Do you struggle to save money? You’re not alone. It can be difficult to save, especially if you feel like your income is stretched. If cutting back on your everyday spending is difficult, why not look at ways you can cut back at home? Making some changes to your typical habits could save you a lot of money, helping you grow your savings in a much simpler way.
Start today with these smart savings to make in your home.
Table of Contents
Change to different providers
Have you ever considered that you’re paying too much for your household utilities? You could be! Staying with the same suppliers for your energy and other bills can be to your detriment. Different companies could offer you a cheaper deal, or at least give your current provider cause to reduce your existing bills. Switching your energy supplier is easy when you know what to do, so it’s worth giving it a try to see how much you can save.
Renew your home insurance
Over the years, your home insurance needs can change. Your coverage could have changed over time, or you could be eligible for a no-claims bonus.
It’s always important to make sure you’re paying the right amount for your insurance. Even if your premium ends up being higher than you expected, it’s better to have the right coverage than face having to pay out later.
Reduce your internet costs
It’s hard to imagine life without the internet, but do you need so much of it? Phone plans are becoming more and more generous, providing 4g unlimited data on some plans. You could run all of your home devices from this and still enjoy great speeds – meaning you could get rid of your home provider. It’s not a solution that works for everyone, but it’s certainly something to consider if you’re trying to cut back on your spending.
You should also take a look at how much internet you use. If you’re getting charged for going over your allowance, then switching to a more expensive plan could be a way for you to save money. It’s always important to weigh your options to help you choose the one that sees you spending less.
Do you need cable?
Another seemingly necessary household essential is cable. But in today’s world of on-demand viewing, do you need cable anymore? Different providers like Netflix and Hulu offer thousands of TV shows and movies to watch, which can mean you no longer rely on watching TV when on a schedule. With Disney+ and Apple TV+ on the way, you’ll be spoiled for choice with the various packages that are out there.
Spending more quality time together as a family can also help you rely less on your TV and cable subscription. Spending time together outdoors or playing board games at home can be a fun and affordable way to enjoy time together, and it’ll show you that there’s much more to entertainment than staring at a screen.
Use your car less
A simple way of cutting back on your household spend is to use your car less. If you walk more or cycle, you can save money on your fuel costs, get healthier and you can do the environment a favor too. It’s a tough habit to break, but the more you get out there and walk, the more you’ll enjoy it. You’ll experience the benefits quickly as your fitness starts to improve.
If your car costs are particularly high, you could also consider trading in your car for a cheaper model. Reducing your monthly payments can make a big difference to your outgoings, and you’ll still be able to get to where you need to go.
Sell things you no longer need
A cluttered house can be an easy place to find some savings. Thoroughly decluttering your home could help you to find items that you no longer want or need that could be eligible for selling elsewhere. Decluttering can teach you to live with less, making you less tempted to impulse buy when you’re out shopping.
You can sell your unwanted clothes and household items via eBay, Amazon and in the want ads as a way to declutter, while also making some money for your savings. For the items that can’t be sold elsewhere, consider donating them or recycling them – there are many places that will accept unwanted textiles and will reuse them for other purposes.
Start batch-cooking
Saving money on food can be a simple way to cut back on your spending, without having to change the quality of your lifestyle. There are different ways of making savings on your groceries that can cut your spend each week.
Meanwhile, changing your approach to cooking can also be a good way of saving money. Many families use batch-cooking as a way to prepare meals in advance while making the most of ingredients, which will prevent you from wasting food. Try some new recipes to step up your cooking game and make sure that you save money without sacrificing taste or nutrition.
Be smarter with your energy use
Could you cut down your energy use at home? If you’re using too much power, your bills could be much higher than they need to be. Reducing your energy consumption is easily done by making smarter choices about your energy use at home. Some ways you can easily reduce how much energy you use each day include:
- Use the heating for an hour less than you normally would.
- Unplug all appliances after use
- Limit how much you charge your phone and other devices – don’t leave them connected to power all of the time.
- Conserve heat by closing the curtains and doors in different rooms.
- Don’t leave the light on after you exit a room.
Save money on your shopping
Are you a smart shopper? Perhaps it’s time you tried some money-saving tricks. By learning how to find the bestdeals online, you can make sure that you never miss out on a bargain. It’s surprisingly easy to save money on your shopping – there are always discounts to be found on clothing and home websites. Why not put the extra dollars you save into your savings pot so you can watch them add up during the year?
Don’t rely on takeout
Do you love ordering takeout? It can seem like a nice treat, but it can also become very expensive week after week. Instead of ordering your usual takeout, try cooking it at home for a change! You can easily make pizzas with your favorite toppings or whip together some Thai food. The result will be much healthier and you’ll feel more satisfied knowing you made it yourself.
And while we’re at it, is it time to give up the takeout coffee habit? Invest in a reusable cup and make your coffee at home instead. You could easily save yourself around $3 a day – that’s a lot when you add it all up!
Go down the DIY route
While it can be quick and convenient to call out a handyman when you need something done around the house, it can be a lot cheaper to do it yourself. Some tasks such as painting and decorating can be done easily if you get the whole family involved and will cost you a fraction of what a tradesperson would.
While there can be some limitations to your DIY capabilities, you could be surprised at what you can learn on the internet. YouTube.com tutorials are a great place to get some ideas, and you can take things at your own pace. Who knows, after carrying out some tasks around your home, you could soon become a DIY expert!
Reuse and recycle
Reusing and recycling products around your home can be an excellent way to save money. You can make clothes new again by using bobble removers and making repairs, or using old fabrics around your home to make new items such as blankets or cushion covers.
Upcycling your older furniture is another way you can save money through recycling. Sometimes a bit of TLC and a lick of paint can bring an old piece of furniture back to life, and make it fit in your home once again. There are all kinds of upcycling ideas on Pinterest and YouTube that you can try to help you find some inspiration that you can use in your home.
To make better savings at home, you need to think smarter. Do you always need the lights on? Could you cut back on your grocery spending each week? Small savings like this might not seem like a lot, but over the course of a month or a year, they can be significant. Whatever you’re saving for, whether it’s your future, the kids’ college fund or you simply want to have something put aside for a rainy day, it’s important to get into the habit of saving. Start saving smarter by starting with savings you can make at home now.
