10 Ways Your Home Can Save You Money
English: Energy-saving LED bulb Nasena (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are many ways in which your home can save you money in the short and long term; it’s crucial to be aware of the different areas of your home that can be adapted to be more cost effective, while also considering the installation of new devices and renovations that can add value to your property. You should also view renovations in your home as an investment in saving money through more efficient appliances and wiring. These money saving approaches consequently include:
1 – Getting New Insulation
Make sure that your insulation is up to date and doing its job – inspect your roof and attic for ventilation space, as well as signs of drafts and leaks; you can tackle window and door draughts by using draught excluders and double glazing.
2 – Creating a Vegetable Garden
If you want to save money on your weekly shop, consider creating a vegetable garden; you don’t always need a lot of space, and can use a vegetable patch to grow carrots, potatoes, and other perennials; these can be combined with basil and other herb plants in your kitchen.
3 – Being More Energy Efficient
Look for areas around your home where you might be able to save on your electricity and gas; are you taking very long showers every day, and do you tend to leave your appliances on standby overnight? There are lots of small ways in which you can change your habits and make small but important savings, from switching off lights to limiting your shower time.
4 – Getting New White Goods
In the long term, it’s best to swap out your old white goods for more efficient, Energy Star versions; fridges and freezers with an Energy Star rated tend to be much more effective than older models, and can better conserve energy.
5 – Selling Old Items
Make sure that you go through old items around your home, and sell on anything that you don’t need for a profit; old furniture might be sold online through Gumtree, while mobile phone handsets can be wiped and sold back to manufacturers and other companies; jumble sales and car boot sales can also be used to sell old books and DVDs in bulk.
6 – Converting Rooms
One way to make your home more cost effective is to carry out room conversions – this means considering changes such as waterproofing a spare bathroom to become a wet room, or converting a spare room into a bedroom.
7 – Refinancing Your Mortgage
Spend time comparing available mortgage rates against your own, and consider whether you can benefit from refinancing for lower interest rates; while you will extend your term, you can make savings on monthly payments, and can borrow against your equity.
8 – Installing New Blinds
It can be a good idea to install new window blinds that have UV coatings – these blinds can reflect back harmful UV rays, and are also excellent at insulating heat.
9 – Fixing Small Problems Around the House
Again, it’s possible for your home to save you money if you make sure that you’re staying on top of small problems that are causing expensive repairs, or are likely to in the future. Repair broken taps, check for cracks, and identify signs of damp before they get worse, while noting any draughts or drops in temperature.
10 – Use Energy Saving Devices
You can improve your energy saving habits in a number of ways, from installing energy saving lightbulbs, to fitting monitors around your home to check for any sudden increases in electricity usage; doing so can allow you track your energy usage and make more accurate bill estimates that’ll save you money in the long run.
Author bio: Liam writes about home improvement and finance, from estate agents in Ipswich to the latest finance news. He enjoys giving advice to those in need.
Category: Saving Money
