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"My career has taken me all over the U.S., and I’ve played so many great roles," said Schmidt. "Along the way, my union involvement has meant a lot, and when I was a part of the National Opera at the Kennedy Center, I was asked to sit in on negotiations with management. I’ve seen how unions can be such an asset to anyone making a living in the performing arts."

Along the way, Schmidt met his future wife on stage. They played respective lead roles in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific. The couple eventually had children and decided to settle down in southern California so they could parent and continue doing the work they love.

"We were done with our lives as gypsies," said Schmidt, who has served as an Actor’s Equity Union Deputy on many of the sets he’s worked. "Over time, a house seemed like the best step for us as we became rooted in northern San Diego County, CA, and yet we also realized we were in a very expensive market and began looking for ways to make home buying more affordable."

Schmidt suddenly recalled a Union Plus Real Estate Rewards Program email, reviewed his inbox, found it and clicked away. 

The Real Estate Rewards Program runs in partnership with SIRVA, which delivers customized relocation and moving solutions across more than 170 countries. Through it, home buyers and sellers can earn $500 cash-back for every $100,000 in home value when using a SIRVA-approved real estate agent.

"Our SIRVA-approved agent was incredible, especially given the tight market in our region. He actually helped us find a house by going into the neighborhood where we sought to settle – and where there were no homes for sale – created a flier to engage potential sellers, and when one emerged, he facilitated the whole transaction," said Schmidt.

Having purchased his home in the $500,000 range, Schmidt received more than $2,000 cash back. Between his agent experience and the money, he is an enthusiastic advocate of the program.

"I would recommend this program to anybody and everybody who is a union member,” he said. “If they are thinking about buying or selling a home, they should just do the math. Plus, it was so easy to apply and the process was entirely smooth."

For Schmidt, to find, buy and get cash back on a house while being supported by a pre-approved SIRVA agent made all of the difference.

"For a guy like me whose work is a freelance commercial yesterday and a major TV series tomorrow, the Union Plus Real Estate Rewards program was perfect," said Schmidt. "Cash back and a great agent made it so."

To learn more about the Union Plus Real Estate Rewards Program, visit unionplus.org/realestate.

Start pre-shopping early

Buying a house is no small feat. The more you can do to prepare, the better. One step to consider is pre-shopping a few years ahead of your target date. This means looking at listings and features for homes in your target location.
This is a great way to get a handle on the cost of homes in your area, while figuring out your home-buying priorities. How important is location? Size? Accessibility? As you begin to weigh these features against potential costs, you’ll get a much better sense of what you need versus what you want. You’ll also really begin to see how much you’ll need to start saving.

Set a spending cap and start saving for your down payment

You may not have to put a significant down payment on your new home, but the more cash you can bring to closing, the better off you’ll be. You’ll have more flexibility when it comes to mortgage terms, and if you have at least 20 percent of the home’s value available as a down payment, you can avoid costly PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) payments.

By understanding your spending threshold, you can decide how much you’ll need for a down payment, which will then allow you to start planning out your budget.

Figure out the monthly cost of homeownership

We all know that housing costs don’t end with the mortgage payment. There are a ton of other costs and considerations unique to homeownership. You need to have a sense of these costs and where they fit into your future budget, because the last thing you want is to buy your dream home only to discover that you can’t actually afford it.

Property taxes – This is one of your most significant costs and it can catch you off guard if you aren’t prepared for it. Property taxes vary wildly depending on where you live, so you’ll want to do your research. This calculator from Smart Asset can give you a rough estimate of your yearly tax bill based on ZIP code and home value.

Homeowners’ insurance – Your homeowners’ insurance premium will depend on a range of factors from the age of your home to the type of materials used to build the home. It’s difficult to get an accurate estimate without speaking directly with an insurer, but this list of average premium prices across all 50 states is a good starting point. Just keep in mind that if your home is in a flood-prone area, you’ll likely have to purchase additional flood insurance.

Energy and heating bills – It’s probably no surprise to learn that a house usually costs more to heat and power than an apartment. How much it will cost is tricky to pin down ahead of time, since it depends so much on your plan details and usage rates. Your best bet may be to check with utility companies in your target area to see if they have cost calculators available, like this one from Reliant. If you’re the outgoing type, you could also just ask someone in the neighborhood how much they spend on heating and energy.
Home repair – A popular rule of thumb is to set aside one percent of the value or purchase price of your home each year for potential repair costs. Obviously, the likelihood of your home needing repairs changes greatly depending on age and location, so if you’re buying an old home or a fixer-upper, you’ll want to prepare for a bigger spend.

What don’t you have?

Lastly, you’ll want to consider what you don’t already have. Will you need to purchase furniture? A washer and dryer? A refrigerator? These are all things you’ll probably want to have as soon as you move in, so be sure to set aside funds for any necessary appliances or furnishings.

Train yourself to live on your house budget

Once you understand the upfront and ongoing costs of homeownership, you’ll be able to plot out a budgeting course that 1) saves you the necessary amount of money, and 2) prepares you for the monthly costs of owning a home. Luckily, the two objectives can go hand-in-hand. As you work towards buying a home, take the money you’ll eventually be spending on property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, and the rest, and put that money into savings – which you’ll then use to help purchase your home. Now you’ll have the money you need to buy your first home, plus the proven ability to comfortably manage and stay in that home!

1. Check your current data usage
   
   With the rise of unlimited plans, you might feel pressure to change your data bucket and opt for an unlimited plan. But if you’re not a heavy data user (less than 4GB a month), chances are you’re better off skipping the plan upgrade — and sticking to a lower tier data plan. 
    
2. Consider your lifestyle 
   
   Have a large family that needs coverage? You’ll want to look into family plans that enable several people to stay connected at a rate that provides economic flexibility. 
   
   Similarly, if you’re just looking to cover yourself, you’ll want to consider how much talk, text and data you truly need — and amend your plan where appropriate. Make plans to look at your current carrier account to assess where you can make changes.
    
3. Determine your deal-breakers
   
   Plans that don’t offer free roaming probably won’t work for those who travel a lot — and similarly, if you’re an avid music streamer, you’ll want to avoid plans that limit your data to 1GB a month. 
    
4. Evaluate your daily phone habits 
   
   Do you talk on the phone for hours, but spend very little time texting or using data? Look for a plan that gives you more hours to talk — and imposes limits to your text and data. That way, you’ll pay only for what you’ll truly use.
    
5. Look for discounts 
   
   Wireless can be costly  — so taking the time to find out if your carrier offers any special discounts is important. You may be able to score major savings with your wireless carrier simply by way of your union membership.
   
   Research what plans are eligible for discounting pricing, and consider your savings opportunities. The discount plan may come with less data allowance than the one you had before, but you'll save more money in the long run. 

□Turn on lights

□ Make beds

□ Wipe down counters

□ Clean toilets and put seats down

□ Vacuum carpets

□ Take out trash

□ Clean mirrors

□ Air out home by opening windows

□ Put away anything on the kitchen counter

□ Turn on lights

□ Sweep front porch and deck

□ Make arrangements for animals to leave the home

□ Wipe down cabinets

□ Set dining room table

□ Light candles (with fresh scents)

□ Put out fresh flowers

□ Hide clutter via a tote in garage

If you only have a few minutes to get your home ready, consider just doing a few of these. It’s important to think about investing in a home cleaning service while you’re selling your home, so you don’t have to do a deep clean every time you have a showing. If you have kids, give each a tote to store things at the last minute, that can fit neatly in their closet. You can do the same thing if you have pets, find a tote that can store their toys and beds for last minute appointments.

Shopping for back-to-school supplies can send parents into sticker shock. Aside from standard items such as pencils and papers, students from kindergarten through 12th grade often need — or want — pricier items, such as laptops or headphones.

That partly explains why parents are expected to spend, on average, nearly $688 on back-to-school supplies this year. That's up 8 percent from last year and up 60 percent compared to 10 years ago, according to data from the National Retail Federation, a trade organization.

The biggest two categories are electronics and clothing, which together comprise about two-thirds of a family’s back-to-school spending, the National Retail Federation says. Basic school supplies, such as pens and notebooks, can set a family back by about $114, making it the smallest spending category. Parents can cut down on their expenses by researching prices and delaying some purchases, says Kristin Cook, managing editor of BensBargains.com, a price-tracking site started by a student at University of California, Berkeley.

While there are good deals to be found in August, some stores will offer even better discounts starting in September, especially with apparel, Cook says. 

Strategies When Buying the Basics

Prices for paper, pens, and pencils don’t vary much by store, but the items do add up. 

Don’t overlook supplies you may already have on hand. Organizing a swap with other parents can also save money. One family might have an extra notebook that they’d exchange for lined paper, for instance.

Because school supplies are relatively inexpensive and priced similarly at various stores, look for retailers that are offering gift cards for purchasing school basics, Cook says. One such deal can be found now at Target, which is currently offering $5 gift cards when customers spend $50 on school supplies. 

Smart Tech Strategies for Electronics

While shopping for all kinds of back-to-school supplies, several apps and services are available to help track prices for big-ticket electronics items, such as Amazon-price tracking service Camel Camel Camel. Parents can enter the URL of a product they want to buy for their kids, like a Chromebook, and receive an email alert when it drops. The site also provides a price history, so you can see when a product hit its lowest and highest prices on Amazon.

If you are shopping for back-to-school supplies at a brick-and-mortar store, bar code scanners such as ShopSavvy app check whether cheaper prices are available elsewhere. The best strategy may be to wait for Black Friday sales on electronics, which now start as early as October, says Cook. If students don’t have an older laptop or tablet to use until the holiday sales kickoff, there are still discounts to be found, although they might not be as deep as those offered later in the year.

Hold Off on Apparel

While growing kids need new clothing, resist buying an entire fall wardrobe in August because retailers typically slash fall clothing prices in September, advises Cook. She recommends buying one back-to-school outfit in August, and returning the following month to score deals on more apparel. That delay also gives students a chance to check out the current fashion trends at school.

Preteens and teenagers are old enough to be involved in budgeting, says Sara Skirboll, a retail and trends expert at RetailMeNot. Even better, give them half of the budget to spend themselves, which will motivate them to stretch their money and find deals. That being said, keep an eye on what they are buying, since many schools have dress codes or standards.

Copyright© 2006-2017 Consumer Reports, Inc. of U.S., Inc. No reproduction, in whole or part, without written permission.

“My father was a seaman, and while he never encouraged me to follow in his footsteps, it became something I always wanted to do or at least try,” said Plathan. “So, I applied to the SIU and went through their apprenticeship program that lasted for 18 months. For the last five years, I’ve mainly worked in the Gulf of Mexico on tankers carrying crude oil, gasoline and sulpher, traveling from Florida to Louisiana and Texas.”

As his life as a sailor progressed, Peter realized that renting an apartment was similar to throwing money away. Gone for weeks (and sometimes months) at a time, he was rarely home long enough to make a lease work. Yet coming home without a lease meant having to find a place to live after each voyage.

“I wanted to start a new chapter in my life and didn’t want to rent anymore. So, I found a house near Florida’s Gulf Coast in North Port,” said Plathan. “It’s a three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhome in a community with a clubhouse and pool. I’m really excited about it.” 

Plathan’s road to the American dream began easily enough. He applied for a loan and was immediately pre-approved, enabling him to move on the house. However, as his paperwork moved through the underwriting process, Plathan faced a challenge that so many other union members confront: the nature of his work – a constant cycle of hiring and layoff tied to specific voyage-based assignments – disqualified him from ultimate approval for a conventional loan.

“I saw the Union Plus Mortgage Company (UPMC) ad online and got lucky,” said Plathan. “I called them immediately and was approved within two weeks.” 

“The thing of it is, UPMC understood my situation and my job. It was no problem.” said Plathan. “That made the process really smooth. I would definitely recommend anyone trying to buy a home to call them.”

Plathan was able to close on his house right before setting sail on another adventure. He looks forward to moving in and getting settled.

“For me, it’s a major investment and the start of a new phase.” said Plathan. “Through the process of purchasing it, Union Plus really showed me that they have the backs of union members. I’m so grateful.” 

The Union Plus Mortgage program, with financing available through Union Plus Mortgage Company, is available for all eligible union members.  UPMC is union-owned and staffed by unionized loan officers. 

For qualifying members, special benefits include: 

• A $500 gift card after closing for purchasing or refinancing a home
• A $750 gift card for First-Time Home Buyers'
• Special hardship mortgage assistance from Union Plus in the event of income loss due to disability, unemployment or strike/lockout.

For more information, visit unionplusmortgage.com or call 855 UNION 53 (855-864-6653). 

Moving the kids to school is never easy. Advance planning, including reserving a rental truck, is key to making the move easier. Budget Truck Rental offers these simple guidelines to help make the back-to-school move more efficient, less stressful and safer:

1. Pack like a pro. Students today are taking more than clothes and school supplies to campus; they're packing computers, printers, gaming systems and other electronics. Budget Truck Rental encourages customers to pack electronics in their original boxes, if available. If not, a strong box should be used and the components should be generously wrapped with plastic cushioning wrap. Packing peanuts or any shredded materials can get into the device and cause damage. Use caution with larger televisions. Many newer TVs need to be transported standing up or they could be damaged. The screen should also be protected. Whether boxes are filled with hangers, power strips/surge protectors, extra-long sheets or shower necessities, they should always be full. If there is space at the top and the box is already heavy, some light weight filler like plastic cushioning wrap, packing peanuts or crumpled paper should be added. Otherwise, if there is empty space at the top, stacking on top will cause the box to crush and tilt. Boxes should be labeled on the sides, not the tops, which may be covered by other boxes. In addition, Budget Truck Rental offers a wide variety of products to make moving easier. These include furniture pads and dollies, boxes, tape, plastic cushioning wrap and rope.
    
2. Plan your truck needs ahead of time. To ensure truck availability, reservations should be made as far in advance as possible. Truck availability is best mid-week (Sunday through Thursday) and mid-month. Hand trucks and moving pads can help make moving easier and protect possessions. Budget Truck Rental locations have these available for rent.
    
3. Plan your travel route. Trucks are prohibited on some roads. Budget Truck Rental recommends planning the proper route ahead of time to avoid police citations for driving on roads where trucks are prohibited or getting stuck beneath an overpass. Budget Truck Rental is the first and only major consumer truck rental company to offer Global Positioning System (GPS) units that include routes designated for trucks. With guidance by Garmin® , where2 offers Budget Truck Rental customers an array of navigation features, including truck routes and local points of interest such as ATMs, hotels, restaurants and gas stations, a simple user interface, high-quality maps, audible turn-by-turn directions spoken in multiple languages and Bluetooth hands-free calling capability.
    
4. Drive safely. Customers should take time to adjust the rental truck's mirrors. Caution should be used when backing up the truck and renters should never back up with towing equipment. Budget Truck Rental recommends that customers use extra caution on sharp turns. Trucks are longer and wider and need more turning area than cars. Renters should always use the turn signal and allow greater distance (at least five vehicle lengths) between the truck and the vehicle ahead. Customers should watch for overhead clearances, allow for at least 14 feet of overhead clearance, and beware of low canopies, overpasses, bridges, drive-through lanes, tree branches, parking garages and signs prohibiting truck traffic.

Budget Truck Rental's fleet features cargo vans, 10-foot, 16-foot and 24-foot trucks with ramps or lift gates and is one of the cleanest and best-maintained rental truck fleets on the road. Every vehicle undergoes a 10-point quality inspection to ensure proper fluid levels, tire pressure and other necessary elements for a reliable, safe rental. All Budget trucks feature automatic transmissions and have free 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.

Do Some Yardwork, First Impressions Count

• Keep the lawn moved, preferably on the diagonal
• The color yellow sells – plant yellow flowers such as marigolds along the walkway or by the front door
• Wash the exterior windows
• Paint or replace the front door and buy new hardware
• Power spray the house to get rid of dirt and cobwebs
• Buy a new welcome mat for the front steps
• Paint or replace the mailbox

Declutter Your Home

• Remove all personal photographs from the tables and walls. Patch holes in the walls or hang non-personalized artwork over the existing nails
• Pack up your bookcase (you’re going to move anyway)
• Clean out the closets and store non-essential items

Clean, Clean, Clean…Your Kitchen

• If new granite is out of your budget, consider either re-grouting the kitchen counter tiles, which is surprisingly cost effective, or covering them with granite tiles instead of granite slab
• For wood cabinets, stripping the finish and re-staining or painting will save you more money than re-surfacing the cabinets
• Buy new knobs and/or pulls for the cabinet doors.
• Replace a worn kitchen faucet
• Buy a new kitchen sink basket strainers
• Consider installing kitchen pendant lights over the sink

With these quick and budget-friendly tips, you’ll be on your way to maximizing the value of your home and one step closer to the closing table.

If you are ready to sell your home, don't forget the Union Plus Real Estate Rewards program.  You can earn $500 cash back for every $100,000 in home value when you use a  real estate agent, approved by SIRVA. 

Learn More about Real Estate Rewards

Jeremy, a shop foreman for an electrical company, recently purchased a home. He first learned of the contest through Union Plus fliers, “I believe they sent us some literature, [as] we just recently bought a house this year,” he recalls.

Though Jeremy was happy to be chosen as a winner, he already knew to expect great things from Wells Fargo and the Union Plus Mortgage Program. “We originally heard about them from our realtor, she mentioned the program and we thought ‘why not?’” Jeremy quickly learned that he could always count on Union Plus to step up to the bat for him. “It was a really good decision,” he says, “One of the best decisions we made with our home loan.”

Jeremy was especially interested in the contest because it gave him the opportunity to win some extra money for renovations to his new home. “It was kind of a fixer- upper,” he says. “It hadn’t been updated in a long time, so we’ve gone through and changed a lot of the light fixtures, the switches, and outlets. Just a lot of general maintenance.”

He decided that, in order to really show how his house felt like home, he would have to get his whole, winning lineup involved in his own dug-out. “We had a fire going in our fireplace and our kids sitting in front of it. That kind of encapsulated a little bit of finally being home and comfortable, and warm, so we really enjoyed it!”

Because his photos won him the pennant, Jeremy was able to move on some much-needed home improvements. “We used the winning[s] to put in a new floor in part of our house, it paid for basically all of the materials,” he says.

Jeremy knows the benefits of having Union Plus on his team, and has since made sure to spread the word among his fellow union members. “I’ve told everybody I work with about it. How easy they are to work with, how fast they get back to you. We’ve really had nothing but a good experience so far.”

The Union Plus Mortgage program, with financing available through Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, is available for all eligible union members. For qualifying members, special benefits include:

• A My Mortgage Gift^SM award from Wells Fargo after closing–$500 for buying a home, or $300 for refinancing a home – for use at participating retailers.¹ 
• Special hardship mortgage assistance from Union Plus in the event of income loss due to disability, unemployment or strike/lockout.²

Derek recently purchased a house in Sammamish Washington and his submission reflected his happiness with the ways a new home would affect his family’s life. “The picture was of my boys playing in the front yard,” he recalls, “we lived in a condo before, and we didn’t really have any room for them to play outside, so seeing that was pretty cool.”

Derek has a special appreciation of his new house because of his life on the move. As a pilot, he can be at any end of the country on any given day “We don’t fly just one specific route,” he says; “tomorrow I’ll be in Oakland, then the next day I’m in Las Vegas, so I’m kind of all over the place.”

With so many nights away, Derek is proud of his new home field, and is especially appreciative of the help he received in the home buying process, “I had used Wells Fargo for the mortgage on my condo, and I had a good relationship with them,” he says, “When I bought the new house I decided to go with them again, and they actually brought up Union Plus.”

From there, Wells Fargo helped Derek research the benefits available to him through the Union Plus Mortgage Program. “The person at Wells Fargo basically handled everything, and made the whole process really easy,” he recalls. “They definitely kept the paperwork to a minimum.”

The Home Run Contest was particularly helpful to Derek, as it helped him finally include his family in his travel plans.  “It was good timing, because over spring break we splurged and took the kids to Disneyland, he laughs, “so it definitely helped to offset that vacation.”

The Union Plus Mortgage Program, with financing available through Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, is available for all eligible union members.

For qualifying members, special benefits include:
• A My Mortgage Gift^SM award from Wells Fargo after closing – $500 for buying a home, or $300 for refinancing a home – for use at participating retailers.¹
• Special hardship mortgage assistance from Union Plus in the event of income loss due to disability, unemployment or strike/lockout.²