Ways to Save Money at Home

Did you recently buy a new home and are still trying to get your finances in order?  Are you looking to find ways to save money in your new home?  Whether you just moved or you’ve been in your home for a while now, it never hurts to save some money.  There are several ways to do this that you never thought of.  Whether it is on bills, cleaning, food, pets, or more, there are various ways for you to save money in your home.

Water Bill

It’s undeniable that water bills can definitely be a blow to your finances every month and you may not know why.  You may wasting water and paying for it without realizing it.  There are ways to conserve water and lower your water bill.  When brushing your teeth, washing your face, or washing the dishes, turn off the water until you need it again. Also, check for and fix any leaks that may go unnoticed.

Electric Bill

It’s understandable that there are days when you just need the AC on because the heat is too unbearable but to save money on your electric bill during the hot months, take a break from the AC and draw the blinds half way leaving enough light in but still minimizing the amount of sun rays entering the windows.  Also, open the windows a bit and put in a circulating fan to suck out the hot air from the home.

When you go to the store and look at the light bulb section, you’ll notice that there are quite a few options.  Choose the energy efficient light bulbs to reduce the cost of your electric bill.  Replace any old incandescent bulbs throughout the home with the energy efficient ones.  Also, be sure to turn off lights and electronics when not in use.  You can also take an extra step to save some money by unplugging anything that you’re not currently using such as lamps, phone chargers, fans, etc.  Although they may not be turn on or in use, the plug in the socket is still using some energy, meaning more on your bill.

Save money on your electric bill on other sources of energy in the home such as your dryer.  Instead of putting your washed clothes in the dryer, hand dry your laundry outside. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Argue

Arguing isn’t pleasant but sometimes it’s what it takes to save money on your home bills.  You may qualify for a lower monthly payment on things like your cable and phone bill.  Call your provider and try to get a lower price.  

Gas Bill

During the colder months, turn down the thermostat a few degrees and compensate by layering up on the clothing.  Throw on some warm slippers and a wool sweater, cuddle under a thick blanket, light some candles throughout the home, and start a fire in the fireplace.  These are great ways to not only save on your gas bill but also to create a warm homey ambiance. 

Lower Oil Prices

If your home requires oil for heating during the colder months, check with your oil company to find any details on locking in lower rates by pre-paying seasonally for oil.  This way, you won’t have to worry about increasing prices when temperatures drop and you may even get a discount if you pay in cash!

Phone Bill

You may be thinking, who has a landline anymore?  Especially in this day and age of technology.  You may be paying for a phone bill at home and not even realize it since you only pay attention to your cell phone bill.  Many companies may bundle a landline service with your cable and internet and you aren’t aware of it.  Give your provider a call and have your landline canceled.

Home Improvements

Major repairs can definitely lead to major costs.  Stop small repairs from becoming large and money consuming by fixing any minor problems. 

Food for Thought

There are different ways to save money in the home when it comes to food.  Planting a garden can help save money on produce as well as reassure you that your food is safe and healthy to eat.  Plant fruits, vegetables, and herbs such as tomatoes, basil, parsley, cucumbers, peppers, berries, lemons, zucchini, rosemary, and more!

When it comes to grocery shopping, buy in bulk.  Not only will you save more when buying in bulk but also when you cook in bulk.  Utilize your freezer by cooking enough meals to place some in the freezer for later in the week.  This will also help to save you time, assure that your family is eating a home cooked meal every day, and will help prevent those spontaneous dinner stops at a fast food restaurant. 

You may open your cupboards and pantry and say to yourself that there’s nothing to eat for dinner.  Well, you’re wrong.  Reorganize your cupboards, pantries, and refrigerator to see what you actually have.  Get creative and use what you already have.

Homemade Cleaners

Save money on cleaning supplies by making your own!  This is a great way to make sure that you’re using safe and effective products in your home to keep your family safe.  Use products like baking soda, real lemons, orange peels, natural oils, vinegar, and more to create safe cleaning products.  Research recipes and ideas to help find one that you like.

Restore the Carpet

Rather than letting your carpet and rugs endure years of stains, dirt, and germs, leading to them having to be replaced, rent a steam cleaner instead.  Restore your carpets on a regular basis by renting a steam cleaner for little cost from your local grocery or hardware store.  This is an excellent way to save money from having to replace your carpets and rugs.

Rearrange and Refurbish

Often you’ll get bored with your home décor and furniture, driving you to want to replace it all with something new.  Instead of reaching into your wallet and spending money on something brand new, rearrange and refurbish what you already have.  Sometimes all it takes is a rearrangement of a room to give it a fresh new feel.  If something is old or unappealing, go into your garage and find materials and paint to refurbish what you have.  Adding new knobs to drawers, taking out drawers and replacing with baskets, sanding down rough edges and painting a fresh new color, or adding a simple design to a surface will all give a brand new feel and look to what you already own.

Clean and Sell

Rather than buying and bring in, clean and take out what you already own.  Do a great Spring cleaning of the home and hold a rummage sale or sell things online.  This is a great way to lighten the home will putting money back into your wallet.

Also, try trading home items with friends and family members.  Instead of spending money on something from the store, find something that you can do without and trade it with something that a friend or family member wants to get rid of.  This is a nice way to give your home a nice facelift with new items without spending any money.

Save the Planet

It’s great to recycle and it’s even better to get paid to do it!  Take your recyclables to a local center that will give you money back for your plastics, paper, and glass.

Clip and Save

Spend less money on a Sunday paper subscription than it costs to buy one in the store.  This way, you’ll conveniently have the Sunday paper sent to your home, sometimes even with a free Wednesday paper, saving money than if you bought it every week.  The Sunday (and Wednesday) papers have coupon and ads in it.  Take some time to clip coupons for groceries to save money and use any discounts and coupons in the ads for your favorite stores to shop at.

      
       Reduce Unused Expenses 

 Lighten your stack of bills by figuring out what you are paying for every month and trying to minimize that list.  You may be paying for things that you are unaware of, that you have forgotten about, that you don’t use, or that you rarely use.  This includes gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, and online automatic account renewals.

Whether you are settling into a new home and are facing expenses galore or you are looking to save money in an already established home, there are various ways to save money at home.  Try different ways and see what works best for you and your family.