Sacing money on common home expenses like heating and cooling might seem like an impossible task if you’ve fallen into the routine of paying those astronomical bills. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to minimize your spending on common home expenses so you can start investing that money elsewhere. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Car-Related Expenses
Car expenses are a necessary evil, especially if you commute back and forth to work or have a long drive to the grocery store every week. Living in the suburbs can have its drawbacks when it comes to spending money on gas and car maintenance. But there’s no need to worry! The first and simplest thing you can do to reduce these types of expenses is to keep an eye on your mileage. How many miles are you getting to the gallon? If you can increase the number of miles you’re getting from each gallon of gasoline you put in your car, it’s possible that you’ll need to fill up less often. Even though an AC Cobra Coupe famously reached over 186 MPH on a British motorway, make sure you’re following speed limits and not putting extra strain on your gas supply. Another excellent strategy to help you save money on car expenses is to keep up with regular maintenance. DIY what you can, like changing out brake pads or switching out your wiper blades, and make sure you’re staying on top of maintenance activities like rotating tires, getting your oil changed, and washing your car. This might seem like it costs you more money at first, but when you don’t have to pay for catastrophic repairs, you’ll keep a lot more money in your pocket.
Heating and Cooling
Keeping your home at a comfortable temperature is top priority, especially if you live in an area that sees all four seasons. But if you’re noticing heating and cooling bills that just keep getting higher and higher, it’s time for an intervention. A typical AC unit needs about 20 BTU per square foot of space, and you might not know exactly how to calculate that on your own. Your first action item should be to contact your HVAC company and ask them to do an inspection. If your HVAC equipment isn’t sufficient to keep a house your size adequately warm or cool, it’s time to upgrade. And if the problem isn’t the power of your HVAC equipment, then it could be clogged vents, poor air circulation, or even air loss through windows and doors. Before you invest in an entirely new system, make sure you don’t have any furniture blocking your vents and invest in a good duct cleaning. In addition, check for drafty areas around windows and doors. The sooner you seal them up, the better! Of course, it’s also practical to turn your thermostat down a few degrees in the winter and up a few degrees in the summer to save some money.
Water
Saving money on water use might seem like a tricky challenge, but the truth is that it’s not hard at all! While it will require a little bit more diligence and some minor behavior changes on your part, saving money on water use should be a cinch. The first and most obvious way to save on water is to simply use less of it. That means shorter showers, turning the water off while you’re brushing your teeth, and keeping a pitcher of cold water in the fridge to avoid leaving the tap running. If you really want to invest in water savings, consider installing a low-flush toilet and make sure to use low-water settings on your dishwasher and washing machine. These little changes can make a big difference if you’re consistent with them.
Whether your goal is to purchase a real estate investment property or take a long vacation with your spouse, saving money on these common household expenses can help you pave your way there.
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