When you buy or rent a home, you are more than likely already paying large sums of money each month to your landlord, or to cover your mortgage repayments. On top of this, there are all the other costs of living, such as bills, groceries, and even car payments and upkeep. Even with two incomes available in your household, this can lead to some months feeling pretty tight, or needing to go without, just to make sure that the basics are covered. By finding ways to save money within your home, you can help the rest of your money to stretch that bit further.
Lighting
You want to be able to efficiently light your home so that, even on the darkest of nights, rooms are lit enough for you to be able to see and carry out tasks. Choosing these warm white LED dimmable bulbs means that not only can you adjust the level of light to suit your needs, but they will also last for approximately 30,000 hours. In comparison, traditional halogen bulbs usually have a lifespan of around 2000 hours. It’s a no brainer, the benefits of LED lighting heavily outweigh its counterparts – LEDs use less energy and are therefore better for the environment and your wallet. They also don’t emit high levels of heat, as some bulbs do, meaning that they are safer.
Heating
The way in which you heat your home may vary, depending on whether your heating runs off of electricity, gas, or oil. While this may not be able to be altered, or within your budget to do so, there are ways that you can reduce your annual heating costs. Closing the windows when the heating is on can keep the heat in your home for that much longer, and reduce the length of time it needs to run for. Also, making sure that your home is well insulated will also drastically decrease the amount of heat that is lost through the walls and loft space. For slightly chilly days, it can be better to simply pop a jumper on, rather than using the heating for the sake of a few degrees.
Shopping Around
While it can be convenient to stay with the same provider for gas, electricity, oil, and even other services such as your internet provider, this is often not the most efficient idea for your money. Shopping around and looking for better deals can help you to cut down on any increased charges. At times, getting quotes from other providers can also help to encourage your existing provider to also drop their premiums, meaning you can stay put after all.
Finding ways to save money doesn’t mean you need to give up on your enjoyment of your home. Instead, it is about looking for the best ways to have your needs met at a cost that better suits you. Spending just a small amount of time looking into the savings you could make can help you to decrease your living costs year after year.
