If you own a home you know it’s your biggest expense. Not just because of the cost of the home, or the decorating of the home, but mainly in the upkeep of the home.
Even if you have a newer house, there’s always something that needs to be replaced or repaired. These replacements or repairs can sometimes be a minimal cost or a larger cost especially if you call someone to do the work.
(This information is not meant to be financial advice and is just for educational purposes. This post may include affiliate links. Should you click an affiliate link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
When I bought my first home, I decided I'd find as many ways as possible to keep the money in my savings so I would be covered when needed.
Related read: How To Financially Prepare As a First-time Home Buyer
Here are 5 things that I have done or would do, and you can as well, to save money as a homeowner.
1. Do your own landscaping
Paying someone to mow your lawn, weed, and mulch your flower beds can cost a bit of money depending on where you live and the size of your yard. Doing it yourself may take some time out of your week but it can save you lots of money each month.For me, this is a big saver, especially since I live in the south where we have a long growing season. By mowing my own lawn I’m saving over $100 a month and it only takes about 30-60 minutes out of my week to do it. Plus, I get a nice workout.
2. Use blackout curtains
Until you track this you don’t realize how much money the sun streaming into your windows can cost you. The heat from the sun heats up the house which can trigger your AC to turn on.I get a lot of light in my living room windows in the morning and since I started keeping my blackout curtains closed in the morning I noticed my air conditioner running less often in the morning.
Related read: How I Saved The Down Payment For My First House
3. Make repairs
When it comes to repairs there are a few ways to tackle them that can save you some money.The first is to do the repairs yourself. It can be tempting to pick up the phone and call a handyman to fix that leaky faucet or stop a running toilet but those calls start to add up. Where I live it can cost you $125 an hour for something that is simple to fix yourself.
Growing up my dad did a lot of little home repairs and I would either help or watch him so I knew going into homeownership I would be doing the same. Just by watching some YouTube videos, I’ve been able to stop a running toilet, seal stucco cracks, and fix a leaky faucet.
The second way is to address the repairs soon after they’re discovered so they don’t get worse or have a domino effect creating the need for additional repairs which cost lots and lots of money.
4. DIY simple upgrades
If you’ve been wanting to put in a new backsplash, refresh a paint job, or put in a new fixture, there’s no need to call someone to do it. Just like simple home repairs, there are some home upgrades that are easy enough to do yourself. All you need is a good YouTube tutorial and the right tools.Some of the home upgrades I’ve done myself are painting most of the interior of my house, adding hardware to my bathroom cabinets, and replacing my dining room light fixture.
5. Find ways to lessen energy usage
Outside of the cost of the house, energy usage is probably one of the bigger monthly expenses homeowners face. Thankfully there are things we can do to lessen the amount of energy our home uses.- Use efficient LED bulbs which can last longer and save you money in the long run
- Unplug appliances, lamps, etc. that you don't use regularly
- Lower the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees or less
- Program your thermostat so that it's not running or running less when you're not home or isn't really needed
- Use ceiling fans as they can help with cooling off rooms without using a lot of energy
- Replace air filters which help your air and heating unit work more efficiently
- Clean air vents not only does this allow cleaner air to circulate through your house but it helps your air unit not need to work so hard and not waste energy
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