Category Archives: Special Interest

Special Interest, Travel

Our Trip to Italy October 2022

Recently my husband and I had the luxury of spending a month in Italy. Although I have dual citizenship, it was my first trip to this beautiful country.

All we knew was that we would take trains to get around, hire a driver to tour the Amalfi Coast and rent a car to explore the hard to get-to areas. Also, we did not want to do anything that would require a purchased ticket. Instead we wanted to spend all our time absorbing the towns, the food, the countryside, the culture.  (We relied on Google Translator A LOT!) read more

Special Interest, Travel

Our Canal Boating Adventure in France

Many people have asked about our Locaboat canal trip June 24 through July 6, 2016 in France. Here are my notes. They are not too detailed, but just enough to get you exploring for your own trip!

Our flight arrived at 2:30 PM in Paris. Took about an hour thru customs and collecting our luggage. $16 taxi to hotel. Oceania. Beautiful pool & bar in the lobby. They speak quite a bit of English. Saw that  flight crews like this place too. Small room but big shower, wonderful water pressure and very comfy bed and pillows. Walked into town. Beautiful church and gardens. Dinner across the entryway at Nautical. Had a  perfect dinner w an extraordinary bottle of Bordeaux! Tomorrow is Sunday so the town bakery is closed so we’ll have to wait for our first Parisian croissant. read more

Special Interest

Organic Food on a Budget

Organic food usually tastes better, and is better for you, but it can also be very expensive compared to non-organic products. Organic food can cost nearly 50 percent more, thanks to the extra labor required to produce it and consumers’ demand exceeding supply.

So how do you get tasty organic food without spending a ton of extra money? Follow these tips to get more bang for your buck. read more

Home Improvement, Investing in Real Estate, Special Interest

5 Money-Saving Green Updates

Going green is great for the environment, but that’s not the only benefit. When you make green upgrades in your home, it can also lead to some major savings.

  • Solar panels: The upfront cost is big, but the long-term savings are huge. Solar panels will cost several thousand dollars to install, but ongoing maintenance costs are very low, and a typical system could save you hundreds of dollars per year. You can even sell your surplus electricity.
  • Wood furnace: Wood-burning furnaces are relatively inexpensive, and though the yearly savings aren’t as dramatic (about 10% on heating bills), it adds up over the long run.
  • Insulation: There’s a good chance your insulation isn’t very efficient, especially in older homes. Look into installing floor, cavity, wall, and loft insulation to reduce your heating bills.
  • Rain barrels: Rain barrels are extremely inexpensive, and provide gallons of free water to use when you wash your car or water your garden.
  • Geothermal system: OK, so the price tag is scary at first. A geothermal system uses the earth’s temperature to heat and cool your home, but can cost $30,000 to install. But tax credits allow you to get a lot of that money back, and the energy savings average about $1,900 per year. If you plan to be in your home for a decade or two, it’s a great investment.
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