Did you know that over 50% of U.S. households own a garbage disposal? These handy under-the-counter devices became a kitchen essential after WWII, revolutionizing kitchen cleanup. However, the misconception that anything can go down them can lead to problems. Here’s a quick guide to what’s disposal-friendly and what’s not.

What Goes In:

Leftovers, fruit peels, non-fibrous vegetable skins, corn cobs, cooked meats, small fish bones.
Ice is encouraged to help loosen food residue.

What to Avoid:

Large bones, clam, and oyster shells: Hard materials that risk clogging or breaking the disposal.
Oils, fats, cooking grease: Despite being liquid initially, they can congeal and cause clogs.
Creamy and sticky foods: Peanut butter, butter, ice cream, sauces, pasta, rice—avoid to prevent issues.
Stringy produce: Artichokes, string beans, banana peels can cause significant clogs.
Eggshells and coffee grounds: Slow to decompose, these can clog the drain.

Tips for Cleaning:

Ice, baking soda, and lemon: Grind 2 cups of ice, 1 tbsp baking soda, and a lemon slice with cold water for a fresh-smelling disposal.
Lemon wedges: Feed lemon wedges into the disposal under cold water for a refreshing scent.
Baking soda and vinegar: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, let it sit for 10 minutes, then run hot water to wash away residue.

Maintaining a healthy garbage disposal involves thoughtful disposal choices and regular cleaning. Follow these tips for a trouble-free and fresh-smelling kitchen cleanup experience.

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Down Payment Calculator Services in Brown County, TX

Expert Down Payment Assistance

At Ann Jones Real Estate, we understand that the down payment is a crucial aspect of the home-buying process, and we’re here to help you navigate it easily. With our down payment calculator services, you can easily estimate the amount you need to save based on the purchase price, desired down payment percentage, and other relevant factors. Our user-friendly calculator lets you plan your finances effectively and set realistic goals. Take control of your homeownership journey today by utilizing our down payment calculator services in Brown County, TX. Contact Ann Jones Real Estate and discover how we can assist you in achieving your dream of owning a home.

What Is a Down Payment and How Does It Work?

A down payment is made upfront by a homebuyer when purchasing a property. It represents a percentage of the total purchase price, with the average down payment on a house typically ranging from 3% to 20% or more, depending on the lender’s requirements and the buyer’s financial circumstances. The down payment serves as a form of initial equity in the property and reduces the amount of money that needs to be borrowed through a mortgage. It is an essential component of the home-buying process as it demonstrates the buyer’s financial capability and commitment to the purchase.

Why Is a Bigger Down Payment Better?

According to the experienced team at Ann Jones Real Estate, a bigger down payment is advantageous for several reasons. Firstly, it reduces the loan amount needed to purchase a property, resulting in lower monthly mortgage payments. With a smaller loan, borrowers may also qualify for more favorable interest rates, potentially saving thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. Additionally, a larger down payment can help borrowers avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI) requirements, which can be a significant expense. Moreover, a substantial down payment increases equity in the property from the outset, providing a greater sense of ownership and financial stability. A bigger down payment empowers homebuyers with greater financial flexibility, lower monthly expenses, and potential long-term savings.

Loan-to-Value Ratio

The loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is a financial metric used to assess the relationship between the loan amount and the appraised value of a property. It is calculated by dividing the loan amount by the property’s appraised value and is typically expressed as a percentage. The LTV ratio is important for lenders as it helps determine the level of risk associated with a mortgage loan. A lower LTV ratio indicates a lower loan amount relative to the property value, which is generally considered less risky for lenders. A higher LTV ratio, on the other hand, suggests a higher loan amount relative to the property value, potentially posing more risk. Lenders often set maximum LTV ratios for different types of loans, with lower ratios typically associated with more favorable terms and potentially avoiding the need for private mortgage insurance (PMI).

Why Choose Ann Jones Real Estate

Embarking on your homeownership journey in Brown County, TX comes with its fair share of questions and concerns, especially regarding down payments. At Ann Jones Real Estate, we understand the importance of providing clarity and peace of mind during this pivotal time. That’s why we offer our cutting-edge down payment calculator services. Our innovative tool considers various factors such as the purchase price, desired down payment percentage, and other essential variables to accurately estimate how much the down payment on your house will be. This empowering resource lets you plan your finances effectively and make confident decisions. Ready to take the next step towards homeownership? Contact Ann Jones Real Estate and let us guide you through the process with our down payment calculator services. Your dream home is within reach, and we’re here to help you make it a reality.

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The weather outside might be frightful, but your home doesn’t have to be. There are many ways to make your home toasty and snug besides turning up the heat. Thick blankets and roaring fires can quickly transform any room into the perfect place to wait out the chilly winter days, while playing with lighting and texture might help make your home feel like an even cozier place to spend time.

Throw Blankets

Throw blankets are both decorative and practical for making a room feel warmer. Consider earthy tones like dark brown or muted shades of orange to add a pop of color to your sofa and serve as a sharp contrast to winter’s pale blues and whites. There’s also nothing quite as comforting as grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around your body to create a warm, snug cocoon.

Soft Lighting

Bright lights can feel stressful and sterile. Swap out fluorescent bulbs for softer and warmer tones, often denoted by a Kelvin rating lower than 4,000. If changing your bulbs isn’t possible, consider light-diffusing lamp shades to help spread light around the room and prevent harsh, direct lighting. 

Heavy Drapes

As temperatures drop, change out thinner drapes that let in light during the summertime for thicker drapes. Not only are they decorative, but thick drapes also retain heat and help prevent cold air from coming in through the windows.

Area Rugs

It doesn’t matter if your floor is made of wood, marble, or any other material — it will feel freezing against your bare feet in the winter. Heated floors are luxuriously expensive, so a plush area rug is the next best way to combat a cold floor. Scatter rugs around the house to make those cold mornings more bearable.

Roaring Flames

Nothing beats the cold like a roaring fireplace, but not everyone has that luxury. For tinier spaces, consider a small tabletop fire pit for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Candles are a great alternative and have the bonus of adding fragrance to your home — including winter favorites like spice and pine.

Wall Tapestries

Bare walls are just blank canvases for adding some warmth to any room, and one of the best ways to do so is by hanging tapestries. Online markets like Etsy offer various tapestries depicting warm images ranging from sunrises to lush forests and can help you visualize those warm summer days ahead.

Baked Goods

Nothing warms up a home quite like fresh-baked goods, from the heat of the oven to the smell of fresh cookies. Whether you’re baking them by yourself or enlisting the help of a local bakery, setting out treats on the counter is a delightful — and delicious — way to warm both the heart and hearth.

_{All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Better Report may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.}

_{Featured Image Credit: svetikd/ iStock}

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Email scams are on the rise and have increased 111% from 2018 to 2022, with losses totaling over $2.7 billion in 2022, according to the FBI Internet Crimes Report.

Using social engineering, email scammers gain the trust of a targeted person with the goal of getting them to send funds to a different person or entity than originally intended. Here are some things to know about email scams, so you can help protect yourself and your assets.

How they target you

Scammers typically interject themselves into your normal transactions to change the destination of the funds.

Common occurrences include:

1. Real estate closings: Scammers will impersonate the identity of the title/real estate agent, or closing attorney, and send different payment details.
2. Vendor impersonation: They can also pose as representatives of a company or government agency and advise that an invoice must be paid immediately to avoid a negative consequence. They often ask for a wire transfer to a fraudulent bank account or other means of payment, such as a check or ACH transfer.
3. CEO/executive impersonation: Scammers will also impersonate the CEO or executive of a company. They request that an employee within the accounting or finance department transfer funds to an attacker-controlled account

What to know and do

Knowing what to do and what to look for is critical to avoid becoming a victim of an email scam.

Account changes: Always verify and confirm details with the parties involved, especially with messages regarding funds transfers. Some email scammers use hacked email accounts, so it’s important to use a different method to verify that the sender is not a scammer. You can call or text an associated phone number or interact on a trusted mobile app or chat channel.

Email sender validation: Scammers can also use fraudulent email addresses that closely resemble a legitimate email address that you may have been communicating with previously. The addition or removal of a single character in an email address may be difficult to spot at first glance:

• Go‍og‍le‍.‍co‍m vs. Google.corn‍:‍ In this case, the scammer replaced .com with .corn, with the letters “r” and “n” replacing the letter “m”
• JONDOE@BUSINESS vs. JON.D0E ‌@‌ BUSlNESS‍: For this example, the scammer used a zero instead of a capital O, and added a period in between “JON” and “D0E”. They also used a lowercase “L” in place of the capital “i”

Urgent or priority emails: Emails may contain a header in the subject line or phrases in the content of the email, such as “urgent” or “confidential.” If you receive an email marked urgent or confidential, please review it carefully for accuracy and reach out directly to the individual to validate the request.

Bookmark our new site, citi.com/fraudprevention, and visit often for the latest updates on common scams and how to spot them.

Remember: When in doubt, do not act.

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Mount Rushmore is one of the United States’ most recognizable landmarks, but it contains a hidden secret: a 70-foot-long tunnel located behind Abraham Lincoln’s head. The tunnel was created as the entrance to a Hall of Records conceived by sculptor Gutzon Borglum. The idea was to build a chamber inside the monument that housed important documents such as the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, which would be accessible by an 800-foot granite stairway that stretched up the mountain from Borglum’s studio to the chamber. Work began on the Hall of Records in July 1938 as crews constructed the 70-foot tunnel. However, in 1939, Congress halted work on the chamber and instructed Borglum to focus on carving the Presidents’ heads instead. Borglum died two years later in 1941, effectively putting an end to the side project and leaving the Hall of Records unfinished.

Almost 60 years later, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society brought part of Borglum’s vision to life, installing a box at the chamber’s entrance containing 16 porcelain enamel panels. The panels explain the story of the United States and include biographies of the Presidents featured on Mount Rushmore. They were sealed beneath 1,200 pounds of granite capstone as an homage to Borglum’s initial vision.

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Eat the Frog

According to a famous quote attributed to (but probably not actually spoken by) Mark Twain, “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.” Put in simpler (and less gross) terms, get your most difficult task out of the way as early as possible so that it doesn’t hang over your head all day and you know, even on an off day, that you accomplished something. What that task is up to you — if you work from home and are prone to being sedentary, maybe it simply means working out shortly after waking up rather than waiting until the evening. The truly important thing is to start your day with a feeling of accomplishment rather than procrastinating for as long as possible.  “Wishing you a bless productive Day”

The last sentence I added.

Ann

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When you head to the gas station does indeed make a difference. Filling up your tank early in the morning or late at night can save you some money over time, but not because prices are lower at different times of day — it’s because of temperature. Gas expands when heated, meaning filling up in the middle of the day, when the temperatures tend to be highest, could result in paying more for less gasoline. 

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Did you know?

The microwave was invented by accident.

During World War II, Allied forces gained a significant tactical advantage by deploying the world’s first true radar system. The success of this system increased research into microwaves and the magnetrons (a type of electron tube) that generate them. One day around 1946, Percy Spencer, an engineer at the aerospace and defense company Raytheon, stepped in front of an active radar set and noticed, to his surprise, that microwaves produced from the radar melted a candy bar in his pocket. After getting over his shock — and presumably cleaning up — Spencer conducted a few more experiments using eggs and popcorn kernels, and realized that microwaves could be used to cook a variety of foods. Raytheon patented the invention a short time later, and in 1947, the company released its first microwave.

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