You may have begun to notice that the curb appeal and first impression your home provides is not exactly the warm and inviting one you’d prefer. With peeling paint and overgrown hedges, your house is the one on the block that all the neighborhood kids are afraid to come near. Every time your in-laws come over they can’t seem to stop themselves from mentioning the sorry state of your patchy lawn. Unfortunately, you don’t exactly have the cash on hand to hire a landscaper and a handy man to make over the front of your home. So what can you do to improve the curb appeal with an extremely limited budget? As a matter of fact, there are plenty of projects you can tackle on your own for minimal expense, and here are a few that will cost you less than a hundred dollars.

Image via: Romani Landscape Architecture

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Weeding and seeding.

When you fail to weed your plants regularly they become wild and overgrown, not to mention lousy with dead branches, stems, and vines. So your first order of business is to head to the hardware store for a few necessary gardening tools. You’ll certainly need clippers and you might want to get a heavy-duty spade to dig up any plants that are beyond salvation. A sturdy pair of gloves might be in order, as well. From there you can get some bulbs and seed packets to install a whole new bed of flowers on the cheap; they’ll spring up over the next year or two. And if you have money left over, think about getting a few mature blooms to liven up the landscaping post haste.

Filling in the lawn.

A patchy or dead lawn is most unattractive and it can really make your home look unloved (or worse, unlived-in). However, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on rolls of ready-made sod. With a rake you can clear out a lot of the dead grass, and a piece of rebar will help you to aerate the soil for maximum retention of water. Then all you need is a bag of grass seed (choose a hearty, drought-resistant variety to cut down on the cost of watering) and you’ll have a new lawn within months.

Paint the façade.

In case you didn’t know, you don’t have to paint your entire house. If you can match the color you can purchase just enough paint to slap a coat on the side of your house that faces the street. You’ll pay a little more for paint and primer in one, but the incredible coverage will ensure fewer coats, actually saving you money in the long run. So pick up a couple gallons of exterior paint and give your façade a facelift.

Image via: Lauren Olenius

Create a walkway.

If the only walkway to the front door leads in from the driveway (leaving guests to navigate around your car or walk across the lawn) consider buying a few concrete pavers to create a new path from the sidewalk to your stoop. This will not only make for a convenient upgrade for visitors, but it will also protect your lawn from the damage of frequent foot traffic.

Spruce up the entrance.

You might not have the money to call in TPO roofing to repair unsightly shingles, but there are plenty of things you can do with your limited budget. Consider painting the door a bright color that complements the hue of your home. If the mailbox is hanging by a hinge, replace it with a new model or simply hit it up with a fresh coat of spray paint and secure it back in place. You might also replace fading or cracked house numbers, toss your ratty, old doormat in favor of a new one, and add a couple of potted plants. And if all you have is a bare bulb for a porch light, think about springing for a fixture that matches the style of your house. Any of these items can be had for less than $100, and if you’re really thrifty you can get several.

For more landscaping ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Everyone likes to live in a home that receives rave reviews when company comes to visit. Oh, but there’s nothing like the feeling that rushes over you once someone admires a piece of furniture, art or decor item and asks, “I love this. Where did you get it?” and you’re able to say, “It’s a one-of-a-kind piece that I picked up.”

Sure, the mall and franchise furniture shops have some nice décor items, but if you’re looking for things that are either vintage or rare, that requires a bit more forethought (when it comes to knowing where to go) and patience (when it comes to finding exactly what you want).

Image via: Randomitus.Tumblr

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So how do you do it? It’s easier than you might think.

Shop Online

When it comes to shopping for home décor, one of the best things about shopping online is that cyberspace has its own brand of boutique shopping because you are able to have access to specialty stores that you never would otherwise. Each city has some great little shops and so you can always ask a friend out of town for a referral of stores that have rare items and see if they have a website. Or you can check out shops like Refinery29.com (LA), Etsy.com (NY) or VintageDecor.og (TX), all of which specialize in vintage and one-of-a-kind pieces. Also, don’t forget to stop by eBay and Craigslist.org too. If you simply type in words like “vintage” or “antique”, you might be surprised at the kind of items that pop up.

Go Thrifting

OK, technically “thrifting” is not a word, but a lot of people who go to thrift stores know that it probably should be one. If you have about $100 in tow, you can leave feeling like a millionaire after walking out with some of the items that you can find in there. The really cool thing about thrift stores is that on top of their already low prices, many of them also have daily deals too. And while we’re on the subject of going the discount route, another great way to find items that no one else will ever own is to go to a local yard sale or estate sale. You can keep your eyes out around town for both, but estate sales are something that you can also call a local real estate friend for updates on. They tend to be in the know about those kinds of things.

Image via: Down and Outchic.Blogspot

Shop While Traveling

A wonderful way to create wonderful feelings of nostalgia and to develop a rare home décor collection is to purchase items while you’re traveling out of town. If you’re in Mexico for a week and you’ve always wanted some of their authentic folk art, why not purchase it while you’re visiting? If you saw some indigenous collectibles on your travels in Africa that you think would be perfect for your dining room, why not pick them up? Sure, it could cost a bit more to ship (although a lot of places will let you pay and have them shipped at a later date so that you don’t have to take the items on board with you), but the memories that come as a result will not just prove to be rare but also priceless.

Evan Fischer is a contributing writer for HotDealsBoard.com, where you can find a collection of the best daily deals available online.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Are you in the mood to redecorate? Have you been walking through your house lately, thinking your walls could use some sprucing up? Maybe you’ve recently moved and thought that your once loved sofa looks absolutely horrible in its new living room. Whatever the reason you’ve caught the decorating bug, make sure that you don’t break the bank doing it. Here are some tips for those that want to redecorate, but want to do so within their budget:

Image via: Free People

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Repurpose

Just because your sofa doesn’t look at home in the living room doesn’t mean it won’t look fabulous in the family room! Sometimes something as simple as moving furniture from one room to another can give your home a whole new look. Take a gander around the house and see what you can move around. End tables can make great nightstands, the futon in the den can make a great bed for your child’s room, and those wall hangings in the kitchen might breathe a new life to your bathroom. Just because your furnishings have started off in one room doesn’t mean that they have to stay there.

Shop Small

Almost everyone has a flea market, thrift shop, or small home store near by. You don’t have to shop at high-end retailers to find great pieces. Sites like eBay are a treasure trove of decorating materials and, if you know what you’re looking for, take a peek at Craigslist and see what other people are trying to get rid of.

Get Creative

Think of new and unique ways to use items that others wouldn’t normally decorate with. If you’re going for a country theme, for instance, old farm tools can look interesting when hung on a wall. Old windows can make an interesting grouping on a large wall, and plates hung above your dining table lend your kitchen a kitschy look. Just because it doesn’t have a picture hanger tacked to the back doesn’t mean it can’t be hung!

Image via: Curbly

Cover It Up

Furniture can get a new look with slipcovers, tables can be covered with new tile, and door panels can be covered with wallpaper. You don’t always have to buy new to give your home a fresh look. Rather than tossing what you already own to the curb, look for ways that you can change its look. Decoupage is a fun way to bring out your old postcards, photos and mementos! Cover a tabletop, a kitchen chair or even a bulletin board with contact paper, postcards or even fabric.

Charge It!

Use your credit card, but use it wisely. Save your credit card for larger purchases that you simply can’t do without. Obviously, if your chair has worn springs or the dog has attacked your mattress, you’ll need to replace them. Use a zero percent interest card or look for a store that offers six or more months same-as-cash. You can pay for your larger purchases in small chunks!

Decorating on a budget is easy if you look for opportunities to be creative. Look for garage sales, browse flea markets and look to see what you can repurpose in your own home. You can make an old look become alive again, simply and cheaply.

Andrew Bennett is a financial counselor who understands how a granite card can help repair your damaged credit.

For more creative decorating ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

When the holiday season rolls around, many people get into the spirit by putting up decorations around the house.  And the colors of fall provide a fiery palette for would-be decorators to spruce up their homes and make their spaces warm and inviting for the upcoming Thanksgiving feast.  But if it’s your first time decorating or the items you’ve used in years past are falling apart, you may be facing a pretty price proposition when it comes to adding some holiday flair to your house.  However, there are tons of ways to save on the decor that will make your home look special for turkey day.  Here are a few you may want to try.

Image via: Simply Suzannes

Look to lower priced stores

For starters, you’ll definitely want to skip department and home stores.  Although they have gorgeous and glitzy displays that seem to go on for miles, they’re going to be the most expensive option when it comes to decorations.  Instead, check out craft stores like Jo-Ann and Michaels as well as discount superstores like Target and Wal-Mart.  You may not find exactly the same items the department stores have, but you can find some really cute pieces at a fraction of the cost, and these stores often feature sales and coupons (for use in-store or online) that can save you even more.  Plus, most provide one-stop shopping for centerpieces, table settings, wall hangings, and more.

DIY crafts to save you money

Of course, you will almost certainly save the most by adopting a DIY attitude, and there are plenty of crafts you can try to do on your own.  For example, if you’re handy with a sewing machine you can make tablecloths, napkins, runners, and seasonal wall hangings (amongst other things) to decorate your space with colorful and even functional pieces.  You could also look online for craft projects to do with the kids (like turkeys made from the outline of a hand or an artfully arranged cornucopia of gourds for the centerpiece.  But you can do a lot more for a lot less by looking to the bounty of nature.

Image via: Masjito

Natural decor and activities

Take the whole family out for a nature hike and pick up anything that catches your fancy, from leaves, branches, acorns, and pine cones to thistles, rocks, and even abandoned bird nests.  As long as it is on the ground or no longer in use, it could become a piece of your holiday decor.  When you get home, use these beautiful hallmarks of the fall season to create a wreath for the door, a garland for the fireplace, and a centerpiece for your dining table (leftovers can be used for additional projects like a pine-cone mobile or a small rock garden to place on your coffee table).  Use your imagination and remember to have some fun; you just saved a ton of money!

If you find a few pieces here or there that you just adore and would love to add to your holiday collection, you can still find ways to save.  Why not use those prepaid debit cards that are cluttering up your wallet (the ones you got for Christmas last year that have been sitting unused because they only have a few dollars left on them)?  Every little bit helps and if you can’t find must-have items on sale (and you can’t re-create them on your own) then at least you can make your own discount.

Evan Fischer writes for Get Debit where you can compare and contrast a variety of debit cards such as the Mango card.

For more Thanksgiving ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

The holidays are coming very quickly, so you have time to prepare your home how and save money on making excellent decorations for the season. Decorating the home and garden doesn’t need to be a chore; in fact the two are complimentary and lend themselves to creatively use during the seasonal festivities. Some things found readily in many gardens can be made into fine holiday decorative trappings that will dazzle family, guests and friends through the waning yuletide.

These are some steps and basic ideas for how to make brilliant and sensually stimulating holiday decorations, all from very simple items and things you can probably gathering with little expense. Let your garden and home be the cornucopia of natural holiday designs that will last all season long.

A Few Simple Items

To make use of many cheap and natural items for decoration, you might want to gather a few simple items. Baskets, ceramic bowls, glass jars, pewter dishes and silver trays make for the perfect items to be transformed into decorative treasure troves. Most households have a few of these handy, but a quick trip to the second hand store or thrift store can offer a bundle of these options cost effectively. While there you might also want to pick up some string, ribbons, scissors, wire cutters, floral wire, and other crafty accessories.

Earth Friendly Garden Items

The list of possible items to find in your local gardens is endless, but here are some great ideas to get started with. Dried branches, foliage, ferns, leaves, and pine cones make for many types of versatile decorative supplies. Cut flowers, herbs, berries, gourds and nuts are useful when dried for centerpiece arrangements. Freshly picked flowers, fruits, vegetables and other plants non-flowering plants can be used to make scented arrangements during the harvest season. Winter will be causing most of these to die off for the season anyway, why not put them to good decorative uses around the home.

Image via: Alspics

All Natural Holiday Decorations

Centerpieces are perfect for outdoor or indoor use; these can be made with arrangements of dried and fresh items that give any table magical glow. Swags of flowers or branches can be tied together and hung anywhere; they are pretty with natural scents that will fill any room aromatically. Pine cones are decorative in groups on display almost anywhere you put them. Also homemade yuletide wreaths can be made with a combination of natural and store bought materials, and then can be saved for the following year. All of these are just basic ideas that anyone can create easily, but let your imagination run wild and you will surely come up with many others.

Every day is greener and more beautiful with natural trimmings, but the holidays are even more special when decorations are handmade with love.

Money doesn’t need to be an issue when coming up with holiday trimmings that beautify the home. It’s easy to come up with creative holiday decor that is sensually delightful. All you really need is a little magic and a decorative holiday spirit, to have fun preparing your home for the holiday season.

Billeater tries to post useful tips that aren’t obvious, and offer good deals on items and services that help lower your bills. Stop by Billeater.com for more great ways to save money.

For more holiday ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

It comes and goes, that itch where everything in your living room or bedroom looks terrible. It’s that time of year where you are unhappy with your home decor and decide it’s time for a new look. The problem is that new furniture can be extremely expensive even at Sears.com where you can use coupons for Sears to get a better deal. Luckily, there are many ways to redo a room with limited funds and not a whole lot of effort.

Image via: Twins Home Design

1. Rearrange your furniture

Rooms can feel boring if they are stuck the same way for too long so try freshening up the room by switching things up. You don’t have to limit yourself to furniture either. Consider taking a few knick-knacks from another room and switching them out. Perhaps you have a few treasures hidden up in your closet or an attic that haven’t seen the light of day in quite some time. Switch out some older photos for new ones or upgrade to some nice pieces of artwork.

2. Add a new color to the room

You can go for something drastic by painting a wall or two or you can paint older furniture, shelves or picture frames for a new splash of color. Keep in mind that each color can set a different mood to your room. Cool colors such as blues and greens create a calming effect whereas warm colors, like red and orange, create excitement and are more inviting. Light and dark colors also play a role in how you view a room: dark colors make a room look smaller while light colors make it look larger. Keep all this in mind when browsing the paint aisle.

Image via: The Lux Home

3. Do you hate those old curtains or the cushions on your couch?

How about those throw pillows you got three years ago? If you have a sewing machine, or a friend who does, then those are all easy enough to change! Head down to your local fabric store and pick out a fabric you like, some matching thread and even some nice trim and you’re set to upgrade your space. If you can’t sew and don’t have a friend who can either, check out Craig’s List or the yellow pages for a seamstress near you. Pillow covers and curtains are fairly simple to make so it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to get made.

Image via: Interior Living Room

4. Plants are a great way to freshen up a space

They don’t need to be alive; they just need to be green. Many stores sell fake plants but they can be a bit expensive; however, many people get bored of their fake plants and donate them to a thrift store where you can pick it up for dirt cheap.

5. Thrift Store Finds

Plants aren’t the only things you can get at thrift store for cheap. Thrift stores house furniture, lamps, books and other decorations you can use to spruce up your place, though they may need some sprucing up themselves before you’re ready to display them. Keep your eyes open for some potential treasures and be optimistic. Who knows what you’ll find if you’ve got the right attitude.

Steff Scholl loves to decorate and then redecorate her space so she knows just how to do it without spending much. However, if she does need some new furniture she uses coupons for Sears to get the best deals she can.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

I always marvel at how many people love dressing their pets up for Halloween, after all they are part of the family too! Enjoy this Halloween post from last year showing great ideas for your furry friends.

Halloween Pet Costume Ideas

Image via: Halloween Pet Costumes

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Original Entry #312, October 26, 2010

For the last few weeks Stagetecture has shown you Halloween ideas for:

• Children’s Halloween Costumes & Home Decor
• Ways to Save Money on Halloween Candy
• Guest Blogger: Safe Halloween Walkway Lighting
• DIY Saturday – Decorating your Haunted Mansion on a Budget

So what else is missing? Your pets of course! Today’s pet inspiration photographs come from Martha Stewart’s – 2010 Halloween Pets Photo Contest. Check her site to see all 55, here are my favorites below. Who said Halloween is only for the kids?

For more Halloween costume inspiration visit here!

For every homeowner, the bedroom is the one place in the house that you can really call home. For the bedroom enables the homeowner to express their style, and enjoy a room that is a sanctuary, rather than a public display for the rest of the home.

Image courtesy of Interior Arcade

Today, my Guest Blogger gives tips for making your bedroom gorgeous and save money at the same time.

_________________

There’s no nicer feeling than heading to bed in a stylish, comfortable bedroom, and waking up refreshed and relaxed. The bedroom may not be a room that is seen by many of your visitors, but it should be high on your list of priorities for making a comfortable and cozy room. Fortunately, thanks to budget beds from mattress discounters, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to design the perfect bedroom.

Bedroom design tips

When designing a bedroom, the most important thing is to make the room comfortable and soothing. Usually, bedrooms use muted, relaxing colors, and the room is designed to be spacious and uncluttered. You should keep distractions to a minimum, and avoid having televisions and other entertainment devices in your bedroom.

The goal should be to have a room that promotes sleep. If you tend to work or watch TV in your bed room, then this will make it hard to get into “sleep mode” when it’s bed time.

It’s a good idea to invest in some roller blinds for the bedroom, rather than relying on just curtains. Roller blinds are much more effective at shutting out light, making it easier to get a good night’s sleep.

If you’re completely re-designing your room, then converting a few of your lights to ambient lights with dimmer switches might be a nice idea. You can get alarms that link with lights and will gradually begin to glow as a way to gently wake you up. For some people, this is a much nicer feeling than waking up to the sudden noise of the radio.

Finding comfortable beds at mattress discounters

You can usually find some great deals at mattress discounters. There’s no need for snobbery when it comes to budget beds. In many cases, the budget beds sold by discount stores are simply regular beds from department stores that are no longer considered to be fashionable. Considering the most important thing about a bed is comfort, and the comfort comes from a sturdy frame and a quality mattress, there’s really no reason to avoid budget beds.

In fact, mattress discounters often offer a wider selection of mattresses, so you can choose between a no-turn mattress, a sprung mattress, a foam one, or a no-need-to-turn mattress. Often, if you buy from a less specialist retailer, you’re limited to whatever happens to come with the bed you’re buying.

Once you’ve chosen the right bed, and a comfortable mattress, you can start matching the bed to your decor. Even the simplest of budget beds can be spruced up to look luxurious with the correct selection of sheets, covers, and pillows or cushions.

The prices offered by mattress discounters are great deals, but make sure that you are getting everything you need. Some quotes may be for the bed or the mattress only, and the last thing you want to happen is to purchase only one part of your new bed under the mistaken impression that you’re getting both parts!

This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of The Original Factory Shop. Amy is passionate about frugal living and enjoys writing on related topics.

For more bedroom & living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

March and April usually mean Spring Break for the kids at some point of the spring and that means vacation thoughts for mom and dad. Whether you are trying to save money, or are just discouraged over the rising cost of gas and airline costs, it doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy all of the amenities of a vacation, instead try a ‘Staycation’.

“It’s a new word in the travel dictionary: a “staycation” is a vacation that happens with all the benefits of fun and relaxation, but without traveling anywhere.

Staycations become especially appealing when the price of fuel rises, cranking up costs for air travel and road trips; when the economy falters; and when air travel gets so stressful during peak seasons that “just staying home” looks pretty good.” – About.com

Here are some ideas for staycations that can get you and your kids excited for Spring Break without the concern of packing suitcases like your traveling around the world, for only one week!

Staycation ideas:

1.) Do day trips:

Take them to the best attractions in your area: the ones visitors enjoy, but locals somehow never find time to visit. Take the money you’re saving on airfares or gas and spend it on fun outings: like a Duck Tour, or a Ghost Walk, if you live in a city; or an outdoor adventure if you’re not near a town. Virtually everywhere, these days, has some kind of fun activity being marketed to tourists: when you’re on staycation, that tourist is you.

For more budget-minded staycation outings: try local parks, local aquatic center (- lots have wave pools and slides).

2.) Stay in:

When you’re at home, spend time just relaxing and enjoying family time. Splurge on a house-cleaning service: you’re on stayvacation, right? And unless it’s your pleasure to get creative in the kitchen, eat out or order in.

The word “vacation”, by the way, comes from the Latin word “vacare”, meaning “to be free, empty, to be at leisure”.

3.) The challenge of a staycation, though:

How to be at leisure in your own home, and turn off all that busyness of daily life? Not easy, especially for those who work at home. Meanwhile, quality time with the kids may elude you during a home-sweet-home staycation, as kids get busy with friends or their usual pastimes.

Your at-home staycation may work better if you proclaim certain days to be sacrosanct “staycation dates”, resist attending regular scheduled activities, and nix any temptation to decide it’s a great day to clean out the basement with everyone’s help.

Or try this solution …

4.) Staycation, Type 2: Local Lodgings

With this “staycation”, you still stay local, but you do make a move away from home. Stay at a local family-friendly hotel, maybe one with a cool kids’ program: upscale brands such as Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton have some creative programs at their kids clubs. And of course many more budget-minded choices are available too.

Once you’ve got your home-away-from-home, do sightseeing, take outings; or just chill out.

5.) Staycation: The Bottom Line :

Ultimately, “vacation” is more about a state of mind than about where you are. If you can relax, leave work behind, do fun stuff with your kids, then that’s a staycation, even in your own house.

Meanwhile, many people travel far, far away on holidays, and yet don’t enjoy a good mental break or getaway because they stay wired to their busy lives — or even to their workplace — via cellphones and Blackberries.

For more family ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Every year it seems like the gift giving is harder, whether you can’t think of the perfect gift, you don’t have enough money for what they requested, or the thought of shopping with the locals gives you a headache! Here are three ideas that will help you keep some green in your wallet and still enjoy gift giving this holiday season! Here’s an article from Stagetecture’s archives…

Original Entry #14, December 12, 2009

Whether your family celebrates Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or Fesitvus, we all will be buying gifts! Even though this holiday occurs at the same time every year, it’s always a “surprise” when it comes to spending our money! Don’t worry, there are still ways to save money, and buy gifts. Read on…

• Rewards:

Credit cards, airlines, and stores all have rewards programs. Many times consumers forget that they are accruing these points on purchases throughout the year. Redeem your points for merchandise, gift certificates, dining and travel experiences.  It’s like a double gift – you didn’t have to pay, and the recipient receives a great gift.

• Cutting corners:

The Starbucks coffee that you drink everyday, and the value meal that you grab at lunchtime is empty dollars that could be a gift! If you think about it, most people have “empty” money wasted everyday. How about brewing your own coffee at home and packing a lunch for the next month? You’d be surprised how much change you save, and now you can get that Barbie for your niece!

• Retailer’s are hurting too!

Take advantage of the slow economy by visiting weekly sales, clearances and promotions in stores and online! Similar to the “buyer’s market” in real estate, it is a customer driven buying market. Retailer’s want your money, and it’s the perfect time to get more for your money. Besides your neighbor would probably prefer some fresh baked cookies instead!

For more holiday ideas, click here.