home
I
now-how
WoJ
The number of people
who say they bank online,
up from 45% last year.
Source: comScore 2010 U.S. State of Online Banking Report
+ **L rï:
і
і
Lose the
Paper Weight
Transitioning to a paperless home office
can help yon clear clutter, feel organized,
avoid waste, and save money.
All those statements, receipts, and other piles of paper pose one of
the home's greatest storage challenges. But if you have a computer
with Internet access and a scanner, you likely have all you need to
solve it. Try these ideas:
• Switch to online bill-paying options (and consider automatic
payments—you'll never be late again). In addition to paying off in
time and storage savings, this system yields other rewards. For
example, Citizens Bank pays
to
cents for
every
paperless payment,
up to S120 per yean For tips on guarding against online banking
theft, go to
fiiic.gOV
and search for “Safe Internet Banking/1
• Upgrade your computer's backup system. Then scan and store
receipts and documents electronically. (Check out
neatcoxom
or
ambir.com
for portable scanners designed for this purpose.)
• Resist the urge to hit “print.” Save documents as pdfs.
• See
irs.gov
for information on what records to keep and how long
(download publication 552 under “ Forms and Publications”),
• Add a shredder to safely get rid of old files, paid bills, and other
unwanted paper, like credit card offers.
MOMS’ VIEWS
Room to
Improve
First impressions
carry a lot of weight
on the home front.
The moms on our
online community,
The Motherboard,
told us the space
they'd most like to
improve is the living
room. Says one mom,
“It's where everyone
enters our home and
where we spend the
most time. I would
love it to feel warm
and welcoming.”
Updates on their
minds: painting the
walls and installing
hardwood floors.
themotherboard
a millfon women strong
TRIED
AT
HOME
Steam
Team
We were excited to
discover a new way
to dean everything
from windows to
tires. This handheld
cleaner,
above
, comes
with nine attach-
ments that team with
steam to take care
of messes like gunk
around faucets and
dried cooktop spills.
Its electrical cord
may keep us from us-
ing it for whole-house
sprees, but it's handy
for small, tough jobs.
Haan Deluxe Steamer
;
#£>o;
macys.com
HOW
TO FIX
IT
Garage
Door T rick
The power goes
out, and you want
to open your garage
door. Disconnect
the automatic door
opener by pulling
on the release rope
(it typically has a
red handle) hanging
from the trolley. Now
you can raise the
door manually. To
reconnect, push up
on the trolley lever
attached to the rope.
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B ETT EH
HOMES A \D
C A R D E K S
ОСТОВЕ
IÎ 2 0 1
0
В HO. СОЛІ
PHOTO: {LAPTOP) MARTY BALDWIN
