Mr. Cali’ insider tips on healthy & wealthy living

Having a rainy-day fund is an important safeguard for everyone, especially during times of economic uncertainty. In today’s Service For Life! ^® Free consumer newsletter, you’ll learn tips to improve your finances, plan for emergencies, and save for that vacation you’ve been meaning to go on!

You’ll also learn about simple things you do every day that could be causing your skin to itch, how to block spam, and creative date ideas – plus fun facts, a trivia challenge, and lots more.

Finally, I want you to know that you may call me for any reason. And please let me know if a friend, family member or neighbor needs a caring, competent real estate professional to help in buying or selling.

I truly appreciate your friendship and referrals. Enjoy your issue!

Warmest regards,

info@mrcali.com

www.mrcali.com

P.S. When you notice people talking about real estate in the next few weeks, can you tell them about the free consumer information I provide?

They may be people wanting to move in the coming year, and you can tell them about my Free Consumer Report: “How To Avoid 7 Costly Mistakes When Selling Your Home.”  Mentioning this guide will be a huge help to them because it shows how to net the most money from a home sale in the least amount of time. They’ll be so grateful for your help. You can call me at 909 731 5374 to request a copy.

No matter how much you use me, you change me every month. What am I?

Protect Finances From Volatility

It’s always important to protect your finances, in good times and especially in volatile times. Here are ways to get started now:

• Monitor and improve your credit score: In the U.S., you get a free credit report each year at www.annualcreditreport.com. Also, www.creditkarma.comoffers free credit scores and helpful tips and insights to help you manage your credit. This is critical for those buying houses because your credit score may influence mortgages made available to you.
• Review your spending: A budget is a great tool for monitoring cash flow. You can review where you’re spending your money and where you have an opportunity to save. For example, streaming services and subscriptions pile up quickly. Take a reality check and list all monthly charges, then sort through them to cut extra spending.
• Make a savings plan: Do you put money aside each month into a savings account? If you do, do you assign a job for it? Research shows that those who know what they’re saving for are more likely to fulfill their savings goals. Save for specific goals to stay motivated.
• Have a rainy-day plan: In addition to a savings fund, it is helpful to always have a backup plan for bringing in extra cash. Think about a side-hustle, like freelance writing, or items you can sell online. You may even decide to sell arts and crafts online if you have a special artistic talent. Don’t underestimate your skills and money-earning potential.
• Don’t bury your head in the sand: If you lose your job, or are left suddenly out of work for illness, don’t avoid the situation and potential impact on your finances. Take swift action: Prioritize which bills need to be paid first and call providers and explain the situation. Most service companies will work with customers to pay bills at a lower monthly amount — they prefer this than nothing at all. Then you’ll save the late charges and potential to cut off services to your home.
• Work with a financial advisor: Once you’ve completed these tasks, check-in with an advisor and find out if you’re spending money smartly. They’ll help to identify opportunities for improvement.

Did you know there’s a free consumer report revealing ways to save time and money when buying a home?  It’s called “8 Secrets For Saving Thousands When Finding and Buying Your Next Home,” and it’s great even if you’re not planning to buy soon.  Get your free copy by calling me at…909 575-8792

Those unwanted and annoying spam calls seem to get more sophisticated and harder to detect, using local numbers or spoofing your own phone number. Even if you hang up immediately or unsubscribe, they still seem to call back. A recent estimate placed the number of spam calls in 2019 at over 50 billion! Here’s a quick how-to to help stop (or at least reduce) spam calls:

1. Block numbers one-at-a-time. This is a helpful solution if it is the same number calling repeatedly. Search your phone model online plus “how to block phone numbers.”

2. Work with your carrier. Some mobile providers have software that stops or filters these calls. AT&T uses Call Protect, Verizon Wireless uses Call Filter, and T-Mobile uses Scam Shield and Scam Block.

3. Add your number to the Do Not Call Registry. Visit www.donotcall.gov to add yourself to the list that telemarketers are supposed to honor.

4. Use the phone’s software. Whether you have an Android or iPhone, they both have Do Not Disturb functions that allow you to block all calls, unless they are from contacts saved in your phone. Check your user’s guide (or online) for instructions.

5. Block calls on your landline. You can buy a call-blocking device that stops unwanted calls and diverts others to voicemail. Some of these devices have a blacklist of problem numbers that you can add numbers to as well.

6. Register a complaint with the FTC. While the FTC might not follow up every complaint, they do monitor which companies are annoying and scamming customers. They have been known to shut down some of these spammers, too. Report unwanted calls to reportfraud.ftc.gov.

I want to share a little secret with you.  I don’t spend my time cold calling or pestering people for business.  Instead, I focus 110% of my efforts on giving such outstanding service that people naturally think of me when a friend, neighbor or family member needs a caring and competent REALTOR®.

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank a few of the special people in my life who’ve helped build my business with their enduring support and referrals.  I couldn’t do it without you!

Winter skin or stress? We all get itches, but you may be surprised at what is causing the annoyance.

Causes of itchy skin: The everyday causes are more common than you might think. Extreme temperatures, air conditioning or dry environments, dust, stress, hot showers, and chemical sunscreens are all skin irritants. Solutions: It’s helpful to know what you’re reacting to, first. For hot showers, instead take a warm shower and then apply moisturizer. Avoid extreme temperatures at home and work, vacuum and dust surfaces (especially blinds and curtains, which are culprits of collecting dust) regularly — even better, buy an air purifier to take dust particles out of the air. Use natural sunscreens without chemicals and try to manage stress levels effectively.

Learn valuable secrets for saving thousands and avoiding costly mistakes when buying, selling or refinancing a home. Best of all, it’s FREE. Ask about my “Insider’s Free Resources” by calling me at: 909 575-8792 

Trying to keep a relationship fun can be costly, especially in the early days. Impressing someone new with fancy dinners or tickets to see live music can be expensive. Here are some ideas to keep the magic alive, while sticking to a budget:

• Go out for breakfast: you can have dates at any time of day. Plus, breakfasts are considerably cheaper than going out for dinner.
• Fix a picnic and watch the sunset together in a park. You can save money making your own food rather than takeout, too.
• Go to an open mic night. You still get the thrill of getting dressed up and going out together, but without the cost of expensive venue tickets.
• Enjoy a hike together! What better way to get to know someone than walking together?
• Go to a You-Pick. Whether it’s summer or fall, you can still pick for two full seasons: berries in the summer and apples and pumpkins in the fall.
• Cook a special dinner together. Just because you’re not going out doesn’t mean you can’t eat a delicious meal together. Why not try a new recipe, too?

A calendar

Experts say you should aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to keep you energized throughout the day. To promote restful sleep try to:

– Turn off devices one hour before bed.

– Use the do not disturb function on your phone for 10 hours each night.

– Don’t watch TV in your bedroom.

– Ensure your bedroom is cool to promote a restful sleep – waking up feeling hot is a cause of restlessness.

– Limit exposure to bright lights before bed by turning off the TV and lowering the brightness on other devices.

movie tickets?”

Guess who won last month’s Trivia Question? I’m pleased to announce the lucky winner of last month’s quiz. And the winner is…drum roll please: Mrs. Changwas the first person to correctly answer my quiz question.

The Czech word for “forced labor” is the root
of which of these technology terms?
a) Computer b) Robot c) Android or d) Monitor

The answer is b) Robot – The word is “robota,” which a Czech playwright turned into the word we all know today, “robot,” in 1920. So let’s move on to this month’s trivia question.

Who was the first female singer inducted twice to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

a) Aretha Franklin b) Pink c) Mariah Carey d) Stevie Nicks

Call Me At 909 575-8792  OR Email Me At info@mrcali.com

And You Could Be One Of My Next Winners!

Q. What other options do I have besides refinancing my home loan if I’m struggling to make payments?

A. If you’re “underwater” on payments, you may decide to move out of your home.  Here are some options to consider:

• Rent the property.  This will help you make your monthly mortgage payments but you’ll still pay for maintenance on your property.
• Do a short sale.  This involves selling your home for less than you owe on the loan.  The bank may forgive the difference between what you owe and the final sales price the buyer pays.
• Do a Deed-in-lieu of Foreclosure.  You give your home back to the lender in exchange for forgiveness of the mortgage.  You may still have to pay the difference between what the bank sells the home for and what you still owe, plus legal fees.  Many banks won’t consider this until a short sale has been attempted.

Before you do anything, talk to an expert about your problem, including a REALTOR^®, a foreclosure counselor, a tax expert, a credit counselor and/or an attorney.  To learn about more options for struggling homeowners, call and ask for my Free Consumer Report called
“10 Options To Avoid Foreclosure.”  I’ll send a copy right to you.

Do you have a question related to real estate or home ownership?  Please call me at 909 575-8792.  Perhaps I’ll feature your question in my next issue!