Archive for August 7th, 2013

New Tires

new tiresIs it time to buy new tires for your car? How do you know if you need replacements and where can you find the best deal for tires? How do you know you are actually getting a good deal for tires and what should you look for when you do buy tires. Most people just go back to the dealer or to one of the big name stores to purchase their tires. They might watch for a tire sale to take place, but often they suddenly realize that their tires are in bad shape and they have to get tires right away. So without shopping around off they go to the closest tire store and spend upwards of $500 to a $1000 on a set of four new tires, with balancing and installation included.

Features to Consider for New Tires

We decided to include a list of items that we think consumers should include when they are looking for new tires. If you get a price for all of these services included and compare the exact same tires at another vender then you will be able to really find the best deal. Here is a list of what we think the average consumer should include when they are looking:

  • Right size and speed rating for your car
  • Installation
  • Balancing
  • Filled with nitrogen (Not all consumers need this feature)
  • Refill or top up if needed with nitrogen
  • Disposal of your old tires
  • Warranty in terms of miles or kilometers that the tires should be good for
  • Lifetime tire rotation
  • Lifetime rebalancing
  • Tire warranty replacement
  • Price
  • Taxes in the state or province you are in

Compare Everything Before You Buy

When you compare all of these items from several tire stores you visit, you will quickly begin to realize that there can be a significant difference in the cost. Take for example tire rotation. Most manufacturers suggest that wheels should be rotated every 10 to 12 thousand miles. A tire store will charge as much as $20 per tire or $80 to do this work and they may or may not include topping up with air and re-balancing at the same time. A deal that includes this feature will save you at least $160 a year if you drive 20,000 miles a year which is not uncommon for most people today.

Tire warranties can also make a huge difference in the cost as well. If you travel a lot and deal with a dealer that has only one location, chances are that when your tire goes bad you are going to be a long way away from this dealer. Dealing with a national tire dealer makes a lot more sense and increases the chances that you can take advantage of the warranty wherever you are.

Hope this short post helps readers in making decisions about tire sales.


Bulk Text Messaging Software

Bulk Text Messaging SoftwareThere are various forms of bulk text messaging software available on the internet and in the general market place. This kind of software allows you to send out a text message to many devices at the same time. Bulk text messaging software can be very useful to many customers. Especially if they need to get an emergency message out to many people quickly. Or it can be for a company to pass along some great deals in their stores.

Once you have a list of phone numbers to utilize, this software can be used to send messages to all of these people. Potential customers of this functionality should be aware that some companies will reuse your phone numbers for other purposes. They may even sell your list to someone else.

They you are not looking at valid phone numbers as a valuable resource. Working telephone numbers that are capable of receiving a text message are worth a lot to many companies. If you are planning on using this type of software, ask if you can buy phone numbers. If you can, you can be pretty sure that yours will be sold at some point in time.

Text Messaging Software – Retail

Retail customers often ask their customers if it is ok to send text messages with sales information. Or to notify them of potential sales that are coming up. Assume that these customers gave you their number in the first place only for you to send them information from time to time. Their phone numbers should not be passed along without their permission. One company we know who has collected our cell phone number sends a text message once or twice a month advertising of sales.

Any more than that would be bothersome. If their sales are that often, then you really should just visit the store every week to find out what sale is going on. Anyway the use bulk messaging software to record the phone numbers and to send messages to their customers with upcoming sales.

Customers should also consider free incoming text messaging as part of the service. Since many customers might respond by text messaging. You may also sign up for a monthly plan, while others may not need you to sign up for any plan at all. You may have a one time need to send text messages, or this may be a routine text message every week or only for emergencies. Either way always ensure that your ROI is sufficient to justify the expense.

Other Packages

Other packages allow you to manage everything including responses from your computer. This makes it much easier to administer your plans and your messages to your client base. While some people will also want to be able to manage their text messages from their smart phones. Both can be accomplished, however we urge everyone to check the details before signing up.

When a text message is sent via bulk text messaging software, it can go to thousands of people at the same time. When you push send it is gone, whether it is correct or not. There is no recovery available at all. Many customers will go through an elaborate approval process to ensure that every message that is sent meets the accuracy and quality standards that every one needs in text messaging that is being sent to your customers.

For more information on text messaging today, click here.


Eight Ways to Reduce Gasoline Usage

Reduce Gasoline UsageWith gas prices going up as we write this it is ever more important to save money by using less gasoline! We listed a number of ways to reduce your gasoline usage as well as save money at the pump as well. If you have additional ideas, leave us comments to assist our readers.

Reduce Gasoline Usage

Get an app for your smart phone – use GasBuddy’s, AAA’s TripTik and the YP Yellow Pages and Gas Prices, all of which are free. Others that cost money include SmartFuel, Gas Cubby and Cheap Gas.

Drive less – consolidate errands to keep driving to a minimum and plan your trips so that you are not retracing your drive. If something can wait until tomorrow when you can combine it with another errand, put it off until the next day.

Drive slower – Shave 10 to 15 miles per hour off your speed and you can save up to 15% in fuel consumption. You can test this easily by driving at your normal speed which is 10 to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit and noting how many miles you obtain on a tank full of gas. On the next tank drive at the speed limit and not how much further you go on a tank full of gas. You may be surprised. If you have a gas mileage monitor in your car you can do the same thing even more accurately!

Keep your windows closed – at highway speeds, air racing through your car will increase its drag and burn up to 10% more fuel. I used to think that not running the air conditioning would save more money, but it is not the case. Roll up the windows, leave the AC on and turn up the temperature a notch or two to save money and have a more comfortable trip.

Go light on the brakes

Slow and steady acceleration and braking can save as much as 20% in fuel. Not to mention that your brakes will wear out much slower as well. We all know what a brake job costs these days and it is just not worth it to spend greater than $500 for a brake job by doing those jack rabbit starts and stops.

Shut Off your car when idling restarting the car when you’re idling for more than one minute will cost you less in fuel than the wait. Even the Toyoto Prius will shut the engine off when it comes to a stop at a light or stop sign to conserve gas. Idling your car for long periods makes no sense and pollutes the air around you as well.

Turn your A/C off. – the air conditioner is a big drag on your car’s engine and gas efficiency. If you do not need it turn it off, especially if just cruising around the city at low speeds, however at high speeds you are better off to close your windows and use the AC if it is hot. Turn up the temperature in your car by a degree or two to conserve energy or just let fresh air come into the car through the vents.

Regular Maintenance

Keep your car healthy. — clean dirty air filters, replace aging spark plugs, keep tire air pressure and fluids at recommended levels  are all regular maintenance things to do for your car to maintain your car and gain maximum gas mileage from your car. Most people can do a lot of the work themselves and it only takes a few minutes to check air pressure and fluid levels.

These are some of the methods to use to conserve gasoline when you must drive your car. The ultimate way to conserve gasoline is to walk to the corner store or take your bike. Not only do you save some money on gasoline, you also get some exercise which is good for the body and the mind as well.

Save


Improving Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency AuditYou may have seen similar diagrams and pictures of homes showing the areas where heat loss occurs in your home. This particular one is from an article in Britain and therefore the savings are indicated in pounds rather than dollars. Don’t be concerned about the currency. We all have the same issues when it comes to improving energy savings for our homes. If you are not well insulated, then  you are going to lose heat somewhere. That means it is going to cost you money as well.

You may have upgraded your furnace and your water heater to the latest models. You are already achieving high efficiency with these devices. When we say high efficiency, anything above 95% efficient is considered high efficiency. Especially compared to older models which were down in the 60% range. Consumers who have taken this step to upgrade their furnace are already saving money. They are using the fuel they are paying for as efficiently as possible.

Improving Energy Efficiency – Where is the Heat Loss

But the next area to be concerned about is what is happening to the heat once it is distributed within your home. Is most of it escaping out through the roof, the walls, the windows or the doors? As you can see from this diagram or picture, a great deal of heat loss can occur if you do not take steps to properly insulate your attic, walls, windows and doors in your home. You may already have insulation in your attic and as far as you know the rest of the house is ok.

Have an energy consultant assess your home and give an estimate of what it would take to make your home more energy efficient. Windows can be upgraded to with double pains and argon in between to deliver maximum efficiency. Also apply caulking around them to ensure that there are no gaps to allow air to escape or enter the home along with insects and possibly moisture. Your windows can allow a third of your heat to escape unless they are properly installed and efficient.

Conduct a Pressure Test

By doing a pressure test of your home you can also find out where all of the leaks are. By applying caulking in these areas and also plugging or adding insulation as appropriate, consumers can reduce the drafts as well as reduce their heat loss and improve their heating bills as well. Doors and floors can be responsible for as much as 11% according to these estimates of your total heat loss. Even though lower than the windows, it is still substantial and relatively easy to repair and inexpensive as well. A pressure test may cost you something, the real question is how quickly will you recover this cost through energy savings?

The roof or attic is the next major area to tackle. First make sure the attic is adequately vented to remove heat from your attic. By removing the heat naturally, the cost to cool your home would also be reduced. Insulation in your attic should be at least R25 or higher to decrease the amount of energy being lost through the roof area.

Following these areas can be the best way to improving energy efficiency.


Residential and Commercial Property Management

Residential and Commercial Property ManagementThe management of residential and commercial properties is similar in some ways and very different in others. If you happen to be a landlord you will want to consider hiring a property manager. Someone who is familiar with managing residential properties. It does not matter if they are residential properties, single family homes, town homes or apartment buildings.

There are various bylaws and government laws that are specific to residential property. Find companies that have the experience. They need to know how to deal with these requirements. The tenants are also very different and have many different needs. They come from various income strata’s and there are also many more of them as well.

Commercial Property Management

Commercial property management can be anything from large corporate malls to large office buildings. They require building upgrades and modifications to meet the customer’s professional requirements. Long term leases with rental guarantees etc would be the order of the day. Competition ruling the rent levels and the services provided. Managers deal with far fewer tenants.

Residential Property Management

Residential property management on the other hand is governed by the rent levels that the market will bear. Along with what increases the government will allow in many cases. There are many more tenants to deal with per building. Perhaps even many owners if it is a multi unit condo. For example with many owners for the individual units. In some cases there may be a group of investors who purchase a building. Then they hire a management company to manage the rental building for them. There will be multiple objectives on one side and multiple needs on the other.  As a result many property managers of residential homes to charge more per door than they would for a single owner building.

Professional Systems

In both cases professional level cash flow tracking systems, asset tracking systems are needed. Also a method of reporting that meets the needs of the owners and / or the board of directors of a condominium board. Condominiums represent another type of property management. The property manager is hired to manage all of the common elements of the building. They have virtually nothing to do with the interior of the units. Some units could even be rented and managed by different property management companies all together. This also adds complexity in terms of finger pointing on some issues.

Hire Experienced People

A property management company must have the right people in place to manage all different sorts of situations and buildings. If you are a customer, paying attention to the kinds of buildings currently managed and the level of skills, reporting etc is important. Talk to current customers of the property management company to confirm satisfaction levels.

The type of information that is needed and provided may be quite different depending on the owners and the property management companies. Also the number one objective is to provide excellent customer service to both tenants and owners. But sometimes you cannot satisfy everyone and that then becomes the biggest challenge of all. Property managers must first make sure they are following the laws, they must be fair and honest and they must answer to the person or group that pays them. Ultimately that is what it comes down to . Do what is right. Be fair to all parties. Make sure that to the extent you can everyone’s expectations are met. If they are not met, you had better have a good reason and a good explanation to explain why it is not the way they would like to be!

For many more posts about property management topics, click here.


Hardwood Floor Resurfacing

Hardwood Floor ResurfacingHardwood Floor Resurfacing. One of the first things  people will look for are hardwood floors. Many people are shopping for a home and looking at older homes that are up for sale. Many will remark that the hardwood floor will need resurfacing. The hardwood floors look old. They look used based on the fact that much of the finish is worn away. Especially in areas where there is heavy traffic. However other people love this old-fashioned look. They feel that it adds a lot of character to the home. If you are selling your home, it is hard to know if you should refinish the floors or leave them the way they are. Because some people like the used look while some people want everything perfect.

In fact one couple that we met loved our old hardwood floors. They felt that they would not resurface the hardwood floors until the time when their children were older. The floors were not actually that bad, and they were comfortable with the way they were.

Hardwood Floor Resurfacing and Young children

This couple had two very young children. They love to play with her toys on the floors. They were afraid that the floors if refinished and resurfaced would become marked up again very quickly. This was probably true. In fact the best decision they made was not to resurface the hardwood floors at this time. In addition the condition of the floors gave the house that antique look. There is also a lot of character which many people loved when they visited.

Resurface the Floors

The first step is to make sure that there is sufficient wood left on the floor to handle resurfacing. If there is less than 1/8 of an inch of wood left then you probably will have to replace the hardwood floor. A light sanding will remove 1/16 of an inch of wood each time it is sanded. If there are gouges in the wood this light sanding may not remove the gouge. You may also have to remove that section of the floor or the entire floor to gain a brand-new look. This is something that must be taken into account before deciding to resurface a hardwood floor.

Always sand the wood in the direction of the  grain of the wood, never across the grain. If you sand across the grain you will leave permanent marks and scratches that will mar your floor and further it will have to be re-sanded to remove those scratches so they will not be seen. When your happy with the sanding make sure that all dust is removed, use a tack cloth to pick up any small particles of dust. After that you can apply varathane or some other product that will seal the wood, bring out the grain in the wood, and provide a finished look to the wood that will protect it for many years.

Remove All of the Dust

If you do not remove all of the dust and apply varathane or some other product, you are going to end up with all kinds of marks on the surface. Every little piece of dust is going to show on the smooth finish and you will not be satisfied with the look of the floor. Some people will apply several coats of finish to the floor to really provide a protective coat on the floor. When a 2nd or 3rd coats is applied, it is recommended that a very light sanding be completed each time between coats. Make sure that the first coat has dried thoroughly before sanding. Instructions on the container will tell you exactly how many coats to apply and whether you need to sand between coats.

Once it is finished, you will have a beautiful looking floor that you can be proud of.


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