Get Your Backyard Ready for Summer Fun

Home Blog Get Your Backyard Ready for Summer Fun

Posted On: May 12, 2022 by Peoples Bank of Kankakee County in: Home Saving

Summer is right around the corner. Hooray! That means it is time to get your backyard in tip-top shape for hosting family and friends. Don’t panic! We’ve got helpful tips to help you clean up your lawn and quickly elevate your space.

Luxe Greenery

The first thing guests notice about your backyard is the grass. If you address it now, it can look green and lush by summertime. Improve your lawn by properly fertilizing and establishing a mowing routine.

Some common lawn problems and solutions include:

Problem: Dog Damage

Solution: Train your pet to use the side of your yard rather than the prime area of your backyard. Soak the damaged spot with a hose to rejuvenate the grass.

Problem: Fungus Disease

Solution: Adjust your watering and fertilization schedule. Get help properly identifying the disease from a local nursery expert.

Problem: Dry Brown Spots

Solution: Check the operation of your sprinklers to make sure your lawn is being evenly watered. Annual aeration is often recommended.

Spring Clean the Basics

Now is the time to pick up the dried leaves and branches in your yard. This will help you a see what is alive and budding and what needs replacement. Next, sweep your patio and walkway surfaces to remove any winter salt and give your hardscape a clean look.

One common problem can be moss and mildew stains. To remove these stains, try a mixture of white vinegar and Borax dissolved in a cup of warm water. You can also pressure wash the area to sometimes make things look nearly new.

Light It Up

Exterior lighting is an easy way to elevate your space, set a relaxing mood, and increase safety. Brighten up pathways with outdoor solar lights or string lights. Some other lighting ideas to consider include lanterns, torches, and bug repelling candles.

Deck Out Your Space

Decks can take a beating in winter weather. Inspect wood decks for decay and loose railings. If your deck isn’t stained, give it a good scrub. You can use a combination of household items such as laundry detergent, bleach, and water. Next, rinse the deck and sand anything that needs to be smoothed. You can tell whether your deck stain is still protecting the wood if it repels water. If it doesn’t, it’s time to stain again. If that is the case, below are some staining tips and tricks to follow:

How to Restore a Weathered Deck: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/decking/21164885/how-to-restore-a-weathered-deck

5 Quick Tips for Staining a Deck: https://www.consumerreports.org/wood-stains/expert-tips-for-staining-a-deck-a6116790416/

Maximize Comfort

Finally, and probably the most fun tip, is adding furniture. This “fluff” makes your backyard cozy and functional. Here’s some outdoor furniture options to consider:

Dining table and chairs
Picnic table
Couch, chair, or rocker

Bench
Rolling cooler
Outdoor bar cart
Outdoor fridge
Outdoor pizza oven
Grill
Firepit
Canopy
Hot tub
Volleyball and badminton net

Summer is a fun time to enjoy your backyard space with family and friends. We hope these tips help you get your backyard prepped for building wonderful memories all summer long.

An overdraft occurs when you do not have enough money in your account to cover a transaction, but we pay it anyway. We can cover your overdrafts in two different ways:

We have standard overdraft practices that are available after your account has been open for 30 days and as long as you maintain your account in good standing.
We also offer an overdraft protection plan, Overdraft Protection Sweep, a link to a savings account. It may be less expensive than our standard overdraft practices. To learn more, ask us about this plan.

This notice explains our standard overdraft practices.

What are the standard overdraft practices that come with my account?

After your account has been open for 30 days and as long as you maintain your account in good standing, we do authorize and pay overdrafts for the following types of transactions:

Checks and other transactions made using your checking account number
Automatic bill payments

We do not authorize and pay overdrafts for the following types of transactions unless you ask us to (see below):

ATM transactions
Everyday debit card transactions

We pay overdrafts at our discretion, which means we do not guarantee that we will always authorize and pay any type of transaction.

If we do not authorize and pay an overdraft, your transaction will be declined.

What fees will I be charged if Peoples Bank of Kankakee County pays my overdraft?

Under our standard overdraft practices:

We will charge you a fee of up to $30 each time we pay an overdraft.
The maximum daily overdraft fee per presentment or item paid using the Overdraft Reserve Program is $150.00 per day.
No per item handling fee will be charged on de minimis overdrafts. De minimis overdraft for this policy means transactions that overdraw your account by $30 or less.
There is an overdraft fee of $5 per day that will be charged beginning the 4th consecutive business day your account is overdrawn.

Nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees - if an item drafted by you (such as a check) or a transaction you set up (such as a preauthorized transfer) is presented for payment in an amount that is more than the amount of money in your account and we decide not to pay the item or transaction, you agree that we can charge you an NSF fee for returning the payment. Be aware that such an item or payment may be presented multiple times by the merchant or other payee until it is paid, and that we do not monitor or control the number of times a transaction is presented for payment. You agree that we may charge you an NSF fee each time a payment is presented if the amount of money in your account is not sufficient to cover the payment, regardless of the number of times the payment is presented.

PAYMENT ORDER OF ITEMS - The law permits us to pay items drawn on your account in any order (for purposes of this section "items" means checks, orders and electronic transactions). To assist you in handling your account with us, we are providing you with the following information regarding how we process those items. When processing checks and orders drawn on your account our policy is to pay lower numbered checks and orders in numerical sequence, but electronic transactions are paid first in the order received. The order in which items are paid is important if there is not enough money in your account to pay all of the items that are presented. There is no policy that is favorable in every instance. If the smallest items are paid first, you may have fewer NSF or overdraft fees, but the largest, and perhaps more important items (such as rent or mortgage payments) might not be paid. However, if the largest items are paid first, your most important items might be paid but it may increase the overdraft or NSF fees if funds are not available to pay all of the items. We think our policy attains a reasonable balance between minimizing additional costs to you and paying your more important items. We encourage you to make careful records and practice good account management. This will help you to avoid creating items without sufficient funds and incurring the resulting fees.

What if I want Peoples Bank of Kankakee County to authorize and pay overdrafts on my ATM and everyday debit card transactions?

If you also want us to authorize and pay overdrafts on ATM and everyday debit card transactions after your account has been open for 30 days, you may opt in.

You have an ongoing right to change this consent at any time. If your overdraft privilege has been revoked for any reason, the opt-in or opt-out selection may not apply. Please contact your nearest office for more information.

Alternate ways to Opt In/Out or make changes:

By Phone. Our Customer Care Representatives can be reached at 815-936-7600.
By Mail. Peoples Bank of Kankakee County, 333 E. Court Street, Kankakee, IL 60901
In Person. Please visit your local office and ask a representative to help you decide which plan is best for you.