. They have asked me to keep an eye on it and the next door neighbor too. Make sure the furnace doesn't quit and pick up the junk mail. They have a permanent house in Phoenix now so took their furniture too. It will seem funny to be checking an empty house. The neighbor will keep the snow cleared and they have a neat setup where a light goes on if the temperature in the house drops below 40 degrees. Then they call us and we check it out and call the plumber if needed. It is a simple way to make some extra cash next Spring by housesitting this winter.

Save time and Money When Moving

Whether you are moving across the country, or just across town, relocating can be very stressful and expensive. One of the top-ranked personal finance blogs, Wise Bread by Myscha Theriault, speaks from experience. She and her husband recently moved from Florida to Maine. She found from her experience of setting up homes in different places in the United States and in different countries, that there are some great tips to save you both time and money.

First of all, before you even start, cull through your stuff and downsize. Create a system as you pack and put room labels on each box. Be sure to prepare a kitchen kit because your cooking routine is dramatically disrupted when you move. You can't seem to find anything. If you organize a box just for that for the kitchen, it will make it so much easier when you get there and unpack. That goes for everything else. Packing correctly will really help you get settled much faster, saving you a great deal of time and stress.