Four Ways To Help You Save Money On Your Home Expenses

Sep 14

Owning a home isn’t cheap, and no one ever said it would be easy either. Sometimes things break down, sometimes the property taxes go up, and sometimes you just don’t feel like you have enough room. You don’t have to live with those things though. There are things you can do to get the house you want and save money doing it.

Change To Energy Efficient Appliances

One great way to save on your energy bill in your home, aside from shutting of an unplugging appliances and electronic when they are not in use, is to switch to Energy Star, energy efficient, appliances. While running out and buying all new appliances right now isn’t going to save you much, replacing items as they breakdown or get too out-of-date with Energy Star rated items is going to help you save.

How much you save depends on the way you use your appliances, but you’ll find that Energy Star items tend to come with a sticker or hang tag that tells you how much you can expect to save on energy each year.

Do Some DIY Remodeling

If you need a change in your home, save some money on remodeling bills by doing some things on your own. While you shouldn’t do your own plumbing or electricity, you can repaint rooms, and maybe even knock down a wall if you have some experience. Small rooms can look bigger with more lighting and lighter colored walls.

remodel

You can even do your own flooring and your own carpeting and save money on labor. You can pretty much find video instructions for any home remodeling you want to do on your own by looking online. Keep in mind that you need to feel assured that you can do this before taking on the task. If you don’t want to hire contractors, you can always speak to a local handyman in Versailles, for example, or one closer to where you live, so that you can get that professional help. Tackling things on our own can be great, but if it makes your home look rough, then a little bit of money here and there is worth it.

Appeal Your Property Taxes

Property taxes can be a pain, but they are necessary. If yours seems to have gone up recently you can appeal them, once you verify it wasn’t human error. There are many things that can cause your property taxes to go up, from home improvements to stuff going on in the city you live in itself.

You may not win your appeal, but it doesn’t hurt to try if your taxes are considerably more. Especially if you hadn’t made any changes to your home recently.

Ship Around For The Best prices For Repairs

When your water heater breaks down, or your sump pump stops working, you have to get them fixed. There is just no way around it. However, you also want to make sure that you get a good job done for a decent price. Perhaps those in the Salem area could consider looking for the best ranked water heater replacement in Salem, for example. It’s so important to find a company that is reputable in the local area. This usually ensures that they can replace the water heater easily.

Of course, homeowners can always call around and get prices from different contractors, but ask your friends and family for their recommendations as well. You want someone you can trust to get the job done well. You also shouldn’t be afraid to negotiate on the price of repairs.

Homes aren’t cheap, so you need to save money whenever and wherever you can!