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Surefire Ways to Lower Your Energy Bills in the Winter Months

March 1, 2022 by Carolina Narvaez

When the temperature drops, the electricity bill often rises accordingly. Those chilly winter months can make it a real challenge when it comes to staying warm in your house, and most years, the energy bill reflects all that extra effort you have to put into keeping yourself and your family comfortable. At a certain point, however, it might be smart to start looking into ways you can lessen the amount of energy your home consumes so that you can save money on those bills each month.

You might even be surprised at some of the simple ways that you can easily shave dollars and cents off your energy bill. There are tons of strategies that can help you save money, from improving certain parts of your home to swapping out your old thermostat and/or furnace for ones that might be a bit more modern and energy-efficient.

Courtesy of Utility Junction, check out a few top strategies for saving money on your energy bill this coming winter…and perhaps even for years to come!

Consider Getting a New Furnace

Many homeowners might not realize that their outmoded appliances can seriously run up those energy bills. Getting yourself a new furnace — something of a major project — can be a seriously effective way of reducing your energy consumption and the bills that reflect it, especially in the long run.

A new furnace, in many instances, can cost you quite a bit of money depending on which type of unit you select. There are also labor costs to consider, of course; sometimes, this can account for a substantial amount of the total budget. You’ll want to look online to find the best contractor in your area who can get the job done. Someone who specializes in HVAC systems is probably going to get you the best results for a new furnace installation.

Something else to remember: certain home improvements, like investing in a new furnace, can also increase your home’s appraisal value. Just make sure you’re keeping and carefully organizing all those receipts!

Give Your Home a Spot Check

One of the things that can seriously impact your energy bill is the presence of things like cracks (especially in windows, though you’ll need to hire someone to replace window glass for you), intrusions, or gaps in places that should normally be sealed in your home. During the warmer months, these things might be easy to ignore, but they can contribute to a pretty expensive problem when it starts to get cold out. If you need home window repair, costs average $290 per window depending on the repair and window type. When working with window repair contractors, insist that they’re licensed and insured.

Another great way to lower the utility bills in your home is by finding small ways to reduce your overall energy consumption. Replacing standard light bulbs with LEDs, for example, is one great way to lower your bills.

Look into a Thermostat Upgrade

There are many smart thermostat options available now, and this type of upgrade is a great way to save money on utilities. A smart thermostat monitors your patterns throughout the day to learn the best times to increase and reduce temperature, thus ensuring your comfort at the ideal time as well as energy efficiency. Best of all, you can remotely control these thermostats from your smartphone or even via your home’s voice assistant.

There are plenty of ways to reduce your energy consumption and the bills that come along with it, especially as the weather starts to get colder. While this is normally a time of year that incurs extra costs, these strategies will help you save money and enjoy a comfortable living space at the same time, most likely for years to come.

The mission of Utility Junction is to simplify every aspect of your utilities from the moment you get in touch. With us by your side, it is that simple. Call 888-782-7885.

Need help with utility management? Send us an email at support@utilityjunction.com or reach out to us on any of our social media handles.

Locking In: Buying Your First Investment Property

February 11, 2022 by Carolina Narvaez

By Katie Conroy of advicemine.com.

In 2019, it was revealed that real estate had emerged as America’s favorite type of investment. With millions flocking to brick and mortar as a means to grow wealth, you’ll need to research thoroughly and act quickly if you want a high-potential property of your own.

Finding a Property

Unlike buying a property for occupancy, your reasons for buying an investment property are more likely to come down to monetary factors such as appreciation, rentability, or re-sellability. It’s important when looking at a location, to pay extra attention to its commercial appeal and demography – if you’re looking to rent the place out, you’ll want to find somewhere populous, with a good class of tenant, for example. Generally speaking, a property that can produce monthly rent equivalent to 2% of the purchase price is likely to produce a positive cash flow for the investor.

You’re buying a property to make money but, if done properly, the process should also involve spending some (on top of the purchase itself). Appraisers can help you to identify the objective value of a property and bypass much of the misleading information surrounding real estate, a buyer’s agent (realtor) will act as a source of knowledge, providing suggestions & narrowing down your options and it’s often worth enlisting the help of a home inspector to check structural integrity, plumbing and electricity before you proceed onto the buying stage.

Purchasing

When buying an investment property, it’s important to consider the added costs of property management before you enter into the buying process. Try to consider any added fees that might be spent on landscaping expenses, homeowner association fees, 3rd party property managers, or general maintenance.

If you’re held back by costs, you’ll find plenty of help from loan providers – private lenders often provide more flexible terms than conventional mortgage lenders when it comes to investment properties. Be aware, in comparison to loans for a personal residence, you are likely to pay a larger down payment with percentages around the 20-35% mark. An SBA 504 loan, for example, is perfect for commercial property purchases – with lower interest rates and up to 25 years in repayment terms.

Managing

You’ve found and bought a high-prospect investment property, congratulations! Now’s when the hard work starts. More often than not, an investment property will require renovation to increase its value, this is especially the point of a fixer-upper. If you’re in an area with high competition for renters, it could be worth considering some changes to improve the curb appeal – a new fence for the yard, for example, costs $4,500 on average (depending on materials, size of the fence, and place of installation). Be sure to use a platform like Angi to search for an ‘affordable fence company near me’ to receive a quote, then read online reviews and check for licenses before hiring any contractors.

If you’re taking in new tenants, it’s vital that you read up on your responsibilities as a landlord. Your property is much like a business and will require a few hours per week (minimum) for administration, comms, and maintenance. Unless you want to fork out for a property manager, you should be ready to spend money on repairs, replacements, and time on screening/maintaining tenants.

Properties often prove to be truly lucrative investments but, if you want to earn from them, you should expect to put in some hard work, or pay for the work of others. There’s plenty of competition on the market and landlords who have invested time (as well as money) are the most likely to profit.

Utility Junction is a utility management service on a mission to build utility connections, help you track utility expenses and expense analysis. Learn more about our unique services, at: www.utilityjunction.com

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Need help with utility management? Send us an email at support@utilityjunction.com or reach out to us on any of our social media handles.

My First Impressions of Utility Junction

January 5, 2022 by Carolina Narvaez

Every time we get feedback from our users on Utility Junction, how it has made a meaningful difference, we are convinced we did the right thing. So this time, we decided to step out of our comfort zone and get no holds barred feedback from one of our users. We had fun reading this feedback received from Sonal Rajmohan – An investment banker, committed daughter supporting her mother and not to forget – one of our earliest adopters and were equally amazed. Have fun reading!!

Guess what? I was shocked.

I had just found out about the Utility Junction platform. And just like any other platform would do next, I was expecting to be led to their homepage.

What came next, was nothing I could have ever imagined.

In clear words, I was told ” You need to register first for a plan, please feel free to choose one at the Pricing Table”

Being the first time seeing this, I was a bit perplexed and at the same time, curious.

The first question that came to mind was; What was so special about their services that I had to go through a pricing table first?

And more importantly, what made them unique? What made them so different from every similar brand out there?

I decided to find out what was so special about them.

And my journey began!

At the Pricing Table:

The first thing I was offered was;

Peace of mind

It was as if they knew what I was looking for, and they went for it.

And then, I saw the free plan. It seemed so perfect!

Here I was, still skeptical, but I was being offered a “Try Me” Plan? Who was I to refuse?

I clicked on it and I was led to a signup page. Within a minute, I had filled in the necessary information.

While waiting for my account to be activated, I figured, why not browse around. You know, look closely into what I would be investing into.

And so I went back to the pricing table.

That was when things began to take a turn.

I paid closer attention to the other plans and their offerings were fantastic. In all, they had included everything I needed at that moment. The only thing left was to schedule a meeting, make the proper arrangements, and close the deal.

Next, I checked The Story Page

And one thing resounded with me.

They recognized a problem that was peculiar to mine. And they fully understood that Property Management was more than just rent and repairs.

I had struggled with these issues for a while, and to finally discover a brand that understood my needs, it seemed too good to be true.

Still elated and doubtful at the same time, I kept on reading

They offered all these solutions under one roof. It was like a dream come true.

I could see my utilities being efficiently managed, thereby giving me more time to focus on other parts of my business that mattered.

Still in the process, I moved on to The Solutions Page

Trust me; It was an Icing on the cake.

They offered customizable solutions to handle whatever utility management issues I had.

They had the experience, the tools, and most importantly, offered me round-the-clock support.

At this point, the only question left was; When can we start?

If you are looking for Reasons To join Utility Junction; some are listed below.

To make sure you do not miss them, I will list them below.

Clients are their priority. And that is why they have a 24/7 support system to take care of your needs.
On-time service delivery. That is the goal.
They offer customizable solutions specifically tailored to manage your utility problems. You have a need; they provide the answer.

Need some more? How about finding out for yourself? Trust me; it is going to be worth your time.

So, what do you think? Tell us by commenting on this blog.

Need help? Send us an email at support@utilityjunction.com or reach out to us on any of our social media handles.

Millennials: The new generation on duty

May 29, 2020 by Carolina Narvaez

Finance illiterates or unprotected consumers?

Recent research has shown a concerning trend about the millennial generation. It suggests that they are not doing well for the economy as compared to the boomers. With each passing year, this generation is more involved in the professional and financial stages of society.

Those born between 1981 and 1996 represent the biggest population in one generation. Hypothetically, they are not able to manage their financial duties at a level that is close to acceptable. But, this is questionable my friends.

120 million Americans aged 18-40 years represent 38% of the labor force today. They are expected to be 75% of the US workers by 2030. It should be a wake-up call to know that 49% of these have insufficient funds to cover an emergency. It could be as low as $500. This is jaw-dropping. Another interesting number – the household debt nationwide has touched $12.7 trillion. This has adversely affected the credit scores as well. Not to mention their creditworthiness

On top of this, a recent college graduate will carry $100,000 in student loans. They could owe as much as $1,100 per month for the next 10 years of their life. This is half of the average income and 250% above what boomers student loan cost used to be. This is another $1.5 trillion debt carried by 46 million students in the US as of 2019.

And why is this credit moving so high and shredding our young pockets?

Incredibly, millennials are increasingly spending on experiences that no other generation had before. This is influenced by social media. This includes experiences such as traveling & eating out at a trendy restaurant. Coffee today plays an important role in their lives (thanks to Starbucks). And it does not stop there. Ordering food, going to concerts & sports events, shopping for the latest fashion. And how can someone keep out the latest gadgets? And they call it priorities, along with their large education bill.

Millennials have proved to invest more than any other generation in our wellness. This has resulted in a peak of young homeowners. And this brings along expenses associated with owning and maintaining a home. Repairing, refurbishing, and remodeling expenses at a very young age. It is true that millennials like to design and personalize their living space very often. As a result, they are taking on big obligations to achieve happiness too quickly. Thereby ignoring the challenges of dealing with a costly lifestyle. Especially, when the wage growth is not in sync with their lifestyle.

Most of these living preferences are a luxury to the boomers, but essential to millennials. It just points to the generation gap that exists. Now, what could support this painful idea is that the cost of living is almost 200% higher for millennials than what it was for the boomers. The income power of the millennials has increased by barely 6% in the last 30 years in the US. They are trying to achieve a certain lifestyle but at a very high cost.

Are they adequately aware of basic financial concepts? Do they understand their individual economic burdens? Do they have a plan to start saving or put a retirement plan in place?

These questions often lead to a general conclusion that this generation needs help. This would mean that a lot of them do not have the ability to cover their basic needs and financial obligations. This may hold true for groups like young women, single mothers, young African Americans, and Latinx. Nevertheless, these premises can tell us what we lack something but no one really explains what & why. A different perspective would suggest that the current economic structure is unable to adapt to the needs of the millennial society.

Very few of us rely on the help of experts or financial advisors to make savings and investment decisions. We believe more & more people should seek guidance on how to bridge this gap. What do you think? What can be changed? Leave your comments; share your thoughts…