Under Budget: How to Keep Your Home Costs Manageable During Home Renovation
Owning a home can be exhilarating. It’s an excuse to host dinner parties, thumb through the latest homeowners’ magazine for an extra ten minutes, hit the home renovation stores on the weekend, and plan the backyard of your dreams. But it can also be expensive.
These are our top tips and tricks to keep your design and maintenance costs manageable while creating the home you’ve always dreamed of living in.
Regulating Electricity
One of the easiest ways to keep costs down and have more disposable income is to lower your electric bill. Most utilities companies allow customers to pay an average monthly sum that factors in seasonal highs and lows on heat or air conditioning.
This allows you to better manage your budget so there aren’t surprises when your bill does arrive. Another great way to keep these costs down is to turn your thermostat off before you leave the house. Although your home might not be the ideal temperature when you return, it should heat back up, or cool down within a half hour.
This half hour of brief discomfort might be worth the hundreds of dollars saved each year that you can put toward your next design project.
Invest in Blinds
Roman blinds can be as beautiful as they are functional. Classic wooden or modern plastic slatted blinds angle sun-rays in or out of the house to add brightness or deflect hot, late afternoon sun.
Look for styles that match the décor and appearance of the home overall. You might also consider getting custom shutters in Miami so the material they’re made from is a perfect match to your other details.
If you don’t have the budget for designer blinds right now, inexpensive versions of the Roman blind function just as effectively to filter light and cut down on cooling costs. In the winter, a sturdy set of shutters can similarly help with the effects of inclement weather and debris.
As an added bonus, they too can add a beautiful pop of color or unexpected detail to even the most subdued suburban homes.
The Dream Home Fund
With big name luxury designers creating home goods and accessories for less, it’s easier than ever to decorate your home on a budget.
Stores such as Target or TJ Maxx have everything you need from quality curtains and bedding, to dish-ware and picture frames for a fraction of the cost of major furniture and design stores. For those few statement pieces you simply can’t live without, or big ticket electronics, set aside money each month in a “dream home” fund.
You can open a simple savings account online through Capital One or Bank of America and transfer a few dollars from your paycheck into the account before you even see it.
Whether you can put back $10 or $100 each month, it’ll add up, so by the time you’re ready to make a big purchase, you’ll have a little cushion to help keep your finances on track.
Air Filters
The old adage “a stitch in time saves nine” is true. Although preventative maintenance can seem costly and unnecessary, you may wish you had taken a few precautionary measures if a major appliance breaks.
One of the easiest forms of preventative care is changing your air filter every three to five months. This will keep your air conditioner and furnace working smoothly and more efficiently, while helping prevent major breaks.
Replacement filters are easy to change and inexpensive, making them a simple, easy tool to take care of your home.
DIY Options
Replacing the hardware on your sink, adding shelves to your kitchen, and switching out ceilings lights are just a few of the many do-it-yourself projects that are much easier than they look.
Most of these tasks only require one or two people to complete, and can be done in an evening or weekend. Shopping online for parts that look similar to designer brands can help you achieve the look you want for less. Also consider taking shortcuts.
For example, instead of paining an entire room, hang fabric panels like faux curtains on a solid wall or frame large swaths of wallpaper that you can hang, to break up the room.
Home Renovation
No matter what your budget is for home renovation , you can create a beautiful home by staying true to your finances and cutting costs when it makes sense. The look for less is easier to achieve than you think.
Category: Home Renovation
