How to Save Money at Home
It can be expensive running a home. Not only do you need to make sure you’ve got enough cash for your weekly food run, but you may want to include a couple of extras on these trips as well. While you need to keep an eye on every cent, you also want to make sure you can have a treat every so often as well. Otherwise, what’s the point of working so hard?
Despite your best efforts, though, there’s always an unexpected bill you have to pay that’s just around the corner. Sometimes, this can make the next few days or weeks tough on your pocket as you find you might need to go without some items. Yet there are ways to avoid these dilemmas: here are some tips for how you can save yourself cash around the home.
Reduce Insurance Premiums
Although it’s costly, it’s important for you to have insurance. You might be able to get hundreds of dollars off your current premiums if you look around. If you can’t find a better rate, then speak with your provider to find out if there are any other discounts available that you might not be using. This could include student discounts or lower rates if you have multiple policies with them, for instance. Using auto insurance as an example, you may also want to increase deductible or cancel your collision coverage if you have an older vehicle.
Pay on Time
It’s probably costing you extra if you pay your bills late. However, you can stop those late fees and rate hikes just by making sure you pay your bills on time.
Use Coupons and Shop in the Sales
Groceries can take up a large part of your budget. So, to help you reduce your spending, start using Target coupons and check out the sales. If you’re a first-time couponer, you could expect to save 15%. With time, you might find this increases to as much as 50%.
Remove Extra Services
Have a look at what you have and think about whether you need items such as call waiting, caller ID, those satellite package or even premium cable. It’s a good idea to have a look at your monthly expenses and see what you could do without either in the short- or long-term.
Cook in Bulk
Each week, make sure you do a meal plan, then designate one day to carry out some bulk cooking. You can then put a few dishes in the refrigerator that you can reheat for dinner, and even add some to the freezer for later in the week. Casseroles freeze well and reheat easily, as can other simple recipes, so you don’t have to get fast food.
Learn Basic House Maintenance
A lot of living happens in your house in just the one year. This means that it’s important for you to properly maintain it on your own. Tasks you could carry out regularly every year include cleaning filters and recaulking your bathtubs.
