A home’s curb appeal is the first thing a potential Buyer sees. It can be a make or break decision before even entering the home and sets the tone for the whole experience. Enhancing your home’s exterior with colorful accents is an easy way to boost curb appeal. Whether you want to add a little color or a lot, these ideas from Better Homes and Gardens promise to give your home a whole new look.

1. Pick Up a Paintbrush
Painting your home’s exterior is one of the most cost-effective ways to update its look. When devising your color scheme, consider your home’s architectural style — elaborate Victorian homes might be able to handle four or five colors, while Colonial styles look best with two or three. Also consider colors that can’t be changed, such as stonework on the home or in the landscape, roof color, and the palette of surrounding homes.

2. Update with Colorful Siding
Vinyl siding was once offered in only a handful of neutral colors, but today’s products provide nearly unlimited color choices so it’s easy to find siding to complement your home’s exterior.

3. Make a Statement with Windows
Cladding, the aluminum wrap on an exterior window frame, lets you have the beauty of wood inside and a low-maintenance covering outside. Manufacturers offer cladding in various colors, so you can make your windows stand out or blend in with existing siding.

4. Coordinate Hardware and Lighting
Entrance hardware, door knockers, house numbers, mailboxes, and porch lights all add character to your home’s exterior. Choosing the same color or finish for these elements creates a sophisticated look.

5. Create a Welcoming Entrance
Your front door is a great place to add a dash of bold color — and boost home value. If you want to add color, look for doors that come ready to be painted and opt for a high-quality acrylic latex paint, says Sara Theiss, a Therma-Tru spokesperson. Decorative glass inserts offer additional color and complement a range of house styles.

6. Add Shutters
Whether operable or decorative, these accents add color and bring a historical touch to a Federal or Colonial home. For easy maintenance, look for fiberglass models, high-density PVC, or composite wood materials; they offer the look of wood but don’t crack, split, or rot.

7. Set It in Stone
The natural colors of real stone enhance any style of home. Stone veneer, a lightweight alternative, makes it even easier to add the appeal of this natural material to exterior walls.

8. Consider Roof Color
It might not be sexy, but this practical aspect can have a big impact on your home’s overall look. For cohesiveness, choose a tone in the same color family as the paint or siding on your home — or pick out a color that repeats hues found in the brick or mortar.

9. Go Glam with Copper
The eye-catching metal comes with a high price tag, but the finished look can be worth the cost. For example, copper gutters transform an overlooked feature into a design element. “If you have a bay window with a copper roof or a porch with a copper roof, and you couple that with copper downspouts and gutters, it can be very handsome,” says Washington, D.C.-based architect Bruce Wentworth.

10. Stain Concrete
Curb appeal extends from the front door to, well, the curb! By staining existing concrete, you transform a drab patio, sidewalk, or driveway into an eye-catching surface that resembles stone, wood, or leather. Acid-base stains are available in earth tones, such as tan, brown, terra-cotta, and soft blue-green, while water-base stains expand the color palette.

Location, Location, Spacious home in wonderful neighborhood ready for new owners to move in and enjoy. Family Room with vaulted ceilings and lots of natural light overlooks private backyard with custom inground pool and patio. Fireplaced living room, wonderful dining room for your family gatherings, applianced kitchen with large island. 4 season Sunroom surrounded by windows with sliders to yard. Updates include newer siding, roof, most windows, interior paint, carpets, plus lots more.

This is a Colonial style home and features 8 total rooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath, 3 bedrooms, 0.93 Acres, and is currently available for $309,000.

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Location, Location, Spacious home in wonderful neighborhood ready for new owners to move in and enjoy. Family Room with vaulted ceilings and lots of natural light overlooks private backyard with custom inground pool and patio. Fireplaced living room, wonderful dining room for your family gatherings, applianced kitchen with large island. 4 season Sunroom surrounded by windows with sliders to yard. Updates include newer siding, roof, most windows, interior paint, carpets, plus lots more.

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If you are looking for ways save money, cutting back on grocery expenses is often an easy way to reduce your spending.

Here are ten tips to master frugal grocery shopping. A little planning can save you some big bucks over the long term.

1. Make a list.

Before you head out to the store, prepare a list of everything you need, making sure you have everything needed for your weekly menu. Before you leave, check to make sure you don’t have it in your pantry, fridge or freezer. Stick to that list and don’t buy anything else.

2. Plan a menu.

Plan a weekly menu for each week. This way you will know exactly what to buy. Be sure to plan a leftovers night.

3. Don’t shop hungry.

When you’re hungry, everything looks good. When you shop hungry you’ll end up spending a lot more. Eat first and then you will be able to stick to your list.

4. Set a budget.

When you go to the store, know exactly how much you can spend. Then try your best to stick within that limit. Keep a running tally as you shop to ensure that you’re within your budget.

5. Create a grocery spreadsheet.

Keep your grocery receipts, then enter into a spreadsheet. This will be your price and comparison list. Use it so you know when bulk or sale items are a good deal.

6. Cook and freeze.

Plan to cook a big amount of food and freeze it for multiple dinners. A great idea is to use one Sunday and cook a week’s (or even a month’s) worth of dinners. Plan 5-6 freezable dinners and cook them all at once.

7. Shop for specials.

Every store has specials. Be sure to look for them in the newspaper, or when you get to the store. Don’t buy things you don’t use just because they are on sale; make sure you will use the items.

8. Buy store brands.

Brand names are often no better than generic, and you’re paying for all the advertising they do to have a brand name. Give the store brand a try, and often you won’t notice a difference.

9. No “one-item” trips.

They waste gas, and almost inevitably, you buy more than that one item. If you plan ahead, make a weekly menu, and shop with a list, this should drastically reduce the number of trips you make for a small number of items.

10. Stock up.

Sale items can be a great deal. If it’s an item you normally use, buy a bunch of them.

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