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Home Improvements With Free Grants
If you are like so many of today’s homeowners you may be considering greening up your home. Hey, why spend your own money to cut your carbon footprint when you can use free grants courtesy of the US government? After all, it is your tax dollars that you paid in!
Remember one thing and that’s that grants are not loans, so they will not have to be paid back. However there are two basic factors that they will want you to provide them information on. Also understand that there may be a fair amount of paper work.
The government will want to know how much it will take bring your project to completion. That is how extensive is the the work that will need to be done to cut your utility costs. They are also going to want to know how much it is estimated that it will raise the value of your home.
What many people are unaware of and you may be one of them, is that grants for straight forward non-energy related home improvements are also available. One of the most common and easy to get is a grant to make your home wheel chair accessible.
In many of these cases they may require you to have a specified contractor do the work. However; this is in most cases your best option, as the contractors have been pre-certified to do the work and in many cases their fees are also set or capped.
In some rare cases, people have gotten free grants for home improvements after having their home declared a historical landmark. It’s highly unlikely that this is something that you would qualify for but if you do, the amount of renovation and restorative work you can receive at no cost can be quite extensive.
You will not have to be concerned with your beacon score, or collateral or repayment terms, because there are none. The government is not worried about those factors either.
Many people apply for the free grants for home improvements when they are interested in larger home improvement projects. Like new heating or air conditioning units, weatherization or solar panels to conserve energy. These larger projects are the ones that interest homeowners in getting assistance with the bill, which usually comes back to the homeowner in the form of tax credits and decreased energy bills.
But, there are also straight forward grants, if you qualify, that you can get to upgrade your home and make it a safer, nicer place to live. As long as you have a solid plan on the reason for the money, you should be fine. But make sure you have thought it through. Talk to contractors and priced equipment. These will all need to be assessed in the grant application process.
And let’s not forget that the government is encouraging homeowners to weatherize their homes in order to help lower the energy bills and conserve the earth in the long run. When considering weatherization, make sure you think of the front all the way to the back. Remember, it does not help to weatherize part of it; you need to do all of it.
These grant application processes can be tricky, but just be certain that you review everything. Read everything and if you have any questions, ask someone. It is very important you understand what you are applying for. Once you are awarded one of these free grants for home improvements, have fun with your renovation and enjoy the final product.
How To Properly Use A Money Transmitter
When you need to get cash to a distant friend or family member there are a number of options. Using a money transmitter is the easiest way to transfer money even though there are several options available online. A service which acts like an intermediary is exactly what a money transmitter basically is and they are able to safely and quickly transfer money within minutes.
Most transactions for transmitting money are done electronically. How this works is you present a safe form of payments including cash, travelers check or a cashiers check. Next, your money is placed into the transmitters account for a charge and they in turn transfer the money to any location needed for pickup to the assigned person your sending it to.
There are a number of benefits to using a transmitter to transmit funds. First it may be the quickest way to get cash to the location you need. Anywhere there is another transmitter office, funds are able to be transferred around the globe. The money always makes it to its destination since money transmitters are very safe. Using a transmitter to transfer funds is convenient and usually affordable. Money transfer do require a fee but they are reasonable particularly if the money your sending is very important. So that you can determine whether or not your paying appropriately, you can do a little price comparison.
There are a few facts you should be aware of if you decide to use a transmitter to transfer funds. For those transfers that are being delivered to another country the money must go through a currency exchange. If what you are delivering needs to be a certain amount you should take the exchange rate under consideration. You should in addition make sure that there is a convenient location for the person at the other end to receive your funds. Perhaps the money transmitter will be able to transfer funds into another banking account but you will have to ask if that is able to be accomplished.
Because of the potential for fraud, money transmitting is a governed industry with strict guidelines. Transmitters should invariably be properly licensed with the state so it will be essential for you to choose one who can offer those credentials to you. You must also make sure that you know the particular person at the other end of the transaction. Fraud involving the transfer of funds or money orders has become rampant in the last decade and does not appear to be on the decline.
It is almost assured that if your asked to send money to a person you do not know, it is likely a scam. Do not leave yourself susceptible to losing your hard earned cash or become involved in money laundering whatsoever. Fraud involving Nigeria along with other African countries continues to be common. While making it a tempting offer, these scammers request that you give a small fee in order to acquire more money or ask for vital private information resulting in theft of your money. If you agree to take part you will likely lose any money sent and probably have your account wiped clean if any banking details are provided.
Regulatory authorities in your state can help you should you need to make a complaint about a money transmitter and they are able to guide you in the proper process. You need not fear using a money transmitter for moving money just as you should not fear working with a bank. While being fast, efficient and often inexpensive, transferring funds to anyone you know can be done in a legitimate manner.