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With gas prices at an all-time high, people are looking for ways to cut back, but that doesn’t mean that you need to skimp on fuel for your body. Eating healthy food won’t siphon your wallet if you follow these tips from the University of Michigan Health System and the National Institute of Health.

Holly Scherer, R.D. a health educator with MFit, the health promotion division of the U-M Health System, says, “By planning ahead, shopping the sales, and trying out those generic or store brands, you really can save a significant amount of money while also providing healthy, well-balanced food for your family."

With a little planning you can get most of your groceries for the week in one trip, which will save time and gas.

To really save, take it further with these money-saving ideas:

1. Assemble at home

Assemble snacks at home in small baggies using foods like nuts and seeds, dried whole grain cereal, cheese, dried fruit, and fresh vegetables and fruits rather than buying less healthy, more expensive, pre-packaged and processed snacks.

2. Buy a filter

One of the biggest savings can come from buying a filter for your tap instead of lugging home bottled water.

3. Buy in-season produce

Use local farmers’ markets when possible. The foods are fresher and they frequently cost the same, if not less, because you’re buying directly from the farmer. Plus, the profit goes directly to the farmer which helps to feed his or her family.

4. Brown bag your lunch

If you spend $7 on lunch 5 days a week for a year, you will spend a total of $1,820. Invest in some eco-friendly fun containers to keep food cool and tightly wrapped in style. 

5. Buy in bulk

Large containers of quick-cooking oats will cost less than individual instant packages; choose the largest container of milk you can safely use without wasting or spoilage. Compare the unit prices of the bigger and smaller containers on the store’s shelf. 

6. Buy whole

Buy a whole chicken and cut it up into parts instead of buying pre-cut chicken breasts, wings, thighs, or legs.

7. Season and marinate your own meat

buying chicken with the bone and skin can cost a lot less, and can be easily removed.

8. Stick with the plain brown rice

instead of boxed rice mixes, which are often loaded with sodium. 

9. Look for the generic or store brand

10. Container garden

If you have a green thumb, try a container garden. Tomato plants can be purchased and easily planted, and herbs will grow in abundance and be ready when you need them.

Scherer suggests these additional tips: if you’re a coffee drinker, make your own at home and add flavored syrups to give it the barista touch; buy fruits and vegetables that are in season, and no matter how tempting it is, skip the fast food drive-thru window.

By maximizing the magic and minimizing the chores, our readers bring out the green thumb in their kids. Here are their best projects, tips, and activities.

1. Create a loving garden

Faced with a bounty of choices, how does a flower gardener decide what to plant? For Ann O’Keefe of Lisle, Illinois, the answer was to let love lead the way. She and her kids, Patrick and Erin, asked close friends and relatives to name their favorite flowers, which were then incorporated into the O’Keefes’ planting scheme. For years, the garden has bloomed with family favorites like Aunt Lisa’s Irises and Papa’s Peonies. Today, both kids are teenagers, but their time in the "loving garden" helped nurture a passion for nature that persists today.

As it happens, so do some of the original flowers. "After all these years," says Ann, "it’s nice to have a living reminder of the people who’ve meant the most to us."

2. Grow veggies from veggies

After my daughter, Lily, and I planted our first vegetable garden together, she emerged with a better sense of where her food came from — but she still thought seeds originated in a paper packet. To disabuse her of that notion, I let her rescue a few tomato seeds from her tossed salad, dry them on paper towels, and stow them away until next spring. By the time her first seedlings poked up, she’d absorbed an important lesson about the circle of life.
Tip: If you want to save your own seeds, start with green beans or peppers — reliable and easy to grow — and store them in paper bags in a cool, dry place.

3. Watch a plant take root

Gardening often demands patience — a quality that kids, alas, don’t always have in ample supply. So when Tracy Parker, a former elementary school teacher from Plymouth, Massachusetts, was starting seeds indoors with her three sons, she adapted a classroom experiment that shortened the wait. "The kids plant their seeds in clear plastic cups, close to the side," she explains — a technique that affords them a worm’s-eye view of the action. "They love to see the roots forming," says Tracy, "and they get so excited when the sprout pops out."

4. Chart a garden growth

Families know all about charting their kids’ growth, so it’s not surprising that some of them have found fun ways to chart their garden’s growth too. For instance, each year the Cordeiros of West Warwick, Rhode Island — Jacob, age 6, Sarah, 4, mom Kimberly, and dad John — track the growth of a sunflower. First, they trace their bodies and draw a 10-foot ruler on butcher paper. Then they measure the sunflower weekly and track its progress next to the ruler and family members’ heights. The project is more than mere fun: "Because they’re so excited to see the sunflower grow," explains Kimberly, "they take great care of it — and all the plants around it."

5. Make a weeding game

How do you get your kids to "weed" when they might not know what a weed is? For Kim Justen of Advance, North Carolina, the solution was to engage their sense of play. "When my kids were little and wanted to help in the garden, we gave each of them one variety of weed and asked them to pull up only those plants that matched it," she says. Years later, her kids — Kathleen, age 9, and David, 7 — are still playing the game. "They have fun," says Kim, "and I get help in the garden."

6. Open a family farmer’s market

To spark a passion for gardening in her two younger boys, Loriel Karlik of Coupeville, Washington, appealed to their entrepreneurial spirit. After offering them their choice of vegetable seeds, she staked out a plot for them and offered to pay farmers’ market prices for their produce. The boys devised business plans, one planting zucchini for its abundance and long harvest, the other, radishes for a quick return, followed by squash and cucumbers for diversity. The end result: horticultural and financial bounty — and a love of gardening that Loriel hopes will last a lifetime.

7. Hand down a gardening tradition

Richard Todd, a lifelong gardener whose love of growing things was nurtured by his grandfather more than half a century ago, was eager to cultivate the same passion in his own grandson, Tommy. And when his daughter, Emily, and her husband, Liam, moved to a house with a spacious backyard in Florence, Massachusetts, Richard knew just the crop to intrigue a growing gardener. For three years now, Richard and Tommy have worked together in a backyard pumpkin patch. The two choose from a variety of exotic pumpkin seeds, then all three generations thrill to the sight of the expanding vine. "It’s stunning to see how they take over during the course of a season," says Emily. And Tommy loves working alongside his Papa. The payoff for Tommy’s grandfather? Some pumpkins, yes, but mostly, priceless time in the garden with his favorite assistant.

8. Grow a snowman garden

A lucky accident was the source of a genuinely cool gardening tradition for the Shilling family of Mount Vernon, Washington. One summer, Teri Shilling and her son, Craig, age 9, planted a batch of carrots in their garden but never got around to harvesting them. That winter, the family was putting the finishing touches on a snowman when a last-minute dash to the refrigerator revealed a disappointing lack of — you guessed it — carrots. But then Teri had an idea: "I remembered the ones we’d left in the ground, and sure enough, we dug through the snow and pulled up beautiful carrots." From then on, the Shillings made sure to plant extra carrots in a special corner of the garden for fresh-from-the-ground snowman trimmings.

9. Plant some pet food

Growing your own food has taken on a whole new meaning for the Salyers family of Homestead, Florida. With the arrival of their new pet iguana, Rocky, 9-year-old Hunter and his mom, Kim, discovered that most of the foods iguanas favor — parsley, collard greens, red hibiscus — could be easily grown in their backyard garden. So they put in a special lizard crop, which Hunter tends and harvests with enthusiasm. "He loves being involved in the whole process, from planting to picking to feeding," says Kim.

10. Dig into familyfun.com

Our Web site has dozens of great family gardening activities. To get complete instructions for any of the following, search our site by the project’s name.

• Garden Playhouse:   Train climbing vines over an arch of chicken wire to create an enchanted, shady space.
• Topsy-turvy Tomatoes:   Grow tomatoes upside down in a hanging planter.
• Sunflower Digs:   Strategically plant sunflower seeds to make a towering, flowering hideout for kids.
• Mrs. Green Beans:   Create a wooden scarecrow that features a flowerpot head and a skirt of climbing bean plants.
• Stepping-stones:   Make your family’s own walk of fame with personalized cement stepping-stones.

Are you selling a home? Did you know that even though home buyers are all looking for something different, the majority of them will turn around and walk back out of your door if they notice one or more of these Top 10 problems.

1. Odors

House odors are number one on the home selling uh-oh list. And narrowing it down, odors from cigarette smoke and pets take top billing, with mildew not far behind.

If you smoke indoors–the house smells like cigarettes. If you have pets, the house might smell bad–even if you don’t notice it. Ask someone who doesn’t live there to take a sniff, and don’t get angry when they tell you the truth.

Eradicate the odors so that you can present potential buyers with a clean, fresh atmosphere–not a house that’s full of perfumes to cover up the odors.

2. Dogs that Meet You at the Door or in the Driveway

Dogs frighten some people and irritate others. You’ll have a much better response from showings if you control your pets–dogs, cats, whatever.

You say you plan to put them in a bedroom or garage and then ask people not to open the door to that area? Bad idea. Would you buy a house you can’t inspect? Of course not.

Remove pets during showings if possible. If you can’t, contain them in crates for their own safety and to show respect for the feelings of potential buyers.

3. Dirty Bathrooms

Grimy bathrooms are an instant turnoff. Scrub them, paint them, buy a new shower curtain, rugs and towels–do what it takes to make them shine. If you’re serious about selling the home, the extra work is a must.

4. Dimly Lit Rooms

Dark homes are a turnoff to most home buyers, so try to brighten them up:

• Replace dim light fixtures
• Install additional light fixtures
• Install (quality) sun tunnels or skylights
• Remove heavy drapes to let the light stream through windows
• Repaint some rooms with colors that reflect light
• Trim tree limbs that shadow the house

Dirty and fogged windows are another buyer turnoff. Clean them inside and out to bring in more light. If possible, replace any double-pane windows with broken seals. You can find them by looking for a foggy residue that cannot be removed.

5. A House Full of Busy Wallpaper

Busy wallpaper in every room turns off most buyers, and even people who love wallpaper rarely like what you’ve chosen. It’s a personal decorative touch that they want to select themselves.

It’s the masses you must appeal to when you’re selling a home, so take a hard look at your wallpaper and decide if it should be removed and replaced with paint. Don’t paint over it, because it will be obvious that you did–and buyers know that makes removing it even more difficult.

6. Damp Basements

Dampness or damp smells in the basement throw up a red flag to buyers that the foundation leaks!

Most problems we see are not caused by faulty foundations. They occur because rainwater is being diverted towards the foundation instead of away from it.

• Clogged underground drains
• No rain gutters along roofline
• Downspouts aimed the wrong way

Go outside the next time it rains and determine where runoff water is going.

7. Bugs

Roaches, spiders, any insect that shouldn’t be in the house. Get rid of them.

8. Poor Curb Appeal

You must grab a buyer’s interest from the curb if you want to sell the home for top dollar. Home buyers often refuse to go into a house with an unkempt yard, sagging doors or peeling paint. You say you can’t afford to paint? Okay, but get that yard in tip-top shape and grab a screwdriver to fix those doors.

9. Gutters with Plants Growing in Them

I’m serious. Some people never clean their gutters, and it always makes buyers wonder what else hasn’t been maintained.

Remember the drainage issue in #6? Cleaning packed gutters might help.

10. Sellers Who Hang Around for Showings

Yes, you… leave the house during showings. Home buyers feel awkward about opening closet doors and lingering for a really good look at the house if the seller is home.

If you’re selling by owner, give them some space, don’t hover.

Parting Words

Most of the Top 10 problems are home selling issues you can correct without spending a lot of money. Do it now, before you put the house on the market, because if your house develops a reputation among agents as the house that smells, the house with the huge barking dog or the house where the owner won’t leave people alone, it will be too late. Your house will be last on their list to show potential buyers.

When you want to move abroad or anywhere new, you will want to research before you make the physical move in order to feel as comfortable as possible once you arrive.

1. Books

As with nearly any subject, you will find a great resource for cultural customs and general living tips in the many travel books at your local bookstores and libraries.

2. Maps

What is interesting about maps is that you can actually learn more about a culture from the way that they set up their cities, than you can from guidebooks in some cases.

Cities with narrow streets and a local city center seem to be more focused on community events and gatherings, for example.

3. Internet

Needless to say, the Internet is an invaluable resource for those that are trying to research any subject. It has countless travel sites, sites for those that want to travel and live abroad, etc. The only limitation is that the sources can be difficult to judge, so the information is not necessarily valid.

4. Chat rooms

On the Internet, you will find hundreds of message boards and chat rooms that can help you learn more about the area that you are looking to live in. By typing in the area as well as chat room into a search engine bar, you should be able to find at least one place where you can meet others that can help you with your questions.

5. Other expatriates

There is always good information to be found in those that have already been in your shoes. By finding expatriates in your chosen home or via the Internet, you can find out much more than many books or travel guides could ever tell you.

6. Language courses

When you find a local language course either in your new home or before you move, you will learn about the culture through the way that they speak. Some cultures are very quick and fast moving so is their tone and accent while others tend to be slower, more fluid and their speech tends to be less formal and enunciated.

7. Local groups

There are also a number of groups that tend to cultural studies that can help you learn more about your new home before you arrive. Going to France? Head to the local chapter on French related studies.

8. Vacations

Of course, there is no better way to learn about your new home than to spend some time in it. But you won’t be looking at the area as a tourist; you’ll be looking at it as a prospective homeowner.

9. Travel agencies

While you might not be planning a vacation to your new home, travel agencies are very good at collecting information about regions and local customs. Talk to your local travel agent to see what kinds of information they can help you find.

10. Community courses

There are also many courses available for those that are looking to learn more about a certain area. Many classes are primarily focused on learning about the local culture and customs while others are focused on making plans to relocate.

Do you work from home? And your office at home is all messed up? It is  common problem because many people don’t take their office at home seriously.

1. Decorate your office

 If you have a window in your home office, spruce it up with new curtains, swags or decorative rods.

2. Get an eye catching view

Add some interest outside your office window with a flower box, bird feeder, bird bath or garden pond. If there’s no view at all, create interest in the window itself with a do-it-yourself stained glass or etched window kit, available in large craft stores.

3. Go Green

Bring life into your office with plants, favorite knickknacks, family photos and appealing paintings or posters for the walls.

4. Be natural

Instead of playing the radio, add the soothing sounds of a fish tank or mini-waterfall. Another inspiring alternative is a sound machine that plays cartridges of babbling brooks, gentle rains and splashing ocean waves.

5. Use a bulletin board

Put up a bulletin board where you can glance at favorite quotes, cartoons and pictures clipped from newspapers and magazines.

6. Freshen it up

Put a fresh scent in your office with potpourri, candles or fresh flowers.

7. Get inspired

For a little extra work inspiration, go to one of those shops that can put your face on well-known magazine covers. Get one of yourself on Money, Forbes, Success or your favorite publication, frame it and hang it someplace where you can glance at it every now and then. If you’ve got a color scanner and a graphics program, you can even do it yourself.

8. Take a holiday

Take off one day to do a paper purge, and clear out the clutter from your office. It’s not much fun, but you’ll feel much better when you’re finished. You might even find that rummaging through old papers and sorting out the useful from the junk can tap your creative juices and give you future project ideas.

9. Keep changing the settings

However your office is decorated, make a point of changing things occasionally: rearrange the furniture, hang up a new poster or add some touches appropriate for the current season or holiday. Even pets get cranky if their environment is not stimulating and new on a regular basis — how can you expect any less of people?

10. Be aware of your life outside

Keep some non-work related inspiration in front of you to remind you of life outside the office. If you’re planning a vacation to someplace tropical in the coming year, hang a picture of palm trees or a beach sunset where you can see it from your desk. Or if you’re saving for something special — maybe, say, a new bicycle or a backyard swing — stick a photo of it on your computer. Being able to visualize your goals helps you achieve them.

When the wolf’s at the door…cook it. Times are tough, and going to get tougher. Ingenuity, thrift, frugality, economy – remember them? Damn, I knew I should have listened to my gran.

1. When in doubt, make soup

Soup will save the world. Make a big batch of your favorite veggie soup, then do something different to it each time you serve it – blend in some curry spices, add tomatoes, throw in some lentils, top with bacon, serve with grilled garlicky bread. (They were all different options, but you could do them all at once if you were really hungry).

2. Self-preservation

There is growing interest in the gentle arts of home preserving, baking, curing, brewing, sausage-making.

So make like a squirrel or a grasshopper, and sock away provisions for the dark times ahead. A cupboard under the stairs full of home-made strawberry jams, chutneys and pickles is better than money in the bank. (In many countries, SO MUCH BETTER than money in the bank).

3. Listen to your grandmother

Turn off taps when you’re done, save string, re-use bags and bottles, put lids on your saucepans (saves 20% energy, and speeds everything up), and cut out waste. Think twice before you toss anything out, it may be the best part. Greeks cook beetroot greens and toss in olive oil, Turks stew broad beans pods and serve with yoghurt and dill, Chinese dry mandarin peel and add to stews for fragrance and flavor.

4. G-Y-O

 Funny how we’re turning back to growing our own fruit and veg. The friend trying to get rid of a glut of apples, corn, tomatoes or even silver beet is now in demand, not to be avoided. Even if it’s just a pot or two of herbs you can keep on the windowsill of a flat, you will suddenly feel completely self-sufficient.

5. Eat with the seasons

 It just makes sense. Because it’s in season, it’s more abundant, because it’s more abundant it should be cheaper. Even if it isn’t, it’s better value because it’s fresher and tastier. It also means the producers haven’t had to find new ways of preserving shelf life and storage.

6. Send the food processors broke

Not the ones you plug in and whiz, but the middlemen who buy fresh unprocessed foods and do things to them, offering them to you with extra flavors you don’t want or need. Instead, buy the fresh, unprocessed food yourself and keep your own ‘processing’ to a minimum, e.g. buy whole fish and whole chicken rather than fillets and pieces – you’ll get better quality, and learn how to fillet and joint like a telly chef. Whole lettuces last longer than bags of mixed leaves, and unwashed is cheaper than washed. Don’t buy ready-made vinaigrette, breadcrumbs, pre-chopped vegetables or pre-grated cheese. It’s money down the drain, when you can do it yourself and save.

7. Love your leftovers

I’ve started cooking more food rather than less, so I have more sizeable leftovers for the next day. Throwing food out is throwing money out because you then have to start again with something new. Who knew that leftover paella rice would be so good the next night as chorizo-studded rice balls? (And don’t let the post-dinner snackers into the kitchen – that chicken leg is your office lunch).

8. Steak

Get over it. A plateful of veggies and pulses with a little bit of meat is a lot cheaper than a plate of meat with a little veg and a lentil. Striking a better balance is better for your pocket and for your overall health. Make fish, chicken and meat go further by adding beans, lentils, chickpeas and rice. Turn your meal-planning around so that the most expensive ingredient is the ‘flavouring’ rather than the main event. Use eggs and cheese for protein, nuts and seeds for fiber and crunch, and yoghurt and avo for richness. And return something as beautiful as a great steak-and-red-wine dinner to the special status it deserves…crave it, look forward to it, and enjoy the hell out of it. Just not every second day.

9. Cook your own ‘take-away’

Love pizzas? Learn to make your own, or use pita breads as the bases, and get some help from the kids with doing the toppings so everyone has their own. More of a burger person? Try cooking salmon burgers, chicken burgers, or normal burgers with a bit less meat and a lot more beetroot, haloumi, avocado, tomato, whatever. Craving Greek/Lebanese? Cover the table with little dishes of dips, breads, raw vegetables, herbed rice, and skewers of home-made lamb or tuna souvlaki.

10. Freeze

Fresh isn’t always best, because it isn’t always fresh and it isn’t always to hand. It’s a fabulous feeling knowing you have tubs of chicken stock, pumpkin soup, chicken curry, Bolognese sauce, good bread, etc in the freezer. Frozen bananas make a great instant ice-cream – just soften and whiz (but remember to peel them before freezing).

Bonus -  Buy ten, get one free

Beware of supermarket bonus offers, which often tempt you into buying two for one of something you didn’t really want in the first place. But in the spirit of getting something for nothing, here’s an eleventh suggestion: never ignore your own cupboards. I’ve dubbed Sunday night Cupboard Night, setting myself the challenge of creating tea from what’s in my fridge and cupboards already. (How can any one household have so many different bags of rice? And I’m not looking forward to the tin of mackerel in tomato sauce from Malaysia, but hey. At least I can have rice with it).

Okay, I feel like my own gran now, so it’s your turn to get preachy. Any good tips on how to munch your way through the credit crunch? (And please, no recipes for any meatloaf containing cornflakes, times aren’t that tough).

Handling stress at home can be very difficult, but it can be easier than at other places like your work. At least at home you have a certain degree of controlling it, though if you have children you probably laughed at the idea of control.

Here are some suggestions that can help you relieve stress at home –

1. Cry

Believe it or not crying can be very beneficial and can help calm the spirit. It is a great way to release strong emotions bottled up inside. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman – a good cry can be very stress relieving.

2. Meditate

This has become more of a trend but meditation, prayer, has been around for centuries. A way to relax and focus on the big picture while giving our body a needed rest.

3. Clean

This one came from someone who LOVES to clean, but cleaning can be a stress reliever for anyone besides the fact that you can have a clean house as a bonus. It helps you to physically work out frustrations and clears the mind (or was that the chemicals???)

4. Sleep

This is one thing we all need and for some reason believe that we can live without. Our bodies are designed to have a natural stress reliever is just closing our eyes and entering the world of REM (rapid eye movement). When we can get the amount of sleep that our individual bodies need, much of the stress around us is diminished. So sleep in tomorrow!!!

5. Communication

Be open with those in the same house. If there are problems and issues, be open to sitting down and getting it cleared up. The longer issues stew the worse it stresses everyone out.

6. Art

If you are one of those people with the talent of art (drawing, painting, sculpting, etc), then use that for your stress reliever. This can be a way to get out the emotions inside and do it naturally through your gifts. When all is done you’ll feel so much better.

7. Dance

You don’t have to qualify for Dancing with the Stars to use dancing as a means to relieve stress. Just turn on some music and let loose. You’ll be exhausted and ready for that sleep mentioned in #4.

8. Music

Just listen to some music and let yourself go. Listen closely to the words and follow the beat. You’ll be mellow in no time.

9. Work out

This is another means to release physical and emotional stress and help your health out. A good walk, run, or intense workout will work depending out you personally and your stress levels.

10. Deep breathing

This works great for my son who deals with severe anger issues. His therapist taught him to go into his room where there would be no additional stress factors and take very deep breaths. After a few minutes he is able to talk and work out issues. If you have ever been taught Lamaze breathing, you’ll remember how beneficial it can be.

Personally, taking a walk is the best way for me to relieve stress. I go out into the woods and just walk and walk. Before I know it I’m paying attention to the trees, mushrooms, and flowers and leaving all my worries behind.

Must follow ten tips to make your home healthier.

1. Clear the air

Take the smoke-free pledge. Choose not to smoke in your home and do not permit others to do so. Small children are especially vulnerable to the health effects of secondhand smoke. Choose to smoke outside, if you must smoke. Moving to another room or opening a window is not enough to protect your children.

2. Air quality

Listen to local forecasts for ozone, smog and particulate matter. When levels are high, limit your outdoor activities.

3. Rid your house of radon

Test the level of radon gas in your home with a radon test kit. If the test result is 4pCi/L or higher, takes steps to reduce radon.

4. Some household products are toxic

Use with caution! Look for alternatives to pesticides and household chemicals. If you must use them, always read the label and follow directions exactly. Always store them in high locked cabinets and in their original containers.

5. Check for carbon monoxide

Check that all potential sources of carbon monoxide, such as space heaters and wood stoves, are well-vented and in proper working order. Never idle the car or lawnmower in the garage, or use propane heaters in tents!

6. Water, water everywhere

Know the quality of your drinking water. If you have a private drinking water well, test it periodically.

7. Get the lead out

Avoid potential sources of lead. If your home was built before 1978, have your home tested for lead paint. When remodeling or doing home repairs, be careful that you do not create lead dust. Keep children visiting your home away from lead hazards.

8. Keep mercury from rising

Limit your intake of specific types of fish with high levels of mercury. Have a mercury-free home-find alternatives to mercury thermometers or mercury used for cultural or spiritual practices.

9. Too much sun is not much fun

Cover up, use SPF 15 or higher sun screen, and stay out of the midday sun to avoid damaging UV rays. Talk about the weather. Make a plan for temperature extremes-keep food, fluids and clothing stocked for extreme cold or heat, think of public places to go to escape the extreme temperatures, and identify who you can call for help if you need it.

10. Wash your hands of it

Keep the dirt outside. Remove shoes at the door. Wash your hands to keep dirt that might be contaminated with lead, and pesticides off you and your kids.

No matter how new your home may be there are always improvements that can be made whether for necessity or sheer desire to better your homes’ appearance for your own satisfaction. When mortgage rates are high purchasing a new home may not be economically feasible. However, remodeling your current home may reduce your urge to sell the home or until selling is more practical. By determining a project budget, researching ways to do as many improvements yourself and shop around for fairly priced materials you will notice that some or all of your planned projects aren’t as financially devastating as you may have thought. If money is no object when remodeling your home, it is still encouraged to do research to be certain that your chosen contractor is highly knowledgeable and seasoned in his or her specialty of remodeling. Research will also make you better aware of what going rates are for materials and labor so that you don’t fall victim to being taken advantage of by a contractor.

The list is nearly unlimited when conjuring up projects that can be done to improve a home. Projects range from changing a room’s paint color up to extravagant room additions. Below are 10 of many ways a home can be transformed by an experienced do-it-yourself to improve a home’s appearance and value.

1. Modify paint colors

Painting a room is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to improve the appearance of a home’s interior. Interior walls that are painted undesirable colors well outside of the neutral color family may be used as a way to negotiate price due to so many rooms needing to be repainted lighter, neutral colors. Exterior paint colors tend to weigh more on the value and curb appeal of a home when selling. Not every homeowner wants to paint the exterior of their new home right away due to the sheer size of the project. Painting interior walls can be quite time consuming and bothersome for a homeowner. Many may consider painting the exterior a much more tedious, dutiful task due to needing long extension ladders, removal and replacement of storm doors and windows, and having to climb on roofs in some cases.

2. Upgrade to tile

There are so many new flooring products that have come available over the years. Research shows that installing floor tile rather than linoleum in high traffic or damp areas is much more appealing and valuable to homeowners and potential home buyers. Homeowners who have never installed or researched tile installation tend to think it will be too difficult to do themselves. This may ring true for those who just aren’t proficient at tackling new do-it-yourself tasks outside of the very basics like painting or speckling holes. However, if you are up for the new experience and can gain access to the necessary tile tools, you may be pleasantly surprised that tiling isn’t as hard as you may have thought. You could potentially save yourself several hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars by tiling floors and back splashes yourself. For instance, depending on the going rate for tile labor in a chosen state or city, excluding material costs you can expect to spend $6 – $15 per square foot of tile to be installed when hiring a professional.

3. Open the floor plan

Open floor plans help make the interior of a home appear larger than what it is. Aside from the open appearance having an open floor plan also adds possibilities when decorating, arranging furniture and when entertaining large amounts of guests. There are a few things that can be done to open up a floor plan without costing thousands of dollars. One way for a do-it-yourself homeowner to open up rooms throughout the home is by widening doorways that do not require doors such as kitchens, dining rooms and kitchens.

You may not want or need to go to the extent of knocking down entire walls, but you may find it very appealing to simply widen walk ways 6 to 12 inches. Keep in mind that no matter how little you widen an opening, always be sure to extend the header above the opening to give adequate support over the opening. Before attempting to open up a room or floor plan, be sure to consult with a contractor who is highly knowledgeable in framing and architecture of homes to help assure no structural problems arise later on.

4. Update plumbing and electrical fixtures, cabinet and door hardware

Updating plumbing, electrical fixtures, and hardware throughout the home are tasks that rank high with do-it-yourself due to the ease of completion in comparison to larger home improvement projects. If you have basic plumbing and electrical skills, you have the potential to give your home a mini makeover. In just one or two weekends you could possibly replace all cabinet and door hardware, bathroom faucet and shower fixtures, outdated light fixtures, switches and outlets throughout the home.

5. Replace old windows and doors 

Replacing old, inefficient windows isn’t only for aesthetic reasons but also to raise the home’s heating and cooling efficiency rating. Aluminum framed windows and sliding doors have the lowest efficiency rating of all windows and doors, especially if they are constructed with only single pane glass. Well made double and triple pane vinyl or wood windows tend to be a bit pricey for the windows themselves. However, if you are able to replace windows yourself you will have the choice of replacing just a couple at a time rather than all at once. In the long run, you will not only feel more comfortable in your own due to higher efficiency, you will also see a decrease in your heating and cooling bills.

6. Add switches, outlets and light fixture openings

Not all homes, old or new, have a sufficient amount of outlets or ceiling lights throughout. Lack of outlets and ceiling fixtures can be quite an inconvenience for homeowners. Luckily, this is another issue that an experienced do-it-yourself can tackle on their own in many cases. With basic electrical knowledge and experience it is fairly easy to run 12 or 14 gauge wire to and from an existing power source. Adding outlets, ceiling fixtures and 3 way light switches throughout a home will add a great amount of accessibility when using lamps, small appliances and the luxury of turning on 1 light from 2 or more locations.

7. Remove undesirable ceiling textures 

Popcorn texture was extremely popular years ago, but is rapidly loosing its appeal amongst homeowners now. On the other hand, "knock down" texture is the highly sought after for many homeowners, much more appealing than flat or popcorn textured ceilings. Although you don’t need to be a professional to remove or add ceiling texture, it does take quite a bit of patience and preparation to do it properly. With the proper tools and materials it is possible for a homeowner to remove hard to paint, undesirable popcorn texture to either make way for a flat ceiling surface or prepare to spray a more updated knock down texture.

8. Create sufficient built in storage areas

Storage space or lack thereof has been and always will be a key factor when updating or selling a home. When there isn’t enough adequate storage space throughout a home there tends to be a build up of unnecessary clutter where there doesn’t need to be. With basic carpentry skills and planning, shelves can be added to most any closet, garage walls or ceilings. For the more experienced do-it-yourself homeowner, installing or building built-in cabinets throughout areas where storage space is needed will not only become home for non decor items but also very appealing to the eye.

9. Refinish wood floors and cabinetry

All too often homeowners tend to think that old, scratched wood floors or cabinets simply need be replaced due to the poorly maintained finish. However, finish is one of the aspects of wood that can be fixed and made to look like new or close to it. Before figuring out how many several thousands of dollars it will cost to replace wood floors and cabinetry check the quality and integrity of the wood itself underneath the scuffed paint or stain finish. If there aren’t numerous broken or cracked pieces of wood throughout, consider sanding the surfaces down to bare wood, then apply fresh paint or stain to bring back the floor and cabinet beauty. When tackling your own improvement projects as opposed to hiring a professional you could see potential savings of 2, 5, even an upwards of 50 thousand dollars, depending on the size of the remodeling project. Typically homes increase in value by simply maintaining its current appearance and integrity. By performing a number of improvement projects you can potentially raise your home’s value by 10 – 20 thousand dollars in just one or two years.

10. Install wood window shutters

Whatever the task at hand, try not to jump the gun and commit to hiring a remodeling professional. First, assess the issues that need attention and determine if you are capable of performing said projects on your own. Once you determine whether you can or can not complete the given task, then take the next step by either planning your do-it-yourself project or start contacting licensed remodelers and shop around for the best matched contractor. Don’t get discouraged if you have a few projects around the home that you wish you could do yourself due to not having the extra money to pay a professional. With adequate research and the advice from friends or family who already possesses the know-how, give that project a shot yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions.