This is typical for me. I’m rushing to get the dishes done and instead of putting everything away in the dish rack first, I just keep piling things on. As you might expect, something topples – my new blender crashes onto the tile flooring. The glass part of the blender withstands the blow, but the plastic bottom piece that screws in breaks into 3 pieces. (I broke a salad plate too.)

Fortunately Oster has a parts replacement service, and fortunately, one size fits all. I called to verify that claim on the website, and reached a friendly and knowledgeable customer service representative, Patty. She explained that those parts are standard for most of their newer blenders, Read more

Here’s How I Did It.

How often do you hear about kitchen remodels costing less than someone expected? Maybe never?

I can proudly say that I came in $15,000 under budget. For one thing, my starting budget was realistic. For another, I hired a contractor who understood my goals and objectives, and we had excellent communication.

Here are some other key things that helped me manage costs:

1) I set up a separate checking account for the kitchen project so I could keep track of the money I was spending every step of the way.
2) Whenever possible, I reused existing materials. For example, the contractor re-installed my old disposer and molding. Read more