Remodeling Always Makes Financial Sense...NOT

With a large number of homes for sale, many at amazingly low prices, investors are heading back in to the real estate market, and some adventurous first time investors are testing the waters.  With so many shows on the Discovery and HGTV, flipping is becoming trendy again, but do your research.  Remodeling can dramatically increase the quality of life for building occupants, but if you are considering a remodel strictly as an investment, think twice about it.

Remodeling is rarely a sound monetary investment.

According to a report published by Remodeling Magazine, most remodeling projects add only 60% to 80% of their cost to the home, and no projects, on average, yield any positive return. Home upgrades are thus more accurately described as consumer spending than as true investments, which ordinarily have a decent chance of seeing some kind of profit.

Source: Remodeling Magazine, 2008
Project	% of Cost  Recouped in Resale
deck addition	81.8%
minor kitchen remodel	79.5%
bathroom remodel	70.7%
master suite addition	66%
home office addition	54.6%

As the report deals only with averages, it is still possible for individual remodeling projects to yield positive returns. A wooden deck added to a mid-range house on the Pacific coast, for instance, will add more value than the construction costs nearly half of the time. Even the most wasteful of the projects analyzed by the study, such as the addition of a sunroom or a backup power generator, are bound to reap a profit in rare instances. Also, remodeling projects are more likely to be profitable in houses that are inexpensive for their neighborhood. But, by and large, remodeling projects should be undertaken to improve quality of life for household occupants, not strictly as monetary investments. While you will lose more than a third of what you put into a family room addition, for instance, maybe your family will enjoy the addition enough to more than counter its expense.

Remodeling is also a cheap alternative to house-swapping, which can cost 10% of your current house's value to real estate commissions, moving costs, and selling expenses. If your home update would cost less than the costs accrued by house-swapping, or if you can’t live outside your current neighborhood, the remodeling project might be worthwhile. If you do choose to remodel your house, as always, have the project inspected by an InterNACHI inspector.

Remodeling Mistakes

If you are committed to remodeling in order to add resale value to your home, avoid the following mistakes:

• upgrading your house in any way that will make it bigger or fancier than most others in your neighborhood, as such remodels are unlikely to add much value;
• adding pools or spas, as they repel as many buyers as they attract, in most markets. These upgrades often require maintenance that buyers don’t want to hassle with, and they pose a drowning risk to young children. Ask your InterNACHI inspector during your next inspection about remodeling projects that prospective buyers may find dangerous.
• indulging in your personal tastes rather than aiming to please prospective buyers. Bold statements, such as brightly colored appliances, will repel many buyers.
• trusting TV shows that are based on the premise that remodeling is a true monetary investment. These shows are successful if people watch them, not if their claims are based in reality. Buying anything at retail cost and hoping to resell it at a profit – especially in the future, when the item or project has become dated – is rarely a winning financial strategy.
  

Low-Cost Alternatives to Remodeling

Real estate agents often recommend the following fixes, as they are likely to return more than their cost:

• Refurbish rather than replace. Refinishing or re-facing cabinets is usually less expensive than it costs to replace them. Re-glaze sinks and tubs to extend their lives and avoid the high price of replacing them.
• Rethink how you use space. While adding floor space may seem like a reasonable way to deal with a space crunch, you can probably achieve the same result by ditching the clutter. An off-site storage unit can be used to free up space in your house.
• Re-purpose a room. Never use the guest bedroom? Maybe you can turn it into an office or a dining room instead.
• Paint. Paint can transform the look of a room or house, and it is inexpensive and relatively easy to apply. Hire a professional or do it yourself.
• Brighten the house by removing heavy curtains, washing windows, and trimming back branches and bushes that cover windows.
• Deep-clean. Scour your house from top to bottom.
• Clean up landscaping. Trim bushes and hedges, rake leaves, clear downed branches, plant flowers and replace mulch.
• Use staging techniques. Rearrange furniture and décor to highlight the positive aspects of the room and create an inviting space. While you can do this one your own, professional staging services are contracted to tweak color and furniture to create an emotional appeal. Consider that a large segment of prospective home buyers will preview homes on the Internet, and staging can dramatically enhance a first impression.
  
  

In summary, remodeling is often a bad investment strategy, and inexpensive alternatives may achieve the same end.

10 Easy Ways to Save Energy in Your Home

Most people don’t know how easy it is to make their homes run on less energy, and we want to change that. Drastic reductions in heating, cooling and electricity costs can be accomplished through very simple changes, most of which homeowners can do themselves. 

Why make your home more energy efficient? Here are a few good reasons:

• Federal, state, utility and local jurisdictions' financial incentives, such as tax breaks, are very advantageous for homeowners in most parts of the U.S.
• It saves money. It costs less to power a home that has been converted to be more energy-efficient.
• It increases the comfort level indoors.
• It reduces our impact on climate change. Many scientists now believe that excessive energy consumption contributes significantly to global warming.
• It reduces pollution. Conventional power production introduces pollutants that find their way into the air, soil and water supplies.

1. Find better ways to heat and cool your house. 

As much as half of the energy used in homes goes toward heating and cooling. The following are a few ways that energy bills can be reduced through adjustments to the heating and cooling systems:

• Install a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans can be used in place of air conditioners, which require a large amount of energy.
• Periodically replace air filters in air conditioners and heaters.
• Set thermostats to an appropriate temperature. Specifically, they should be turned down at night and when no one is home. In most homes, about 2% of the heating bill will be saved for each degree that the thermostat is lowered for at least eight hours each day. Turning down the thermostat from 75° F to 70° F, for example, saves about 10% on heating costs.
• Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat saves money by allowing heating and cooling appliances to be automatically turned down during times that no one is home and at night. Programmable thermostats contain no mercury and, in some climate zones, can save up to $150 per year in energy costs.
• Install a wood stove or a pellet stove. These are more efficient sources of heat than furnaces.
• At night, curtains drawn over windows will better insulate the room.

2. Install a tankless water heater.

Demand-type water heaters (tankless or instantaneous) provide hot water only as it is needed. They don't produce the standby energy losses associated with traditional storage water heaters, which will save on energy costs. Tankless water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit. A gas burner or an electric element heats the water. As a result, demand water heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. You don't need to wait for a storage tank to fill up with enough hot water.

3. Replace incandescent lights.

The average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting. Traditional incandescent lights convert approximately only 10% of the energy they consume into light, while the rest becomes heat. The use of new lighting technologies, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), can reduce the energy use required by lighting by 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings by reducing the amount of time that lights are on but not being used. Here are some facts about CFLs and LEDs:

• CFLs use 75% less energy and last about 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
• LEDs last even longer than CFLs and consume less energy.
• LEDs have no moving parts and, unlike CFLs, they contain no mercury.

4. Seal and insulate your home.

Sealing and insulating your home is one of the most cost-effective ways to make a home more comfortable and energy-efficient, and you can do it yourself. A tightly sealed home can improve comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility bills. An InterNACHI energy auditor can assess  leakage in the building envelope and recommend fixes that will dramatically increase comfort and energy savings.

The following are some common places where leakage may occur:

• electrical receptacles/outlets;
• mail slots;
• around pipes and wires;
• wall- or window-mounted air conditioners;
• attic hatches;
• fireplace dampers;
• inadequate weatherstripping around doors;
• baseboards;
• window frames; and
• switch plates.

Because hot air rises, air leaks are most likely to occur in the attic. Homeowners can perform a variety of repairs and maintenance to their attics that save them money on cooling and heating, such as: 

• Plug the large holes. Locations in the attic where leakage is most likely to be the greatest are where walls meet the attic floor, behind and under attic knee walls, and in dropped-ceiling areas.
• Seal the small holes. You can easily do this by looking for areas where the insulation is darkened. Darkened insulation is a result of dusty interior air being filtered by insulation before leaking through small holes in the building envelope. In cold weather, you may see frosty areas in the insulation caused by warm, moist air condensing and then freezing as it hits the cold attic air. In warmer weather, you’ll find water staining in these same areas. Use expanding foam or caulk to seal the openings around plumbing vent pipes and electrical wires. Cover the areas with insulation after the caulk is dry.
• Seal up the attic access panel with weatherstripping. You can cut a piece of fiberglass or rigid foamboard insulation in the same size as the attic hatch and glue it to the back of the attic access panel. If you have pull-down attic stairs or an attic door, these should be sealed in a similar manner.

5. Install efficient showerheads and toilets.

The following systems can be installed to conserve water usage in homes:

• low-flow showerheads. They are available in different flow rates, and some have a pause button which shuts off the water while the bather lathers up;
• low-flow toilets. Toilets consume 30% to 40% of the total water used in homes, making them the biggest water users. Replacing an older 3.5-gallon toilet with a modern, low-flow 1.6-gallon toilet can reduce usage an average of 2 gallons-per-flush (GPF), saving 12,000 gallons of water per year. Low-flow toilets usually have "1.6 GPF" marked on the bowl behind the seat or inside the tank;
• vacuum-assist toilets. This type of toilet has a vacuum chamber that uses a siphon action to suck air from the trap beneath the bowl, allowing it to quickly fill with water to clear waste. Vacuum-assist toilets are relatively quiet; and
• dual-flush toilets. Dual-flush toilets have been used in Europe and Australia for years and are now gaining in popularity in the U.S. Dual-flush toilets let you choose between a 1-gallon (or less) flush for liquid waste, and a 1.6-gallon flush for solid waste. Dual-flush 1.6-GPF toilets reduce water consumption by an additional 30%.

6. Use appliances and electronics responsibly.

Appliances and electronics account for about 20% of household energy bills in a typical U.S. home. The following are tips that will reduce the required energy of electronics and appliances:

• Refrigerators and freezers should not be located near the stove, dishwasher or heat vents, or exposed to direct sunlight. Exposure to warm areas will force them to use more energy to remain cool.  
• Computers should be shut off when not in use. If unattended computers must be left on, their monitors should be shut off. According to some studies, computers account for approximately 3% of all energy consumption in the United States.
• Use efficient ENERGY STAR-rated appliances and electronics. These devices, approved by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Program, include TVs, home theater systems, DVD players, CD players, receivers, speakers, and more. According to the EPA, if just 10% of homes used energy-efficient appliances, it would reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 1.7 million acres of trees.
• Chargers, such as those used for laptops and cell phones, consume energy when they are plugged in. When they are not connected to electronics, chargers should be unplugged.
• Laptop computers consume considerably less electricity than desktop computers.

7. Install daylighting as an alternative to electrical lighting.

Daylighting is the practice of using natural light to illuminate the home's interior. It can be achieved using the following approaches:

• skylights. It’s important that they be double-pane or they may not be cost-effective. Flashing skylights correctly is key to avoiding leaks;
• light shelves. Light shelves are passive devices designed to bounce light deep into a building. They may be interior or exterior. Light shelves can introduce light into a space up to 2½ times the distance from the floor to the top of the window, and advanced light shelves may introduce four times that amount;
• clerestory windows.  Clerestory windows are short, wide windows set high on the wall. Protected from the summer sun by the roof overhang, they allow winter sun to shine through for natural lighting and warmth; and 
• light tubes.  Light tubes use a special lens designed to amplify low-level light and reduce light intensity from the midday sun. Sunlight is channeled through a tube coated with a highly reflective material, and then enters the living space through a diffuser designed to distribute light evenly.

8. Insulate windows and doors.

About one-third of the home's total heat loss usually occurs through windows and doors. The following are ways to reduce energy lost through windows and doors:

• Seal all window edges and cracks with rope caulk. This is the cheapest and simplest option.
• Windows can be weatherstripped with a special lining that is inserted between the window and the frame. For doors, apply weatherstripping around the whole perimeter to ensure a tight seal when they're closed. Install quality door sweeps on the bottom of the doors, if they aren't already in place.
• Install storm windows at windows with only single panes. A removable glass frame can be installed over an existing window.
• If existing windows have rotted or damaged wood, cracked glass, missing putty, poorly fitting sashes, or locks that don't work, they should be repaired or replaced.

9. Cook smart.

An enormous amount of energy is wasted while cooking. The following recommendations and statistics illustrate less wasteful ways of cooking:

• Convection ovens are more efficient that conventional ovens. They use fans to force hot air to circulate more evenly, thereby allowing food to be cooked at a lower temperature. Convection ovens use approximately 20% less electricity than conventional ovens.
• Microwave ovens consume approximately 80% less energy than conventional ovens.
• Pans should be placed on the matching size heating element or flame. 
• Using lids on pots and pans will heat food more quickly than cooking in uncovered pots and pans.
• Pressure cookers reduce cooking time dramatically.
• When using conventional ovens, food should be placed on the top rack. The top rack is hotter and will cook food faster. 

10. Change the way you do laundry.

• Do not use the medium setting on your washer. Wait until you have a full load of clothes, as the medium setting saves less than half of the water and energy used for a full load.
• Avoid using high-temperature settings when clothes are not very soiled. Water that is 140° F uses far more energy than 103° F for the warm-water setting, but 140° F isn’t that much more effective for getting clothes clean.
• Clean the lint trap every time before you use the dryer. Not only is excess lint a fire hazard, but it will prolong the amount of time required for your clothes to dry.
• If possible, air-dry your clothes on lines and racks.
• Spin-dry or wring clothes out before putting them into a dryer. 

Homeowners who take the initiative to make these changes usually discover that the energy savings are more than worth the effort.  Your wallet will thank you.  The planet will thank you.

15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own

The following items are essential tools, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to ask an InterNACHI inspector during your next inspection about other tools that you might find useful. 

1.  Plunger

A clogged sink or toilet is one of the most inconvenient household problems that you will face. With a plunger on hand, however, you can usually remedy these plumbing issues relatively quickly. It is best to have two plungers -- one for the sink and one for the toilet.

2.  Combination Wrench Set

One end of a combination wrench set is open and the other end is a closed loop. Nuts and bolts are manufactured in standard and metric sizes, and because both varieties are widely used, you’ll need both sets of wrenches. For the most control and leverage, always pull the wrench toward you, instead of pushing on it. Also, avoid over-tightening.

3.  Slip-Joint Pliers

Use slip-joint pliers to grab hold of a nail, a nut, a bolt, and much more. These types of pliers are versatile because of the jaws, which feature both flat and curved areas for gripping many types of objects. There is also a built-in slip-joint, which allows the user to quickly adjust the jaw size to suit most tasks.

4.  Adjustable Wrench

Adjustable wrenches are somewhat awkward to use and can damage a bolt or nut if they are not handled properly. However, adjustable wrenches are ideal for situations where you need two wrenches of the same size. Screw the jaws all the way closed to avoid damaging the bolt or nut.

5.  Caulking Gun

Caulking is the process of sealing up cracks and gaps in various structures and certain types of piping. Caulking can provide noise mitigation and thermal insulation, and control water penetration. Caulk should be applied only to areas that are clean and dry. 

6.  Flashlight

None of the tools in this list is of any use if you cannot visually inspect the situation. The problem, and solution, are apparent only with a good flashlight. A traditional two-battery flashlight is usually sufficient, as larger flashlights may be too unwieldy.

7.  Tape Measure

Measuring house projects requires a tape measure -- not a ruler or a yardstick. Tape measures come in many lengths, although 25 feet is best.  Measure everything at least twice to ensure accuracy. 
 

8.  Hacksaw
A hacksaw is useful for cutting metal objects, such as pipes, bolts and brackets. Hacksaws look thin and flimsy, but they’ll easily cut through even the hardest of metals. Blades are replaceable, so focus your purchase on a quality hacksaw frame.

9. Torpedo Level
Only a level can be used to determine if something, such as a shelf, appliance or picture, is correctly oriented. The torpedo-style level is unique because it not only shows when an object is perfectly horizontal or vertical, but it also has a gauge that shows when an object is at a 45-degree angle. The bubble in the viewfinder must be exactly in the middle -- not merely close.

10.  Safety Glasses / Goggles
For all tasks involving a hammer or a power tool, you should always wear safety glasses or goggles. They should also be worn while you mix chemicals.

11.  Claw Hammer
A good hammer is one of the most important tools you can own.  Use it to drive and remove nails, to pry wood loose from the house, and in combination with other tools. They come in a variety of sizes, although a 16-ounce hammer is the best all-purpose choice.

12.  Screwdriver Set
It is best to have four screwdrivers: a small and large version of both a flathead and a Phillips-head screwdriver. Electrical screwdrivers are sometimes convenient, but they're no substitute.  Manual screwdrivers can reach into more places and they are less likely to damage the screw. 

13.  Wire Cutters

Wire cutters are pliers designed to cut wires and small nails. The side-cutting style (unlike the stronger end-cutting style) is handy, but not strong enough to cut small nails.

14.  Respirator / Safety Mask
While paints and other coatings are now manufactured to be less toxic (and lead-free) than in previous decades, most still contain dangerous chemicals, which is why you should wear a mask to avoid accidentally inhaling. A mask should also be worn when working in dusty and dirty environments. Disposable masks usually come in packs of 10 and should be thrown away after use. Full and half-face respirators can be used to prevent the inhalation of very fine particles that ordinary face masks will not stop. 

15.  Duct Tape

This tape is extremely strong and adaptable. Originally, it was widely used to make temporary repairs to many types of military equipment. Today, it’s one of the key items specified for home emergency kits because it is water-resistant and extremely sticky.

4 Tips for Finding the Best Home Inspector

Buying a home?

Here are expert tips for finding the best person for the job.

Buying a house is the biggest purchase you'll probably ever make. That's why you want the best possible home inspector in your corner to tell you whether that cute Colonial is your dream home … or a lemon with a rotting foundation, termites and a shaky chimney.

But first, how do you know if an inspector is rock-solid? There's a lot riding on the person you choose, after all. "You've got one shot at having the home looked at by a professional who has a professional eye and professional training to find defects," says Jim Turner, certified home inspector in Southern California.

We've grilled the experts for their top tips on how to find and vet a home inspector.

A messy frontier
There are 20,000 to 30,000 home inspectors nationwide today, estimates Turner, who is also president of the 20-year-old National Association of Home Inspectors, which has about 1,500 members. He says many inspectors were lured into the business by promises of easy money. No wonder would-be homeowners have trouble knowing whom to trust.

Unfortunately, only about half of states require any kind of certification or licensing for home inspectors. "For example, in New Mexico, there are no requirements to being a home inspector," says inspector Bill Richardson, owner of Albuquerque's Responsive Inspections and president-elect of the American Society of Home Inspectors. "You can just hang your shingle and go for it."

However, Turner adds, "Licensing doesn't solve problems with the industry." He points out that after licensing was instituted in Texas, the number of inspectors jumped several fold, as would-be inspectors signed up to benefit from the glow of respectability that a state license would give them – whether or not they actually deserved respectability, Turner says.

Tip No. 1: Don't trust an inspector simply because he or she has a state license or certification.  All states that issue licenses require training, "but the training may be so minimal that it is ineffective," Turner says.

So now what? Well, move on to Lesson No. 2.

Tip No. 2: Look for an inspector who is associated with a professional inspection organization.  This can help weed out the truly fly-by-night inspectors, but it won't catch all the bad actors. There is an alphabet soup of such groups, with wildly varying criteria for membership. In one, "you can send them a $60 check and you'll be a member," says Mike Kuhn, a New Jersey home inspector and co-author of "The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Home Inspections."

Look for affiliation with groups such as NAHI, the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors,  and the American Society of Home Inspectors. These are some of the most reputable inspector associations, and their Web sites have a "find an inspector" service to locate a member in your area.

You can also study several home inspection organizations' criteria for membership: how many homes a would-be member must have inspected; how much — if any — continuing education is required; whether an exam is required for admission, etc. Each is a little different.

Tip No. 3: Don't just take your agent's recommendation at face value. Real-estate agents often recommend inspectors to home buyers. But that arrangement doesn't necessarily serve the home buyer well, since both agent and inspector have a financial incentive for things to go well: for the agent, a commission, and for the inspector, the possibility of repeat business from the agent. "Every single day we walk a razor's edge with that conflict of interest," Turner acknowledges. He adds, though, that "the good Realtors are going to recommend an inspector who's not going to be afraid of what he calls out."

Still, experts suggest some ways to make sure your interests are served:

·                         Don't be monogamous. Get more than one suggestion from your real-estate agent. Turner suggests asking for three inspectors' names. Richardson says to ask for five.

·                         Ask the tough questions. "Ask the agent flat out, 'Would you hire any of these to inspect your home, or your family's home?'" Turner says. "It kind of puts them on the spot."

Tip No. 4: Grill him. Once you've got an inspector in your sights, start sniffing around his résumé and asking questions. "We have a phrase: 'Inspect the inspector,'" Kuhn says.

Here's what to do:

·                         Check for complaints. If your state licenses inspectors, call the licensing board, or whatever body oversees them (in Florida, it is the Department of Business and Professional Regulations), and ask if the inspector is active and up-to-date. Also, "ask if there are any complaints against the inspector," Turner suggests.

Call the professional association to which the inspector belongs and do the same, though Turner concedes that these organizations don't see that many complaints – "maybe a dozen a year."

Interview the inspector. Don't be shy. Here's what to ask:

·                         Talk to me. First, the inspector should make time to talk to you and answer your questions, Turner says. What should you listen for? "Hesitation," Turner replies. "If he's professional, the answers should roll right off his tongue."

·                         Let's see the résumé. Ask about the inspector’s credentials and experience. Generally speaking, "You should have had a hammer in your hand at some point in your background to have a good grasp of construction," Turner says. Does the inspector have a professional bio that you can look at?

·                         Got insurance? Ask whether the inspector carries “errors and omissions insurance,” says Kuhn – which is sort of like malpractice insurance for an inspector. If he doesn’t, ask why. In some states, insurance is a licensing requirement. 

·                         Got a guarantee? "Do you offer a guarantee?" Kuhn suggests asking. Typically, a home inspection is good for the day of the inspection, he says – but Kuhn's firm, HouseMaster, offers a written agreement that obligates the inspector to reimburse the consumer for eligible repairs that may develop during the guarantee period, regardless of whether it was an oversight on the inspector's part or just normal wear and tear.

An example: If the furnace is working fine when inspected in summer, but doesn't work when flipped on in November, the inspector's firm pays for the repair, he says. "The bottom line is that a good inspector should have no problem standing behind their inspection with a written guarantee for a reasonable amount of time after the inspection," Kuhn says.

·                         Get it in writing. Ask if the inspector puts his findings into a narrative-style report; that's what you want – not just a long checklist.


Ask to see a sample; it's often available on the inspector's Web site. Look at it to assess whether you're comfortable with the language and can understand it. Also see that the inspector is thorough, and covers all of the areas that the organization he belongs to says he will cover in its standards of practice, Richardson says — inside, outside, chimney, heating system, etc. 

·                         Invite yourself. Before hiring the inspector, ask to come along when the home is examined. "Another red flag would be if they don't want you to go on the home inspection with them," Kuhn says. A home inspection usually takes three to four hours. Unless a team is examining the home, be suspicious of anyone who tells you it will take 45 minutes.

With a little inspecting of your own, you'll likely end up with a home that contains no unhappy surprises. And that's a happy ending for everyone.

Well Into Hurricane Season - Ready Yet?

Are You Prepared For Hurricane Season?

Hurricane season in Florida runs from June 1 to November 30.   Valuable information can be found at www.nhc.noaa.gov, www.ready.gov and www.fema.gov.

The items listed are the bare minimum you should have on hand. I also recommend having photographs and other keepsake items ready to go in short order. True, we get lots of notice when a hurricane pops up, but it can take time to get ready to evacuate. Make it easy on yourself when you can by keeping as many things as possible in one spot (photo albums, hurricane kit, extra blankets, etc.). You can also buy pre-made hurricane kits, but they are expensive, and let’s face it, times are tough.

Here are some tips to save $$$ on your hurricane preparations:

1. No coconuts through the windows, please. If you want to protect your home with hurricane shutters, order them before there is a storm looming. Many storm shutter companies will be backlogged as the storm approaches and may be scheduled out until it's too late. Those that can provide storm shutters to you may charge a premium for expedited service. If you don't have aluminum panels, consider investing in plywood panels. This can be a very cost-effective way to protect your home, and it doesn't need to be difficult to install. You can purchase the panel installation materials from a hardware store and mount that permanently to your outside walls. Installing the shutter mounts in advance speeds up installation in the pre-storm rush and eliminates the need for power tools, which is crucial if there is a power outage. Measure, cut and label a plywood panel for each opening and voila! Quick and easy (and often cheaper) home protection.

2. Boy, I'm thirsty! As the NOAA recommends, have on hand a gallon of water per day per person. Most sources recommend that you keep at least a week's worth of supplies on hand, so do the math. If you have a family of four, you will need to stockpile more than 28 gallons of water. Before you run out to the store and buy 28 gallons of Evian, consider filling your bathtub(s) for "washing" water before the storm's arrival. Also consider buying bulk water containers such as 5-10 gallon jugs to store water rather than many, many 1 gallon jugs. You can refill them at filtered water machines for about $0.25 a gallon.

3. What's for dinner, ma? Again, try to have a week's worth of non-perishable food on hand. Take it from me, canned tuna can get real old real fast. Peanut butter is a great food to stock. It doesn't take up much room, it's packed with plenty of "get-you-through-the-starvation" goodness, and it's inexpensive. Some other inexpensive food prep ideas are apple sauce, store brand crackers and potted meat (if you can actually stomach it).

4. You fashionista, you! Make sure you have the appropriate clothing on hand. This is as important when you are storm-trapped as it is if you are evacuating. Make sure you have sturdy shoes and rain gear. Stiletto heels are hot, ladies, but please, not during a flood. The dollar stores are wonderful places to find rain gear. They often have rain ponchos, hats and umbrellas for only a dollar, which is a considerable savings over regular retail stores.

5. What's that smell? Oh, it's just you. As far as toiletries and personal hygiene items go, wet wipes are numero uno on my list of muy importante. Close behind are toothpaste and deodorant. Again, I'm going to tout the dollar store. It's a great place to get these items, and store brand baby wipes are what you'll be needing for bathing in a blackout. Saves you moolah. Ladies, you're beautiful already. Don't worry about the makeup, especially if an evacuation is in order. On the flip side, don't forget about toilet paper. I advise Scott Tissue, single ply. Yes, I said single ply. This is an emergency, after all, not a resort. It's less expensive, and it'll definitely do in a pinch. Other easily overlooked items are sunscreen and insect repellent. They are really important but easy to forget, and you can get them at a fraction of retail price at, you guessed it, the dollar store.

6. Who turned out the lights? Power outages are to be expected in a hurricane. Make sure you are stocked up on batteries, flashlights, glow sticks, and might I suggest candles? Can I suggest the dollar store enough? This is the best place to find these things, including batteries. You can save up to 80% on your batteries if you buy them at DollarTree instead of Wal-Mart. Same goes for flashlights and candles (although cheap flashlights don’t always offer the performance you need in a crisis). While we're on the subject of candles, I suggest no fragrance, no frills. After a straight week of smelling "Vanilla Lavender Breeze," I expect you will be sick of not only vanilla, but lavender and breezes as well. You will also want to make sure you can light said unscented candles. You can find waterproof matches in the camping section of most major retail or sporting good stores. They are hard to light, but better than soggy regular matches.  One word of caution, though.  Be careful when burning anything indoors.  We don't want any house fires or carbon monoxide poisoning, please and thank you.

7. Mooooommmm! I'm booooored! If you're stuck indoors for the duration of a weather event, make sure you can stay well entertained. At the end of a long week, trapped indoors together, good entertainment can prevent mental breakdowns and even homicides, my friends. Remember, you'll probably have no power for your Blu-Ray player, your Wii, your computer, or even your VCR. Stock up at yard sales or the dollar store on coloring books, craft projects, puzzles, playing cards and board games. You'll also want to have plenty of paper and crayons on hand if you have children (or maybe even if you don’t). Newspaper companies will often give away the last of a newsprint roll, or sell it at a big discount, if you simply ask. You don't have to spend a lot to make the time go by.

7. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! This has been a test of your emergency broadcast system. If the power goes out, you may not have access to any type of emergency broadcast system, however annoying their tests may be. Weather radios are well worth it, but they can be expensive. I recommend shopping on eBay or Amazon before the hurricane season starts for the best deal. Some weather radios are now capable of charging your cell phone. Bonus!

8. Oh, no! I have a boo boo! An emergency first aid kit is a must. You can put together your own first aid kit, but unlike other prepared kits, prepared first aid kits are often less expensive. It's a Gestalt thing: The price of the whole is cheaper than the sum of its parts. For the best deal and the best level of preparation, shop in your favorite retailer's camping section (or a military surplus store if there's one near you). Outdoor-type first aid kits are by far the best bang for your buck, including everything from band-aids to electrolyte tabs and Tylenol. I even keep bite-sized chocolate bars in mine. You never know when you’ll run across a random diabetic.

9. Woof and meow! Pets are people too. 

Let me guess, you love your pet? The sad news is that most shelters won't take them if their vaccinations and paperwork are not up to date. Taking them to a vet for shots can be very spendy, but the pet Care-A-Van is a mobile service that allows you to keep your pet's shots up to date at a very reasonable cost. For prices, locations and schedules, visit http://petcaravan.com/. You can also contact your local SPCA for wallet-friendly pet services.

Lastly, store everything you gather in an easily accessible place. Who wants to be digging through the attic or the back of the closet in a pinch? And store everything you gather in plastic bins with lids, not cardboard boxes. While cardboard boxes are cheaper, things tend to get wet during an evacuation. To use a cardboard box is to risk losing everything when the bottom falls out, quite literally.

As for the rest of the list, I have no great cost-saving ideas. The biggest thing I can stress is early preparation. Don't wait for the next hurricane to rear its ugly circular head to start getting ready. If you wait, you may arrive at the store to find all the shelves empty.

If a storm approaches:

Œ       Make an evacuation plan with family members (know your evacuation routes)

Œ       Double check and gather all your hurricane kit supplies

Œ       Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters

Œ       Move furniture and appliances away from windows

Œ       Turn off propane tanks and unplug appliances

Œ       Trim trees near home and secure outdoor items such as lawn furniture

Œ       Stay tuned to weather and news stations for updates and emergency notifications

Œ       Evacuate if advised by authorities

Emergency numbers:

FEMA:           800-621-3362

Florida Disaster Insurance Helpline:      800-227-8676

Red Cross:     866-438-4636

Have a happy and safe hurricane season, everyone!