Energy Efficiency: Understanding How a Window Upgrade Can Save You Money

You know winter is arriving when the temperatures begin to get frigid. When the temperatures begin to drop, many homeowners will begin to turn their heating systems on and the colder it gets, the harder the system needs to work which increases energy bills. The good news is, by utilizing replacement windows; you can significantly decrease energy use as well as the cost of home heating.

Energy Saving

 
Energy efficient windows help to make your household more comfortable as compared to older drafty windows. This means you are able to not only live comfortably, but save on your electricity and gas as well. There are several ways that efficient windows work in saving energy. Your windows make up a central part of your household's architecture and it can be really simple to go about your daily activities without giving them a second thought. As the energy costs climb, however, the time is now that you want to pay more attention to them and seriously consider an upgrade to more energy efficient windows. In both function and construction, windows like these are different than regular windows and will help you to save a bundle on both your heating and cooling expenses. Below will help you understand how energy efficient windows work to save you on energy costs.

Hurricane Resistant

Upgrading to hurricane rated windows involves several steps. First, assess your current windows for compatibility and evaluate which buildings codes apply based on your location. Next, choose windows that are specifically rated for hurricane resistance, ensuring they meet standards such as those set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or undergo tests for impact resistance. Installation is critical; it often requires professional help to ensure proper sealing and structural integrity. Always check local regulations and possibly seek permits before starting the project.

Window Frames

 
The frame of a window can be made from fiberglass, wood, vinyl, composite, aluminum or another metal. Even though they all have their own particular advantages and disadvantages, it is recommended that you go with vinyl, composite or fiberglass to get the most benefit. Aluminum is heated easily and therefore does not make a great insulator. Due to contraction and expansion, efficiency problems exist with wood frames, so vinyl-clad or fiberglass is a good choice. However, if you decide on vinyl, depending on your house requirements and climate, it is best if you go with the insulated version for the best thermal insulation.

Window Glazing & Insulated

 
There are many different options when it comes to selecting your window glass, such as heat-absorbing tints, gas fills, double or triple glazed insulated, spectral selective coatings and reflective coatings. Double or triple glazed as well as storm windows allow air and space between panes. This will lower the U-factor and the SHGC or solar heat gain coefficient.

Gas fills

 
Argon is the most common gas used and is fairly inexpensive. Krypton, although more expensive, is also a common gas used and works better at decreasing the U-factor of a window.

Heat-absorbing tints

Tints come in different colors like green, blue, bronze, gray or black. Tint does not lower the U-factor of a window, but you can add spectral sensitive coatings and inner glass layers to help with that. Bronze and gray help to reduce light and heat while green and blue allow for more VT or visible transmittance, but with only a slight reduction in heat transfer.

You can save money each month with energy efficient windows. In some cases, newer windows have helped people to become net energy gainers. Typically, energy efficient windows will have a payback period of around 2 to 10 years. In new installation, their initial cost is higher but can be offset by giving you the ability to get a less expensive and smaller heating and cooling unit. More durable, energy efficient windows will end up costing less in the long run due to lowered replacement and maintenance costs. Plus, you will be more comfortable all around and a fully insulated home. Places like Central Scotland Joinery can help you select the best option of energy efficient windows for your home and install them for you too.

How Does a Novated Lease Work?

A novated lease is a type of car lease that an employer gets on behalf of the employee. The employee, in turn, pays for this lease with their income before taxes are taken out. Novated leases are incredibly beneficial for both the employee and employer, though of course there are certain disadvantages there as well. For jobs that need a lot of on the job travel, a novated car lease is likely the best way that the payments can be handled. 

How Does A Novated Lease Help The Employee?

With a novated lease, the employee never has to worry about making their car payments. The car payments are automatically deducted from their paycheque pre-tax. Not only does this mean they don't have to track the lease payments, but it also means that they can get a better car for less money because they don't have to pay tax on the amount. Employers also tend to have deals with automobile companies to lease cars by volume. That means that the employee has more savings because of the company's better rates.

Rather than other types of employer lease, the employee does keep certain rights over the car because the employee is making the lease payments. The employee gets more choices of car than in a traditional employee lease agreement, and the employee gets use of the car when they are outside of work. The employee can even keep their vehicle if they leave the company by transferring it to another company. 

How Does The Novated Lease Help The Employer?

On the employer's behalf, though the lease is financed through the company the employee still makes the payments. This means very little out-of-pocket cost for the employer. All the employer has to do is secure the lease, and manage the payments from the employee's paycheques. Because the employee is saving money on the lease, the employer can consider the lease a perk that the employee gets, and so save money on salaries.

Employers that need to have their employees travel during office hours save significant funds over providing company cars. Company cars would need to be purchased and retained by the company and not leased, or leased at a higher amount. The novated lease, by contrast, incurs no more cost on the behalf of the business. 

What Are The Drawbacks To A Novated Lease?

Because a novated lease is still a lease, the standard problems with this type of lease still applies; at the end, neither party will own the vehicle, which means that the employees are purely paying an expense and not gaining an asset. This said most novated lease companies will offer easy paths to ownership which will still work out as more cost effective for the vast majority of customers. This normally involves paying a fee at the end of the lease to purchase the vehicle outright

This article was written by the team at Novated by Fleetcare, independent Australian novated lease providers with offices all around the country.

Learning To Make Better Financial Decisions

Whether you value material things or you simply like knowing your bills are paid, money matters. Dedicate the necessary time to find out as much as you can about finance, so that you can remain in control and avoid stress. The information in this article is designed to help you understand and effectively manage your personal finances.

Review your income as well as how much you spend so that you can then formulate a budget. Figuring out how much money you make in a month is where you should start. Include second jobs and other sources of money in your income calculations. The foundation of any budget is ensuring that you spend less than you earn every month.

Home Expenses & Loans

Now, you should write down all of your expenses. You will want to include everything you pay on a quarterly and annual basis too. This would be things like insurance, vehicle maintenance, or regular household upkeep. Included in your list should be incidentals such as entertainment, food, and even the cost of hiring a babysitter. Try to make a very through list to ensure you are aware of absolutely everything you spend.

You should be able to establish a budget now so that you know exactly how much income you can generate. Look over all your regular purchases and decide what is and isn't necessary. For instance, instead of spending money by eating out, you could easily cook something at home, and save money. Examine your spending patterns in search of other ideas to trim costs and keep your money in your pocket.

There are things around the house that you can repair or upgrade that will help reduce your utility bills. A brand-new, energy-efficient dishwasher or washing machine can save you a load of money on your water and electric bills each month. An excellent replacement for a tank heater is a water heater that is either on-demand or in-line. This will decrease your water bill. In addition, you should look for leaky pipes, because they could be causing your water bills to be higher than they should be.

Think about buying energy efficient appliances to take the place of your current models. It will save you a lot of money if you use appliances that use up less energy. Also remember to unplug any appliances that have a constant light going whenever you are not using it. These little lights can really use electrical power.

A good percentage of the heat lost in your home is through the walls and ceiling. Avoid high utility bills by making sure these areas of your home are well insulated. Spending a little money now will save you lots of cash down the road.

Follow these tips to establish a good budget. This will help you save money. Reduce your utility bills with new Energy Star qualified appliances. You will have better control of your finances by doing this.

For more information about home or car loans , please visit:

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Of the People for the People: When Banking Goes Social

Social media has come a long way, baby, over the past decade. Analyzing the already (in) famous case of Facebook alone will reveal a spectacular tale of a brainchild born out of the enthusiasm of three Harvard dropouts. What started out as a basement dream evolved into a social network especially devised for students and alumni of Ivy League colleges, which then expanded across colleges in the United States and eventually took over the whole world. Nowadays, there is little people don’t do on Facebook. They chat, keep friends, family, and acquaintances updated of their personal status quo and whereabouts – and, more recently, they’ve also started taking their banking to new social level. 

Of course, this latest revolution is inextricably tied in with the mobile revolution, in which both technology and IT savvy have a lot to say for themselves. Over the past year, the US market reach and share of smartphones has increased to great extents and the latest polls in the field indicate that it will only continue along the same lines in 2013. Not only are more and more people online, but the range of actions they perform on their mobile, online-ready devices is also becoming more and more diverse. Supremacy belongs to game playing, which has surpassed, in terms of time spent at play, the time people spend playing video games on their desktop devices. Online and social banking, however, is also undergoing a quiet revolution of its own. 

Two of Australia’s Leading Banks Go Social

Bankwest is one Australian bank that realized the catchphrase according to which ‘you don’t exist if you’re not on Facebook’ is truer than they may have initially thought. At http://www.facebook.com/bankwest they’re keeping clients informed, both current and prospective ones, of all the bank’s activities outside the main institution’s premises. Their strategy is personal and their approach light, as their profile is peppered with pictures from recent social events, organized in support of the bank’s many social initiatives. Bankwest is one Australian bank which has been focusing on online presence more so than others in recent times – their online savings, credit card, and personal loan deals often come with better terms than their offline counterparts.

Bankwest is not the only online Aussie bank either. Another major competitor on the market has recently launched a marketing campaign aimed at informing clients of the many services they offer online. These range from enabling payments via mobile, to dedicated smartphone apps for people seeking to purchase a new home. According to the bank’s representatives, their latest campaign is about improving the bank – customer relationship, and not about “technology for technology’s sake”. The decision to go online and implicitly social was marked by the bank’s desire to stay on top of its game, to improve the way banking was viewed and to provide a higher-value experience for the end-user. 

What’s in it for the Banks?

As the latter example goes to show, taking a banking enterprise online and helping it stay connected with its clients through multiple channels is not about being ‘trendy’. It’s the next logical step in an approach that is firmly rooted in the traditions of the banking industry. Back before the global financial crisis, and even further back in time, during the fifties, sixties, and seventies, banks were perceived as more ‘humane’ and implicitly human than they are now. The GFC changed all that, as many institutions across the world tumbled toward their inevitable end, fueled, it seems, by a lot of inhumane amassing of capital. Current attempts at socializing via the newest means available are, by the looks of it, an attempt of making amends for the past decade. Time alone will tell if the general consumer public chooses to validate this attempt or dismiss it.

Assessing the Damage After Your Identity Has Been Stolen

The Traveler’s Guide to Preventing Identity Theft offered by Guest Door is a wonderful resource with many hints that can help you prevent identity theft. If you travel frequently, or you’re concerned about protecting your identity while you’re out and about, you should read over this info. But what do you do if your identity is stolen?

You get that dreaded phone call: there’s been suspicious activity on your credit card and your bank wants to know if you've been engaging in a spending spree. You’re shocked and appalled. Your identity has been stolen and you've got to act quickly if you want to protect yourself from additional theft and damage.

You’re understandably overwhelmed. What do you do? You want to figure out how this has happened. There are a few steps you’re going to have to take to protect your wallet and your credit:

Contact Equifax, Experian, or Transunion Immediately

You’re going to have to place a fraud alert on your credit report. You won’t have to call all three. Once you contact one agency, they’ll inform the others. They’ll also be sending you a copy of your credit report for you to review. Fraud alerts are extremely important because it requires companies to verify your identity before issuing a line of credit in your name. This will prevent thieves from opening any more new accounts in your name.

Contact Creditors Right Away

If the perpetrators have opened new accounts, contact those creditors and notify them of fraudulent activity. The accounts will be closed and you’ll have to fill out a fraud affidavit. If accounts that you opened have been compromised contact those creditors and let them know your identity has been stolen. The accounts will be closed and you’ll be able to review any charges to determine what activity has been taking place.

Contact Local Authorities

The next step is to contact local authorities and alert them to fraud. A detective will be assigned to your case and you can ask for any details about the charges. You’ll want to let them know what was spent and how your identity was stolen. When you finish providing information to the police, be sure to write down the case number and detective’s name. You’ll have to include this information on any fraud affidavits.

File a Complaint with the FTC

You’ll also need to notify the Federal Trade Commission by calling 1877-IDTHEFT.
Change all Online Passwords

You’ll want to change all your online passwords. The thieves may have acquired information from one of your accounts. Additionally, this may be inconvenient, but you should never store passwords online or on your computer.

Always Keep Records

You’ll want to keep updated records throughout the process. You should keep up with details of your dealings with any creditors, companies, and detectives. You should always write down the name of anyone you speak with, their title, the company they work for, the date, and time as well as a short summary of the discussion you had.

You’ll need to keep all this information in one location that is safe. It’s evidence that you will need later. You might find yourself being diligent initially, but important information may surface later. You need to track everything until all of your disputes are resolved.

Identity theft shouldn't ruin your life or your credit if you can manage to stay calm, be organized and take those first crucial steps involved in resolving any issues. You can bounce back from this stressful situation and you can stop those identity thieves right in their tracks. It might be tough initially, but it’s not an impossible situation.

Author Bio:

If you are still curious on what more steps to take in preventing identity theft, you can visit GuestDoor. You can also visit Traveler's Guide to Preventing Identity Theft.  

Start Filing Your Tax Return With These 6 Steps

IRS Form W-9 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Neda Jafarzadeh, a financial analyst with NerdWallet Investing. NerdWallet helps consumers make better financial decisions and compare total costs to find the best broker for their needs. 

If you haven’t already started preparing your 2012 tax returns, you will want to get started as the April 15th deadline is fast approaching. To get started, consider the following six tips: 

Tip 1: Know If You Need to File

If you aren’t sure whether you need to be filing a tax return for 2012, the IRS has a page that helps you decide whether or not you need to be filing. If you’ve decided that you do not need to file a tax return, keep in mind that you won’t be able to take advantage of the various credits that would otherwise be available to you. For example, if you made less than $50,270 in 2012, you may quality for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), or if you were a college student in 2012 or your dependent was a student, you may be eligible to receive the American Opportunity Tax Credit. 

Tip 2: Taxable vs. Nontaxable Income

While most types of earned income is subject to taxation, other types such as child support payments, gifts, inheritances and welfare benefits, are not. In addition, keep in mind that if you received a refund, credit or offset from the state, you may be required to include that as income even if you did not receive a Form 1900-G. To learn more about what income is subject to taxation, check Publication 525 on the IRS page. 

Tip 3: Finding Forms and Publications

There are numerous ways you can get the forms you need to file your tax return. One way is it get the forms online or by phone if you call 1-800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) between 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday and request that they be mailed to you. You can even find the forms at your local post office or public library. 

Tip 4: Don’t Get Scammed

Tax scams are more common than you might think and the IRS has gone to great lengths to educate the public on recognizing and reporting these scams. If you aren’t sure whether you’ve fallen victim to a scam, the IRS has set up case scenarios to help you identify common scams, usually involving phone scams or identity theft. If you know you have fallen victim to a scam, you can use Form 3949-A to report it to the IRS. 

Tip 5: Get Help

If you are planning on using a DIY tax software, make sure you read customer reviews for the tool to see if your needs will be appropriately satisfied. NerdWallet also ran a comparison of the top two softwares available H&R Block and TurboTax, so feel free to reference that resource as well. If you plan to hire a professional tax preparer, do check his qualifications by asking for his Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTIN). 

Tip #6: Use Tax Credits Available to Parents

If you are a parent, be sure to look into the tax credits that are available to you like the Child and Dependent Tax Credit. You should be eligible to receive this credit if you have a child under the age of 13 and had to pay for a caretaker while you went to work or while you looked for work.