Your friend just bought a new house. Hooray! Now it’s time for that housewarming party. You’re a little nervous because you consider yourself to be gift giving challenged, and tend to stress out about the details, expense, personalization and usability of what you give.
Luckily, buying housewarming gifts can be easy. We love being able to buy things from the comfort of our own pajamas and without breaking the bank. So, to help you out, here is a list of eight unique housewarming gifts under $50 to serve as your go-to guide.
Slate Cheeseboard – $29.95
This is a perfect gift for your cheese loving friend. The slate board provides a unique way of serving and displaying cheeses and hors d’oeuvres. It comes with soapstone chalk to jot down the names of cheeses (or hors d’oeuvres) right on to the slate, making it easier for guests to identify and distinguish between what’s on the menu (or in this case, the slate). Willams-Sonoma has a great cheeseboard for $29.95.
Himalayan Salt Block – $27.96
What’s better for the flavor of your foods than grilling or chilling it on a thick slab of salt from the Himalayas? Nothing! The salt block can be used to grill or bake your favorite meats and seafood, and locks in complex flavors. The salt block can also be used to serve and display hors d’oeuvres, vegetables, sushi and desserts. It’s easy to clean up, too – once finished using, just lightly scrub with water and allow it to air dry completely. Check out this Himalayan salt block from Sur La Table, $27.96.
Decanter – $29.95 – $49.99
A decanter is a sophisticated gift for your new homeowner friend. There’s something that seems inherently grown-up about a piece of beautiful glass that both stores and serves alcohol. Whether a whiskey or a wine drinker, we’ve found two modern and affordable decanters that will suit your friend delightfully. Uncommon Goods offers this modern, twisted wine decanter for $29.99 (or you can purchase two for $49.99). Wayfair.com sells this simple whiskey decanter for $29.95.
Areiums and Terrariums – $22.00 – $38.00
These are more modern approaches to housewarming gifts than a traditional houseplant. This moss terrarium bottle from Uncommon Goods is made from a recycled wine bottle, and features three different kinds of moss and the appropriate soil for $38.00. Areiums are a similar concept to terrariums, but require no soil. Plants that are housed in areiums are referred to as air plants. Flora Grubb Gardens has this cube aerium, and you can choose between sizes that sell for $22.00 – $29.00.
Cards Against Humanity $25.00
This is definitely an appropriate housewarming gift for your inappropriate and crass friend. Have you ever played? There’s a good chance the party will be experiencing tears through laughter when this card game is busted out. Amazon sells Cards Against Humanity for a glorious $25.00.
Wireless Smart LED Bulb – $49.00
A light bulb that can be controlled by your iPhone. Who’d have thunk? A wireless Smart LED bulb will allow your friend to control and adjust lighting without having to move from the couch or bed. It’s even controllable via your smartphone while your friend is away, allowing the new space to appear occupied while they’re out and about. If your friend is energy conscious, this LED bulb will last ten years. Amazon sells the Robosmart Wireless Smart LED bulb for $49.00.
Whiskey Stones – $20.00
A different spin for drinks on the rocks, and a perfect gift for your whiskey-loving friend. Keep these stones in the freezer, put them in the glass and pour the whiskey goodness. With these stones, the need to refresh with ice cubes is eliminated, because they retain the coolness of the freezer. They also prevent the whiskey from watering down, keeping that cocktail crisp and chilly. Uncommon Goods sells a group of nine whiskey stones for $20.00.
Tool Kit – $34.97
Everyone appreciates a handy tool kit, especially your friend who just purchased a new place. They’ll need to hang curtains, unscrew outlets and hammer in some nails to hang art. This tool kit from Amazon has a hammer, sockets, ratchets, level, tape measurer and other tools that are handy for house projects in a pinch. And at $34.97, it won’t pinch your wallet. 😉
Nice newsletter. Good article. Good information. Thank you. Carol
For conventional financing, borrowers with scores at 740 or anywhere above generally receive the same loan pricing (rate and cost). That being said, the better your credit the higher your chances of receiving loan approval with high debt to income (up to 50%) or high loan to value (up to 95%) which can be a major benefit when applying for a new loan. For Jumbo financing, borrowers with credit scores above 800 are generally rewarded with both better pricing and easier guidelines. There are no situations where better credit is a negative when obtaining new financing so we should all continue to strive to reach and then stay in the 800’s.
What are the advantages of a score over 800
Thank you Mike for this information. As a residential realtor the information that you provide is crucial to a successful transaction for my clients. You are indeed a pleasure to recommend to all of my clients. You are so professional, thorough, conscientious and pleasant to work with. !!
Hi Dane! Wanted to make sure I'm clear on this. Am I right in saying that on whichever remodel is done you still take a loss rather than an increase in value - the ROI will never exceed 100% of cost?