No One Likes To Live On a Tight Budget, So Why Should You? Time For Some Hacks To Save Money.
Let’s face it, no one likes to live on a budget. But nowadays it hard not to, we have so many services and items accessible to us at the touch of a button that it can sometimes be easy to spend money on unnecessary “stuff”. We often hear people saying it’s important to save money but they never explain how to save money. Of course, it is easy to tell you to go out less and don’t spend too much money but those techniques are given. Here are five realistic and do-able ways to cost expenses and save money.
1. Water Heater Timer
Believe it or not, your water heater is the second most energy consuming appliance right after the air conditioning. If we really think about it, how often do we need hot water? Many would say hot water is mainly used for baths and showers. A water heater can be beneficial for you because it controls when the water heater is being used. If you limit the usage to only be mornings and evenings (which is the times the average person showers or baths) you can save $20-$30 a month on electricity. That’s around $360 a year. That money saved can now be used for a vacation! Don’t think of it as “only $360”, when it comes to savings, a little can go along ways. When learning how to save money it is important to know that it won’t always be easy but it will be worth it. The investment on a water heater timer is about $40-$55.
2. Cut The Cable
Cable costs are on the rise and they don’t seem to be holding back. With services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Playstation Vue it makes not having cable the better option. The average monthly price for a cable package in 2018 is estimated to be $140 a month. Americans spent an average of $103 a month, $1,236 a year on cable television in 2016, according to Leichtman Research Group. It will surprise you to know that a Netflix subscription will cost you $8 a month and a Hulu subscription will cost you around $6 a month. Hulu and PlayStation Vue both offer Live TV for $40a month. This is less than half of regular cable companies.
3. Light Bulbs!
LED, LED, LED! Why change from incandescent light bulbs to LED light bulbs? LED’s are 25%-80% more energy efficient than traditional incandescent lights. They also last 25 times longer! LED’s do not heat up as much as causing the temperature in the room to remain the same. With incandescent bulbs, they can get so hot that they change the temperature in the room causing the air conditioner to work longer. LED’s can save you anywhere from $90 to $150 a year. While the initial price of energy-efficient bulbs is typically higher than traditional incandescents, newer bulbs cost less to operate, saving you money over the life of the bulb. Many of the newer bulbs last significantly longer than traditional bulbs, so you won’t need to replace them as often.
4. Thermostat Decisions
The temperature that you maintain your home is very important. Studies show that the perfect temperature to have in your home is 78 degrees Fahrenheit. If you will be out of the house for four or more hours, consider raising the setting so the cooling system only comes on if the temperature tops 88 degrees Fahrenheit. It is estimated that for every degree higher you set your thermostat over 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months, you could save approximately six to eight percent off of your home energy bill, per degree.
5. Plan Meals
“You mean I have to meal prep?” Well… kinda, but not really. Here’s why; It is more cost effective to have a weekly budget for meals. Do groceries at the beginning of the week so they can last up until the end of the week. This way you don’t have to spend any more money during the week for food. This is done so that there is still some money left at the end of the week to pocket. Eating at home saves money that would otherwise be spent on tax and tip, and you usually save calories, too.
Need some official home services? We encourage you to look at zurkel.com that offers local services rated the best in all of Florida!
Here at Premium Properties, we’re always looking for the best ways to help our clients. That’s why we are the best real estate company in Central Florida!
Any questions? Please feel free to reach out to us:
Premium Properties Real Estate Services
564 N Semoran Blvd Orlando, FL 32807
Call us (407) 380-2800 or visit www.premiumproperties.com
