Homeowners, new and old, will soon be receiving their “Economic Stimulus” checks in the mail. What are you going to do with yours? Here’s a few suggestions:
Save it. If you don't have that three to six months-worth-of-income emergency savings fund, now's a good time to begin. Stuff happens around the home when you least expect it. And you'll need some pocket money for incidentals during your home purchase. Look for a savings account that offers the best return. Online bankers generally offer the best interest rates, but shop around for other liquid savings, checking or investment accounts you can start up for the amount of your rebate.
Rent a safe deposit box. After you buy a home, you'll need somewhere to securely stash all those important documents including your mortgage note, title and escrow papers, insurance policies, home improvement contracts, tax returns and estate documents. In many cases, the rebate will give you enough cash to rent a safe deposit box for decades. The boxes cost from $10 to $100 a year, plus a key deposit. If you sock the cash in an interest-bearing account and let the bank automatically withdraw the fee each year -- or do it yourself manually -- you'll earn a small return in the process.
Buy enough homeowners insurance. For small homes, condos and townhomes the largest rebates available will cover many policies for a year. That doesn't mean only buy what your rebate can afford. Make sure you buy enough replacement value coverage. If you work at home, use the rebate to buy extra business coverage as well as special liability coverage for your business.
Save it. If you don't have that three to six months-worth-of-income emergency savings fund, now's a good time to begin. Stuff happens around the home when you least expect it. And you'll need some pocket money for incidentals during your home purchase. Look for a savings account that offers the best return. Online bankers generally offer the best interest rates, but shop around for other liquid savings, checking or investment accounts you can start up for the amount of your rebate.
Rent a safe deposit box. After you buy a home, you'll need somewhere to securely stash all those important documents including your mortgage note, title and escrow papers, insurance policies, home improvement contracts, tax returns and estate documents. In many cases, the rebate will give you enough cash to rent a safe deposit box for decades. The boxes cost from $10 to $100 a year, plus a key deposit. If you sock the cash in an interest-bearing account and let the bank automatically withdraw the fee each year -- or do it yourself manually -- you'll earn a small return in the process.
Buy enough homeowners insurance. For small homes, condos and townhomes the largest rebates available will cover many policies for a year. That doesn't mean only buy what your rebate can afford. Make sure you buy enough replacement value coverage. If you work at home, use the rebate to buy extra business coverage as well as special liability coverage for your business.
Complete deferred "green" maintenance. Caulk the windows and doors. Add insulation. Have your furnace or HVAC (heating-ventilation-air conditioning) system inspected and cleaned. Swap out incandescent bulbs for CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) and otherwise make your home more energy efficient and you'll get your money back from savings on utility costs.
Splurge, but shop around. The real purpose of the tax rebate is to get you to spend money on stuff in the retail sector that will help kick-start the economy. If, after buying a home, you have you financial basics covered, shop around for the best deals at the lowest cost on goods and services for your home. For example, for around $1,000 Consumer Reports found Panasonic, Samsung and Sony offering the best 32 inch LCD TVs and LG, Samsung and Hitachi offering the best 42 inch plasma models. The key is to get the most "stuff" for your money.
If you’re like us, you’ll probably end up putting it in your gas tank!
