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Whether you bought a new or used mobile home, odds are that when you purchased it the design wasn't exactly what you wanted. Builders may not use the most high-end materials on new builds, and if it's an older model, it may be time for an update. If you ever plan to revamp a room in your mobile home, consider starting with the kitchen. It can make your mobile home look more modern, and they can have some of the best return-on-investment rates.*
If you're not sure where to start in your kitchen or if you're looking for inspiration, you're in the right place. Foremost® has done some research for you and put together a list of ideas you can use to give your kitchen a more updated look!
We hope some of these suggestions fit into your budget and give you the motivation to get started. Good luck on your DIY journey!
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The wind in your hair, the sun on your face, and the open water in front of you. Sound appealing? Then you might want to join the ranks of boat owners all over the country. But before you cut through that clear blue water, there are some things you may want to keep in mind. Whether you're buying a fishing boat, cabin cruiser, pontoon or speed boat, different components like cost, horsepower, weight capacity or onboard storage may prove to be more important to you than others.
Answer these questions before going boat shopping: What are you hoping to use your boat for? All boat styles have a different design tailored to the use. Speed boats may be better for tubing and water skiing but wouldn't hold as many people or be as suited for fishing as a dedicated fishing boat or a pontoon. Maybe you'll want to sail or spend time living on the open water in a houseboat. There are so many different varieties of boats, brands and manufacturers, so make an informed decision on which one is right for you. What's your budget? This may help decide whether to buy a used boat. According to Discover Boating, new boats depreciate anywhere between 25%-33% immediately after leaving the dealer's lot. So, if you buy a used boat, someone else has already paid that depreciation cost - more boat for fewer dollars! However, buying a new boat will offer a warranty, the newest technology, and that nice shiny look as you move across the water - the choice is up to you! How many people are you hoping to go on your boating excursions with? The capacity on personal fishing boats is generally smaller than a pontoon boat, which are made to hold anywhere between 8-15 adults comfortably. What type of equipment will you want onboard? Here's some suggestions:
Will your car be able to tow your boat? A 20-foot boat trailer can range from 600 to 1,000 pounds, and most boats in this size range hover in the 4,000-5,000 pound range.* This means that you'll want an SUV or truck that is rated to tow between 4,500-6,000 pounds in total. Where are you placing your boat in the off-season? Having storage for your boat during the colder months is important and must be planned ahead. Some may place their boat in their garage, outside of their garage or in a separate storage space. And a few other components to consider…
No matter what you decide, get out there, matey, and enjoy the open seas! Looking for boat insurance? Get a quote today by calling 888-244-8092 to speak with a licensed agent or find a Foremost insurance agent near you. Or contact us at First Community Financial Group. We are a Foremost agency! Content provided by Foremost Insurance. Whether you were caught speeding (or worse) or you simply want to be a better driver, there are a wide range of defensive driving and driver improvement courses available in Texas these days.
But which is right for you? Here are five tips to help you decide: 1. Check with your state or municipality. If you’re taking training to avoid a traffic infraction, not just any course will do. You’ll need to take an approved course – ask for a list before signing up. 2. Check with your insurer. The same goes if you’d like to potentially save on your car insurance. Your carrier may only offer a car insurance discount for completing certain courses. Also ask how much your discount will be — this will help when it comes time to choose a course. 3. Choose the type of course. There are online and classroom options, typically ranging from 4-12 hours depending on the course material. And there are advantages to each. Online courses offer convenience (and sometimes a lower cost), while in-person settings can provide more interaction. 4. Determine how much you want to spend. If you’re trying to avoid a ticket (and a potential increase in your insurance premiums), the cost might not be much of an issue. If you’re taking a course to receive an insurance discount, however, make sure the total discount you’ll receive is greater than the cost of the course. 5. Check out the reviews. Online review sites, such as Yelp, can show you what others thought of a course. Keep in mind, people who felt “forced” to take a course might have a biased opinion, especially compared to someone who took the course willingly. No matter why you’re considering a defensive driving course, we’re happy to help you weigh the pros and cons. The biggest pro being, once you complete your training, you’re likely to be a little more careful the next time you get behind the wheel. And, that always pays off! Tornadoes have caused severe and irreparable damage to tens of thousands of Americans and their property in recent years. On top of the physical and emotional fallout, many have also lost their lives as a direct result of a tornado. Onalaska, TX suffered a direct hit in April 2020. The results were devastating for so many! Although you can never control the weather or the outcome of a destructive storm, there are steps you can take to help you and your family remain protected in the event of a tornado. Those steps of action begin with knowing fact from myth. Here are a few tornado truths that could help keep you and those you love safe:
At First Community Financial Group, we want to help you know the tornado truths that will help keep you and your family safe. For more tornado safety tips, visit the Storm Prediction Center’s comprehensive guide at http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html. Contact Us! At First Community Financial Group, we can work with you to make sure you've got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at (936) 327-4364 or send us a note at info@firstcfg.com. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what's important to you is protected! Content provided by Safeco Insurance From genetically modified crops to the environmental and health effects of pesticides, more and more Livingston and East Texas residents are questioning whether they should grow what they eat. Wherever you stand on the issues surrounding today’s food supply, however, there are several good reasons to start your own garden:
Clearly there are plenty of benefits to gardening. But how do you get started? Here are some important tips from the Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service, which, like similar services around the country, provides helpful community resources on agriculture and other topics. Pick the Right Site “Choosing a garden site is as important as selecting the vegetables to grow in it,” according to the OSU Extension website. “All vegetables need sunlight and fertile, well-drained soil, and they will contract fewer diseases if the site has good ventilation.” Here’s what to consider before marking your garden plot:
Choose What to Plant Check with a local gardening organization or search the Web for what vegetables are best for your specific situation and climate. Here are three factors to keep in mind when you’re getting ready to plant, according to the OSU extension:
Water Wisely The best way to water is by monitoring your garden, rather than simply adhering to a set schedule. Follow guidelines for your specific plants, and avoid these common problems, as noted by the OSU Extension website:
For more specific advice on gardening in our zone in East Texas, check with the local university extension program. And, don’t worry; you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy homegrown food. You just need to be willing to put in a little time and effort — and get your hands dirty! Every time I'm in my house and hear the rain start to pound on my roof, the only thing that goes through my mind is…gutters. Were you expecting me to say, lush greenery or a beautiful rainbow? The fact is, my home doesn't have rain gutters and it needs them, badly. My husband built our house about five years ago and though he did a beautiful job creating our roof which has a pitch of 12x12, he forgot to add the one thing that would stop the water from drowning my flowerbeds to the point of no return, damaging our walkway made of cement and eroding the soil around our foundation. Of course, gutters are not necessary for every house, but most houses need some kind of rain guttering system. If you notice the erosion of soil around your foundation, cement breaking up or dirt splattered on your siding, don't wait like we have, your house is telling you it needs gutters to stay healthy. Gutters are not necessary for every house, but most houses need some kind of rain guttering system. Buying gutters is an important aspect in taking care of your home and should be considered. They are most often installed by professionals, but there's no reason you can't make it a do-it-yourself (DIY) job. This Old House has some great DIY videos on how to install rain gutters. (I think I might accidently leave a couple of these playing on our home computer for my husband). There are also countless professionals that install gutters on a daily basis and can tell you what kind is right for your home. If you are still questioning why your home needs gutters, here's a list of what these rain catching devices will do:
Source: www.foremost.com
Plant your favorite vegetables in containers for a small space garden that yields a harvest of fresh produce. If you have a sunny place on your patio or deck, you have enough room to grow a wide variety of container veggies. Growing vegetables in pots puts the plants within easy reach for a quick snack or meal. Imagine the convenience of fresh tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, beans and peppers that thrive just steps from your kitchen door. Stretch your growing space by arranging containers closely in groups, or place pots on pedestals and stands to bring them to eye level. Wall pots, window boxes, and boxes fastened to railings can create garden space where there didn't seem to be any. Stick a single or double type Shepard's Hook in the ground near your door to support hanging baskets of cherry tomatoes, snap peas or strawberry vines. Grow veggies with vertical impact like pole beans in pots next to lower growing plants. Train climbing vines of squash or cucumbers along a railing or trellis to create height and save space. Planters can also be attached to a nearby fence, lamppost or tree. Container basics Although it only takes a few containers to bring home grown food to your table, be sure to choose the right size and shape pot for each plant. A good container should be large enough to provide room for soil and roots. Since proper drainage is the key to growing healthy veggies, the pot must have bottom drainage and enough headroom for proper watering. Think big when buying containers. A common mistake is using a pot that's too small. If the container is too small, the plant may topple over, become root bound, dry out or not develop properly. When a pot is too large, the soil holds water too long, and the plant's roots will rot. Most veggies grow rapidly in a container that holds at least 5 gallons of soil. Terra cotta or clay pots are a natural choice for container grown vegetables. They are available in shades of earthy beige, brown, pink, or off-white, depending on the clay used to make them. Unglazed clay pots are popular due to their low cost and their ability to allow air and water to move through their walls. Plastic is among the most practical of all container materials. Good plastic pots are tough, tolerate freezing and thawing, and retain moisture well. Improvements in plastic design have resulted in affordable prices and a variety of container styles previously unavailable. Plastic pots with grapevine designs and basket weave patterns are popular choices, but you can select from a huge variety of other attractive embossed containers. Wooden containers, made from rot resistant redwood, cedar or cypress, require more frequent watering but provide insulation from extreme temperatures. Try versatile concrete, cast-iron metal, fiberglass, polyurethane foam, pressed paper, or even wire. For something really unusual consider an old wheelbarrow, iron pot, whiskey barrel or half barrel. Just make sure the container is large enough for the vegetable you're planting, provides good drainage and gets a lot of sun. The right mix Plant your vegetables in the highest quality potting mix you can find. Nothing determines the success of vegetables grown in containers as much as a good potting mix. It may surprise you to learn that the best potting mixes do not actually contain garden soil. Instead, they are made with ingredients such as sphagnum peat moss, composted bark, vermiculite, perlite, and sand. When shopping for potting mix, look for a bag that lists quality ingredients and gives a satisfaction guarantee. In general, veggies prefer a potting mix that holds plenty of moisture but won't be too soggy. A standard mix is designed to sustain plant growth with little or no enhanced growth capability. A premium mix includes additions such as fertilizer, wetting agents, and extra water-holding capacity. Although they're more expensive, premium mixes are usually a better buy because they take the guesswork out of container gardening. Choosing your veggies New varieties of early maturing, compact, dwarf, or baby types of vegetables make it easier and faster than ever to improve your chance of success. Miniature edibles like “Tom Thumb” lettuce, “Tiny Tim” tomatoes, “Little Finger” carrots and “Golden Midget” corn are popular choices. Varieties of cabbage, bush squash, bush cucumbers, eggplant, beets, and snap peas have also been down sized to fit almost any container. Standard size vegetables, like salad greens, beans, peas, peppers, squash and tomatoes also provide a productive and tasty container crop. Gourmet greens like arugula, endive, garden cress, and radicchio can be grown in the same pot with romaine, endive or leaf lettuce. Perk up your summer stir-fry with compact summer squash like “EightBall” or “Spacemiser” zucchini. Plant colorful peppers, ranging from sweet varieties “California Wonder”, “Sun Bell” or “Patio Bell” to hot peppers like “Thai Dragon” and “Habanero” for extra zest. Even small eggplants like “Bambino” and “Ichiban” grow beautifully in a container, as do “Blue Lake” bush beans and “Kentucky Blue” pole beans. No container vegetable garden would be complete without tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are easiest for containers, although some other tomatoes grow well in pots, including both bush and vine types. The “Sweet 100″ cherry tomato is a vigorous grower and popular selection. Or choose a compact variety like “Patio” or “Celebrity” if you want to raise fewer but larger tomatoes. A veggie for all seasons Warm season vegetables do best when temperatures average 65 to 95 degrees. They thrive in warm summers and should be planted after the danger of frost is over in the spring. Favorite warm season vegetables include beans, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, summer squashes and tomatoes. Plant cool season vegetables several weeks before the last spring frost is expected in your location. They grow best when daily temperatures reach only 55 to 75 degrees. The most popular cool season vegetables are beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, green onions, scallions, kale, peas, radishes and spinach. You can even bring herbs inside for the winter. Be sure to cut them back about 3 inches or repot them before they start their indoor growing season. Chives, garlic, parsley, rosemary and thyme do better than other herbs when placed near or on a sunny windowsill. Try hanging a group of cooking herbs in a wide, flat basket near a bright window. Or, arrange small pots on waterproof trays for a countertop herb garden. Planting and Care When to plant depends on what you're planting. Some vegetables grow best in cool soil, while others need warm to hot weather and can't survive a frost. In general it's best to plant warm weather types in early spring and cool weather plants in late summer for a fall crop. See “A Veggie for all Seasons” for a list of warm and cool weather vegetables. Before you to plant your veggies in their new pots, water them thoroughly in their nursery containers. Remove plants and lightly separate matted roots. Pour moist potting mix into the container, place the plant so that the surface of the root ball is within 1 inch of the rim and fill in with additional potting mix. Press the soil firmly around each freshly planted veggie with your fingers. The soil will settle after you water, so be sure to add more soil as needed. When you're finished planting, water with a slow, gentle spray. Fill the pot to the top, letting water sink in until it drips from the drainage holes. The smaller the container, the more often you'll have to water. Check your pots daily when the weather is hot or windy and water lightly whenever the soil surface feels dry. Most vegetables require about 6 hours of sunlight a day and regular applications of slow-release fertilizer to produce a good harvest. Keep weeds pulled because they steal nutrients and water from your container plants. Control the pest population by spraying with a natural mixture of dishwashing liquid, cooking oil and water. Cultivate vegetables regularly or your plants will stop producing. Harvest your veggies when they are ripe and at the peak of perfection. Source: www.Foremost.com Your mobile home is prone to coming out of level, simply because of how it’s built. Here are a few things that may indicate your home is not properly leveled:
If your warranty has expired, it might be best to hire a professional. Other things that can cause your mobile home to shake:
When it comes to the weather and other things going on outside, all homes may experience shaking from time to time. The only difference is, you can perceive that shaking a lot more in your mobile home because of how it’s built. While you may not be able to permanently eliminate the shaking, these things might help minimize it:
Form number: 9025745 Sources: https://architecttwocents.com/why-mobile-home-shake/ https://freedomresidence.com/why-your-mobile-home-is-shaking-and-what-to-do-about-it/ Source: Foremost Insurance www.foremost.com |
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