There are no hard and fast rules on holiday tipping, experts say. How much to tip, or whether to tip at all, depends on several factors, including the quality and frequency of service, the relationship you have with the provider, how long they have worked for you, where you live (since amounts can be higher in large cities), and your budget.
     The Emily Post Institute offers the following guidelines for holiday tipping, but also advises consumers to let common sense and the holiday spirit be your guide. If financial circumstances limit what you can give, a handwritten note is always appropriate. 

• Babysitter – One evening’s pay, plus a small gift from your child 
• Barber/Hair stylist – Cost of one haircut or a gift 
• Child’s teacher – Check the school’s policy. If allowed, give a small token gift of appreciation, not cash 
• Day care providers – $25 to $70 each, plus a small gift from your child for providers who give direct care to your child(ren) • Dog walker – One week’s pay or a gift 
• Personal fitness trainer – Up to the cost of one session 
• Housekeeper/maid service – Up to one week’s pay or a gift 
• Doorman – $15 to $80 
• Garage attendant – $10 to $30 each 
• Letter carriers – Gift up to $20, no cash per U.S. Post Office regulations 
• Massage therapist – Up to one session’s fee or a gift 
• Handyman service – $15 to $40

        

To freshen up your home, use natural essential oils or wooden “soaking sticks” instead of store-bought air fresheners, which are laden with chemicals that can harm indoor air quality. Source: Low Impact Living.com

        

     When it comes to increasing the value of your home, modernizing a kitchen can return 80 percent to 130 percent of your investment, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association. But many homeowners think improving the kitchen has to come with a hefty price tag. Not necessarily. Cabinets are often the first thing people notice about a kitchen.
     Cabinets are also one of the easiest and most affordable kitchen features to update. And in most cases, you don’t need to replace them. Just take a close look at your existing cabinet doors. Are they beyond repair, or do they still look good, but just a little outdated?
     If they’re still in good shape, simply sanding and applying a fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference. Take everything out of the cabinets and scrub them with a cleaner. Lightly sand down the wax, veneer, polish or previous paint, then fix any cracks or breaks with putty. Brush on primer paint and add any paint color, pattern or stencil you’d like.
     New hardware can also add flair to otherwise outdated cabinets. Cabinet knobs, pulls and hinges come in all shapes and sizes, including antique copper, iron, aged bronze, polished brass, glass, stainless steel and more. But before purchasing any new hardware, carefully measure your existing hardware. Jot down sizes and the spaces between screws, which will eliminate the need to drill new holes in the cabinets.
     If replacement is the only option, modular cabinets, available at most home improvement stores, can be an affordable alternative. You can save even more money if you install them yourself. Source: National Kitchen and Bath Association

        

The number of places in the United States named after the star of Thanksgiving dinner: three. Turkey, Texas, is the most populous, with 496 residents, followed by Turkey Creek, La. (357) and Turkey, N.C. (267). Source: U.S. Census Bureau

        

     Pipe Dreams Flooded basements, frozen pipes and added expense — winter can be a home-owner’s worst time of year. Take the following precautions to prepare your plumbing before the season really hits: 

1. Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses. Once the hose is removed, water can drain from the pipe, preventing water from freezing inside it and bursting the pipe. This also includes swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines. Don’t add antifreeze. It can be harmful to the pipes and the environment. 
2. Insulate all pipes and faucets with a pipe sleeve or heat cable, which are available at most hardware or building supply stores. Carefully wrap each pipe exposed to unheated areas, paying special attention to joints. Newspaper can even provide some protection to exposed pipes that aren’t in areas of prolonged, extreme cold. 
3. Seal off access doors, vents and cracks. Cold air seeping in can freeze exposed pipes and plumbing. 
4. Know the location of your master shutoff valve, which turns off the water for the house. In case of flooding, you can quickly shut down the water supply and prevent further damage. 
5. Remember to leave the heat on in your home, no lower than 55 degrees, if you travel during cold weather.

Source: www.redcross.org, www.drinktap.org

        

     Good on Paper There’s so much to consider when doing construction or renovating your home, from picking the right contractor and the best materials to managing costs and making design decisions. But don’t forget one very important detail: building permits.

     Whether you need to obtain one depends on your locality and the type of work you’d like to do to your home, but in many cases, you risk fines, penalties or additional construction costs if you don’t get one. Selling your house might also be more difficult if a building official determines you remodeled without a permit and demands you bring it up to code.

     How do you know if you need a permit for your project? Before beginning a project, ask yourself these questions:

• Will my remodeling change the footprint of the house? 
• Will I have to move a load-bearing wall? 
• Will the roofline be altered? 
• Will any new doors or windows be constructed?

     If you answer yes to any of these, a building permit will likely be required. Other aesthetic projects, such as installing new floor coverings, replacing sink hardware, changing a countertop or replacing windows, but not altering the structure, don’t generally require one. If you’re uncertain or need more information, call your local permit office; someone there will help you assess your project and determine if you’ll need a permit. Source: Wall Street Journal

        

The top five biggest renovating mistakes are: avoiding permits, setting an unrealistic budget, hiring the wrong contractor, taking on more than you can handle and overbuilding for your neighborhood.  Source HGTV

        

   Falls are the leading cause of home injuries and injury-related deaths in the United States, but only 25 percent of adults have taken steps to prevent them from occurring in their homes, according to research by the Home Safety Council (HSC). Adults over age 65 and children under age 5 are especially vulnerable to falls. Older adults experience an average of 4,700 fall-related deaths and 1.5 million nonfatal fall injuries each year, while falls are the leading cause of nonfatal home injury for children up to age 14.

The HSC offers several tips to secure your home against home-related injury.

• Install a banister or hand-rail along stairways that extends the full length of the stairs.
• Make sure porches, hallways and stairwells are well-lit.
• Use nightlights to help light hallways, stairwells and bathrooms during nighttime hours.
• Keep stairs, landings and floors clear of clutter, and tuck telephone and electrical cords out of the way.
• Use child safety gates to secure the top and bottom of stairs, and make sure toys and games are not left on steps or landings.
• In the bathroom, install grab bars in the bathtub or shower stall.
• Use a non-slip mat or safety strips in the bathtub. If you use a bath mat on the floor, choose one that has a non-skid bottom.
• Keep the floor clean and dry. Promptly clean up any grease, water or other spills.

        

   As temperatures begin to fall, your home can become a safe haven for insects and rodents. Like people, pests seek shelter from the elements too. Experts at the National Pest Management Association suggest yard maintenance is the simplest, most inexpensive way to protect your home from unwanted pests.

   Start by reducing the number of access routes into your home by collecting fallen leaves, cleaning out gutters, keeping shrubs neat and trimmed, cutting back tree branches from the roof, and removing leaves and grass clippings from around the foundation of the house. Next, stack firewood away from the house and make sure screens are on all windows and doors to prevent pests from entering into the home.

        

   The average home is responsible for producing more air pollution than the average car. Much of the energy we use in our homes is generated by power plants, which burn fossil fuel to power our electrical items and appliances. Source: Eartheasy.com