Lets face it, everyone is trying to find a way to save money these days and the internet can provide a wealth of opportunities to do just that – SAVE MONEY.

By doing a little research, you can find a savings deal for just about anything you want to buy – from restaurants to groceries.  I never leave home without coupons and I certainly never purchase online without looking for a discount code.

I’ve started a short list for you below, but there are literally tons of resources for coupons!  If you have found a good site, let us know!

Top 5 Places to Find Coupons in Charlotte NC

• Charlotte Rewards – This website features coupons and saving for just about everything you can find in Charlotte and the surrounding areas.  From ice cream to flying lessons, you can find a coupon here!
• Couponer101 - Love this site! In addition to coupons and deals locally, they show national deals as well.  They provide Grocery and Drug store coupon match-ups to maximize your savings and in addition, it saves you a ton of time!
• Shoppe Charlotte – This site includes not only coupons, but business directories, classified ads and general area information
• Local.com – Great place to find the best restaurants, dentists, plumbers, etc along with reviews of their work and coupons if offered
• 360Charlotte - Features coupons, reviews, business directories as well as area attractions, housing and a parents and kids section

The much anticipated Mecklenburg County Budget Proposal was unveiled last night by County Manager Harry Jones with $81.1 Million in cuts.

The new proposal includes $21.7 Million in Charlotte Mecklenburg School cuts.  In a  school district that already feels the ache of over crowding and under anticipated growth, these cuts are going to knock the school system for a loop!  Over 350 teachers and administrators have already received pink slips, but it is believed that up to $1,000 will lose their jobs before they are finished with the cuts.

Think about that for a moment – over $1,000 teachers and administrators will be gone!  That is huge to say the least.  Our schools are already suffering with over-crowded classrooms and less than adequate learning spaces with over 1/4 of all classes being held in trailers or mobile classrooms.  I don’t quite understand why the school system is taking the brunt of this cut.

Getting rid of the over abundance of administrators is perfectly fine with me, as well as cutting the salaries of the “upper crust” of the school system and other County office.  But the decision to cut so many teachers is just beyond my thinking.  Our children are in desperate need of good teachers and classrooms conducive to learning.  We complain about kids being out of control and ruling the schools – yet we make major cuts where we actually need more money.

I don’t have the answers, but I do know what I haven’t seen – Harry Jones or Peter Gorman taking a pay cut.  Why are the highest paid NOT taking a cut?

Take a few minutes and check out the Mecklenburg County Salary Database. Harry Jones, the County Manager makes over $215,000 a year PLUS over $38,000 in bonuses. This amount is being paid for a County that is out of control and mis-managed.  How about he take a pay cut?

Even more interesting, Peter Gorman’s Salary is NOT listed in the database. Why?  Its easy to find his salary online, but why not list it in the database?  FYI – His base salary is over $260,000 PLUS bonuses, retirement, etc of over $56,000 – uh, pay cut please?

Let me know what you think about all these cuts.  I would love to hear what you have to say.

You don’t need to pay a lot of money for an expensive fire escape ladder; all you need is one that is durable and sturdy.  Fixed structure residential fire escape ladders are the best to get, simply because you don’t need to assemble then.  With a fixed structure ladder, all you need to do is climb down to safety.  They are permanently attached to your home – so they will always be there when you need them.

When you look for a residential fire escape ladder, you’ll find that there are several different styles to choose from.  There are chain and rung fire escape ladders that are designed for multiple stories, to those that reach even higher.  You can also get permanent interior ladders, exterior permanent ladders, collapsible fire escape ladders, and even retractable fire escape ladders.  Fire escape ladders are a great thing to have as a method of fire safety.

If you’ve ever lived in an apartment building or seen the outside of one, you’ve probably noticed their fire escape.  Fire escapes, depending on how many stories the building may be, will vary from simple ladders to steps.  The fire escape is very important, especially with tall buildings.  Those who live on the higher floors of apartment buildings absolutely must have a fire escape so they too can exit the building in the event of a fire.

For your home, you can also purchase a fire escape kit that includes a heavy duty escape ladder that can be assembled up to 40 feet in length.  These kits also include smoke hoods as well, in order to help keep the smoke out of your face.  Most come with chemical sticks and a horn as well, so you can let rescuers know where you are in the home when they arrive.

As you can tell, a fire escape ladder is very important to have with your home.  Homes that are 2 stories or more simply must have an escape ladder.  Fire escape ladders are perfect for safety, and may one day save your life.  Even though they may cost you a bit of money and time to install, they are one investment that you’ll never go wrong with.

About the Author:

Buddy Frey is a Keller Williams Real Estate Agent in Charlotte NC, ready to help you with your home buying needs today!

As the next weeks take shape, you will find several new sections on our site. Each section was planned according to what you said you would like to see!

Thank you for your patience during the transition, you won’t disappointed!