Without even realising it, many of us are throwing money down the drain with some of our daily habits at home. It happens through our energy usage, our food waste and as a result of the service providers we choose to utilise. More often than not, we do not even realise the many ways to save money around the house.

With a few simple changes at home, you can cut down home expenses and start putting the money you save to better use.

Here are some easy changes you can implement to save money around the house:

Reduce Energy Usage

Leaving unnecessary electronics running or forgetting to turn off lights when you leave a room are costing your money. These days a large portion of our home electronics have standby capabilities, which means while the energy use is much lower than when they are inactive use, they still continue to use small portions of energy. Consider turning these off at the wall instead.

Turn light switches off when you leave the room and install energy-efficient light bulbs in your light fittings and lamps. You can also reduce energy usage at home by purchasing energy-efficient home appliances and white goods.

Meal Planning

The average family wastes a lot of food though it spoiling before it is used. This is the result of not planning meals, and not shopping with specific menus in mind. Meal planning can be an effective way to save money around the house, by having specific meals planned for different days of the week, and shopping accordingly. This helps minimise the amount of food you are throwing out before using and can also discourage you from spending on spontaneous grocery items.

Grow Your Own Food

While not all of us have a green thumb, growing your own food at home can be a great way to save money on fresh produce. The initial set-up costs can be high, however long term you could be saving on your weekly grocery spend by picking fruit, vegetables and herbs from your own garden.

Do Regular Supplier Audits

At least every 6 months, take some time to go over each of your regular service or utility-based expenses and see whether this is still the ideal option for your household. Examples included internet and phone services, insurance products, utility providers for electricity and gas and any other recurrent expense.

Make time to do some research on alternative service providers to see if you are able to reduce your costs, or even consider calling your current provider and asking for a better deal. There is no harm in asking.

 


Holly Connors is a freelance writer and blogger at Simplify Create Inspire, with a focus on simplifying life, saving money and getting organised. She also writes a family travel blog with her husband. Holly is a mother of 2 with a background in psychology, although more recently self-employed and enjoying the less conventional side of earning a living. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.