Top Tips On How To Save Money At Home

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When planning your budget one of the first areas people tend to look at is how to save money at home. Below are a few ideas on how to save money on your household expenses.

Plan Your Meals

Make a weekly food plan of the meals you will have for that week. Make yourself a shopping list and only buy what’s on your list. Having a plan is a great way to organise your meals and also means that you will waste less food. If there’s a promotion on a food you like then substitute it for an item on your list. Remember though, it’s a substitute not an addition.

Click here to see my article about why meal planning is an important part of your budget.

MAKE YOUR OWN

Buy fresh, frozen or dried ingredients rather than ready-meals or takeaways. It’s a great way to save money and to eat healthier. There a hundreds of cheap and easy meal recipes out there so do a little research online. Another way to make a saving on your food bill is to buy store’s own brands rather than the more expensive brands. You can save a lot of money this way and you will probably be pleasantly surprised by the quality.

BATCH COOKING

Batch cooking saves time and money. If you will be running your oven for a couple of hours then make more than one meal at the same time. You can make two or three different meals, portion them and then freeze them to use another day. Be sure to clearly label the containers so that you will always know what meals you have in your freezer.

BABY FOOD

Ready-made baby food in jars, tins and pouches may be convenient but can be expensive. Make your own healthy baby food at home. Use a blender/food processor to create the correct texture for your child then portion it in small containers, label and freeze. It’s just as convenient as shop bought ready-made food but it will be a tasty, healthy homemade meal.

COUPONS/OFFERS

You can save on your food bill by using money-off coupons. There’s always a lot of coupons available so it’s worth checking online for promotions. There are websites that specialise in money saving coupons. These sites often have a range of savings on food, household and beauty products and also pet and personal hygiene items. You can print the coupons for use in store or use the code for a discount when buying online. You can also get money-off coupons from magazines and flyers.

CASHBACK SITES

If you’re buying goods or services for your home online you can get money back from the cost by purchasing through a Cashback site.There are several cashback sites online that offer money back if you buy products or services via their website.

The percentage of cash that you will get back varies from site to site so do a bit of research first. This is particularly important if there is more than one site offering cashback on items you want to buy. One site may offer a higher percentage of cashback on the same item or service so by doing a quick check you will get the best deal.

You will need to sign up to the cashback sites but this is usually a quick and easy process.

FREE SAMPLES

Free samples are another opportunity to save money. Companies often promote new or improved products by offering free samples. You may need to sign up for your free samples online, by phone or by freepost. This will depend on the individual company. Some companies may ask you to leave feedback.

Some of the large supermarket chains often have promotions in store for new products or existing products they want to promote. When you go shopping keep a look out for staff members offering free samples to taste or test, or any leaflets that are being handed out for services such as in store opticians.

BULK BUYING

Bulk buying is a another great way to save money in the long term. We all need basic items to keep our homes running smoothly and our families looked after. There are certain things that we all need to buy regularly such as laundry, cleaning and personal hygiene products as well as food. When the items you use regularly are on offer it’s worth stocking up on them. Even if the offer is on a different brand from what you usually buy, but you’re happy to use it, then stock up on it while it’s cheap.

SURVEYS

There are companies that offer a small financial reward to people who are happy to complete surveys online. While the reward is small for each survey you can leave the money in until it reaches a useful amount. The surveys usually only take a few minutes of your time and can be interesting to take part in.

RECEIPT APPS

There are mobile phone apps that you can download that allow you to earn money by scanning your shopping receipts. These are based on in-store purchases and generally exclude utility bill payments but may include petrol receipts. There are different rewards and rules for each one so check out the details before signing up to one that suits you.

HOMEBREW

If you like a tipple but want to make savings on the cost, then making your own could be just the thing for you. There are a wide range of kits available, not only for beer and wine, but also for lager, stout, cider and other alcoholic beverages. Homebrew is far cheaper per bottle than shop bought and, if you use a kit, it’s easy to make. Kits are widely available online and also in specialist shops and some supermarkets.

You will need some basic equipment to make your homebrew. You can buy this cheaply when it’s on offer or cheaper still by buying it second-hand. Car boot sales are a great place to pick up fermenting bins, demijohns and other brewing equipment. All homebrew equipment needs to be washed and sterilised before each use anyway, whether it’s new or used, so don’t worry if it’s been stored in someone’s garage/shed for a while before you buy it.

You can also buy starter kits that contain everything you need to make your first batch. You can reuse the equipment in the kit when you want to make some more. Look out for special offers on starter kits so you get the best deal when you buy.

REDUCE YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL

You can save on your Electricity bill by:

Use energy saving light bulbs
Always turn off the lights when you leave the room, even if it’s for a short while
Electric cookers continue to cook for some time after being switched off, so turn your oven off a few minutes before you’re ready to eat. Let the heat that’s already built up in the oven finish the cooking for free.
Only boil the amount of water that you actually need when you boil your kettle
Always switch off rechargeable phones and gadgets as soon as they are fully charged
When you’re taking things out of the freezer close the door/lid straight away, don’t leave it open while you sort out the food. Your freezer will have to work harder with the door/lid open, using more energy, and the internal temperature will rise increasing the risk of spoiling the freezer contents. The same rule applies to your fridge.
Cooking in the microwave uses less power than cooking in a conventional oven as it’s faster and only heats the food and not the room. There are loads of recipes available for tasty home cooked meals that you can do in the microwave. You can find them online, in cook books that you can borrow from your local library and also in magazines. Do a bit of research and experiment.
When you do the ironing and you get to the last item switch the iron off. It will stay hot long enough to iron it without using any power. Depending on your iron you may find that you can do more than one item with the power off before the iron gets too cool. The same applies to hair straighteners and curling tongs. Switch them off before you add the finishing touches to your style.

REDUCE YOUR GAS BILL

Save on your gas bill by:

If you use gas to heat your water you can save money by adjusting the temperature on your boiler. Decreasing the temperature even slightly will cost you less. And remember, taking a shower rather than a bath uses less power and less water.
If you have gas powered central heating you can save money by putting on another layer of clothing when you feel chilly, rather than turning up the thermostat. Turn off radiators in unused rooms or at least set the radiator thermostat to the frost setting. Turn off your heating 15-20 minutes before you go to bed or leave the house, your house will stay warm for quite some time after the heating is off.
Bleed your radiators if the top of the radiator feels cooler than the bottom. This will keep your radiators working efficiently, giving off more heat and using less gas.
Draft proofing your home will make it more comfortable and reduce heating costs. Make sure your loft is properly insulated. Draft proof internal doors and external doors and windows. You can do this yourself by using inexpensive draft proofing materials that are widely available in DIY stores. Shop around to get the best deals on draught proofing items to save yourself even more money.
Insulate your hot water pipes to avoid losing heat. It’s a good idea to insulate the cold water pipes too to protect them from frost.
Close your curtains as soon as the daylight begins to fade, don’t wait until after dark. As soon as daylight begins to fade the outdoor temperature drops and you begin to lose heat through your windows even if they are double glazed. Keep the warmth inside, don’t let it escape.
Always close internal and external doors straight away. It’s surprising how much heat you can lose in a minute or two so don’t leave the door open even for a short time.

REDUCE YOUR WATER BILL

You can save on your water bill by:

Take a shower rather than a bath. Showers use a lot less water so you can make a saving on your water bill this way.
If you do have a bath reuse the bath water for watering your garden. Scoop out a couple of buckets-full and leave them in the garden ready for when your plants are thirsty.
You can also use your washing up water to water the plants in your garden. Tip the water into a watering can or bucket, leave it to go cold and use it as needed.
Water butts are another great way to save on your water bill. You can attach them to your guttering downpipe or attach to your shed or garage roof to catch the rainfall and provide free water for your garden.
When you’re cleaning your teeth don’t leave the tap running. Turn it off while you brush your teeth and only turn it back on when it’s necessary for rinsing your mouth and toothbrush. It’s surprising how much water goes down the drain in a few minutes.
Don’t flush the toilet every time you use it. Flush it periodically or at those times that it’s really necessary. Your toilet cistern holds a lot of water (even newer ones) so flushing unnecessarily is an expensive waste of water.
Check for dripping or leaky taps. It’s definitely worth fixing these as a small drip might not seem much but over time a lot of water is wasted which will cost you money.
Check to see if your washing machine has a half load or economy load setting. Use this setting when you only have a few items to wash. If your clothes only need freshening then use the quick wash cycle or similar. This generally uses less water and less electricity. Use a commonsense approach in deciding when your clothes actually need washing. Decide if something can be worn again before you put it in the laundry basket. Over-washing isn’t good for the fabric or your water and electricity bills.

DON’T BIN IT – REPAIR IT

Clothes can be expensive and it’s often difficult to find things that you really like to wear. So it’s disheartening when something you love to wear has seen better days or becomes torn or loses a button.

You can prolong the life of your clothes by making a few simple repairs. You don’t need to be an expert at sewing to replace a button or sew a loose hem back into place. There are a lot of tips online for repairing and revamping your clothes. Take a look at the craft sites and demonstration videos on sites such as YouTube. You may be able to find a sewing book at your local library with tips for making repairs to clothing and fabrics.

If you have an item of clothing that’s in good condition but has faded you can dye it back to its original colour or change the colour completely. Dyes tend to work best on cotton fabric but you might be able to find a dye that is suitable for manmade fibres. Dylon do a range of dyes that don’t need salt adding to the process. It’s an all-in-one dye that works in your washing machine (always read and follow the instructions). You can give your clothes a new lease of life by putting the colour back in.

You can also use dyes to improve the look of other fabric items in your home such as bedding, curtains and cushion covers. You will probably need more than one pack of dye for larger items but it could still work out cheaper than buying new ones.

A favourite pair of leather shoes can be smartened up quite easily. Shoe polish can be bought in a range of colours and can be bought cheaply. Warm a little shoe polish on a metal spoon by holding it over a candle (be careful not to overheat it or burn your fingers!). Using a soft cloth, rub the polish over the surface of the shoes adding a little extra polish to any scuffs or scratches. Leave the polish to soak in for a while then buff your shoes up with a soft shoe brush or soft cloth. If your leather shoes are quite faded or badly scuffed you might need to repeat the process again. You’ll be surprised by the difference in the way that your shoes will look.

DON’T REPLACE IT – REFURBISH IT

Replacing the furniture in your home can be an expensive business. If you have furniture you love but it’s become worn, scratched or tatty over the years you can refurbish it. Doing up your old furniture has become popular in recent years and you can find loads of information and ideas online. Pinterest, for example, is full of great ideas, tips and instructions on creating something new from something old at a low cost. Take a look online and get some inspiration for refurbishing your favourite furniture. It doesn’t have to be complicated and it could work out a lot cheaper than replacing it.

If you do need more items of furniture for your home you could buy them second-hand. It’s a lot cheaper than buying new. If you’re looking for items that you can do up yourself you could bag a bargain. Check out your local auction houses, charity shops, car boot sales or online selling sites and social media marketplaces.