Little Rock Shops

BARGAINISTA for the Savvy Recessionistas – Mark Your Calendars Now!

BARGAINISTA is a one-day shopping event that brings together Little Rock’s fabulous boutiques all under one roof and all at bargain prices! Savvy “recessionistas” will find unbelievable markdowns from many of your favorite stores AND you will discover new, up and coming retailers that pepper our city. Spend the day discovering great deals on everything from shoes to handbags to jewelry, to clothing for men, women and children as well as home furnishings, accessories and bath & body products. Feel good about supporting your local businesses and saving money!

Become a BARGAINISTA!

WHEN: Saturday, February 20 – 10 am to 5pm

WHERE: Little Rock Convention Center HALL I – Downtown Little Rock

Entrance Fee: $5 per person…Under the age of 13 is free of charge. Door fees help to offset hall costs, insurance, staffing, and all the millions of little things that have to happen to make this event a reality. Remember, the stores are selling at or below costs so BARGAINISTA keeps their participant fees low so they can pass those savings on to shoppers!!!

We have something for everyone! There are many retailers showcased atBARGAINISTA offering a unique selection of wares for all ages, genders and tastes! Come shopping with your mom, your boyfriend, your sister and your friends….. they will all find something they adore!

For more information about BARGAINISTA contact Tisha Gribble at (501) 590-3739 or at bargainistasale@gmail.com.

Website:

www.bargainistasale.com

*If you don’t know Tisha, she has A LOT of experience putting on events like this. She has been the chairwoman of Holiday House several times!

BARGAINISTA for the Savvy Recessionistas – Mark Your Calendars Now!Thanks for coming back and visiting my blog. Make sure you check out the Coupon Codes and Offers page under Gift Ideas for special offers from our advertisers.

70 Ways For Home Buyers To Save Money: Tip #2

Tip #2 in our series on how to save money when buying a house is don’t put insurance and taxes in escrow

When you get your mortgage, you will be asked (if your loan officer is honest) if you want to put the money for homeowner’s insurance and taxes in escrow. Most people do not understand what this means.

Your mortgage company will determine how much you will have to pay for homeowner’s insurance and in taxes at the end of the year. They will then divide this amount into 12 and add that to your monthly payment. At the end of the year, they will make the payments to the insurance company and to the tax collector for you.

Isn’t that nice of them?

NO!

They only do this to protect themselves. If you forget to pay the homeowner’s insurance bill and the house burns down, they can’t foreclosure on you. Or if you do not pay the taxes and the government takes the house away, the mortgage company is left out in the cold. There is nothing they can do to get the house back and they lose the money they lent you.

By putting taxes and homeowner’s insurance payments into escrow your monthly payments to the mortgage company will increase. They will hold your money for you to pay for the yearly taxes and to renew the insurance.

Why should they hold your money, when you can keep it until you need to pay. Even if you have money just lying around you can keep it in an investment and earn interest on it until it is time to pay your bill. The less of your money other people have the better.

So let’s say your taxes and homeowner’s insurance add up to $5,000 a year. If you take that $5,000 and put it in an investment account that earns 10% interest for the year, you will have $5,500 at the end. You then pay the insurance and taxes and you still have $500 left over!

When you pay homeowner’s insurance and taxes in escrow you allow the mortgage company to put that money in THEIR savings account and they earn the $500 a year instead of you!

So if you want to make your monthly mortgage payment smaller and even earn some interest for free, then do not put your money into escrow.

Please note that homeowner’s insurance is not the same as mortgage insurance. If you have a loan that is higher then 80% of the value of the house, the lender will require you to pay mortgage insurance. You have no choice in the matter. Mortgage insurance protects the lenders in case they have to foreclose on you. Homeowner’s insurance protects the house in case something gets damaged. You choose the homeowner’s insurance company you want. The lender will choose the mortgage insurance company they want.

About the Author

Abby Kamadia, is a mortgage consultant, and real estate broker in Houston Texas. For the 69 other free articles on saving money when you buy a house visit Abby’s Houston Texas Real Estate website.

Disclaimer: Some of the tips given may be applicable only in TX. Check with your local real estate agent for more information.

If you are a Little Rock real estate agent and would like to sponsor this 70 part series, please contact elaine@littlerockshops.info

SImple Real Estate Definitions: Escrow Account (movephilly.blogspot.com)

70 Ways For Home Buyers To Save Money: Tip #2

Savvy Shopper: Save Money by Taking Advantage of the Rebates Offered

: Image via Wikipedia

Many manufacturers offer mail in rebates to encourage consumers to buy their product. The way these rebates work is that you have to pay the full price for the product when you get it. Then you fill out the rebate information and mail it in along with a copy of your receipt. They will then send you a check.

However, you will be amazed at how many people fail to get around to sending in the information for their rebate. Most offers have a set time frame so it is a good idea to get the information in the mail as quickly as possible. They either don’t want to mess around with the process or the simply forget with so many other things taking place in their life.

Since it can take weeks to get your rebate in the mail, it is a good idea to keep a file of the rebates you have mailed in. Always make a copy of the rebate information and the receipt before you mail it in. This way you have proof of your purchase and a phone number to contact them if you don’t receive the rebate in a timely manner.

The amount of any given rebate will vary but when you consider that the average on is $25, that is a great deal of money that consumers aren’t taking advantage of. It is a good idea to always use them to your advantage. Otherwise you are simply throwing your money away.

Each rebate process may be slightly different so make sure you take the time to read all the information that comes with it. You don’t want the frustration of waiting for 60 days to get the rebate only to get a letter instead that says you aren’t eligible because you failed to provide some piece of information or your form wasn’t completely filled out.

It is also a good idea to take action when a rebate you send it is not honored. This doesn’t happen very often but it is very important that you follow up. If you only purchased the item at the price offered because of the rebate than it is even more important that you get it.

Getting your rebate should never exceed 60 days. If you don’t have it by then contact the company. Make sure you document all the information about when you called and who you spoke to. It is good to have a log of this information so that if you want to pursue getting the rebate by other means you can back up your information.

There are a couple good websites you can use to track your rebate including www.MyRebates.com, www.WheresMyRebate.com, and www.Rebatestatus.com. If you don’t find your rebate and the manufacturer isn’t working with you then file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau.

The majority of company’s who offer rebates do honor them though so this really should never be an ongoing issue for you. There are plenty of businesses that do look forward to the unclaimed rebates though because at least 40% of them never get filed by the consumer.

As a rule of thumb though, I wouldn’t recommend basing your purchase on a rebate. If you don’t end up with the funds then the product cost you more than you were willing to pay for it. While you wait for the rebate process to be completed you will have the loss of that additional money that could be allocated for something else.

You should also be prepared for rebates to ask for your personal information including your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. This could result in you getting coupons and promotions that will save you more money in the future. However, they can result in you getting bombarded by offers by the manufacturer that you aren’t interested in.