Running a home can be expensive! Do you ever feel like your house is a money drainer?
Money is, for most of us finite, and that means there is only a certain amount to go around when it comes to running and maintaining our homes. Of course, that can make things tricky, especially if you want to do any renovations, decoration work, or wish to invest in some new home furnishings, because these things aren’t free. Luckily, there are some tactics you can use to reduce the cost of running your home, so you have more money left over for the fun things in life. In fact, all you need to do is read on to find out what they are.
Stop chucking out old clothes
What do you do when you or your family members have clothes that no longer fit, or are too old to be worn? Throw them away? Well, if that is the case, it’s time to stop, because what you’re actually doing is chucking money in the bin!
Of course, I don’t actually mean that in their current state your old, laddered tights and ripped jeans are worth much, although you can donate them to charity. They can also be used around the home in place of other items like dusters, wash clothes, dust sheets,s and even as towels for your pets. After all, you have to pay money to buy such things, and you won’t need to do this if you use old cut up clothes instead.
In fact, one of the smartest way of doing this is to find some cotton items and cut them into 20 cm squares. Then find a large glass jar and fill it with a homemade cleaning and anti bacterial solution, something you can find out more about in the last section of this post.
Then you will have nearly free reusable antibacterial wipes for your kitchen and bathroom. In fact, not only will these not cost you as much as the disposable ones that you buy in packages from the supermarket, but they are also way better for the environment as well.
Cut your heating bills
Next, to reduce the running costs of your home, it’s crucial that you minimise any energy bills. A smart way of doing this is to decrease the amount of money that you pay out to heat your home.
Happily, in most properties, this isn’t too difficult because there are some smart tactics you can use to prevent the air that you pay to heat from escaping. One is to find any drafts from windows or under doors and to plug these up with putty or excluders.
Additionally, you can use spray foam loft insulation in the upper part of your home, as this will create an airtight roof structure. Something that will prevent all that lovely warm air from escaping and so should significantly help to reduce your heating bill.
Change your diet and the way you cook
Many people don’t like to hear this suggestion, but just because it isn’t popular doesn’t mean it’s not valid. In fact, changing the way you and your family eat and cook can be hugely effective when it comes to saving money on food costs when running your home.
First of all, it means shopping to a list, and instead of throwing away vegetables and meats as they go out of date, making sure these are cooked and frozen for use at another time. Also, don’t forget that by buying food items lose, rather than in individual packages and portions you can not only save a fortune but cut down on your plastic waste as well.
Finally, if you really want to go the extra mile when it comes to saving money on food costs, why not consider switching to a vegetarian diet? After all, this can be healthy and varied, and without the cuts of meat driving the price of your shop up, you can really save a whole bundle and still make sure all the family eats well.
DIY your own cleaning products
Finally, when it comes to saving money on home running costs it is crucial that you cut down the number of cleaning products and toiletries that you buy. Yes, we do tend to see these items as essential, but the cost of them can really add up each month.
In fact by making your own cleaning products as demonstrated in the video above we can save a significant amount of money on a monthly basis. Of course, you get the added benefit of not having all those nasty chemicals that they use in commercial cleaners hanging around your home too, making it a win-win situation.