5 Surprising Ways to Save Money on Household Expenses

Trying to cut down on household expenses is never an easy task. After all, these recurring monthly costs seem never ending.

But it turns out that there are few simple changes that you can make that will save you a lot of money over a period of time.

Here are five surprising ways to save money on household expenses:

1. Get the Right Thermostat

Most people know that setting back your thermostat when you are away will save you money. And the worse your insulation is the more it will save you. But adjusting the temperature in your home when no one is around can sometimes be a hassle. To avoid this inconvenience and to save money at the same time, install a programmable thermostat. This piece of technology will learn your living patterns and it will adjust the heating and/or air conditioning if no one is home or if you are sleeping. After several months, you could pocket big savings from your energy bill. The HVAC professionals at Seliga Heating and Cooling informed us that, “Over the years, thermostats have changed quite a bit, and they continue to improve and develop. Nowadays, you can get thermostats with touch screens, and some can be controlled through a Wi-Fi connection. Other thermostats can show the current weather on a high-definition display while others have different features for extra convenience.”

2. Cut the Cable Cord

Cable television plans are getting pricey, but it is easy to cancel your cable television plan thanks to new alternative forms of programming. You can subscribe to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime that cost a fraction of your current cable bill. As a matter of fact you can subscribe to all three for a fraction of a typical cable programming bill. However, you still need some sort of internet connection so you may need to subscribe to “basic cable” to be able to enjoy Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime.

According to Digital Trends: “Netflix has three different plans when it comes to streaming: basic, standard, and premium. Plans start at $8 and increase incrementally by $2, rendering the standard and premium plans $10 and $12, respectively. Below is a breakdown of what each plan entails, with the added features.”

By way of comparison Comcast Xfinity has an intro package (meaning that after the contract is up prices could go up) that includes up to 100 channels for $54.99 on the other hand they have a Standard Speed (less than 25 Mbps)  internet package for $39.99 and an internet plus TV bundle for $79.99.

You can also buy an inexpensive television antenna to get local channels for free.

3. Install LED Lightbulbs

Lowering your electricity bill can be as easy as replacing traditional light-bulbs with LEDs. While the initial cost for an LED lightbulb is more than a traditional incandescent bulb, they can save you money over several years because they use far less energy. In addition, LED lightbulbs last longer—about 50 times longer than a typical incandescent light-bulb. So over their lifetime they actually cost much less while saving you money on your electric bill. For instance an LED bulb that generates as much light as a 100 watt incandescent bulb only uses 14.5 watts while the equivalent CFL bulb uses 23 watts and CFL bulbs contain a small amount of Mercury, making them less good for the environment than we originally thought.

4. Get a Low-Flow Shower-head

Avoiding a costly water bill requires some changes, and one of those changes involves the installation of a water saving shower-head. While a traditional shower-head uses 3 to 4 gallons per minute, the newer low-flow shower-head only uses roughly 2 gallons per minute. Less water used in the shower will eventually result in a reduced water bill, and using less hot water so it also saves on energy to heat the water and it is good for the environment. Look for the EPA – WaterSense symbol to ensure you are getting a low-flow shower-head.

5. Bundle insurance premiums

Whether you pay homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance, these premiums can really add up. Fortunately, many insurance providers offer multi-line discounts to loyal customers. For example, you might save money on your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance if you sign up with the company that handles your car insurance. Since you are already paying for the car insurance, you might see if they offer a discount for having another policy with them.

In conclusion

As you can see, making a few changes and installing a few products can result in dramatic savings on household expenses. While you might not realize the savings at first, you will eventually see that these add up to big savings.