Monday, September 01, 2014
In a recovering economy, many homeowners are still trying to save money wherever they can. Christine Van Tuyl and Margaret La Grange, real estate agents from Coronado Island, Calif. have released their “Top 15 No-Brainer Ways to Save Money around the House.” Although you may have heard a few of these ideas before, you may not be implementing them. Doing so can save you thousands of dollars a year with minimal effort.1. Turn down your heater or air conditioner when you leave the house. No need to crank it full-strength when no one’s home.
2. Use compact fluorescent bulbs. Experts say they last ten times longer than regular lights.
3. When washing clothes, use the cold-water wash cycle, and the coolest dryer setting you can. Only run the washing machine—and the dishwasher—when they are FULL.
4. If you have a fireplace, make sure you’re keeping the damper closed when you’re not using it.
5. No more expensive bottled water! Invest in a handy water purifier instead, such as the Brita water purifier pitcher. Buy a stainless steel water bottle and refill it throughout the day.
6. Become an expert at in-home entertaining. Studies have shown that people spend more than $2,000 a year (probably more!) on entertainment spending. Instead of going out to eat, invite friends over for dinner. Or better yet, host a potluck.
7. Go veggie. If you can do three meatless days a week, you could save $25 a week, which equals $100 a month. That’s $1,200 a year, folks. Hooray for beans.
8. Brown-bag lunches…well, at least a few times a week. Not only will you save money, but you’ll probably eat healthier and lose weight.
9. If you must go out, make it lunch instead of dinner. The lunch portions aren’t usually much smaller, but they’re a heck of a lot cheaper.
10. Use dining coupons. Save coupons from the paper each week--or take advantage of those priceless coupon books mailed to your house.
11. Save those grocery store coupons from the mail. You know the “junk mail” you throw away every day? Well, it’s actually packed with bargains. Check out the sales at your local grocery store--and bulk up on items when they are on sale.
12. Haggle. You’d be amazed at who will drop their prices, fees and interest rates: airlines, hotels, credit card companies, computer sales people, and more.
13. Never pay full price. If you must shop, discover the online world of discount websites. Our favorites include Ebay and Overstock.com. Craigslist and Half.com are also great sources for lightly used goods--and new items too.
14. Keep minimum funds in your checking account. Keep the bulk of your funds in your savings account where it will earn more interest. Call your bank and shop for the best rates.
15. Use rewards credit cards. If you’re going to charge it…might as well get something back, right? If you can discipline yourself to pay off your card each month, thereby avoiding any interest payments, you can score airline miles and other great perks.
By slightly altering some of your spending habits, you can save thousands over the course of a year. Once the savings accumulate, you'll be glad you made some of these changes.
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