Saving hacks are super important around your home. So many simple ways to reduce costs and help you earn money for your family. They are not overwhelming, but will add up with your consistency and perseverance over time. Doing everyday financial hacks for regular people is where you’ll notice the biggest savings with smart decisions.
Aluminum Foil
For this one, we can refer to as “the grandma hack”. I think we all had the grandma that wanted you to save your tinfoil from everything you used. For those who lived through the Great Depression, they are well-versed at how to cut corners and how to stretch a dollar more than you would think possible. Many times, when you use aluminum foil to cover a dish for cooking or preservation, the foil does not even touch the food nor get anything on it. There is no need to throw this away and can easily be reused. Simply just fold it up for your next use. It goes without saying that if it’s covered in food, toss it away.
Plastic/Ziploc Bags
Most people do not think of re-using plastic bags after they’ve already had something in it, but it can be a source of many savings. Especially if you use them for packing lunches, you probably are using a lot for various things including snacks, sandwiches, veggies, etc. These can all be re-used. Use a little dish washing detergent and water and rinse until soap is all gone. Keep them open to dry by using a wooden spoon, plastic cup or invert over your counter knives. There are some instances where I would not recommend re-using them. When I put meat in a bag (particularly raw meat) I will not re-use it due to cross contamination. It’s safer for me to get another one in that instance instead of re-using it.
Even better than cleaning and re-using plastic bags is choosing to use food storage silicone bags. They’re strong, behave like traditional plastic bags, are better for the environment (less waste), and will reduce your bottom-line expenses over time. Go to www.amazon.com and search “silicone bags” for many different options. Small (lunch box friendly) containers are also a better option for chips, veggies, and fruit. Even sandwiches have a great option by offering re-usable fabric sandwich bags. A plethora of options can also be found on Amazon. We used these for years for my husband for work and my kids for school.
Thermostat
By buying a digital programmable thermostat, you can automatically adjust temperature when you’re out of home or asleep. There is no need to keep the air or heat on a higher level when you’re not at home. By keeping the thermostat a few degrees colder in the winter at night, you can save you a lot of money. Just put an additional blanket on your bed or dress in warmer sleeping garments. Don’t forget the socks to keep your piggies cozy.
Thermostats have come far in the last decade and have become “smart”. You now have those that can be programmed and connected to your smart phone. Let’s explore the top five choices brought to you by www.bestoffers.com.
· Ecobee Smart Thermostat with Voice Control
· Google Nest Learning Programmable Smart Thermostat
· Honewell Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Thermostat
· Hive Heating and Cooling Smart Thermostat Pack
· Lux/Geo Wi-Fi Thermostat
If you’re not ready to upgrade your thermostat yet to a smart option, you still have ways to cut costs. You can reduce the temperature on the thermostat in the winter or increase the temperature in the summer when you are away for an extended period of time. There is no need to keep your normal temperatures when you are out of the home. In the winter, make sure that you don’t drop it below a certain level so that your pipes freeze, but somewhere between 60-65 degrees will probably do the trick. There is no exact rule on the temperature, but just know that it will take a bit of time to adjust back to normal when you come home. In the summer, if you are gone on vacation, consider keeping the temperature between 80-85 degrees. It will seem pretty hot, but it will help your pocketbook. If you are not worrying about pipes or overheating items and no pet is being cared for in your home, you may even turn it off altogether while you’re away.
An effortless way to save money regarding your thermostat is by closing vents in rooms or areas that you don’t use frequently. In our home, we close off vents to rooms that we rarely use and don’t mind if they are a little colder or warmer than others. For example, we keep the vents closed to our guest bathroom on the main floor. The door is typically open anyway and gets the circulation of the house air and doesn’t need a vent specifically itself. Also, someone is in there for such a limited time anyway, that it serves us better to keep it closed. When my daughter was away at college this year, we did this in her room as well.
Depending on your local area and region, your gas or electric company may offer a discounted rate for having them control your thermostat. This means that in times of high use, they can shut of your unit temporarily. We had this option for years and I never noticed a difference in how warm or cold our home was. However, I did notice a difference in our bill. This may be a great option if you don’t have small children.
Use a Freezer
By purchasing an extra refrigerator or freezer, this allows you to stock up on sale items to maximize expenditures. You can purchase items on sale or in bulk then package those in freezer paper for later use. Items that freeze well are cheese, milk, bread, frozen items, vegetables, and meat. Items should be able to stay up to 12 months in your freezer if wrapped and prepared well. **Review the blog “Earning Money on Groceries”, March 27, 2021 for more detailed information related to freezing items and time frames.
Toothpaste Hacks
Do you get to the bottom on your toothpaste and know that there’s still more there that just won’t come out? Don’t throw your toothpaste away when you are having difficulty getting the paste out. There is still a lot of paste that could be used. A cheap and easy trick is to take a pencil and roll it up in the tube to squeeze out any remaining paste. You can also purchase little sliders at the Dollar Store that you can put on the end of the tube and push up until the paste is completely gone; however, I’m sure that everyone has a pen or pencil lying around for free. My aunt June also told me that you can also cut the tube of toothpaste open and scrape the remaining amounts. Doing any of these uncomplicated tasks can reduce the amount of toothpaste that you waste by throwing it away. This may seem like an extremely small item, but remember it’s all the things that add up together. **See “Finance Hacks for Personal Care”, April 2, 2021 for addition hacks to use every amount of product in these types of items.
Water Hacks
I know that many of us end up letting the water run while brushing our teeth. Doing this aids in augmenting your water costs and you are LITERALLY throwing money down the drain. Along with saving your family the expense of unused water, you also help the environment but conserving. This also applies to when you wash your face.
Continuing on with water consumption, do not let the water run while you are rinsing dishes. If you have a dishwasher in your home, you can save money and water by not rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Not only does it save you the waste of the water, but it also saves your time and energy and dishpan hands. If you must pre-rinse a few certain items or wash by hand, fill the sink or a large bowl with soap and water so the faucet does not run continuously. *Research your brand of dishwasher to see whether it’s recommended to rinse or not.
A lot of water is lost in your shower or bath while running the water until it warms up. I had made a habit of putting a bucket in the shower to catch the cold water. You can use this “pre-water” for watering plants, cleaning counters, filling pet bowls, washing cars/pets, or any miscellaneous things. Less waste means more money in your pocket and a happier environmentalist. My method of choice was to use it for watering plants.
To save even more money on your water bill, take your showers at the gym. This saves you the water at home as well as the electricity or gas to heat the water and the power used for blow drying your hair, flat ironing, curling, etc. This can amount to big savings over time.
By exploring all of your habits around your home, you can earn money for your family and reduce costs. Some of these may seem a little extreme to you, but only YOU can decide how much you want to do to help out on your bottom line. You may not choose to do all of these items, but if you find yourself in a rough patch, please revisit and implement these items.
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