Thursday, May 16, 2013
Here's the story of Marlene Konkoly of Royal Oak, who found creative ways to spend less and save more so she can retire at age 50. This story is the first in our series about Extreme Savers.
Americans may be living longer, but our retirement plans aren’t keeping up. Which means people are living longer with smaller bank accounts. But Marlene Konkoly, a Patch reader from Royal Oak, will retire at age 50. How is she planning it? She contributes a whopping 45 percent of the gross annual income she earns as a procurement officer for an automotive finance company to her retirement—all while owning a home and remaining debt-free. Konkoly is actually well ahead of the retirement savings curve compared to many Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, fewer than half of Americans even know how much money they would need to retire. And nearly a third of employees who had access to a defined contribution plan such as a 401(k…
Find out what's happening around town this weekend.
Looking for something to do this weekend in or around Oakland Township and Lake Orion? Here are some ideas: 3rd Annual Paint Creek Crawl Canterbury Village Farmer's Market Michigan Basset Rescue Waddle at Canterbury Charlotte's Wings 6th Annual Benefit Moosejaw's 5k Elvis Fun Run Friends of RHPL Book Sale Fine Art at the Village "Alley" Art Show 2013 Birmingham Ice Show Did we miss your event? Tell us in the comments!
Deck Art runs through Friday in downtown Rochester. Share photos of your favorite decks on Patch!
In downtown Rochester today, more than 200 skateboard decks will be on display at 50 downtown businesses, sporting an extra bit of flair. With Deck Art 2013—the event's third year—artists ranging from elementary schoolers to adults from around Metro Detroit will showcase their works with skateboard decks as the canvas. Tonight's event kickoff will feature food trucks along East Fourth Street, live entertainment and a kid's art activity area. Sidewalk chalk also will be available at participating businesses. You can see the full lineup of opening-day events here. We'll be downtown capturing the action, but we also want to see things from your point of view. Share your photos from the event here on Patch by clicking the big button beneath …
For over 50 years the Rochester Junior Woman's Club has contributed to the growth and vitality of the community through volunteer service and donation of funds to local charities and organizations.
Sip and savor your way around Oakland County's eateries with Patch.
If you're hungry for the latest restaurant news from around Oakland County, we've got you covered! Read on to find out what's new, what's closed, what's coming and more. Second Sidewalk Cafe for Hamlin Corner: The city of Royal Oak recently approved a second sidewalk cafe at the new Royal Oak bar, which is set to open on May 23. Lisa D's Divine Treats to Open in Downtown Ferndale: "Everyone in Ferndale has been excellent and willing to help me. It's like a family," says owner Lisa Davis, who plans to hold a soft opening for the sweets shop this week and a grand opening May 30. Decorations at the Blue Nile in Ferndale: The decorations go deeper than beauty at the Blue Nile. The hanging umbrellas and angelic faces that adorn the Ethiopian …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Everything you need to know about painting your house: stripping, powerwashing, fixing damaged wood and choosing paint colors. Sponsored by Home Depot.
It’s that time of year in Michigan again and you’re outside, enjoying your yard. Then you start nosing around—maybe you’re inspecting your plants, or reviewing the condition of your lawn or setting up your sprinklers—and before you know it, reality hits. You need to paint the house. A daunting task. An expensive task. A necessary task—because it's not just about how your house looks, it's about your home's value. Neglect is not an option. Take heart, however. Information and resources have never been more easily available to help you through this project. Know Your Options Your options are to either hire a contractor or paint it yourself. Hiring a contractor is an expensive option, but if it's in your budget and you do the necessary …
Find homes for sale in Lake Orion and Oakland Township on this page every week, from our partners at Zillow.
More Oakland Township-Lake Orion Real Estate Listings >>
As part of our new Smart Spending series, Patch wants to uncover the true going rate for various goods and services in town, so you'll know exactly how much you should pay for what you need. Help us out by replying in the comments.
This week: How much do lawn services cost? How much do you pay for your lawn service? And what does that cover - just mowing, or does it cover weeding, pruning, planting? Please share in the comments below - we promise we won't judge you! And if you've got a lawn service you love, tell us that too. Check out a list of lawn services in Oakland Township and Lake Orion in our directory. If you use one of the services, be sure to rate it for your neighbors! This is the first of an ongoing series, "What's the Going Rate for..." where Patch seeks to uncover how much things cost so you never have to ask again.
Patch readers have requested more information about schools.
Patch invites residents, groups, churches, experts, city officials, businesses and more to post in our Local Voices section. Our readers have also recently requested more posts from teachers and local schools. Readers have stated they want to be more connected with information from school officials. They have also requested that teachers share their point of view on bullying, new teaching ideas and methods and more. Part of the Patch mission is to strengthen communities and improve the lives of their residents, but we can't do it without you. Our Local Voices section allows members of the community—from cooking enthusiasts to local politicians and everyone in between—to interact and post directly to the site. These posts then appear on the…
These obituaries were published on the websites of local funeral homes from May 6-13.
Our thoughts are with the friends and families of these people with Lake Orion and Oakland Township ties whose obituaries were published over the past week: To publish an obituary on Oakland Township-Lake Orion Patch, make a post on the "Announcements" page.
Cathy Fucinari
8:46 am on Saturday, May 18, 2013
We are married, had two children, and my husband and I retired at 56. Comfortably. Both kids graduated from college with no debt. It can be done with or without kids. It's about self discipine. more ›