Checklist for your next green home

Looking to buy or rent a green home? These days, lots of green homes are going on the market as sellers and landlords recognise they’re in demand. But how is one to know which homes are truly green?

Here’s a checklist of features to look out for and questions to ask to determine the green quality of your next home.

Eco Home Tip #7 Location Location Location – pick a location that’s convenient and easy to get to. Close to shops, amenities and public transport will reduce the amount of emissions that come from getting around. Inquire about the council’s recycling program.

Eco Home Tip #8 Orient yourself with the right orientation – if a house is to have good eco principles, it will designed with the right orientation. This means that the living areas will face due north, to make the most of the winter sun while allowing the hotter summer sun to pass overhead. Sleeping rooms, meanwhile, will be oriented towards to the South to capture cool summer breezes.

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Eco Home tip #9 Cosy is not a four letter word – consider how the space is used as much as the size of it. Oversized houses utilises more resources in both construction and maintenance, while smaller dwellings are cleverly conceived can feel quite spacious.

Eco Home Tip #10 Inquire about insulation – ask about the insulation. Higher R values means the house will better protected against extreme weather elements. See if the windows are double glazed. While you’re at it, ask about other green home features such as solar panels and solar hot water. Make your message loud and clear!

Eco Home Tip #11 Good green help – there are a few Australian green realtors, such as ecoproperty, who specialise in green listings. Check the Green Pages green directory for real estate agents who will help you find the perfect green home.

The important thing is to ask before you buy. Even if the real estate agent can’t tell you upfront, it’s important to let the market know that buyers and renters are looking for this bit of information. While no single home will have all of the sustainable features listed, at least you can get a clear picture of what the potential home has to offer.

Source: ArticlesBase.com

Should You Buy the Green Dot Prepaid Card?

Credit cards often lead to over expenditures, hence you must have a Green Dot Prepaid Card. You need to assign a certain amount to the card and spend in peace, because you would not be taking any credit which needs to be repaid later. The money that has been assigned to the card, is made available to you in entirety, for tension free shopping. It provides for a comprehensive and flawless solution, and could easily replace your credit card.

Attributes

Having an account in the bank is not mandatory for issuing a Green Dot Prepaid Card, therefore you are not required to waste your time, waiting for your turn at your bank. Either a credit card or an overdraft, is also not required. There are no penalties charged, and you can spend till your reserves are exhausted.

Being a debit MasterCard, it is universally accepted. Therefore you can avail of cash from any country with the Green Dot Card, while travelling. You can withdraw money from 15,000 ATM machines, with the help of this card, therefore it makes for varied usage.

You can withdraw as much as you want, and there is no clause for any minimum amount that you need to keep. Just procure your card, store your reserves in it and proceed to spend, irrespective of location and time. You can also make use of features like online bill-pay and direct deposit at no additional cost.

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This card is the perfect choice for those looking for a stress-free card to use and it is available around the country. Funds can be deposited in the card through any of the 50,000 available outlets, quite simply.

Positive Attributes

The Green Dot card is extremely advantageous for those who want the benefits of a credit card without the risk of debt and overdraft. You can only access available funds which are your own, which makes it ideal fro youngsters or people who have just started with their banking endeavors. A prepaid card allows you to have more control over your funds and will definitely teach you to manage your money more efficiently.

It is very user friendly, and you would not require a bank account to begin. Simply purchase a card and load it with the amount of money you require. It does not require an extra fee and is quite simple. Your salary can also be deposited in your card, so that you can have regular cash at your disposal.

There is no minimal balance clause, ensuring that you could also use it for smaller deposits and withdrawals. It acts as a trouble free credit card.

Pitfalls

Since there is no scope for overdrafts, your expendures are curtailed. In case your expenses exceed your reserves, this card might not serve the purpose.

Verdict

With the non-requirement of bank accounts and non existence of overdraft facilities, the Green Dot Card competes well with other similar products. With most of its services provided for free, the Green Dot Card is a value for money product.

Use the Green Dot prepaid card if you want to avoid the risk of running into debt as it is a safe alternative to credit cards. You can avail of your reserves easily with this card, as it prevents you from splurging, making it a truly efficient product.

Source: ArticlesBase.com