50 ways to save money at home

We all love to save money. There are many ways you can save tens or even hundreds of dollars at home each and every month.

The good news is many of these tips are relatively easy to do. Here are some ways you can start saving money around the house.

1. Negotiate Your Rent or Refinance Your Mortgage

The most expensive item in your budget is probably your rent or mortgage. Try negotiating your rent next time your lease is up for renewal by leasing long term. If you are under a one-year lease contract, try to see if you can lower your monthly rent by asking for a 2-year contract. 

If pre-pay rent or auto-pay are doable for you, try using this as a negotiating tool. For homeowners, if you can save at least half a percent on your interest rate, consider refinancing your mortgage. If you don’t have a fixed rate mortgage, now is a good time to refinance while interest rates are still low. 

Also, make sure that you take full advantage of all available property tax reduction programs in your county. Some programs only require you to fill out a simple form to get your property tax reduced.

2. Buy a Coffee Maker

We all know how expensive a cup of coffee can be at a premium coffee shop. Make your own coffee at home and take a to-go mug is way cheaper than stopping by your favorite coffee shop in the morning.

A good quality coffee maker will pay for itself in a couple of months.

3. Ditch Your TV Service

Cut the cord and get a streaming media player. It’ll pay for itself in just a few weeks. If you want access to local news and live TV channels, then get a digital antenna. It can save you some serious money every month.

4. Eat at Home

Eating out is expensive. Not only do you pay for your food, but you also pay for transportation to get to and from the restaurant. You drive more, you spend more money on gas and car maintenance.

5. Do Laundry in Cold Water

Save on your energy bill by washing your clothes in cold water instead of using hot water. Most detergents work just as well in cold water. Save money and switch to cold water today.

6. Regularly Change Your HVAC Filter

Changing your filters regularly will help the HVAC unit run more efficiently and economically.

7. Sell Your Clutter

If you don’t use them, why keep them. Anything in your home that sits for more than a year without being used needs to go. It’s such a good way to declutter your home and make extra cash.

8. Turn Off Your Lights

It’s a simple things to do but most of us still ignore it. Simply turn off your lights when not in use. It can really help keep your energy costs down. Make sure you’re diligent about turning off the lights. Every watt counts.

9. Cook From Scratch

Pre-made or pre-packaged foods are more expensive than ingredients. Learn to cook from scratch. It’s healthier too!

10. Make a Household Budget

It’s time to start making your monthly household budget a top financial priority. A budget can help you see where your hidden expenses are, where your dollars are going, and where you can save.

Learn to create a budget that works for your household.

11. Negotiate Your Internet Service

Everything is negotiable. Call customer service and ask for specials or promotional deals. I learned that when we are at the end of a promotional deal, we can switch the account holder’s name to save money on the service.

For example, our internet promotional deal for new customers lasts 2 years. Once 2 years is up, we switched the account name from my name to my husband’s name. We saved $15 a month!

12. Cancel Memberships

If you have a magazine or newspaper subscription, consider not renewing your subscription. Leverage and use your credit card points or travel miles instead. Better yet, cut the subscription altogether and use your local library for your reading needs.

Skip the gym membership and work out at home instead. Investing in your favorite equipment will eventually pay for itself. If this option is not doable for you, try the November Project. It’s available in over 40 cities worldwide.

13. Shop Around Yearly

Regularly shop around for homeowners’ insurance/renter insurance and car insurance. You can save hundreds of dollars a year.

14. Swap Things Around

Swap out your regular flow shower head with a low flow shower head. Add a faucet aerator to your existing faucets to reduce water usage. It’s an easy way to save money on your monthly water bill.

It costs money initially to replace/install but it pays for itself in a few short months.

15. Use LED Lighting

Replace your regular light bulbs with LED lights. It costs money initially but it will greatly outweigh the initial investment. Most new LED light bulbs only use 5 watts per bulb. That’s way less energy compared to regular light bulbs.

LED lights are much more affordable these days and they last much longer than conventional light bulbs. There’s no reason to not replace them.

16. Skip the Heated Dry Cycle

Your dishwasher uses hot water to clean dishes. So why spend unnecessary energy and money to dry them? Open the dishwasher immediately at the end of the cycle, your dishes will dry incredibly fast.

17. Ditch Your Home Phone

Everybody has a cell phone nowadays. A landline has become obsolete and unnecessary.

18. Entertain at Home

The moment you step out of your home, you’ll probably spend money without even noticing it. Utilize your backyard/balcony for outdoor romantic dining and barbecues.

Spending a cozy movie night on your sofa can also save you money.

19. Start Your Own Veggie Garden

Homegrown veggies are a great way to eat healthy and save money. Many herbs can be grown indoors in small pots on a windowsill. This can save you money on buying expensive herbs and seasonings. They can also be dried and stored.

20. Plan Your Meal in Advance

It prevents you from making an impulse purchase on foods or eating out unnecessary.

21. Pack Your Lunch From Home

Packing your own lunch to work is far less expensive than eating out. If you spend $8 on average on your lunch every day, totaled that’s $40 per week or $160 per month or around $2,080 per year!

Driving somewhere to get your lunch uses gas and time as well.

22. Buy Cloth Napkins

It can save you money by not buying disposable paper napkins every time. The extra effort to wash and fold cloth napkins will outweigh the cost of paper napkins.

Plus, using cloth napkins is more environmentally friendly and looks nicer.

23. Make Your Own Wall Art

Utilize your kid’s artwork, transform your favorite magazine photos or using beautiful fabric scraps as wall art will save you money on home decoration.

24. Cut Dryer Sheets in Half

The half dryer sheet will do the job just fine. Think of it this way, a box of dryer sheets will last twice as long.

25. Mow Your Own Lawn

It not only saves money, but also gives you opportunities to exercise and be outdoors.

26. Use Dish Cloths & Dish Towels

Instead of buying paper towels for your kitchen needs, use linen kitchen cloths/towels. It saves you money and is more environmentally friendly.

27. Buy Clearance Perennials

Instead of planting annual plants that only last for one season, you can save money at home by buying perennials which will bloom year after year. 

Even better by buying clearance perennials at the end of the season.

28. Buy Furniture at Discounted Stores

Need a new piece of furniture? Visit your local TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Big Lots, Marshalls, Ollie’s for a steal on furniture and home decor. They always have good selections year round. Patience is key.

Don’t have a truck? Shop online and get free shipping from sites like Wayfair and AllModern.

29. Buy Discounted Gift Cards

From buying groceries to taking vacations using discounted gift card can save you money. You can buy a variety of discounted gift cards from a big box store.

If you don’t have a membership, you just need to know someone who does.

30. Lower Your Water Heater Temperature

Check your water heater temperature setting to see if it is set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. For every 10 degrees reduction, you could save as much as $30 annually in energy cost.

31. Use Water Filter

Stop buying bottled water and start using a water filter. Install a sink filter or buy a water jug with a water filter. it’s also better for the earth.

32. Use Power Strips

Cut that standby power usage by plugging all your electronics into a power strip and turning it off when not in use. This way will ensure that you’re not wasting power on standby and it’s easier to manage.

33. Always Run Full Loads of Dishes

Never run your dishwasher with half load of dishes. The key is to wait. You’ll save money on water and electricity bills.

34. Use Ceiling Fans

Turn on a ceiling fan to keep the room circulated and cool the room in summer. Reverse the fan direction in winter to keep warm air in the room.

35. Seal Your Windows and Doors

Regularly check for cracks and leaks on your windows and doors. Use window or door striping or silicone caulk to seal cracks. Heating and cooling your home are the number one cause of high utility bills.

36. Use a Smart Programmable Thermostat

Switch your regular thermostat to a smart programmable one that can be set according to your daily schedules.

37. Donate or Sell Unused Clothes

Donating your unused clothes to local charities not only reduces your taxable income (if you itemize your deduction on your tax return) but also keeps your closet clutter free.

Get extra cash by selling your gently used brand name clothes at online marketplaces like Facebook, eBay or at consignment stores.

38. Learn to DIY

Learn to repair or build stuff by yourself by watching videos on YouTube or learning from various DIY websites. Many local home improvement stores have free classes on the weekends that teach you how to do small projects around the house.

You’ll be surprised that many things are not difficult to do by yourself.

39. Buy Air Purifying House Plants

Skip that costly home air purifier and filters and buy house plants to purify your home. Don’t go overboard and buy a ton. Remember, some house plants are super easy to propagate.

You just need to stick branches in water and you’ll have a house full of plants in no time.

40. Plant Flowers

Love having fresh-cut flowers in your home? Why not use your own flowers from the yard instead? Start planting your own flower garden today, and you’ll have flowers tomorrow.

There are many perennial flowers that require minimal work like gardenias, hydrangeas, peonies, lilies, just to name a few.

41. Close Your Closets

Reduce your energy bills by making sure that all of your closet doors are closed. This way you won’t unnecessary heat or cool closet spaces.

42. Take a Quick Shower

If there’re 4 people in your household, and everybody takes 2 showers twice a day, imagine how much money you can save just by taking a quick shower.

43. Make Compost

Are you a gardener? Making compost can save you money on fertilizer and garden soil. It’s also more environmentally friendlier than using chemical fertilizers.

44. Dump Your Own Trash

Do you pay someone to pick up your trash or your recycling? If you do, you can save a significant amount of money each month by dumping your own trash and recyclable materials yourself.

Check with your county to see if they offer a do-it-yourself trash/recycling service for free or a minimal charge.

45. Stock Up on Sales

Buying shelf-stable foods, cleaning supplies, and toilet paper when they are on sale is a good way to save money.

46. Buy in Bulk

It’s cheaper to buy in bulk. Also, try not to buy individually packaged items because it just costs more. You want to buy stuff in larger packages and re-pack them yourself using reusable containers.

Sugar, flour, grains, dried beans, snacks, and breakfast cereals are good candidates for buying in bulk.

47. Buy Generic Brands

Premium brands cost more because they spend money on branding and advertising. This is so true when it comes to grocery items. When shopping for your grocery needs, try switching to generic or store brands.

You can save a significant amount of money on each trip.

48. Clean Your Own Home

If you use a house cleaning service, consider cleaning your place yourself. It can absolutely save you money. By keeping your house somewhat minimalistic, cleaning your home can become easier and more manageable. 

The more stuff you have in your home, the more time and energy to keep it up.

49. Never Waste Food

Most people don’t realize how much food they waste every single day. A study funded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture found that on average, Americans waste about a pound of food a day.

To give you some perspective, U.S. household wasted $640 in food a year according to USA today. That’s a huge amount of food and a significant amount of money wasted! 

Keep leftovers properly and never make more food than your household can consume in a specific time frame. Also, plan your grocery shopping schedules accordingly.

50. Lower Your Heat and Turn Up Your AC

By lowering your thermostat during winter months and turning it up during summer months can save you a ton of money on energy bills. For example, we set ours at 66 degrees during colder months and at 78 degrees during hot summer months.

I hope you enjoy these money saving tips around the house. What tips will you implement today? Every little thing adds up. You could save hundreds of dollars – it’s up to you. Start saving money today!