Bills can be a huge financial drain on any homeowner, and many people wish they knew how to reduce bills at home, but don’t know where to start. Between the mortgage payments, energy bills, water bills, and internet bills, you can feel like you’re drowning in debt with no real way to get ahead of the current. However, there are creative ways that you can use to lower bill costs in your home so that you can start to save money and cut back on what you owe monthly.
If you’re interested in learning how to reduce bills at home but aren’t sure where to start, here are some tips that you can keep in mind.
Energy Bills
Energy bills are by far one of the largest drains on home finances and they can be some of the hardest to try and get under control. However, there are some ways that you can help reduce these costs and start to save more than you spend.
Solar Panels
Solar panels are one of the best ways to reduce the cost of your energy bills and they can be customized to meet your energy needs by solar companies. These panels can help reduce energy bills by reducing your dependence on the energy grid. The energy produced by solar panels can also be stored in batteries if you produce excess or transferred back into the power grid, which you can then be paid for.
Solar panels are great for homeowners in areas that have a lot of sunlight, and in some areas, the excess produced can also be stored in batteries so that you have extra if you need it.
Because you’ll be using the power that your panels are producing, you won’t be as dependent on the power supplied by the power grid, which will lower your bills. Similarly, if you choose to sell excess power back to the grid, you can expect to be reimbursed for this energy, usually in the form of a yearly payment from your energy supplier.
To put this into greater perspective, the average home in California spends around $179 on electricity every month. However, with the addition of solar panels, this cost can come down to as low as only $22.
Although solar panels are an investment, they can pay for themselves rather quickly by saving you a lot of money in the long term.
If you’re wondering about how to reduce bills at home, this is one idea to definitely keep in mind.
Be Smart About Energy Use
If solar panels aren’t for you, there are other ways that you can cut costs when it comes to energy consumption. For instance, keeping your blinds closed during the day can help control the temperature in your home, reducing the need to constantly run your air conditioning. You may also invest in screens or curtains that block out heat while still allowing some light in so that you don’t have to keep any power-consuming lights turned on. Vinyl glazed window installations can also help with this issue.
You should also always make sure to turn off lights and appliances that you’re not using, unplugging electronics that aren’t immediately needed. This can also reduce energy consumption and save you money.
Windows and Doors
Windows and doors can be a major source of energy loss during the summer and winter months, especially if they are old. Not only does this mean that your HVAC system will need to work harder to keep the temperature stable, but it means you’ll be spending more on energy overall. Similarly, this over-working of the AC or heating can wear out your system, leading to damage or breakdowns. If this causes a system failure, you may need to call in heating and AC companies to get it back up and running, leading to more bills.
If possible, invest in new windows and doors that are EnergyStar rated so that you can prevent this huge source of energy waste.
All of these methods can even be combined together to help you save the most money possible. When it comes to how to reduce bills at home, cutting energy costs should be a primary goal.
Water Bills
Second to energy bills are water bills and they can also be a significant drain on a home’s finances. When learning how to reduce bills at home, this is one area you will also need to seriously consider.
Fixing Plumbing Problems
Plumbing problems can be a leading contributor to high water bills, and because of this, it is important that you get all issues fixed by a professional plumber. For instance, a leaky toilet can waste over 200 gallons of water every day and over 6,000 every year. This totals roughly $70 a month for just a single toilet. Leaking sinks can also be a huge contributor to this, and they are not something that you should leave unrepaired if you want to cut costs.
Similarly, leaky pipes can also cause skyrocketing water bills, and sometimes they can be caused by a clog or backup in the pipe itself. A drain clean plumber can help diagnose this problem and fix the issue so that you can start saving.
Think About How You Use Water
If your plumbing is in good condition, there are other ways that you can start saving. For instance, simply reducing the duration of your shower by four minutes can save nearly 4,000 gallons of water each year. Although hour-long showers may be appealing, they may not seem as relaxing once you get your water bill. Installing a low-flow showerhead can also help with saving while showering.
Similarly, don’t leave the water running when you brush your teeth or do the dishes. If you have a dishwasher, never run it unless it’s full, to reduce the amount of water it uses. This can also translate to loads of laundry, which you should only try to do in full loads.
Additionally, if your home uses hard water, a water softener will be a must-have, and you’ll want to make sure that it always has salt. This is because hard water can reduce water flow and shorten the lifespan of appliances, leading to more costs in the future.
If you’re considering how to reduce bills at home, all of these tips are things you should keep in mind.
Landscaping Costs
Next, you’ll need to consider the costs that go into your landscaping. This can also tie into water usage if you’re running sprinklers during the summer to keep your grass green.
However, some yards will require more maintenance than others, and this can be a huge resource drain if you’re not careful.
Invest in Paving
Asphalt paving and other hardscaping can help reduce the amount of grass that you need to keep up and water. It can also allow you to create a patio space that you can enjoy with family and friends.
Similarly, permeable paving is gaining popularity due to its sustainability and style. This form of hardscape allows water to seep into the ground as it rains, preventing flooding, pooling, and erosion. For this type of fixture, interlocking pavers, permeable asphalt, or permeable concrete are often used.
Lawn Alternatives
Artificial turf is also another method of cutting the cost of lawn care and it can reduce the need for weeding, mowing, and fertilizing completely. Typically favored in draught-prone climates, this type of turf can also be used in other areas and it can provide an organic appearance without all of the extra costs.
Gravel lawns are also preferable for those living in desert climates, and they can help prevent the wasting of water to try and keep grass alive. When coupled with draught-resistant plants, this can slice lawn care costs in half.
Cut Back On Professional Services
If you pay a professional lawn care company to handle your mowing and watering, you could consider cutting back the number of appointments or taking steps to make your lawn care more manageable so that you can handle it yourself.
If you do need help caring for your lawn, you may consider shopping around for more cost-effective alternatives or asking a family member to help out. This can be another way to help save on the costs and bills associated with your landscaping.
Mortgage Payments
Mortgage payments can be suffocating sometimes, and looking for ways to lower your mortgage payments can be a lifesaver — and a money saver. This can help ensure that you won’t have to start looking to get cash for cars just to keep up with your rising payments.
Refinancing
Refinancing your mortgage with a lower interest rate can be one of the best ways to help lower your payments and save you money. For example, if you have a $20,000 30-year fixed loan, reducing the interest rate from 5% to 4% can gain you an average savings of up to $120 a month. You can use an online mortgage calculator to help you visualize your own savings based on the amount you’re paying and the interest rate you have versus what you want.
Survey Your Property
A property survey is often used by mortgage lenders to assess the value of the property. However, if you’re unsure if a survey was performed on your property before you bought your home, you may want to have one done yourself. This can help you understand if your payments are correct and if you’re overpaying for land that isn’t technically yours.
Internet and Cable Bills
Another thing to consider when thinking about how to reduce bills at home is to look at how much you’re spending on your cable and internet. These two bills can get quite expensive, but thankfully they can be easy to cut in half.
Internet and Cable Bundles
If your internet and cable are bundled together, you may want to check and see if there are any deals that your provider can give you to help make your bills easier to manage. If you joined a company and received a discounted introductory price, you should also check and see when it runs out and if there are any other deals you can transfer over to.
If there aren’t any deals that can lower your bill, you might want to think about changing your services and removing things that you don’t use often to lower the price. For instance, channels that cost extra, such as HBO or Cinemax.
Consider Streaming
Many homeowners are switching from cable to streaming services since they often cost less and provide the same amount of variety. If you’re currently paying for cable, consider streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Discovery Plus, and others that can cost less every month than most cable providers. Additionally, free streaming channels like Pluto TV can offer you access to numerous news, reality, sports, and kids’ channels at absolutely no cost to you.
Creative solutions like this can ensure that you have connectivity and entertainment, without the large bills to leave a dent in your bank account every month.
Saving Money With Creative Solutions
If you are wondering how to reduce bills at home, you’re not alone. Thankfully, there is no shortage of creative and inventive ways to slash your monthly bills and save you money.
Although not all of these tips will work for everyone’s unique situation, some can be universally applied, such as saving energy and water. Take some time to sit down with your bills and calculate what is costing you the most every month, so that you can prioritize the most costly bills first. Once those are taken care of, you can gradually work down the list until you’ve optimized your monthly bills so that they save you money overall.
