Saving Money at Home: Ten Easy Ways

These days, everybody is looking for ways to cut back on expenses and make the paycheck stretch a little further. Here are ten simple ways to reduce your household costs by making a few minor changes in the way you live.

Stop wasting water. How many of us let the tap run when we shave or brush our teeth? Or run the dishwasher when it's not full? Reduce your water bill by getting into the habit of turning off the tap until you are ready to rinse. As for the dishwasher, only run it when it is full. Over the course of a year, you will be surprised at how much you save.

Do the yardwork. This can actually save money on several fronts. By mowing your own lawn, trimming your own shrubs, and caring for your own flower beds, you are likely to save anywhere from $50.00 to a $100.00 a week. At the same time, you can drop that gym membership; and eliminate that monthly fee. Use the time you would spend at the gym to work in the yard, and you will still have plenty of free time on weekends.

Dust off the bicycle. All too often, we jump into the car to run an errand that is no more than a half dozen blocks away. Do yourself a favor and bike instead. You get fresh air, sunshine, and a mild workout, which you probably need anyway. As a bonus, you'll cut back on your impulse buying, since you can only haul so much home on a bicycle.

Cook extra. It costs no more to bake three casseroles than it does to bake one. When you use the oven, make several dishes at one time. Freeze what you don't need for later. You'll cut back on your gas or electricity consumption because you run the oven less. Plus there is always something in the freezer to microwave when you need to prepare dinner quickly.

Reset the thermostat to accommodate the season. A lower setting in winter means the heat pump will run less. Anybody who gets cold can quit running around in shorts and a T-shirt and put on jeans and a sweater. For summer, set the thermostat high enough to keep humidity levels down but don't try to keep the house ice cold. Tell everybody to dig out the shorts and T-shirts they packed away last winter.

Have a yard sale. You need to clean out the closets anyway, so why not make some money at the same time? Make it a neighborhood event and get three or four other neighbors involved. You'll attract more customers and have a better chance of selling your junk to someone who sees it as a treasure.

Pay bills online. Put that high speed Internet connection to work and pay as many bills as possible online. Keep in mind every bill paid online is one less stamp you have to buy. Over the course of a year, you may save anywhere from $100.00 to $400.00 in stamps alone.

Take another look at your cable service. Do you really need 300 channels? Keep a log for a month, noting every channel where you actually watched something for more than five minutes. At the end of the month, you may find that all the channels you prefer are included in a less expensive package.

Put up a clothesline. Instead of running the dryer, hang the clothes outside in the sunshine. They will smell great and it will cut the power bill a little each month. Save the dryer for rainy days.

Drop the magazine and newspaper subscriptions. How many of them do you actually ready, anyway? You can read online editions for free in many cases. There is also the option of reacquainting yourself with the local library, where you can read newspapers and magazines in a peaceful environment without it costing one red cent.

There are plenty of other ways to cut back on your expenses. In fact, you are likely to find that employing a little ingenuity and practicality to your lifestyle will allow you to enjoy your days a little more. Try these tips, and any others you can think of. At the end of the month, you may find that making ends meet is not quite as hard as it once was.