Discovery-owned network HGTV has greenlit a series set to star home renovation expert and social media influencer Jennifer Todryk.

The tentatively titled No Demo Reno (10 x 60 minutes) will follow Todryk, who boasts more than 531,000 followers on Instagram, as she dismisses the notion that major demolition is necessary to transform the home.

Episodes will document Todryk and her team of renovation experts as they work within the existing footprint of client’s homes and combines “clever design solutions and cost-saving ideas” to overhaul spaces in the Dallas-Fort Worth area – often without tearing down walls.

Todryk and her team, including general contractor Tony Taveras and master carpenter David Piper, will save families time, money and stress while “proving that it doesn’t take a massive renovation to create a dream home.”

The series is produced by Essential Quail, with executive producers listed as Greg Quail and Jesse Fawcett. Neil Sommerlatte is co-executive producer.

No Demo Reno is slated to premiere in early 2021.

“People dream of making over their home without the dust, noise and inconvenience of a major renovation,” said HGTV president Jane Latman in a statement. “Jennifer is adept at creating gorgeous, high-end spaces on very tight budgets, so No Reno Demo is sure to deliver practical ideas that all of us can use for our own home projects.”

Photo credit: Jennifer Todryk

It’s always a good idea to save money for a rainy day. However, it’s possible to save too much money, especially when interest rates are at rock-bottom levels, as they are today. As such, now could be a great time to start investing for the future. Doing so could help you dramatically increase the size of your financial nest egg over the long run. 

With that in mind, here’s my three-step plan to start investing today

Start investing with an ISA

Opening a Stocks and Shares ISA account is a great place to start investing. The great thing about ISA accounts is that any income or capital gains earned on investments held inside these tax-efficient wrappers don’t attract additional tax liabilities. This could allow you to increase your nest egg faster over the long run, as you get to keep more of the money yourself. 

Most online stock brokers offer a Stocks and Shares ISA account, and they’re just as easy to open and operate as regular dealing accounts.

The one big drawback of these accounts is an investor can only deposit £20,000 a year. However, if invested sensibly, this should be more than enough to hit £1m in the long run. 

Regular investing

With a Stocks and Shares ISA account in place, the next step to start investing is to set up a regular investment plan. A regular investment plan is one of the best ways to invest in the market, in my opinion.

If you have a lump sum investment, buying stocks gradually on a monthly basis may make more sense than trying to dive in the market straight away. That’s because pound/cost averaging comes into play. 

This means an investor buys more of a fund when the market falls, and less when the market rises. As it’s impossible to time the market over the long term, this strategy means you don’t even have to try and is a great way to start investing. 

Buy the market 

When using a regular investment plan, buying the whole market within an index tracker fund could be the best approach. Buying single stocks can be a time-consuming and expensive process.

Buying the market with an index tracker fund may not only be easier and cheaper, but it could lead to bigger returns over the long run. 

For example, over the past 35 years, the FTSE 100 has returned around 7% per annum. To replicate this return, all an investor would need to do is buy an FTSE 100 index tracker fund with a monthly investment plan. 

A monthly investment of £400 would be enough to build an ISA worth £1m within four decades. That’s why it could make a lot of sense to stop saving and start investing today.

Even a few extra years of investing could produce big returns over the long term, thanks to the power of compound interest. 

The post Stop saving and start investing! My 3-step plan for a £1m ISA appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

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• FTSE 100 crash: I’d start buying cheap stocks in an ISA today to get rich and retire early
• Lloyds’ share price has fallen below 30p. Here’s what I’m going to do now
• Stock market rebound: Could dirt-cheap Aston Martin shares help you get rich and retire early?
• I’d buy cheap FTSE 100 shares today despite the potential for another stock market crash
• Top shares for 2020

Rupert Hargreaves owns no share mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

Motley Fool UK 2020

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Dear Amy: I am a retired professional. My husband is still working. We have no investments and no inheritances, but we get by.

I rarely mention money. I love to go to restaurants, shows and concerts, tip well, and am generous with what I have.

I have a friend who is quite the opposite. She does not dine out or go to shows or concerts, and both she and her husband retired a few years ago with generous pensions and health insurance.

Her parents passed away, leaving her a large (by her description) inheritance. For a while, she talked about all the things she was looking forward to spending it on.

She has never done any of those things, and her house is falling apart around her. She constantly complains about not having “funds.” Her main topic of conversation is coupons. Today we were in a neighbor’s beautiful backyard, and she said she wished she had money for plants. Amy, this is ridiculous. I know her well, and she has no expenses and doesn’t spend a dime. She frequently brags that she and her husband did not help their sons with college expenses.

Can you explain why people act this way? I know she isn’t the only one. I never respond to her remarks about clipping coupons and not having funds — I just change the subject.

I don’t know what to say to her, and I am reaching the point where I can’t stand it anymore.

Any advice?

— Strained Friendship

Dear Strained: It sounds as if your knowledge of your friend’s financial situation has come, mainly, from her self-reporting. Because of this, it seems natural that, rather than change the subject each time she brings it up, you could ask your friend — one time — “I thought that you and your husband were doing well financially. What happened?”

Your friend and/or her husband could actually be out of funds because they fell for a scam, invested badly, gave money to their kids, engaged in online gambling, donated their money to an institution — or for any number of other reasons. Your friend’s husband might be controlling her by denying her access to their money. Or — she and/or her husband might have a hoarding disorder, which causes them to actually hoard their money, “saving” it to their own detriment.

You’ve heard of people hoarding possessions, paper, animals, vehicles, etc., to the point where it poses a risk to their own health and safety. The same disorder leads some people to hoard money. If you know these people very well and their living situation is deteriorating to a dangerous extent, you could consider sharing your concern with their children.

Your friend seems unable to enjoy life. Rather than judge her harshly, you might respond with patience and compassion.

Dear Amy: I consider myself a liberal thinker and have several friends and close family members who identify LGBQ. But I just don’t get the bisexual label if one is not sexually active (nor looking to be). Over the past several years, at least three acquaintances have “come out” on social media as bisexual. All three are in long term (10-plus years) marriages to people of the opposite sex.

While one can never know what goes on “behind closed doors,” it is doubtful that any of these marriages are “open.”

One of the professed bisexuals is an ordained minister another is married to an ordained minister. So the idea of these individuals having free-wheeling sex lives with multiple partners seems remote.

What does it mean for someone to be bisexual and not express that in a physical way? How is it important to announce that truth about themselves if they are not looking for a relationship? What about being bisexual are they “claiming,” if it isn’t about sex?

— Bi-Curious?

Dear Bi-Curious: Some people might be inspired to proclaim their own bisexuality out of solidarity to people who are less safe and secure than they are.

This would be a powerful statement from some in the clergy community, if they belong to a faith practice that openly discriminates against LGBTQ people.

But — because you are curious about a public proclamation, you should feel free to ask.

Dear Amy: Thank you for your advice to “Cold Feet,” the woman whose future in-laws were causing so much trouble.

My own advice would have been one word: RUN!

— Been There

Dear Been There: Entering this family system will present some definite challenges for both “Cold Feet” and her fiancé.

You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068.

Dear Amy: I am a retired professional. My husband still works. We have no investments and no inheritances, but we get by.

I rarely mention money. I love to go to restaurants, shows and concerts, tip well, and am generous with what I have.

I have a friend who is quite the opposite. She does not dine out or go to shows or concerts, and both she and her husband retired a few years ago with generous pensions and health insurance.

Her parents passed away, leaving her a large (by her description) inheritance. For a while, she talked about all the things she was looking forward to spending it on.

She hasn’t done any of those things, and her house is falling apart. She constantly complains about not having “funds.” Today we were in a neighbor’s backyard, and she said she wished she had money for plants. Amy, this is ridiculous. I know her well, and she has no expenses and doesn’t spend a dime.

Can you explain why people act this way? I know she isn’t the only one. I never respond to her remarks — I just change the subject.

I don’t know what to say to her, and I am reaching the point where I can’t stand it anymore.

Amy says: It sounds as if your knowledge of your friend’s financial situation has come, mainly, from her self-reporting. Because of this, it seems natural that, rather than change the subject, you could ask your friend, one time, “I thought that you and your husband were doing well financially. What happened?”

Your friend and/or her husband could be out of funds because they fell for a scam, invested badly, gave money to their kids, engaged in online gambling, donated their money — or for any number of other reasons. Your friend’s husband might be controlling her by denying her access to their money. Or she and/or her husband might have a hoarding disorder, which causes them to actually hoard their money, “saving” it to their own detriment.

You’ve heard of people hoarding possessions to the point where it poses a risk to their own health and safety. The same disorder leads some people to hoard money. If you know these people very well and their living situation is deteriorating to a dangerous extent, you could consider sharing your concern with their children.

Your friend seems unable to enjoy life. Rather than judge her harshly, you might respond with patience and compassion.

Confused about bi

Dear Amy: I consider myself a liberal thinker and have several friends and close family members who identify LGBQ. But I just don’t get the bisexual label if one is not sexually active (nor looking to be). Over the past several years, at least three acquaintances have “come out” as bisexual. All three are in long-term marriages to people of the opposite sex.

While one can never know what goes on “behind closed doors,” it is doubtful that any of these marriages are “open.”

One of the professed bisexuals is an ordained minister, another is married to an ordained minister. So the idea of these individuals having freewheeling sex lives seems remote.

What does it mean for someone to be bisexual and not express that in a physical way? How is it important to announce that truth about themselves if they are not looking for a relationship? What about being bisexual are they “claiming,” if it isn’t about sex?

Amy says: Some people might be inspired to proclaim their own bisexuality out of solidarity to people who are less safe and secure than they are.

This would be a powerful statement from some in the clergy community, if they belong to a faith practice that openly discriminates against LGBTQ people.

But because you are curious about a public proclamation, you should feel free to ask.

Send Ask Amy questions via e-mail to Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com.

I’m constantly reminded that I’m getting older. Sometimes, it’s the scream of “Papa” as the grandkids roll in. Sometimes, it’s physical — like my daily hobble out of bed. Maybe you haven’t yet experienced that little bit of early morning joy but, trust me, more years under your belt can make walking a painful endeavor.

Another definite sign the years are rolling by is that I find myself reflecting on the good old days — days when that 35-year-old battalion executive officer seemed really old. Days when an eight-mile run was easy, and eight hours of sleep was a luxury, not a mandate.

I learned a lot during my time in uniform and, a few mornings ago, on my almost daily jog — no, I can no longer outrun a bad diet — I started thinking about how some of those lessons learned and timeless tidbits of military life can translate into our financial life.

Taking some editorial liberties, here are four pearls of wisdom from those days that you can apply when it comes to managing your money.

1. The 80 percent solution. Back in the day, the idea was that action was imperative. You’d be better off getting the ball rolling in the right direction and adjusting on the fly than waiting until every last detail was nailed down. The same approach can be applied to your finances.

For instance, it would be ideal to have a detailed financial plan projecting exactly how much you need to save to meet your goals after accounting for assumed growth rates, inflation, taxes and the whims of the market. But instead of waiting until you’ve mastered every detail, why not just sign up for the TSP and start socking away 5% or 6% to get started?

And although budgeting where every penny goes each month is a good idea to get your spending under control, don’t stop there. Set up a savings account for emergencies, and put money into a Roth IRA and college savings plans for the kids. Put things in motion, and then tweak them over time. You can plan, plan, plan, but until you take action, you’ve really made no headway.

2. Take a little off the top. Many have uttered these famous last words before getting that first military haircut. I remember the buzz job that introduced my scalp to the sun (and it was downhill from there for my hair). You can apply that same phrase to your money by taking it off the top and paying yourself first.

Setting aside money for short-, medium- and long-term goals before it gets swept away by your normal spending routine is ideal. And speaking of taking a little off the top, every pay raise or promotion provides an opportunity to increase those savings without even feeling a pinch in your lifestyle.

3. If it wasn’t good enough, it wouldn’t be the minimum. Not everything from back then was a positive example for your financial endeavors. I hate to admit it, but on more than a few occasions — especially after some late nights on the town — this phrase captured my approach to the physical fitness test. While I doubt that this applies to you or yours, it’s definitely not the way to knock down your debt. Checked out your credit card bills lately? These days, credit card companies are required to show you how many years it takes and how much interest you’ll pay if you stick with minimum payments. Find a way to do more than the minimum.

4. A checklist for everything and everything on a checklist. Whether it was preventive maintenance, battle drills or a formal briefing, everything we did seemed to come with a list to guide us. In the same vein, create your own checklist to keep yourself on the right financial track. It could be a game plan to pay down debt, research and acquire a list of insurance products, or short-term goals you want to accomplish, such as saving for a new TV. Often, putting things down in writing is the first step toward making them a reality. I still have a checklist at my desk, and there are few things as satisfying as putting a big check mark next to another mission accomplished.

These are just a few military tidbits that translate nicely into sound personal finance ideas. I’m sure there are dozens more! What do I hope you take from all of this? Make your finances a priority and leverage your unique lifestyle to make a financial difference today … and help create the life you want down the road.

Get the Latest Financial Tips

Whether you’re trying to balance your budget, build up your credit, select a good life insurance program or are gearing up for a home purchase, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com and get the latest military benefit updates and tips delivered straight to your inbox.

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There are countless lists of money saving ideas out there. Some of them are simple. Others are complicated. It truly is worth exploring all of them. Try them out and see what works for you. That said, here are eight of the simplest money saving ideas that you can start using today:

1. Cancel One Monthly Subscription

You probably subscribe to a variety of different things with monthly fees. For example, you might subscribe to streaming television shows, an online fitness membership, or a food delivery service. Cancel one of those things right now. Then automate your savings to transfer that same amount of money directly into your savings account once per month. You were already spending it so you won’t notice the sacrifice. Nevertheless, the savings will add up.

2. Reduce the Cost of One Monthly Bill

Once or twice a year you should renegotiate the price of your monthly bills. Consider your phone bill for example. Here are some ways that you might lower your phone bill:

• Change your plan to a lower priced option.
• Cancel extra services that you don’t use. For example, do you pay for international calling when you don’t need it?
• Call your cell phone service provider and ask about current deals.
• Switch to a new provider that offers a better rate.

If you’re ambitious about saving, try to cut back at least $5 of every monthly bill (cable, Internet, utilities, etc.)

3. Rethink Your Automobile

If you can go car-free, do it. You’ll make money by selling your car. You’ll save money by not spending on gas, insurance, and car payments. If you can’t go car-free, reduce your car usage. You might naturally be using your car less during shelter-in-place anyway. If you are, you might be able to get a discount on your auto insurance by changing your plan.

There are a lot of great money saving ideas when it comes to transportation. Sell the family’s second car. Trade your car in for a cheaper one that uses less fuel. Use rideshare apps or public transportation or ride a bike. Figure out what will work for you.

4. Cut Back on Screen Time

This is one of the best ways to reduce energy use at home which saves you money on your electric bill. Unplug all electronic gadgets and chargers for a period of time each day. Use low-energy settings when you do use screens. Reducing screen time is good for your mental health and your utility bill!

5. Declutter and Sell What You Don’t Need

Decluttering is another at-home activity that’s good for your mental health as well as your pocketbook. You can sell what you declutter. Put the extra cash in savings. There will be some items that you can’t sell. However, there are money saving ideas to use those items as well. Upcycle them, gift them, or swap them with others to save money.

6. Reduce Food Spending

Food is a large chunk of most people’s budget. If you can reduce your food spending, you can save a lot of money. Here are 50 ways to save money on food. Pick one or two and make that change today.

7. Stop Buying Things You Don’t Need

This is one of the most obvious money saving ideas out there. And yet, it bears repeating. Stuck at home and restless during quarantine, many people are shopping online more now than ever before. Think twice before you add an item to your online shopping cart. If it’s not a necessity, don’t buy it.

8. Use Coupons and Shop Around

If you do have to make a purchase, do it thoughtfully. Always look for a coupon or promo code. Shop around to get the best price. There are so many ways to compare prices and get discounts when shopping online. There really isn’t any reason to pay full price for anything!

Read More:

• Here’s How to Use a Weekly Savings Plan to Improve Your Budget
• 10 Money Saving Uses for Salt
• How to Save Money While Saving the Environment
• 5 Ways to Save the Old Fashioned Way

What are your top three favorite money saving ideas? Share in the comments!

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Hey, you’re already okay not ordering the chili cheese fries. But now that you’ve swapped meat and mozz for a plant-forward lifestyle, you may be wondering how else you can keep more green in the bank. The best news? By going vegan, you’re likely already saving big without even trying as animal products from the seafood counter to the butcher to fancy cheese can cost a pretty penny. To help you out even more—and, we confess, steal a few ideas for ourselves—we reached out to nutritionists for their best tips to slash costs at the supermarket (or more likely these days, in your virtual grocery cart).

1. Make a list of your staple foods in every food group.

“These are foods that you cook with often, are not very expensive, and that you enjoy. These are often foods that are minimally processed, can be purchased in bulk / larger quantities and are not very expensive,” advises Lisa Hugh, MSHS, RD, LDN, CLT, Food Sensitivity Expert, SingleIngredientGroceries.com. 

For instance, in the grains/complex carbs category, these might be foods like potatoes, brown rice, and barley. In the vegetable department, this might be frozen mixed vegetables, fresh cabbage, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Once you’ve established your staple foods across categories, do some time comparison shopping to determine which stores or online grocers sell them for the best price and shop accordingly.

2. Opt for naturally low-cost vegan foods. 

This goes hand-in-hand with the advice above. “Many foods that are naturally vegan are also some of the most affordable foods too. Think legumes, whole grains, veggies and fruit,” shares Bri Bell, RD, Frugal Minimalist Kitchen. “A plant-based diet starts to add up when we’re relying on a lot of ready-made vegan food substitutes for animal products like faux meats, cheeses, and butter. When making your staples category, try to group products like vegan ice cream, plant-based meat, and other pricy vegan foods into a “splurge” category, and allow yourself one or two items a week.

3. Go generic.

“My favorite trick is skipping the name brands and going for the no-name or the store brand. I find that these tend to be the cheapest and tend to be on higher or lower shelves not on eye-level, offers Mitchelle Wright, RDN, “You have to remember that when you are buying name brands you are actually paying for advertising, commercials, product testing and so much more.” Trust us, when you dig into those fully loaded black bean nachos or vegan enchiladas, you’ll never be able to tell if the beans were budget buys or designers.

4. Shop at a local Asian produce market. 

Assuming you feel safe grocery shopping right now, consider Asian markets in your area as a great way to load up on tasty, affordable vegan fare. “They have excellent prices on fresh produce as well as some pantry staples such as rice noodles and tofu. A week’s worth of fresh produce works out to be about $20-$30 for per person there, compared to easily over $60 at a regular grocery store,” says Bell.

Crispy tofu with spicy brown sauce and mango salsa for dinner? Ah, we’re so glad you suggested it.

5. Turn your freezer into a money-saver.

Raise your hand if you had to toss that fancy tempeh because you didn’t get to it by its expiration date or you watched that beautiful bag of arugula wilt in your fridge  We’re raising our hand and we’re not proud. “You can freeze a lot of things. I hear from my patients all the time that they end up wasting a lot of food, especially produce because it starts to go bad before they use it,” says Hugh. “If fresh food is on the verge of going bad I freeze it in a hurry.” In addition to fresh fruits and veggies, rice, beans, soups, stews, sauces, and more also freeze well.

Currently, Hugh tells The Beet she has the following in her freezer: Fresh cilantro, fresh thyme, red onion, and a bag of shredded cabbage/coleslaw mix. “Most things can be frozen in reusable plastic containers, ziplock bags, or even the bag they came in (coleslaw mix, baby carrots, spinach/baby spinach), she shares. Sturdier herbs like rosemary and thyme can be frozen as is while softer herbs like basil and parsley in oil or water in ice cube trays.

6. Grow your own herbs and more.

A windowsill is all you need for fresh herbs and even other fresh veggies like mushrooms. And if you have a yard, get planting to keep more green in both your wallet and also the table. “We grow scallions, thyme and mint in our garden,” says Hugh. “We don’t have a lot of time for gardening but these are pretty easy to maintain and are really enjoyable.”

7. Consider buying your pantry staples online.

This isn’t true for all markets, but for many people, purchasing pantry items from tomato paste to vegetable stock may be most affordable when you shop online. “From experience, buying vegan nonperishable grocery items online not only saves me money but also time,” says Wright. “I do this for most of my non-perishable vegan products. The essence is these companies can buy larger quantities of a particular product, thus it is usually less expensive and it is delivered straight to my doorstep.”