Winter 2020
Minimizing Holiday Debt
By Twandra Lomax-Brown
As we experience COVID-19, don’t let the holiday hoopla lead you to making spontaneous spending choices, just to lift your spirits. Although we are accustomed to holiday shopping, remember that you also need to include Safety and PPE items in your budget. The best way to plan for holiday spending is to prepare a budget and stick to it. Review last year’s spending and decide where you can cut back in spending this year. Make a list of the holiday purchases you plan to spend money on this year. Consider all your major spending categories: gifts, entertaining, meals/food (remember that we’re eating-in more), and travel, then estimate how much you can afford to spend in each category.
Also, think about payment options, cash, credit, debit, check or money you have saved or budgeted to spend for the holiday. In the past decade, consumers’ preferred payment methods have shifted substantially.During and after the economic recession in 2008, many shoppers began to shy away from credit cards and instead transitioned to debit cards and cash– opting to purchase gifts with money they already had in their bank accounts to help them budget instead of relying on credit to fund holiday purchases.
Minimize Holiday Spending Tips
Prepare a budget.
Include all purchases in your budget (gifts, food, entertaining, travel, cards, postage, etc).
Think about the best payment option.
Keep in mind, the lack of budgeting may cause you to incur holiday debt.
Comparison shop, prioritize most important gifts, and use coupons or other discounts.
Consider making homemade treats and items as gifts.
Stick to your budget.
Don’t let temptation cause you to overspend remember there are 364 more days in the year!
Take advantage of resources and services available if needed: Salvation Army – holiday assistance, Local charities, churches, #211 UnitedWay – Toys for Tots.
Henrico County Down PaymentAssistance is Available
SCDHC is currently accepting applications for Henrico County Down Payment Assistance. With arise of homeownership due to historically low interest rates during the pandemic, clients are looking for any assistance available to help with closing costs. Here are a few tips and reminders to keep in mind as you shop for your dream home while applying for assistance.
Home Quality Standard Inspection must be completed by a licensed Home Inspector.
Henrico County has sales price limits (please reach out to the organization for pricing info).
First time homebuyers are required to take a Homebuyer Education Course online provided by Virginia Housing (VHDA).
Review the income requirements to qualify for down payment assistance (please reach out to the organization for income limits).
No foreclosed homes or short sales.
620 Credit Score (No outstanding collections or judgements).
My Experience at SCDHC
By Michael Giancaspro
Working at SCDHC has been an incredible experience for me. Before working here, I had several jobs and volunteer experience in different areas. However, at SCDHC I have been able to not only put my college degree in Spanish to work, but also to learn the professional world. I began as a volunteer here also, working just 12 hours a week, but just recently became an employee of SCDHC as a Bilingual Digital Navigator Coach. I began as a volunteer here also, working just 12 hours a week, but just recently became an employee of SCDHC as aBilingual Digital Navigator Coach.
SCDHC has been a rewarding challenge for several reasons. I speak both Spanish and English every day, and I get the opportunity to help clients from different ethnic backgrounds. This has helped me improve mySpanish and customer service skills. I recently noticed how fluidly I have been using complex sentence structures in Spanish that I had only used a handful of times before working here. Additionally, it has been rewarding to handle a full workload and watch myself improve each day. Multitasking is a must, and I have taken on extra responsibilities in my time with SCDHC that has led me to the Digital Navigator Coach Position.Working at SCDHC motivates me to absorb moreSpanish and work as independently as possible in a role new to SCDHC. I really feel a part of the team here and am looking forward to the challenges my new role will bring.
As SCDHC’s Digital Navigator Coach, I will teach digital and technology literacy to FOC client’s—something that will require me to push myself to learn a completely new field of work.Although intimidating, I am excited, and my manager, Nury Mojica, will be by my side to help me get started on lesson plans and getting acclimated. Working at SCDHC have given me a sense of accomplishment and the ability to contribute to a positive work environment.SCDHC has been so accommodating to me, letting me gradually build up my hours, and helping me grow professionally.
Jim’s Handy Home Hints
The exterior components of a building work together to provide a weathertight skin, if all the parts are doing their job. Protection against intruders, both animal and human, is also offered by the building skin. Good exterior building maintenance is often the most neglected part of owning a home.
Exterior building components include: Gutters, roof, downspouts, lot grading, soffits and fascia boards, siding, windows, porches, decks, stairs/steps, landscaping, retaining walls, garages (detached or attached) walkways, driveways.
Here are just a few of the neglected maintenance areas of some of the components above:
Dirty gutters, broken, rusted or disconnected downspouts discharging water against the foundation or crawlspace.
Broken, missing or deteriorated roof shingles. Typically, conventional roof shingle will last 18 to 20 years before you should budget for replacement.
Poor grading around the building; the ground immediately adjacent to the foundation should slope away from the building at a rate of one inch per foot for the first six feet. This will ensure that water drains away from the building.
Exterior wood components should be painted every 3 to 5 years with a good quality exterior house paint.
Replace all damaged siding as soon as possible, re-nail or secure all loose siding as soon as possible.
Repair or replace broken window glass, caulk windows to keep weathertight. Whenever possible upgrade your windows to insulated vinyl windows.
Keep exterior steps, decks and porches in a safe condition, replace damage or rotted wood as soon as observed.
Keep all shrubbery away from the exterior finishes, this can be a path for insects and moisture to enter the building.
Repair masonry retaining walls as soon as possible, weak or missing mortar can cause the wall to collapse.
Maintain garage doors in a safe operating condition, replace pressure sensors that cause the door to automatically reverse whenever an object is detected under the door.
Repair or replace broken, cracked or deteriorated concrete walkway or driveway which may be a trip hazard.