In uncertain economic times and after massive job losses and changes due to the pandemic, many people and homeowners look at ways to slash costs. But looking at utility expenses, energy usage, considering alternative living arrangements, and coming up with budgets, they’re finding ways to make it work. If your budget is tight and you want some tips and tricks for slashing those bills, read on.
1. Utility Costs
When money’s tight, it helps to be able to move quickly. The good news is that you can address your home heating and cooling needs faster than you might think. Lower your energy bills fast with some quick tweaks. Whether your electric bill is too high and you need a way to rethink your energy consumption, or your thermostat has you stuck paying hefty monthly payments, professional heating and cooling technicians are on standby to help. The best way to lower energy costs is to give them a call and ask how you can use energy more efficiently in your home.
Energy use tends to go up during winter time, for example. But something as simple as a programmable thermostat can go a long way in helping you reduce your energy usage and bring down your overall energy bill. The same applies in the summertime with air conditioning costs and people using too much energy. There are ways HVAC professionals can tweak central air systems to help reduce those reoccurring costs. While the upfront cost of making these changes might seem like a lot, it’s a great first step in slashing bills in the future. A great way to find out your options is to give your HVAC system professionals a call and see what they suggest to improve your electricity use. You’ll thank yourself for it down the road.
2. Need Versus Want
Before running off to google ‘what’s that smell 3 signs you have a dead animal hidden in your house,’ stop to consider want versus the need for cutting your bills. Maybe you have a dead rat in your house or can’t figure out the unpleasant odor’s culprit even after a search. Instead of rushing off to the internet to buy every fancy deodorizer, air freshener, or those plastic gloves, or exterminator for removal, consider ways to solve the problem differently. Maybe there’s no dead animal at all, and the problem, instead, is your air quality. Something as simple as an old filter could cause a foul odor and could be fixed without jumping to conclusions.
While the scenario above may sound extreme, humans have been socialized to run to retail and services to solve their problems. By slowing down and looking at the big picture first, you could save yourself the cash. The same as you looked at those overall energy savings costs, you want to do that in how you shop.
Ask yourself: Do I want it or need it? This one question will make a big difference in your overall reoccurring expenses. Making a vow to buy only what you need, not want, is a huge first step in helping your budget. An easy way to determine what you want versus need is to consider what you might already have in another area of your home. Reimagining items instead of buying new ones is a great way to slash bills.
3. Downsizing and Alternative Living
Due to rising energy and housing costs, many are turning to alternative living arrangements to cut costs. Whether they have young children home during summer months that they can’t afford daycare for, or if it’s that the pandemic has caused job loss across the United States, tiny home communities and more are springing up. A tiny home and rethinking living is another way to save. Less water use, reduced energy usage, lower heating and cooling costs, and more are adding up to big savings.
Others are rethinking their residence and teaming up in multi-generational homes to share costs. While electricity usage in these cases goes up, the bill is split between many and winds up less expensive for each home.
Slashing bills doesn’t have to be hard. By laying all your expenses out, coming up with a budget, figuring out what you want versus what you need, and eyeing those monthly utility bills, you may be surprised how quickly you can cut your costs. Before you throw your hands up in frustration, take a deep breath, pull the notebook or excel spreadsheet out, and have faith in your ability to budget. Don’t forget to be open-minded about alternative living arrangements, too. You’re about to see those savings add up!