How to Save Money While Running a Household… While Conserving Energy and Natural Resources too!
It peeves me to no end when I see people wasting things! It literally makes my skin crawl to see the waste it is possible to observe in a 24 hour period. When I think about ways to save money on a monthy budget it always starts with where I know it will have the biggest impact… in our home!
I am constantly lecturing the kids about turning off lights, shutting off the water, etc.
By making a few small and mindful changes, you can reduce your monthly utility cost by quite a bit. Here are a few suggestions.
- Turn off the air-conditioner! If it’s hot outside (within reason)… live it up! Summers in Chicago are way too short, and you’ll be shoveling snow before you know it! Honestly, it is a very big myth, “that it’s cheaper to run the air 24/7 than to turn it off in cooler weather”. It simply isn’t true. Most of my neighbors work during the day and we are constantly listening to the buzz of about 10 or so air conditioners humming in unison. That’s crazy! No one is even home to enjoy the nice cool air circulating throughout the house! (on a side note, if the air isn’t on inside… your kids will be more inclined to play outside than seek the shelter of the cool inside air!)
- If it’s been dry, don’t bother watering your grass! (unless your selling your house :) Grass in this area goes dormant during dry spells and returns to it’s natural state of green when the rain starts to fall. Unless you are caring for newly laid sod or grass freshly started from seed, it makes much better sense to let nature take care of your grass, than to go broke trying to keep it green! Definitely keep plants and trees watered though; these plants are not resistant to drought conditions and will wilt and die in dry weather.
- Run your major appliances at night. By running your appliances at night you may not be saving that much money, but you will be definitely be reducing the demand during peak hours which is better for the environment.
- Install a programmable thermostat. By automatically regulating the heating and cooling cycles in your home you will effortlessly be reducing the amount of strain on natural resources and your pocketbook!
- Set your summer thermostat at 78 - 80 degrees in summer. Part of the air conditioners job is to reduce the humidity in the air. The higher the humidity the warmer the air will feel. By reducing the humidity at 78 degrees you will automatically feel much cooler than the air measures.
- Set your winter thermostat at 68 degrees in the winter. If you heat the air and add humidity by installing a whole house humidifier in the winter the air will automatically feel warmer. (remember humid air feels warmer than dry air).
- Install a water heater blanket. It can reduce the cost of your hot water bill by 25-45%.
- Turn off the lights when you aren’t using them. Why pay for something that you aren’t using or enjoying the benefit of.
- Don’t fall asleep with the T.V. on. If you have a sleep timer on your television, utilize it.
- Don’t let the water run! When you aren’t using the water between rinsing dishes or brushing your teeth, turn off the water. The phrase “money down the drain” originated for a reason!
My mom and dad had a famous phrase in our house that still triggers an unexplained emotion in me.
“What are you looking for in that fridge? They aren’t showing cartoons in there so shut that door!”
Did you know that running the air-conditioner for 3 weeks straight uses more electric than leaving the refrigerator open for an entire year?!
I hope these tips will help everyone become more aware of the wasted energy that comes as a cost to our own budget, as well as to our environment. You’ll be glad you made the effort to make these subtle changes for both the environment, as well as for your personal finances!
Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233
Tips for selling your house | Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Are you thinking about selling your house? Could it use a little sprucing up?Here are a few things that will give you the most BUCK for the BANG!
- Plant some flowers and pull those weeds! If you are looking to add a little curb appeal, this is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to do it! Don’t let nature take over your flower beds… PULL THOSE WEEDS! Once their gone, replace them with some pretty and colorful flowers!
- Do you have a blacktop or asphalt driveway? Call one of companies that leave flyers in your door. For $45 you can get fresh coat of blacktop on your driveway and give your home a sharp new appeal!
- Clean that carpet! For less than $150 you can hire a professional carpet cleaning company to come and clean all of the carpets in your home. (Check your mail for local Val-Pak for coupons for local area businesses that service your area.)
Replace old shower curtains with newer inexpensive ones from somewhere like Big Lots, or Tuesday Morning. - Paint over those bold colors! Not everyone loves a custom paint job. If you have a room that has very “loud” or has an unusual paint color selection, consider buying a gallon of paint from Wal-Mart or Menards to make it more appealing to a broader range of potential buyers. It could save you both time and money on the sale of your home!
- Get rid of the garbage! If you haven’t used it in the last 6 months… YOU NEVER WILL! Toss it, and rid yourself of litter you’ll just have to take with you to the new house…
- Keep the yard well manicured and green! Brown spots in the landscaping reduce the curb appeal the second a potential buyer lays eyes on your home!
- Don’t fret over who gets the appliances. The easier you make it on your buyer, the closer you will get to your asking price. ( and then you can afford new ones!)
- Take down any old and worn wallpaper and repaint.
- Replace old lightbulbs.
- Fix the leaky faucet
- Repair that squeaky door!
These are just a few ways to increase the value of your home on a budget. It’s the little things, that truly mean everything!
Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233
Tips on Showing Your Home | Chicago Suburban Real Estate
- Don’t use air fresheners. Air fresheners can be too over powering and might cause some buyers to think you are trying to mask a more ominous odor. Instead, consider lighting a few lightly scented candles in the kitchen or bathroom.
- Turn on the stereo. Music creates an inviting atmosphere.
- Make all of the beds and re-organize the closets. A well maintained storage area gives the impression that there is room to grow.
- Have pets? Make sure to keep them out of the way, or out of sight. Some people are afraid of animals, while others may have allergies. Make sure things like cages and litter boxes are kept clean and out of the way to avoid over-powering pet odors.
- Consider smoking outside while your home is on the market if you are a smoker. The smell of smoke indoors will most likely be a huge turn-off to a non-smoking prospective buyer. Tobacco smoke and odor builds up on window treatments, on furniture, and in carpeting even when no one is actively smoking in the home. This can be a very serious concern for someone with allergies as well.
- Be willing to show your home at a moments notice. It’s not uncommon for someone to call as they are sitting right in front of the house. Whenever possible try not to turn anyone away. Keep the house as neat and clean as possible for those “spur of the moment” showings.
Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233
The Importance of Being a Pre-Approved Buyer | Chicago Suburban Real Estate
When thinking about buying a new home, I know that a million things immediately come to mind. My husband and I have bought and sold many properties over the last 8 years. How much can we afford? How much will the payment be? Can we get a loan?
The first call you should make before you begin looking for you next home, is to your mortgage broker or loan officer.
It is very important to know your financial situation before you start searching for your new home. Credit scores, interest rates, and debt to income ratios all dramatically affect the types of loans and programs available to home-buyers. It will also affect the amount of credit you have available to finance your new home.
The fact of the matter is, credit costs money. Interest rates are the means to which banks make money. The higher the risk, based on your credit scores and debt to income ratios, the more a bank will charge for the cost of obtaining credit.
Why does the credit score play such a important part in the process of applying for credit? To quote one of my favorite talk show hosts, Dr. Phil, ” The best predictor of future behavior, is past behavior”
If you are consistently 5 days late on your car payment, your behavior tells the bank, “I don’t pay my bills on time, so don’t expect a payment from me when it’s due.”
Likewise, if you mail your house payment in 2 weeks early and you pay off your credit cards every month, your behavior tells the bank, “I pay my bills on-time and understand the conditions of the credit agreements I have entered into.”
From an real estate agents point of view, not knowing what price range a buyer can afford to buy in would only lead me on a wild goose chase all over Chicago or the suburbs, and end up taking up a lot of both mine and my clients time.
You wouldn’t go to the check out at the grocery store without making sure you had money in your wallet, right? The same rule loosley applies to shopping for a new home.
Lots of real estate agents would be more than happy to take you through homes for sale in your area, I’m one of them; but I can’t stress enough the importance of talking to a mortgage lender and becoming pre-approved!
- Pre-approval gives weight to any, and all offers, that you make on a property.
- Defines the price range for which you can obtain a loan commitment from a lender.
- Helps you understand exactly what that credit is going to cost you in terms of interest rates.
- A mortgage broker can help you estimate your final monthly payment, closing costs, and necessary down payment.
- Being pre-approved, saves both you and your real estate agent a valuable amount of time!
I have established a business relationship with Dan Garcia at Excel Mortgage. Dan will work with you to find a loan program that you are comfortable with, and that meets your needs. I’ve been working with Dan for the last 3 years and he has written several loans for my husband and I over the years.
If you are thinking about buying a new home, give Dan a call. You can reach him at the office at 815-886-9024. He’s a smart guy and he’ll take great care of you!
After you talk to Dan, call me … we’ve got some house shopping to do!
Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233
What Makes A House a Home? | Chicago Suburban Real Estate
I spent a little “free time” watching the movie Sweet Home Alabama this weekend. It’s pretty sad when you equate “free time” with sitting on a gurney in the emergency room wearing one of the beautiful hospital gowns; but honestly I think it’s the first time in about 2 years that I’ve actually watched a movie all the way through!
I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen this movie or not, but there’s a line in the movie that refers to an idea that’s crossed my mind several times…
Is it possible to have both “Roots” and “Wings”? Home is where you hang your heart, right? Or is it where your roots are planted deep into the ground? Maybe it’s both.
I have friends that are way more “Wings” than “Roots”, who seem to soar from location to location without ever looking back. State to state, home to home….
I could never be one of those people. I know it for sure.
I never thought I’d ever be able to call anyplace else home other than the home in which I was raised. Even up to the day I moved out of my childhood home, only days before my wedding, I was still nervous about how I would feel about my new “home”. I really didn’t believe anywhere else would ever feel like home to me like that again.
It’s been almost 8 years now, since my husband and I moved our family here to Plainfield, IL, and I think I’d have to dig pretty deep if I ever wanted to try to pull these new roots now.
For a long time after we moved into our new house, I felt a pulled to my old familiar stomping grounds. It wasn’t until after we started making new memories as a family, and made new friends in the area, that it really began to feel like home.
When I drive through my old hometown from time to time, it’s funny how I can turn back the clock in my mind. So much has changed, but the memories of my childhood still come clearly flooding back.
This new home, and this life we’ve made for ourselves here in Plainfield, will be the memories our kids take with them throughout their lives.
Yep, home is where the heart is… and I really like where I’ve hung mine!
Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233
Chicago Natives | Nostalgic Chicago T.V. website is AMAZING!
I stumbled upon a fantasitic new website yesterday while doing some research for my previous post.
Long before cable, and (gasp),the Internet… times were simpler.
This website, showcasing local network, non-cable, television will jog your memory and have you skipping happily down memory lane.
Fuzzy Memories is the place to go to view local area commercials and the t.v. bumpers of “yester-year”.
You’ll find local area commercials for stores such as Zayre, Venture, Dominick’s Finer Foods as well as commercials for all of your favorite toys from the 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s…..
My personal favorites were the old local car commercials , and the archived local news broadcasts.
This is the most comprehensive site I have ever come across for classic Chicago nostalgia. The content will have you lost in cyber-space well beyond the reasonable time constraints of web-surfing….!
Julie Ferenzi
Chicago Suburan Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233
Kiddieland | One of the last family owned amusement parks near Chicago…
When I was a child, my parents took us several times each summer to one of my favorite childhood memories… Kiddie Kingdom. Unless you lived in the suburbs in the 1980’s you’ll have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about.
Kiddie Kingdom was not only an amusement park, it was home to Dispensa’s Castle of Toys, in Oak Brook, IL; equip with giant exterior toy soldiers who guarded the Bavarian style toy store castle. If you were driving down IL Rt 83 you couldn’t miss it for the world. A toy store and an amusement park?! Yes, it was that good.
I remember the last time our family took the trip to Kiddie Kingdom. It was the fall of 1st grade; and fall of 1982 to be exact. I had no idea then, but the doors to my favorite childhood memory would close forever after that late fall visit.
Kiddie Kingdom Amusement park is now the home to the Drury Lane Theatre and office complex, one of the tallest buildings in Oak Brook. The owners of the building were kind enough to name the street leading to the building
“Castle Dr.”
I remember an old fire truck ride where the riders were instructed to help put out the fire by pointing their rubber fire hoses toward a Mr. Rodgers like neighborhood…. and a fun house ride that terrified me, as a witch popped out at us in the the corner of the attraction. The “octopus” was a favorite ride at the park, as well as “the scrambler” which our family nicknamed “the fans” because the breeze you felt when riding was quite refreshing on a hot summer night!
Still I yearned for those childhood memories for my own children, and I was lucky enough to find it at Kiddieland in Melrose Park.
When I was a kid, my parents loved to take us to Kiddie Kingdom; as a mom, I am grateful that the owners of Kiddieland still appreciate the excitement that children get as they rush past the gates of of entering the amusement park.
Six Flags Great America is too mature for my 10 and under crowd. Kiddieland is just perfect for all of us to enjoy each others company and savor the experience of one of America’s last family owned amusement parks; these parks that were once so popular in the early 70’s through the late 80’s and have since gone the way of the wagon….
White Castle restaurants always hand out coupons which offer discounts on admission to the park, and we always take them up on their offer. Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned one of the best perks to admission to the park! Drinks are FREE! Pepsi sponsors drinks within the amusement park. Yep, no kidding. ABSOLUTELY FREE!
We have made Kiddieland a family tradition for the last 9 years that we’ve been lucky enough to be parents….
If you’ve never been to the park before, put it on your list of things to do this Spring! I only hope that the owners of the park continue to deliver the great customer service and courtesy from their staff, that they have been known for in the past.
You’ll have to be sure to finish the night off with a trip to Perry’s Pizza Joynt when you are done though. That’s another tradition that deserves it’s own post! Check back here later this weeks for links to the best pizza available in Northlake, IL!!!!
Julie Ferenzi
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233
Addison, IL | The Friendship Village… and My Old Stomping Grounds!
I grew up on Wrightwood Ave. in Addison. I was born there on October 8th, 1976 and spent the next (almost 23) years of my life in the same house, until October 2, 1999 when my husband Tony and I got married.
I graduated from Addison Trail High School in 1994. I attended Fullerton Elementary and both of my sister’s and I were lucky enough to have Mrs. Hall for our kindergarten teacher between the years of 1977-1983… strange as it would now be today, we shared many teachers over the years despite the 8+ year age gap between the three of us.
Our house at 256 E. Wrightwood Ave. was filled with so many great memories. We lived 3 blocks from the old 7-11 that stood at the corner of Wrightwood and Addison Rd. It has since been replaced by a cabinet store, which is ironically owned by my sister’s father-in-law… Dennis Naples. I remember raiding the cushions of the couch and dryer vent for change so that I could buy candy from the nickle bins every summer.
I worked for many years at Krage’s Mobil gas station, at the corner of Michigan Ave. and Lake St. and I loved every minute. Truth be told, I held countless jobs in my youth between the ages of 14 and 22, but working for Jim Krage at Krage’s Mobil was by far my favorite job.
I rode bikes up and down the streets of my old neighborhood with childhood friends… friends I still have today!
I have thought so many times about moving back, but my mind knows what my heart does not; you can’t re-create the past.
Despite the fact that things would never be the same, doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy myself when I visit. In fact, I think if it were possible, I don’t think I’d hesitate for a minute to “come back home”.
Things have changed so much over the last 8 years. Some streets are hardly recognizable, while others have hardly changed. The old Tastee Freeze is gone, but Stardust Bowl is still going strong. The Pink Pony, Bogarts, Mickey’s Hot Dogs, Jim and Tom’s, have long since gone… but with those changes have come the evolution of something new. The area between Lombard Rd and Rt. 53 have revitalized an area of Addison that has new life to it.
During the high tide of the real estate gold rush, Addison lost many of it’s long time residents… but I still find it amazing how many of it’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations still endure.
There is an unspoken kinship among the residents of Addison, both past and present
The allure of Addison and the neighboring towns I think began long ago. Given it’s distinction among the expressways and highways that run through and near it, it was an obvious choice for families looking for a place outside of the city that was easy to commute from.
The range in architecture and price of homes, is another rarity within this tight knit community that sets it apart from neighboring communities. I think of Addison as a melting pot of ideas, cultures and class.
I don’t think there are many that will argue that Addison is a truly unique community, comprised of old and young… old and new.
There isn’t a single place in the state of Illinois that I know better than my old hometown of Addison!
Even though I’ve dug new roots out here in Plainfield, you know how the old saying goes…
“Home is where the heart is…”
Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233
Rediscover Berwyn, IL | Why you’d love to live there!
Ask anyone who has lived in or around Chicago for the last 20 years about Berwyn and you’re likely to get the same response…. “Berrrr-wwwwyyyn!” repeated back to you in a sing-song voice. That’s because of an old local t.v. show called “Son of Svengoolie” hosted by Richard Koz, Svengoolie himself. He hosted a horror show from a wooden coffin and threw rubber chickens at the camera during commercial breaks.
A lot has changed in Berwyn since that show originally aired in the early 1980’s. The city of Berwyn, which once declared itself one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. between 1920 to 1940, is now on the maps once again as home-buyers seek out city living, in a suburban setting.
The city of Berwyn is unique, and quite honestly fascinating, in that the suburb has the largest collection of Chicago-style bungalows of anywhere in the nation. You can only begin to appreciate the architecture of Berwyn when you drive down the beautiful tree lined streets, but the true beauty is in the design and layout of these working-class marvels. Many homes in Berwyn have undergone tremendous renovations while preserving the original integrity of the home.
Known for it’s affordability, Berwyn is only 8 miles from the Chicago Loop. Easy access to public transportation make it a commuters dream. It also neighbors historic Oak Park, IL home to the Frank Lloyd Wright home and museum. The Brookfield Zoo is also a short distance from the Berwyn city limits.
I first became familiar with Berwyn right after highschool, when I started dating Dustin Fritz, a native of Brookfield, IL. Little by little I learned more about the area and was better able to manuver my way around without getting lost! One of the greatest things about Berwyn is that you can access so many of the highways and expressways from there. Berwyn is nearly an equal distance to both I-290 Eisenhower Expressway ( to the north, off Harlem) as well as the I-55 Stevenson expressway (to the South… off Harlem as well!)
In addition to it’s “Son of Svengoolie” fame, a sculpture in The Cermak Plaza was also featured in the movie Wayne’s World in the 1992.
Even though the setting for the movie was Aurora, IL, located about 35 miles west of Berwyn, the Cermak Plaza, home of The Spindle, became famous because of the curious car-kabob sculpture designed by artist Dustin Schuler in 1989. The land where the Spindle currently stands has recently been sold to Walgreens and it is scheduled to be dismanteled later this summer in order to begin construction on the new Walgreens store that is going to be built there. Efforts to Save the Spindle have been in the works since the news was announced earlier this year.
Berwyn is community rich in history and a beautiful place to live. My cousins, Mike and Sonja Melton, recently moved back to Chicago from Arizona and purchased their beautiful brick bungalow, just a few blocks from the train station. After visiting their new home, I fell in love with Berwyn all over again!
If you’re looking for a new home in Berwyn it would truly be a pleasure to assist you in your search. It’s a community I really enjoy working in, and it’s a place I think you’d really be happy to call home.
Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont
Elmwood Park, IL
630-673-6233
Memorial Day… Why I never forget | Chicago Suburban Real Estate
It was 5 years ago this weekend, today… this night.
My dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in September of 1999. It was only a month before my wedding, and the news was more than any of us could bare. The doctor that had initially treated him at Elmhurst Hospital, before we all moved to Plainfield, told him that he had less than 3 months to live. Luckily for all of us, that doctor was very wrong in her estimations. We had my dad around quite a bit longer to love and laugh with.
My dad was always a joker. He had a goofy sense of humor, and a fuse as short as a firecracker. He was a smoker, a drinker, and a motorcycle rider. ( I think I was the only kid in class who got picked up from school on a motorcycle). He worked his entire life on the railroad, and I swear he counted box-cars just to fall asleep.
He had this thing he used to do at red lights. Sometimes when the mood would strike him just right, he’d get out of the car and roll his hands as if he were doing the cha-cha. Mind you, he was always the one in the driver’s seat when he decided he wanted to dance, and we of course, wanted to crawl under the dashboard from embarrassment.
Dogs and kids alike came running when they saw my dad coming. He always had dog treats in one pocket and candy in the other! The kids in the neighborhood all knew where to go when they heard the sound of the ice-cream man too.
Oh, I could go on and on about all of my great memories of my dad, but I’m saving those for myself… later on tonight.
It was 5 years ago today, that I said good-bye to my dad for the last time. He was just 63 years old.
He may not have lived long, but he lived hard, and made a lot of people smile in the process! I hope I can leave half the mark on the world that my dad did, because I know a lot of people have that guy in their hearts.
On this Memorial Day, just as in the 5 that have passed since the day my dad died, we have carried on a tradition that started as a way to remember my dad, and all of our family members that have passed away.
Our Memorial Day balloon launch is the day we send a message to our loved ones up in Heaven. We release the balloons with the names of our loved ones on them and send them all up at once, and I think it’s such a great way to remember those that we have loved and lost.
Memorial Day in our family has a special meaning, and we are always grateful to be able to share it with our family and friends.
Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Chicago Suburban Real Estate
Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
630-673-6233