As a new member to HomeESP, I checked out the Savings Center to find discounts, both online and for stores where I shop.  Frankly, I always look for a good deal.
And saving money with the HomeESP Savings Center just got faster, easier and even more rewarding. This Product Search, the latest benefit in the Savings Center gives you one place to discover savings on millions of great products. Simply enter the item you want, and enjoy top deals from the world’s best brands.

I needed a couple of things and found the Saving Center's Product Search tab where I could easily compare what was available and at what price.  Maybe there would be some discount coupons as well...

The rumors that there are no more financial incentives for homeowners who want to become more energy efficient or switch from the old to new and renewable energy are false. And maybe you just want to save money on your home energy usage.   DSIRE, the Database of State Inentives for Renewables & Efficiency publishes an easy-to-use widget that we've included in this blog post that helps homeowners, renters and others find the financial incentives that apply to them. Just click what applies to you in the DSIRE widget to see what renewable and energy efficiency incentives are available in your state.


Depending on where you live, you could find financial loan programs, tax credits, property tax incentives and utility rebate programs worth thousands of dollars.

The DSIRE widget helps you easily navigate through DSIRE’s database for incentives in any U.S. State or territory.  DSIRE has created an easy dialog so you can find only the incentives relevant to you from the long list of Federal and Local government financial and tax incentives. 

The DSIRE widget does a nice job of simplifying a complex process by providing two easy pull-down windows that 1) lets you choose your location and 2) lets you identify yourself as a homeowner or renter; business; non-profit; school et al.  

I received the property tax assessment for my parents’ home and with it I received a flyer that exclaimed: “Property Tax Assessment Errors can make you feel like your home is an island in the storm!”

I am like most homeowners who have felt the pain of falling home values. Until this flyer, I was like most homeowners who did not know that you have a right to challenge your property tax assessment.  And, importantly, you can make your challenge without fearing negative repercussions; your assessment can

I’m one of the unlucky ones whose blacktop (asphalt) driveways has survived its last winter.  The heaving of the driveway is so bad that you have to drive on one side to avoid bottoming-out your car on the big hump in the center of the drive.  There are potholes now, too, so it’s a repair we can no longer put off.

We’ve had three paving contractors give us estimates and they vary widely.  The range is just about double from the highest to the lowest.  I’ve checked out reviews online and all have good reputations with many, many reviews (so we know it’s not their relatives giving the glowing reviews).

Given that all three seemed like good people, had good references and were interested in our job, how can we make a choice?  How can we know the fair value for a job like this, which is so far out of one’s usual experience (I certainly hope it is once-in-a-lifetime)?

If you are seeking payback, geothermal heat pumps are a losing proposition.  As much as I am fascinated by the possibility of geothermal (ground source) and air-source heat pumps to save energy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, I can’t recommend geothermal for anyone other than an eco hobbyist – and one with a big checkbook (see end of article for a free download of our Geothermal Payback ROI calculator spreadsheet).

The installation cost of a retrofit of conventional forced air heating and cooling with geothermal heating is made up of three major elements: ground/water loop to source and sink heat, compressor and air handler, and labor and markup.  The ground loop is most often a series of wells holes drilled to accommodate a refrigerant line set which is buried in a special heat conducting concrete.  The drilling of the wells and installation of the refrigerant lines is where the big cost disadvantage of geothermal is found: this can account for as much as 50 percent of the cost of the total installation depending on site conditions and the heating load for the home.

Should I Invest More Money in My Home Now

Housing prices are still soft across the country with few exceptions.  This leads one to question the wisdom of investing more money in your existing home until the market strengthens and you can get real value for the remodeling or repair done on your home. 

Generally, your home improvement decision should start with two questions: 1) how badly do we need to do the work on the house? and 2) do we have the money to pay for the project? 

The New York Times has a fantastic calculator to help you compare the costs and benefits of renting vs. buying your next home or condo.  The beauty of the calculator is that it makes it easy to plug-in your assumptions about price appreciation, interest rates, inflation (click the advanced tab), taxes, maintenance, insurance and more.  Every time you hit "enter" it recalculates and you can see the effect and which option, buying or renting your next home, is less expensive over a given time period.  Kudos to the NY Times staff for such a revealing and useful resource.

You can try it yourself by clicking here.

Your home mortgage payment is likely one of your largest fixed costs, and if you haven't refinanced, now might be the time to get into action.  Interest rates are at or near historic lows for those with good credit and stable employment.  Everyone's situation is different, so it might pay to get some good, personalized advice before making your move (your accountant would be a good place to start, or ask him/her if they know a fee-only financial planner who can assist you in your decision-making).

The economics are compelling.  If you have a 30-year mortgage of $300,000 at 6.5 percent, it's costing you about $1,900 monthly, while a new 5 percent loan would have a monthly cost of $1,600.  Assuming closing costs of about $4,500 (these vary widely by state) you'll see a cash-on-cash savings at about 15 months.  For larger loans, or higher current interest rates, it's even more significant.

Reducing your monthly bill is one possible benefit of today's low rates.  Another strategy might be to move from a 30-year to a 15-year mortgage.  You'll start paying down your equity balance sooner, and it's much more likely that you will own your home outright when you're ready to move than if you stay with a 30-year note.