Saving Money: Tips For New Home Owners
If you’ve never owned a home before, there is a lot of information to take in. It really is a huge responsibility but if you are well-prepared, you should have nothing to worry about. To ease your mind a bit, we have put together a list of some of the things we think are most important for new home owners to understand. Knowledge is power!
Do It Yourself Projects
One of the easiest ways to save money after moving in to a new home is to take on projects on your own. Why hire someone to do the work for you when you are just as capable? Sure, it may take you a while longer but at the end of the day, it is going to save you a lot of money and it’s also a great bonding experience for the entire family. Whenever taking on a new project, be sure that you budget yourself. How much can you afford to spend today? Next month? This year? You don’t have to know all of the answers and you definitely don’t have to take on the entire project now. If it takes you years, that is completely fine. Focus on the aspects of your projects that are most important to you first, so you can enjoy your progress.
Smart Shopping
A tricky thing to learn when moving out on your own for the very first time is what to buy and where to shop. While it’s not exactly the easiest thing in the world, with practice, you will get there. Instead of tossing those weekly ads, check them out. Is there anything you need today or could use in the near future? If so, consider purchasing and whenever possible, buy in bulk. Don’t forget to take full advantage of coupons because even a few dollars here and there can add up to a pretty penny by the end of the month.
While you’ve probably heard this one before, you should never shop when you are hungry. The same goes for shopping when you are stressed because it’s much harder to make rational decisions when you just want to get the day over with. If at all possible, plan your shopping trips ahead of time and make a list that you cannot drift from unless absolutely necessary. This will avoid unnecessary purchases.
Decorating Made Simple
Deciding how to decorate ones’ home is pretty tough the first time around. You may have set up a bedroom as a child but taking on an entire home is a whole new story. Never feel like you have to purchase fancy items to make your home look good because there are plenty of ways to get the job done with the things you already have. One simple way to add some color is to bring some ‘green’ into your home in the form of flowers or small trees. This is going to also improve the air quality and background noise in your home.
If you’re not sure what to do with all of your wall space, why not take recent photos of your friends and family members and create a collage out of them? Or, you can even display your favorite blanket, T-Shirt from your last vacation or awards that your children have received. These little personal touches make a house feel like a home; instantly giving you a vibe that is all your own.
Take Care of Your Clothes
Especially if you have never lived on your own before, laundry may have been something you didn’t pay all that much attention to. Now, things are different. You are going to have many bills you didn’t have in the past so it’s time to start focusing on how to make the things you have, last longer. Avoid washing colors with whites if at all possible and bleach your whites to keep them beautiful, longer. Hand washing undergarments and anything else that may get torn or damaged in the washer and dryer is also a great idea.
Lower Your Monthly Bills
Monthly bills can be intimidating when you first move out on your own, but if you pay close attention to your daily rituals, you’d be surprised how much money you can save. For one, using cold water versus hot water is a great way to save money. So, reach for those cooler temperatures whenever you can. You may also want to turn your hot water heater down.
While this may sound like a ‘duh’ moment to you, many people simply leave their televisions on much of the time. This electricity, when coupled with other items that are left on adds up over time. Some electronics such as chargers actually use energy even when they aren’t plugged into their device so you might want to unplug those as well.
Helen Moore is a home maker and says that Perth is really becoming the hub of business now. Property Investment in Perth at this time will definitely give you good returns in future.