Follow these steps to give your living room a redefining makeover…

Identify Focal Points

Find the feature that immediately draws your eye and build around it.

Mind the Windows

Windows seriously impact the energy of a room. Use lighter curtains that allow natural light in while still providing privacy.

Add Plants

An indoor tree can be a stylish fill to an unused space and bring the outdoors in while purifying the air.

Lighting

Recessed lighting and wall sconces can transform an area to a bright and uplifting space.

Declutter

Get rid of all the extra stuff. Keeping tables and shelves clear will feel more inviting.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Protecting your personal information from identity thieves is a multi-step process; however, the biggest step you can take at home is to shred anything with personal information on it.

“All a true identity thief needs to become you is your name and ZIP code,” said Frank Abagnale, an American security consultant, at a reception in November. “What you may think is worthless, is of value to an identity thief.”

But you dont want to use just any shredder. Some shredders only cut up paper enough so that its left in strips or cross sections. These papers can still be put back together by someone with enough time.

How do you know which is the most secure? Go to an office supply store and youre likely to see a wall full of shredders for sale. There are three basic types, but only one is worth buying if you really want to protect your shredded documents, papers and other personal information from being put back together.

Strip-cut shredders cut paper into long strips that are a quarter-inch wide. Theyre good for basic shredding and light use.

Cross-cut shredders do what the name implies"shred paper into cross sections. The machines are fast and cut to a size that is more secure than strip-cut shredders.

For the most protection, Abagnale recommends using a micro-cut shredder, which turns paper into pieces the size of rice and cant be put back together. Micro-cut shredders offer the highest level of security by shredding paper into confetti-like pieces.

While micro-cut shredders are slower than cross-cut shredders, they shred six times smaller than standard cross-cut shredders: 2,235 pieces instead of 360 pieces.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Saving for a home, retirement, a vacation or anything else can be difficult.

The median retirement savings of all working-age families in the United States is $5,000, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Given that many financial advisers recommend having about $1 million in retirement, that leaves many families far short of their retirement plans.

Don’t let such big goals keep you from striving for them. Many mobile apps help people reach multiple savings goals, often in painless ways that only require the change you’d normally get at the cash register.

For a retirement plan, home down payment or other large financial goal, you’re probably best off by maximizing automatic paycheck deductions or contributing regularly to a savings account. For smaller savings goals, here are some apps to check out:

Qapital: Set multiple savings goals and have money moved into savings based on rules you set. The service is free.

You won’t have to sacrifice the things you love buying. Buying an espresso every morning at your local coffee shop? Tell the app to save $5 every time you buy coffee. Or it can round up that coffee purchase by a lower amount, such as moving a $3.50 coffee to $4 and putting that extra 50 cents in your account.

Digit: This service has a different way of helping users save money. It connects to your checking account and analyzes your income and spending and finds money it can set aside for you. It never transfers more than you can afford, so you don’t have to worry about overdrafting your account.

Digit used to be free, but now charges $3 per month for its service. A 100-day free trial is available.

Acorns: This micro-investing app turns every purchase you make into an investment.

It connects your accounts and cards that you use to make everyday purchases and rounds your purchases to the nearest dollar. That spare change is automatically invested. You can also set up recurring or one-time investments.

Acorns costs $1 per month to use. For accounts of $5,000 or more, the fee is 0.25 percent per year.

SmartyPig: This online saving account lets you save for specific goals by making automatic transfers from your linked bank account. Want to save for a new TV? SmartyPig can help you set up an account for that.

The service is free. Up to six withdrawals per account can be made each month.

I hope you found this helpful. Contact me for more insights and info.

Published with permission from RISMedia.