10 ways to save on your household expenses TODAY

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As many of you know, I am obsessed with finding ways to cut any and every bill.  As a family of 5, living on one income we have to find every way to cut where we can.  Again, your not getting this post from the stay at home mom whose husband makes six figures and, is saving money for fun not out of need…lol.

I am the average American, the average mom, in the trenches with you looking for ways to save in every area of my life to pay our bills… to pay off debt…to save for a family vacation or to put our kids in soccer. So, as the seasons change I want to share with you 10 ways that you can save money on your household bills TODAY.

1.  Turn off the lights.

I am borderline psychotic with this! Every time we are not in a room, we turn out the lights.  This usually means me running behind everyone and reminding them but it gets done!  We see about a $15-20 difference in our bill on the months I do this versus the ones that I get lazy with it.  Also, when we have friends over we let this go but during our normal day to day routine, we monitor “unused” lights.

2.  Adjust your heat.

I am one of those people that are usually colder than everyone else in the house but, during the day I turn the heat down to 65°(while the sun is still shining) and at night we keep it at 70°.  To stay extra warm on those super cold winter days, we bundle up.  We wear sweatshirts rather than shorts around the house. Also, having a little one at home can really make you want your home to stay extra warm so, we put a little space heater in his room as well as the 4 of us tend to sleep better in colder temps anyways.  This can save you hundreds every month.

3. Block the breeze.

There is a lot of cold air that comes in from around your door and your windows, unless they are brand new.  If that is the case, Lucky You! You are definitely saving money but for the rest of us it saves a lot on heating when you get a draft guard for your door.  This will seal your door.  We are shocked by how much this makes our entry way and downstairs a lot warmer.  This means we can keep our thermostat at a lower temperature.

4.  Run your appliances at night.

I learned this tip a few years back.  Rather than running the dishwasher and doing laundry during the day, save it for after bedtime and save on your electricity bill.  Peak hours=more money.  Rates are actually lower at night and you can save 30-40% on your monthly bill.

5.  Replace bulbs with LED lights.

These light bulbs up front are more expensive than the normal ones.  However, over the long run they will save you way more than the cheap ones that seem better to buy.  These light bulbs will last you up to 5 times longer than your average light bulb, which in turn saves you money!

6.  Grill all year long.

So many people feel that you can only grill out in the summer.  You will save money if you use your grill all through the year to cook a few meals on.  So bundle up and get grilling! If you need a new grill, this is the time of year to get one at a great discount!

7.  Shorten your shower.

I don’t usually take long showers becuase I’m usually rushing due to my children or the fear my toddler might burn down the house.  However, if you like to take longer showers, shorten your shower by even a few minutes and compare your monthly bill and be amazed.  Every little bit counts.

8.  Wash on cold.

I wash almost all of our clothes on cold since I found out the savings behind using cold or hot water.  Unless, you feel like it’s absolutely necessary, wash it on cold and save some big bucks.

9.  Unplug everything.

Unplugging your electronics at night, or even that coffee pot and microwave will also affect your bill.  Even if it’s off, it still uses electricity and, eats up your money.  So, take an extra second or two to unplug and save a few extra dollars.

10.  Cut the cable.

This is one of the largest ways we save.  Cutting or lowering your cable package will save you dramatic amounts of money every month.  Use a satellite, get Netflix or just remove the sports channels from your package, and head to a sports bar instead.  This can save you 100+ in a month.

These 10 tips can save you a lot of money every month.  Just try one month where you take the time to implement these practices and you will be shocked the extra money you gain in your monthly budget.  If you are looking for more money saving ideas.  Check out “How we live well on one income.”

Thanks for following!!

XOXO