Exploring Vacations

Welcome to Spending Notes, where we do a weekly deep dive into how our readers spend their cash.

Today: an accountant who makes $65,000 a year

Occupation: accountant

Age: 40

Location: Fort Worth, TX

Salary: $65,000 (approx. $2,500 per pay period)

Day One

I work as an accountant for a small business and work the typical 9 to 5 hours. Most of the time, I’m on the computer, so I really like to get out of the office for lunch. My coworkers and I went to a nearby restaurant and split the cost. We decided to take a long lunch, so it took a while for me to finish up some other tasks. I spend a lot of my time analyzing our revenue and expenditure trends. I also prepare and review our company’s budget and expenses.

Total: $12

Day Two

Even when I’m not at work, I like to look at numbers. I’ve been reading into a stock called AGI, or Alamos Gold. It’s a Canadian company that produces ounces of gold through three mines in North America. Alamos Gold Inc.’s projects are in the developmental stage, and it’s definitely worth looking into. Now that I have two kids, G. and P., I am always looking at making long-term investments not just for my financial future but also theirs. I like to sign up for AGI investor email alerts to keep tabs.

Total: $0

Day Three

My partner, L., mentioned that the outdoor lights on our patio haven’t been working. I started looking for an electrician in Fort Worth and found Clements Electric. Their site says they use the industry’s best practices. These electricians can do anything from troubleshooting to remodels, generator installations, and more. Since we’ll be needing electrical services for our light fixtures, I decided to send a message. They seem to be highly rated electricians in the Fort Worth area. For expenses, I ordered takeout for lunch.

Total: $11

Day Four

Tonight, L. and I decided to shop at a wholesale store for our groceries. We have an annual membership there. While G. and P. are still young, they’re definitely in some kind of growth spurt phase because they eat nearly as much as I do. And I’m a full-grown adult! We buy things like fruit-based gummy snacks and chia squeeze pouches. The store also sells large quantities of frozen fruit for smoothies. The electricians got back to me about costs and will be stopping by in a few days. With how the conversation went, I just know they’ll do an outstanding job.

Total: $136.25

Day Five

Some nights, L. and I love going to a specialty grocery store. Then, we go home and make a date night out of it. That way, we can still keep a close eye on the kids. This time around, we decided to splurge on some high-quality olive oil for our pasta dinner. It makes a huge difference! We also bought some good chocolate, the kind that we won’t be sharing with the kids.

Total: $45

Day Six

I had a typical day at work monitoring cash flow. There were some accounting discrepancies to resolve, but that didn’t take too long to figure out. It’s nice to see that the business is hitting all the marks in terms of revenue and expenses. It looks like we’ll be having a good year. I looked into the AGI portfolio again.

Total: $0

Day Seven

G. and P. are spending most of the day with my parents, which means I can actually get things done at home. I can read for fun and catch up on laundry. I’m not sure why the kids like to change outfits multiple times a day, but it means I end up having to do a lot of washing on weekends. There were no other expenses. We get our electrical repairs done tomorrow.

Total: $0

Total for the week: $204.25

Scroll through Pinterest, thumb through a magazine, or turn on HGTV, and you’ll see plenty of houses that are completely spotless. Outside of those picture-perfect settings, though, the concept of keeping your home pristine can seem impossible for even the cleanest of homeowners. Nevertheless, there are some ways you can make your space cleaner, even just a little bit at a time. In fact, adding just one of these methods to your regular home maintenance routine could transform your home—maybe even enough to compete with those magazine covers.

1. Bring in the professionals.

If you’re dealing with significant amounts of grime and debris, or you just want to start with a clean slate, hiring pros to handle even just a portion of your cleaning projects can make a significant difference. For instance, you could look into Charlotte pressure washing pros to tackle your home’s exterior. Pressure washing your siding, driveway, sidewalk, patio, and other exterior areas will do a great job of clearing the space of all kinds of debris.

By bringing in professionals to do your power washing, you have the peace of mind of knowing it’s being done properly. Their expertise with a pressure washer will give your home’s curb appeal an instant boost and give you the cleanliness you’re craving. Then it will just be up to you to maintain the state of the house on the inside.

2. Get rid of unnecessary clutter.

Confer with any of the industry’s top organizing experts and you’ll hear one resounding suggestion: declutter before you start to organize. By removing excess items from your space, you’ll instantly have more room and less to clean while making the cleaning process itself more feasible. You’ll slowly clear walkways through even the toughest messes and make sure you can get to those toughest messes.

You might begin by cleaning out obvious trash—old wrappers, used tissues, and similar debris. Then, you can sort through your belongings and donate or otherwise dispose of whatever isn’t adding to your life. Think of it this way: the fewer items you have, the less you’ll need to clean! And, if you’re donating items in good condition, you can enjoy the added benefit of feeling like you’ve helped others in the process.

3. Create systems that work for you.

If you dig through various resources on cleaning and organizing, you’ll find lots of different routines, systems, and programs designed to get and keep your house clean. You may have to try several different methods before one manages to stick—or you might even need to combine a few different concepts to create something all your own.

Perhaps the most helpful concept you’ll find, though, is that of making your housework for you, rather than vice versa. This might mean moving your dishes and glassware to a cabinet just above the dishwasher, so there are fewer steps (literally) in putting them away. Or, you could put a hamper in the room where your family members seem to get changed more often and inevitably leave their clothes astray. It doesn’t matter if it’s the same system someone else would use—it’s just what works for you and your family.

A pristine home might seem like an impossible goal if you’re starting from square one, or if you’re simply a busy modern homeowner. All the same, you can explore some of the best ways to get your home clean and keep it that way in order to find what works for you. That might be a particular system or a bit of professional assistance. It could even come down to getting rid of clutter you don’t need. In the end, though, you’ll surely find your home is suddenly clean.

Becoming an Airbnb host can be a lucrative way to earn passive income. Your earning potential depends on how frequently you rent, the number of properties you rent, your location, the number of guests you can host, and the price you set. Essentially, the more time you invest in being an engaged host, the more you can potentially earn. Renting out your home is a great way to make your property work for you, but there are many costs to consider before becoming a host.

You’ll need to get the right supplies.

You’ll need to have sufficient fresh bedding, towels, linens, soap, toiletries, and toilet paper. It’s a nice gesture to keep some food items in the kitchen, such as cooking spices, sugar, coffee, and tea. It’s a good idea to invest in a security system of some sort, whether it’s a newer, more durable front door lock or smart locks that can be operated with a keypad.

You don’t have to undergo a home remodel to become an Airbnb host, though making certain upgrades allows you to charge a higher price. A full bathroom renovation can be expensive, but the good news is that you can achieve the look and feel of a new bathroom with simple fixes. Installing a new sink, vanity, and countertop, changing out the cabinets, updating the light fixtures, or installing a luxurious showerhead can all help you achieve a beautiful bathroom for a fair price.

Whether it’s time to take on a full bathroom remodel or it’s time to punch up your bathroom design with cosmetic touches, you need a bathroom contractor with years of experience. Shugarman’s Bath offers homeowners quality acrylic bathtubs, showers, and accessible solutions that are backed by industry-leading warranties. The San Diego Bathroom Remodeling contractor offers one-day bathroom remodeling services that improve the style and functionality of a bathroom of any size. From new bathtub installation and tile walls to custom shower doors and fixtures, the bathroom renovator is known for quality work at a fair price.

You’ll have to pay for utilities, maintenance, and emergency fixes.

Guests may increase the heating or air conditioning, take long showers, forget to turn off the faucet and leave lights on. You also have to consider that emergencies will occur, such as a burst pipe, water damage from a storm, or an air conditioning unit that quits. It’s a good idea to set aside funds for routine maintenance, cosmetic fixes, and emergency repairs.

Whether you have a new home or an older home, electrical emergencies can happen. When you are dealing with an electrical system issue, you need the superior service and quick response of a professional electrician. The local electricians at Rockwell Electric have years of experience providing quality electrical repairs. The Wylie, Texas electricians offer efficient troubleshooting, surge protection, electrical panels, LEDs and energy-saving, electrical lighting, and grounding and bonding electrical services. From fuse boxes and new circuits to panel upgrades and light fixture installation, you need thorough and efficient electrical repair services.

Don’t forget about taxes and fees.

Different cities have different tax policies and local laws that you must familiarize yourself with. Your city may require you to collect local taxes from your guests that you can either include in the listing or collect separately. Hosts who rent out their homes for more than 14 days in a calendar year are obligated to report Airbnb income and expenses to the IRS. You can deduct certain hosting expenses from your Airbnb income on your taxes, but it’s best to speak with a tax professional to understand what you can deduct. Keep in mind that Airbnb charges most hosts a 3 percent host service fee, depending on your location, host status, and cancellation policy.

The costs of supplies, utilities, and maintenance, and taxes and fees are just some of the financial factors to consider before becoming an Airbnb host.