Saving money must be a priority if you ever want to get ahead. There are a few simple ways that you can cut the cost of running your household. These 10 tips to save money focused on ways to cut fat at home. Read these 10 tips to save money on the cost of running your home and watch as your savings start to pile up.
Roll Up Your Sleeves And Learn How To DIY
The first of the 10 tips to save money is all about honing your skill set. If you can take on some of the repairs and maintenance of your home as a DIY project, you are going to save a lot of money. While there are some jobs that you should not do on your own, there are plenty of projects that you can take on as a DIY project. For example, house painting is something that anyone can do.
Investing sweat equity in your home will help you to save on labor costs, which can be the biggest chunk of costs when it comes to home improvement projects. You do not have to be extremely handy to do some of the work around your home on your own. There are plenty of online tutorials that can teach you to do just about anything you need to do for your home. Take advantage of the opportunity to save money by doing some of the work around your house as a DIY project. It may take you a little longer to paint the bedroom or hallway on your own, but the savings can be significant.
Have Your Drains Cleaned
Number two on the 10 tips to save money on your home costs is to get ahead of a problem by being proactive. This is going to be a recurring theme. Hire a professional drain cleaning service to clear your main drain annually. Why? It is the least expensive way to manage your drains.
It may sound counterintuitive to have your drains cleaned before they become clogged, but it is not. Having a planned expense like drain cleaning is much better than having an unplanned backup that can damage your home. Keeping your drains clear will ensure that you never run into those unplanned events that can start to really rack up the costs.
Up Your Weather Proofing
The third tip on the 10 tips to save money around the house list is another proactive tip. According to the Department of Energy, about 30% of energy losses go right through old windows and doors. If you can afford replacement windows, go for it. If you cannot, there are still things you can do. Walk around your house and feel around the windows for drafts. If you locate drafts, use weather stripping and/or caulking to repair the drafts.
Taking the steps that you need to, to beef up the weatherproofing around your home can help to reduce energy costs. It is estimated that heating and cooling your home account for 40% of your energy costs each year.
Plant Trees
Number four on the 10 tips to save money list is to hire a tree service. Tree service professionals can plant trees, remove trees, prune trees, and keep your trees healthy. How does this save you money? Trees can create shade and help keep cooling costs down. Trees can also help to provide a wind break to protect your home.
A tree service can help to keep your property value up as well. Keeping the trees on your property in good health can also prevent property damage which, of course, saves you money. Connect with a tree service that can help you manage your trees and start saving money.
Get Furnace Maintenance
Tip number five on the 10 tips to save money around your home list is another proactive step that every homeowner should take. Get professional maintenance of your furnace annually before the heating season begins. Maintenance can extend the life of your furnace, which will help you save money. Maintenance can help your furnace to function at its optimum level and use energy more efficiently, which also helps you save money, and maintenance can help to reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns and heating repairs.
Professional furnace maintenance is a necessity and an easy way to save money. According to the experts, you can extend your furnace’s life by 40% with regular annual maintenance. Of course, energy savings is also significant when your furnace is cared for. Call today to schedule your furnace tune-up and start saving.
Replace Your AC
Tip number six of the 10 tips to save money around your home is to consider AC replacement. If your system is 15 years or older and it has needed to be repaired in the last couple of years, you should consider a replacement. The fact is older models are like energy vampires. Today, AC systems are built for energy efficiency. Remember, about 40% of the energy you use is used by heating and cooling systems. If you can cut down the amount of energy your AC is using, you could see significant savings each and every month on your energy bill.
Speak with an HVAC specialist about energy-saving AC options. It is always better to replace an appliance before it goes completely bad and you are in an emergency situation. It is best to make the decision to replace the unit before it is an emergency because you can take your time to make an informed decision and not feel the pressure to just make a quick emergency needed decision.
Have Your Septic Tank Pumped
Tips number seven on the 10 tips to save money list is to have your septic tank pumped according to the recommended schedule. For most homes, every three years is sufficient. However, if you have a large household, you may want to consider having the septic pumped more frequently. During the pumping, the service provider can let you know if you need septic tank repair. The provider will evaluate your system as they are cleaning it out. About 29% of American households depend on septic systems to remove waste from their home according to the EPA.
If your home is on a septic system, it is essential that you take care of that system to save money. Septic system replacement is very costly. Avoiding those costs is as simple as learning the dos and don’ts of a septic system and having regularly scheduled maintenance.
Get Up Automatic Fuel Delivery
Tips number eight on the list of the 10 tips to save money is to connect with a fuel company for fuel services, propane deliveries and that offers those deliveries on an automatic schedule. Automatic delivery can save you money in two ways. First, there is typically a small discount for customers that are on the automatic delivery list, and second, it will help you budget better. In some cases, there is a third way that you can save with automatic deliveries. Some companies charge a premium to come up and make the delivery if you run out and need an emergency delivery.
Automatic fuel services can help you save. It can also help to ensure that you and your family have heat all winter long without having to self-monitor the system.
Make Any Foundation Repairs
Number nine on the 10 tips to save money list around the home is to be diligent about doing foundation damage repair, home slab repairs, and other repairs that are not necessarily visible but affect the structure of your home. Foundation damage does not get better with time. It gets worse. Addressing the problem early on can mean quick repairs that are affordable. Letting the problem grow will mean more costs to repair.
You can protect your foundation by ensuring your roof is in good condition and that gutters are fully operational. The number one enemy of any house foundation is water. Water can wear away your foundation and cause cracking, settling, and other damage. As soon as you notice an issue, call in an expert. It will save you money.
Last One, Roof Inspections
Number ten on the 10 tips to save money list is to have your roof inspected annually and any time after a big storm. Roof inspections and roof maintenance are great ways to extend the life of your roof and save money. It is always less expensive to make small repairs and upgrades to your roof as needed than to wait until you have a roofing problem.
Partnering with a roofing company that can inspect your roof and makes recommendations for extending the life of your roof is an easy way to save money. If you have not had your roof inspected in a while, call today and make an appointment for a roof inspection. You will save money down the road by following this simple tip.
Some Bonus Tips
There are other little things that you can do to save money around your house. Lower your thermostat by a few degrees. For example, in the winter try to keep your thermostat set at 70 degrees in the summer raise the temperature to about 74 degrees. Moving your thermostat up or down by a few degrees should not impact your comfort, but it will keep your costs down.
Get in the habit of unplugging things you are not using. Energy vampires like cell phone chargers, laptops, and small appliances that are left plugged in consume energy even when they are not in use. Anything that is plugged in and not being used is still consuming energy. Unplug anything that you are not using.
Fix leaks. If you have a leaky faucet, fix it. You could be losing up to 10,000 gallons of water every year if you have two or more small drips. If you pay for your water, that is a tremendous cost that you can curtail by fixing the leak.
Plant a garden. If you plant a garden that is chockful of fresh vegetables, you can cut costs on your grocery bill. If it turns out you have a green thumb and get a bumper crop of veggies, you can preserve them and wind up cutting costs year-round.
Turn off your water heater. If you are going to be gone longer than two days from your home, turn off your water heater. Water heaters will continuously heat water whether you are calling for it at the tap or not. They are designed to maintain a specific temperature. Heating gallons of water every day when no one is home to use it is a cost you can reduce by hitting the breaker and turning the water heater off when you are on vacation.
Cut back on your subscription services. It is estimated that about 30% of streaming service users are “double dipping” in costs, according to Consumer Reports. What does that mean? It means that you are overpaying for streaming services. For example, you may subscribe to one channel for one specific series, but that series may be available down the road on another service that you subscribe to. Check your subscriptions to see if there are any overlaps. If you are still running on cable, or have a satellite dish, consider a streaming service instead. The savings can be tremendous.
There are plenty of ways that you can cut household expenses and start saving. Follow the 10 tips to save on household costs and then look for other ways to save. Reducing costs delivers peace of mind and helps to free up your money to do the things that you want to do. Start saving today.