March 2025 - Newsletter
- Stacy Fernandez
- Mar 26
- 11 min read
Hello friends,
This month we are going to be covering the following:
🏡 Home Tip
This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you.
📸 Lincoln NE Area Market Snapshot
👫 Realtor Matchmaking
Excited to share I was able to match another person with a great Realtor - and guess what she is in TEXAS!
Here is the quick story:
I was posting online about hosting a First Time Homebuyer Virtual Workshop (more details on this later) and I had a friend from a past life (highschool), reach out and ask about her specific situation. The thing was she is in Texas, but guess what!? That is TOTALLY fine! I can still help her out.
I was able to get some more details about her specific situation which locally would be a little bit of a headache. It was vital to find out if that would be the same case in Texas. After doing some research I was able to MATCH her with a great local Realtor that is well versed in her situation.
She is just in the beginning phase of preparing to sell her current home/land and considering her buying options so I will keep you posted on how it goes and hope to have another success story to share with you soon!
If you or someone you know (yes even out of state) is considering buying or selling I'd love to Matchmake them! Don't forget it doesn't cost to be matched. We are compensated by the Realtor you are matched with in the form of a referral. Our service to you costs NOTHING!
Ready to be Match Made? Know someone else who needs a Realtor?
📝 A Note from Your Favorite Realtor
Welcome to another edition of the Monthly Newsletter! Happy to have you here 😊
March has been a fun month so far. We have seen the market pick up a bit especially for our first time buyers in that $250 - $350k range. I was really hoping for a little easier market for my first time buyers, it started off pretty slow this year but we have lost out to a few competitive offers with people writing off inspections and writing in appraisal gaps, already... If interest rates drop we are in for a world of hurt (though they are not expected to so hopefully that will curb some of the crazy offer writing).
Regarding a little life update and a word of warning to those of you who choose to do a frugal month. We decided that since we did so well with Frugal February we made it SPEND YO MONEY MARCH... Okay not really but we did end up making a big purchase.
Now I want to preface this by saying we had planned to make this purchase at some point in 2025 but it was more like a 3rd quarter thing not 1st quarter 💸 Here i'll just break it to you in meme form:
That's right we are now officially camper owners! Meaning we will be creating some core family memories at the lake on the weekends. If you have a camper and need camper buddies let us know! We are really excited and have already broken this bad boy out.
We did a trial run at my parents house but discovered when you first run the furnace on a new camper it smells terrible! They put a special chemical to prevent rust and it burns off the first time you use it. Tip #1 when buying a camper run the furnace for 24 hours and let that sucker air out. We were laying there trying to sleep and thought wow this can't be good for us to breathe in so we abandoned camp and went inside.
The next weekend we did a real trial run at a lake, Pawnee to be exact. Fun part was the first night the power was still out from the storms (well it came back on in the late evening but we didn't notice so we just used our generator for the first night). Also the drinking water faucets were shut off for winter since it is the offseason. We tried nearly every spigot in the park to no avail. Camping Tip #2 the dump station still had the water on, even in the off season, so we were able to test run the plumbing too!
Speaking of the power being off. Hopefully everyone is back up and running after the last winter storm in Nebraska this season 🤞My parents were out for a few days and I know other friends and family were out longer. Some even got it back on but only as a teaser because it was back out shortly after.
If you ever find yourself at the mercy of Nebraska's weather it is nice to have a back up plan. We highly recommend the Jackery Generator! It was brought to our attention by a friend that lived in an apartment and his power was out for 3 days. After that experience he wanted a backup because you really can't rely on anyone else if the whole city is out... We decided it doesn't hurt to have one so we got one too. You can buy them just themselves or with solar panels. We decided on the this one with a solar panel.
(Remember when I said I was trying affiliate marketing - this is an example 🙃 feel free to shop Amazon through my links, it helps me a lot!)
This little guy has come in handy for us lately. We lent it to a friend who's power was out temporarily, my mom was able to plug in her incubator to try to save her future gold stores (chickens 🐣), and we were able to make coffee in our camper when the power was out! Pretty much all of the important things in life saved by one little generator.
Anyway we hope your March is treating you well too. Enjoy a few exclusive photos from our activities so far:
Happy rest of your March! Hope the luck of the Irish were with you this month and that April brings even more exciting things to your life!
👶🏼 Ezrael Exclusive
In this month's edition Ezrael wanted to make sure everyone knows about FREE entry into the Children's Museum.
Wednesday - Mornings at the Museum
From 8am - 9am on *most* Wednesdays the Children's Museum offers FREE admission and FREE coffee ☕
You do have to get there between that timeframe but you can stay and play all day long!
We have done it once so far and it was pretty busy. Ezrael had a lot of fun exploring and by the time nap time came around he was ready for it!
If you ever want a buddy to go with let us know and we will try to make it happen!
Here is the link to their calendar if you need to double check before going:
📅 Event
Virtual First Time Homebuyers Event!
I'm going to be hosting my first ever virtual event helping guide people interested in buying a home. I will admit I'm totally nervous about it and just hope I can give good information without boring everyone to death!
I'm pretty proud of the work I have put into this and am excited to be able to share the information and hopefully help a few more people achieve their homeownership dreams!
If you know of anyone this would help send them my way. It will be a live virtual event but I will also have a recording to share too! Fingers crossed I don't mess up the technology part of things.
💰 Money Saving Tip
This one is for the forever young at heart but who have lived long enough to earn discounts crowd!
I saw this going around on Facebook so I have not verified any of them but worth checking out if you are 50+ I mean who doesn't like to save money!
Rumor has it you must ASK for discount - no ask, no discount.
This list may not only be useful for you, but also friends and family, too.
Dunkin Donuts gives FREE coffee to people over 55. If you're paying for a cup every day, you might want to start getting it FREE.
YOU must ASK for your discount!
RESTAURANTS:
Applebee's: 15% off w/Golden Apple Card (60+)
Arby's: 10% off (55 +)
Ben & Jerry's: 10% off (60+)
Bennigan's: discount varies by location (60+)
Bob's Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)
Boston Market: 10% off (65+)
Burger King: 10% off (60+)
Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee ( 55+)
Chili's: 10% off ( 55+)
CiCi's Pizza: 10% off (60+)
Denny's: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)
Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+)
Einstein's Bagels: 10% off baker's dozen of bagels (60+)
Fuddrucker's: 10% off any senior platter (55+)
Gatti's Pizza: 10% off (60+)
Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)
Hardee's: $0.33 beverages everyday (65+)
IHOP: 10% off (55+)
Jack in the Box: up to 20% off (55+)
KFC: free small drink with any meal (55+)
Krispy Kreme: 10% off (50+)
Long John Silver's: various discounts at locations (55+)
McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday (55+)
Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)
Shoney's: 10% off
Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)
Steak 'n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday ( 50+)
Subway: 10% off (60+)
Sweet Tomatoes: 10% off (62+)
Taco Bell : 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)
TCBY: 10% off (55+)
Tea Room Cafe: 10% off (50+)
Village Inn: 10% off (60+)
Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)
Wendy's: 10% off ( 55 +)
Whataburger: 10% off (62+)
White Castle: 10% off (62+)
RETAIL & APPAREL :
Banana Republic: 30% off ( 50 +)
Bealls: 20% off first Tuesday of each month ( 50 +)
Belk's: 15% off first Tuesday of every month ( 55 +)
Big Lots: 30% off
Bon-Ton Department Stores: 15% off on senior discount days ( 55 +)
C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (50+)
Clarks : 10% off (62+)
Dress Barn: 20% off ( 55+)
Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Kmart: 40% off (Wednesdays only) (50+)
Kohl's: 15% off (60+)
Michael's: 10% off everyday (55+)
Modell's Sporting Goods: 30% off
Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions
Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday ( 55+)
Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off ( 55+)
Stein Mart: 20% off red dot/clearance items first Monday of every month ( 55 +)
GROCERY :
Albertson's: 10% off first Wednesday of each month ( 55 +)
American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday ( 50 +)
Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)
DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)
Food Lion: 60% off every Monday (60+)
Fry's Supermarket: free Fry's VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday (55 +)
Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)
Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)
Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday (50 +)
Publix: 15% off every Wednesday (55 +)
Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)
Uncle Guiseppe's Marketplace: 15% off (62+)
TRAVEL :
Airlines:
Alaska Airlines: 50% off (65+)
American Airlines: various discounts for 50% off non-peak periods (Tuesdays - Thursdays) (62+)and up (call before booking for discount)
Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations
Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
Rail:
Amtrak: 15% off (62+)
Bus:
Greyhound: 15% off (62+)
Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50+
Car Rental:
Alamo Car Rental: up to 25% off for AARP members
Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members
Budget Rental Cars: 40% off; up to 50% off for AARP members (50+)
Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off ( 50+) Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members
National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members
Overnight Accommodations:
Holiday Inn: 20-40% off depending on location (62+)
Best Western: 40% off (55+)
Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Waldorf Astoria - NYC $5,000 off nightly rate for Presidential Suite (55 +)
Clarion Motels: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Econo Lodge: 40% off (60+)
Hampton Inns & Suites: 40% off when booked 72 hours in advance
Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)
InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)
Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler's Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)
Marriott Hotels: 25% off (62+)
Motel 6: Stay Free Sunday nights (60+)
Myrtle Beach Resort: 30% off (55 +)
Quality Inn: 40%-50% off (60+)
Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Sleep Inn: 40% off (60+)
ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT ;:
AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)
Bally Total Fitness: $100 off memberships (62+)
Busch Gardens Tampa, FL: $13 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)
Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)
Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off
Massage Envy - NYC 20% off all "Happy Endings" (62 +)
U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)
Regal Cinemas: 50% off Ripley's Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket ( 55 +)
SeaWorld, Orlando , FL : $3 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)
CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS :
AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $19.99/month (65+)
Jitterbug: $10/month cell phone service ( 50 +)
Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+).
MISCELLANEOUS:
Great Clips: $8 off hair cuts (60+)
Supercuts: $8 off haircuts (60+)
This was copied from a Facebook Post. I'm not sure who the original owner was to give credit to but huge thank you to them for putting it together! Hopefully it is all correct.
Also you will see some specifically for AARP members. Fun fact you do not have to be 50+ to join AARP you can be 18+ and still join and receive the benefits!
Hope you are enjoying these money tips! Keep saving your hard earned dollars one discount at a time 💪
🏡 Home Tip
Happy National Cleaning Week (Starts the fourth Sunday in March - 23rd)
To celebrate I'm going to share my 5 favorite cleaning products we use in our home!
With all of the health issues facing Americans today we have taken a look at the things we are putting in and around our bodies on a daily basis. We have done quite a large overhaul not only in food but in our cleaning products.
When stocking our cleaning supplies we are looking for EWG Verified products. If you haven't heard of EWG it stands for Environmental Working Group. I don't want to get into everything they do because it is a lot! However the short version is they check products ingredients and notate what is known to be risky or pose certain hazards, then rate them based on those findings.
I use their free app to search for pretty much everything we put on, in or near our bodies. You are seeing more and more products with the EWG Verification labels on them which is a good sign to me!
Here are my 5 Favorite Clean Cleaning Products:
Not technically EWG verified but rated A - good substitute for Comet.
(We also use this concentrate for hand soap)
💸 Free Resources
Please note this site is down currently so if you are needing these resources asap please email or text me.
All of these Free Resources can also be found on our Realtor Matchmaking Site:
You can also find Lincoln Nebraska Local Resources here:
Wanting something else specific? Let me know, i'd love to offer more value!
🎯 Goal Tracking
Accountability 101 - Goal tracking update.
This little goal tracker here isn't doing so hot... I'll admit i'm a little embarrassed but I also know it takes awhile for deals to close. Part of doing this was for the personal accountability and quite frankly it is encouraging me to continue doing the business building activities, like staying in touch with my sphere (cough cough this blog).
Hoping by the next blog a few of these will be filled in and 2025 will be off to another year of success stories. Plus I want to have a reason to party so I need to get moving and grooving! Hope you will be there to join me!
🥂 Cheers
Thanks for tuning in again!
-The Fernandez Family (Stacy, Eliezer, Ezrael & Gizmo)
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