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Rental Report: Top 5 Tips To Keep Your Place Warm This Winter

By WTOP Staff

Rental Report

Editor’s Note: This biweekly sponsored column is written by Rick Gersten, founder and CEO of Urban Igloo, a rental real estate firm that matches up renters with their ideal apartments, condos or houses. Please submit any questions in the comments section or via email.

The weather is cooling off, and it won’t be long before winter brings wind, snow and freezing temperatures to our area. Now is the time to get your rental ready so your place is a warm, cozy retreat after a long day. We have a few tips to help you keep the chilly winter air out of your place, and stay warm this winter:

Curtains – One of the easiest, most inexpensive fixes for drafty windows is to buy curtains. Keep your curtains open during the day to let in the light and help heat the rooms in your home. At night, shut the drapes to keep out the bitter cold air. As an extra bonus, curtains can add some style to your place. Just be sure to fill in the holes from the curtain rods before you move out to keep from being charged for damage.

Foam Sealant – Another simple fix for a nasty draft is to use some foam sealant around the windows. A quick trip to the home improvement store can save up to 20 percent on your energy costs this winter. The foam sealant is not the most attractive solution, but it gets the job done. If you choose to use a clear caulk instead, be sure it is removable so you can easily open the windows in the spring.

Weather Stripping – Sealing the area around any outside doors is one of the efficient ways to insulate, as doors tend to let in the most outside air. Install a door sweep at the bottom and weather stripping around the doors to seal out cold air. You can also use temporary weather stripping around your windows as another window sealant option.

Window Film – Although a pricier solution, window film not only retains up to 55 percent of your home’s heat in the winter, but it also helps reflect the light in the summer to keep your place cool.

Space Heaters – For small spaces, space heaters can help you save on energy costs while heating up a room to a nice, toasty temperature. Space heaters allow you to keep your thermostat down at 68 degrees while using a little extra energy to heat up a small room when you are home. If you have pets or kids, be sure to buy heaters that are cool to the touch and have an automatic shutoff function if the heater is tipped over. Don’t forget to unplug it when you leave your home!

The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a colder than usual winter for the Metro D.C. area. Use these tips to stay warm, and help you save a few dollars on your heating costs this winter.

Community discussion guidelines: Our sponsored columns are written by members of the local business community. While we encourage a robust and open discussion, we ask that all reviews of the businesses — good or bad — be directed to another venue, like Yelp. The comments section is intended for a conversation about the topic of the article.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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