Five Ways to Save Money around the Household

SHARE THIS

FACEBOOK

  DELICIOUS

  SU

  REDDIT

A home is a big investment for the future but the cost of living, at this moment, can cause a tremendous amount of stress if it’s breaking the bank. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to reduce, minimize, and cut-back on your way of living without making huge sacrifices to your lifestyle – doing so will not only save you money but you may find yourself happier than ever before.

The following are five different ways to save some money around the house that shouldn’t twist your arm and drive you up the walls:

1. Cool the house with strategic foliage

Strategic placement of trees and other brush can do wonders for keeping your house cool during the hotter months. These low-tech ways of cooling also happen to improve your property value because it creates an attractive presentation for would-be buyer’s so keep plants in mind if you’re looking for ways to save on your heating costs.

2. Cut down on energy consumption

Electricity is an essential element of a comfortable lifestyle but it can put a strain on your monthly bills especially if you leave appliances on all-the time. One way to combat high usage bills is to seek a provider that has competitive rates which can be found on sites such as www.saveonenergy.com which offers an energy rate comparison chart for your location. Couple in energy saving appliances and you’ll cut those energy costs in half.

3. Declutter and rethink your purchasing habits

Have you ever wondered why you have so much stuff?

We live in a consumerist world which means we always seem to accumulate new items throughout the year when, in reality, we probably don’t need them all. The first step to save is actually by decluttering; consider going through your items and sorting them by keep, sell, and donate. Get rid of the items you don’t need and use the exercise as a way to rewire your brain so you’re less likely to buy so much stuff in the future.

4. Invest in the long-term, money saving improvements

Taking a loan for new wiring, insulation, structural reinforcements, or other big upgrades may bring about a bit of freight but these are solid investments for your home that will save you a lot more money in the long-run. There are many small and large improvements you can do around the house that add up whether it’s adding weather stripping to your doors and windows, replacing old light bulbs with modern LEDs, automating the thermostat, or investing in a high-efficiency washer and dryer.

5. Learn to cook (and love the leftovers)

Last, but certainly not least, is the act of cooking. Cooking can be a wonderful skill to possess because it can always come in handy when you need to entertain. Likewise, you’ll save heaps of money by cooking in rather than going out; you also gain the option of utilizing canning and other long-term storage methods (leftovers, anyone?) that can substantially cut your food costs down (in which savings could go toward some of the other items on the list).

All-in-all, a minimalistic approach to personal finance and savings, through the items mentioned, presents you with the “big wins” that’s tremendously valuable and rewarding compared to the one-off savers such as going an extra mile to pay a few pennies less than gas (as an example). Put these items into action and the cost of your household will dip way below your average budget (and you’ll feel way better since you’ll have less financial stress).