All About Your Kitchen

Article Navigation

Click Here for more articles

Buying home appliances the smart way

by: Duane Lipham

When you add up all the money that you can spend on home appliances and fixtures it becomes obvious that you need to spend wisely and carefully to keep costs under control. These items tend to be some of the larger ticket purchases around the home and lots of money can be wasted if buying isn't done properly.

One of the most important suggestions for buying appliances and fixtures the smart way is to decide before you begin shopping exactly how much money you wish to spend, or what will fit in your budget. Surprisingly, this is often not done until the customer is already in the store. Unfortunately, the heart often takes over when looking over the latest high-tech gadgets and features on the item being considered and results in the purchase of a much more expensive item than is truly needed. So take some time to decide exactly what your spending limit is before you even begin to shop and then stick to your guns on that decision all the way through the buying process.

It's also a good idea to research your buy before you start looking at actual products themselves. These days there are many consumer publications that help you make a wise choice on a broad range of consumer items, including home appliances and fixtures. They extensively test the major brands and give their unbiased opinions on a wide variety of features and issues related to each product. This is valuable information that can't be had almost anywhere else, so take good advantage of it. You can find most of these publications available for free at your local library. This kind of research will also help you decide in advance exactly which features are most important to you and which should be avoided as unnecessary expenses, in other words, invest your hard-earned money into essentials not features. Always opt for better quality over more features too.

Don't just assume that buying locally is the smartest move either. Sometimes, the same item can be found online at a much lower price than is possible locally and you can often even avoid sales tax on an online purchase too. Be careful though and determine how much installation is needed for any item you make and factor installation costs in with any purchase that doesn't include those costs in the purchase price.

It may seeem like a simple thing, but be sure to measure very carefully to determine that the item you want to buy will fit in the space that you have designated for it in your home. Surprisingly, this is something that is often overlooked until the delivery of the product and can result in plenty of unnecessary aggravation. Just get the measuring tape out in advance and know the space required to save this headache from happening to you.

Finally, consider the warranty on the items you want to buy. Be sure to ask questions in advance so that you know what the warranty will cover and how long it will last. Also, will you have to send the appliance out to be repaired under warranty or is home repair covered under the warranty contract?

If you follow these simple, effective guidelines, buying home appliances and fixtures will be a breeze and you will make smart purchases that will last and give you good service for many years.

About the author:
Duane Lipham is the senior editor of where you can find free information and advice on kitchen design and finding the right kitchen products and appliances at the lowest price possible.

Circulated by Article Emporium

Read Articles:

The Increased Popularity of Granite Kitchen Cou...

How to Choose Kitchen Sink Faucets -

Innovative Kitchen Decorating Idea Brings the L...

Cooking up a Lighting Plan for your Kitchen

The Bathroom�the forgotten area of your home?

Choosing A Countertop That Is Right For You

Choose Spice Racks That Help you Organize Your ...

1950's Home Decor Redesign

Home Improvement Ideas

Decorate Your Kitchen On A Budget

Use A Wallpaper Border For A Budget Backsplash

A Review of the Top Six Dishwasher Brands -

Home Improvements That Increase Your Home�s Res...

Organizing Your Home: The Kitchen

Granite Countertop Colors -

Country Decorating Ideas - Create Warmth And Ch...

A Look at Industrial Scales -

Personalizing Your Next Kitchen or Bathroom Mak...

Choosing A Linoleum Floor For Your Home

Attention Homeowners: Replacing Your Faucets Wi...

Granite Tile Countertops -

Rustic Country Decor - How To Decorate Cottage ...

How To Choose The Best Knife Set

Decorating Your Kitchen With Antique Plates

Seven Ways To Boxer-Proof Your House

Top Ten Items To Keep Your Home Organized

Discount Granite Countertops -

Simple Steps To Keeping Your Home Clean

Don�t Let Sink Shopping be a �Draining� Experience

Granite Countertops: An Overview -

More Article Pages 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5

How To Plan For Kitchen Remodeling
by: Johnathan Bakers

Kitchen remodeling is one of the most desirable home improvement projects for many homeowners. A new kitchen increases the value of your home and makes your life easier. The first step to your new kitchen is to set a budget. Decide how much money you are willing to spend. This will help drive your other decisions. Be sure to leave a cushion in your budget for additional, unexpected expenses.

When determining your budget, consider how long you intend to stay in your home. If you are planning to sell in the next year or so, you may want to spend less money. Decide which features you must have in your new kitchen. You can cut corners in other areas by substituting less expensive materials for the counter tops, flooring or cabinet doors.

Research Kitchen Trends

Before you start planning your remodeling project, do some research on the current trends and designs being used in kitchens. Look for information on the internet or in home decorating magazines. Visit your local home improvement center for more ideas. Start a file for pictures of kitchens you love, furniture, appliances, fabric swatches or anything else you find interesting. This will help when you are ready to start purchasing items for your new room.

Options in Kitchen Remodeling

Cabinets are an expensive item in any remodeling project. They often take up half of the overall budget for the room. If you can�t afford the cost of brand new cabinets, there are cheaper alternatives. Consider cabinet refacing rather than replacing the entire cabinet. In refacing, the doors are replaced and exterior wood areas are covered. This is much less expensive since you are using the same cabinets. An even cheaper alternative is to paint your existing cabinets and buy new hardware.

If you must have new cabinets, consider adding some extra features. Features such as tilt out drawers, pull out garbage cans or a lazy Susan inside a corner cabinet are great space savers and make the room more functional. The doors can be either solid wood, clear glass or stained glass. Shop around to find out what is available before making a purchase.

You can save money on flooring and countertops as well. Substitute vinyl flooring in place of more expensive ceramic tile to save money. If you can install ceramic tiles yourself, you can have them for about the price you would pay a contractor to install vinyl flooring.

Countertops vary widely in price depending on the material that is used. Counters that are more durable are also more expensive. You may want this if you want to be able to cut food directly on the counter. For most people, this is an easy way to cut the overall cost of your kitchen. You can find less expensive material that gives the look of marble, butcher�s block or other expensive materials.

Once you have decided what you want, consider how much of the job you can do yourself. Contractors can eat up a large portion of your budget. The more you can do, the more you will save in the overall cost of the room. Use the savings for great new furniture.

This Static Spot is open for sponsor

This Static Spot is open for sponsor