With some common sense tips and some not-so-obvious suggestions, there are many ways you can save a pretty penny around the house. Here are Ways to Save Money Around the House you can start saving anything from a few cents to thousands of dollars today.
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Ways to Save Money Around the House
Save money automatically
Did you know that you can save money without thinking about it? Yup—you can set up your bank account to automatically transfer funds from your checking account into a savings account every month. If that sounds scary to you, you can also set up your direct deposit to automatically transfer 10% of each paycheck into your savings account. Boom!
Reduce energy costs
Did you know that you can save money on your electric bill just by making a few tweaks to your home? Start with some simple things like taking shorter showers (nope, we didn’t say fewer), fixing leaky pipes, washing your clothes in cold tap water, and installing dimmer switches and LED lightbulbs.
While new, energy-efficient appliances are a great way to save money on your electric bill, they’re expensive! But if you work it into your monthly budget, you can save up and pay cash for those improvements over time.
Turn off the lights: Keeping the lights on in your home may not be expensive on a per-watt basis, but it sure does cost money over time. To save as much as you can, turn off lights any time you leave your house – or even when you leave the room. Turning off lights when you have plenty of natural sunlight can also help keep your electric bill down over time. The bottom line: If you aren’t using a light, turn it off- Ways to Save Money Around the House.
Keep Tires in Alignment
Keep your car aligned and save about $140 per year. If your tires are bowed out of alignment by just .017 in., it’s the equivalent of dragging your tire sideways for 102 miles for every 20,000 you drive. That’ll cost you $150 a year in wasted gas.
It will also wear your tires faster, costing you $70 more a year. Here’s an easy way to check your alignment without taking your car in to the shop. Buy a tread depth gauge ($2) and measure the tread depth on both edges of each tire (rear tires too).
If one side of the tire is worn more than the other, your car needs to be aligned. An alignment costs about $80, so you’ll still save $140 the first year alone.
Make Your Own Cheap Wall Art
Affordable wall decor is at your fingertips when you transform some of your favorite photos into a collage of cool black and whites, frame beautiful fabric scraps, utilize your kid’s artwork, or paint your own scenes.
Buy quality appliances that will last
It’s worth the time to do a bit of research when you buy a new appliance. A reliable, energy-efficient washer and dryer might cost you quite a bit now, but if it continually saves you energy and lasts for 15 years instead of five, you’ll save significant money in the long run.
When you need to buy an appliance, do research: Start with back issues of Consumer Reports at the library. An hour’s worth of research can easily save you hundreds of dollars. Additionally, consider utilizing a professional to install appliances to ensure they are installed properly and will last in the long-run.
Organize and Use Your Pantry
Keeping a well-organized food pantry means you are less likely to buy things you don’t need or let items go past their expiration dates. Like a good episode of Food Network’s “Chopped,” you should also make sure to use all items in your pantry, too.
Invite friends over instead of going out
Going out to eat or “out on the town” has a way of completely destroying both your food budget and your entertainment budget in one fell swoop. And no matter what, it is always cheaper to stay in with friends and come up with your own entertainment.
Instead of hitting the town, host a fun pitch-in dinner with your friends. Play cards, sit around a fire pit or watch movies with your guests. You’ll all save money – and have a blast.
Drink more water
Not only does drinking plenty of water have great health benefits — it has financial benefits, too. Drink a big glass of water before each meal in order to stay fuller longer and ultimately eat less. Not only will you save on the food bill, but you’ll also feel better after you become properly hydrated.
Even better, drinking more water — whether in a refillable bottle or at restaurants — means spending less money on beverages like soda, juice, and tea. Remember: Tap water is not only just as clean as bottled water, it’s also free.
