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I think the statement A Cheap Wedding may be an oxymoron, is it even possible to have a cheap wedding? Well perhaps it isn’t possible for a wedding to be cheap, but it is certainly possible to save some money on the wedding.

There are two ways to approach the financial planning for a wedding, the first is to decide on everything you want and then count up how much it will cost, this method is fine if you have an unlimited budget. The second way is to decide on how much you want to spend at the most, take 10 - 15 percent off for a contingency fund and then work out what you can afford to spend on each item.

Once you have set your budget you will need to sit back for a while, do not buy anything and do not spend anything. When you a feeling a little less excited by the whole event then it is time to take another look at your budget and re-assess wheter it is realistic or not. Do you really want to spend that much money for a single day? Can you really afford to spend that much money? Do you have or will you have enough money to pay for everything, whithout having to borrow it?

So you have decided to reduce your overall budget, but you don’t want to reduce the overall effect of your plans, really you want everyone to think the world of your special day without it costing you the earth. For some help, and tips and tricks why not visit us at www.acheapwedding.com

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Bathrooms and kitchens are two of the biggest and most complicated rooms to remodel. This is mostly because of the plumbing. Anytime you’re dealing with water and the potential damage it can cause you have to step up the level of complexity for any project and make sure it’s done safety and correctly.

Here are a few basic tips and reminders before you dig into your next big bathroom overhaul.

1. If you’re thinking of replacing or adding a tub or bathroom shower enclosure, be sure the floor can hold the weight, and not just the weight of the tub itself. It has to hold all the water and a person (or people), too, which is something a lot of people forget. The end result can be over 1/2 a ton.

2. If you’re just doing a simple caulking job, be sure to fill the bathtub with water before caulking so the tub will expand and keep the caulk from cracking due to tub movement later on.

3. For cleaning the shower stalls door that is always scummy try rubbing it with mineral oil so it will be shiny and clear.

Redoing a bathroom can be very satisfying, especially if you’re giving it a major facelift and either adding a creature comfort or repairing a broken one. Just be sure to handle it correctly and if you’re unsure then please consult a professional. In the end it will save you so much money (instead of paying to repair your mistakes) that you’ll save time and headache as well.

Would you be willing to bet $300 of your own money that your home is worth what you think it is? Unless you’re ultra-competitive and will bet on pretty much anything, my guess is your answer would be a resounding “No!”

When you go to buy a home, or refinance your existing home, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing in most cases. This is one of the lesser known and most common mortgage ripoffs that occur because people outside the industry don’t know better. Knowing this and other mortgage financing secrets can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Purchasing a home, unless you’re independently wealthy, involves borrowing the majority of the purchase price from a lender, typically a bank. Before the lender will give you the money, they’re going to want some assurance that the property you’re going to buy is worth at least that much money, and in most cases more. It’s unusual these days to find any lender that will give you 100% of the value of a property. It’s typically 15-20% now. A far cry from the wild and woolly days before the mortgage market crash!

So, let’s say you want to buy a house. You go out and find the perfect house. You and the seller haggle back and forth and settle on a price of $100,000, just to keep the math simple.

Now you go find a lender and ask them to give you a mortgage. They tell you “Okay, we’ll give you $80,000.” You’re okay with that, so you proceed with the mortgage application.

As part of the mortgage application process, the lender will require an appraisal of the property. The appraisal must be done by a certified professional appraiser. The lender isn’t going to take the owner’s word for it!

Typically, the lender schedules the appraiser’s visit. The appraiser calls the property owner and arranges to visit the property. You, the applicant, are required to pay for the appraisal before it can take place. In my area, this fee is generally around $300.

So, you’ve now paid $300 to have the property appraised. If the appraiser agrees that the property is worth at least $100,000, no problem. The application process moves forward.

What if the appraiser says the property is worth less than $100,000?

Ready…?

You don’t get the loan, and, worse, you don’t get your $300 back! You just bet $300 and lost!

Lenders have been doing this for years and it’s become accepted as a way of doing business. People simply suck it up, pay the $300 and hope for the best. In recent years when property values were rising rapidly, this was rarely a problem, unless the seller had ridiculous expectations and the buyer no clue about the real value of the property. Nowadays, however, property values are declining and it’s much less certain that the seller, however well intentioned, really knows the value of their property.

Some reputable mortgage brokers have adopted a policy of paying for the appraisal out of their own pockets. This puts the onus on them to do their homework and have a good knowledge of the current property values in their area. From their perspective, it eliminates the possibility that they would have to call a potential customer and tell them they just blew $300.

The buyer will pay the appraisal fee as part of the normal closing costs, so it’s not like they don’t have the obligation to pay it. With the broker paying the fee first, this eliminates the risk on the part of the buyer and is simply good customer service. Shop around for mortgage lenders and brokers and always ask them who pays the appraisal fee!

This is just one of today’s money secrets that can help you navigate the rubble of the mortgage industry without getting scammed!

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