Ways to Save Money Around the House

**We've moved!!**


Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.


Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.


**This has been entered in Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom!**

So far, we've discussed creating a budget and ideas to save money on that budget. That is, large ways to save, like refinancing the mortgage, cutting out entertainment, buying in bulk, etc. But there are other ways to save money, around the house. Simple, little things that most people don't even think about that can add up and make a big difference on how much you eventually spend on your bills.

Disposable Items
*Use less toilet paper -- limit yourself to only 3 - 4 squares per bathroom trip unless you really NEED more. Most times you don't. Check on your children to make sure they aren't grabbing a huge handful "just for fun," either. If we let her, Bekah would stand in the bathroom and throw the toilet paper in the toilet, sheet by sheet, all day. Obviously a waste!

*Use fewer paper towels -- When possible, use towels or something that can be washed instead. When a paper towel is necessary or truly more convenient, use only one, or even half a sheet. Whatever the smallest amount is that gets the job done.

*Reuse plastic baggies -- Rinse them out if they were messy, or just re-use them as is. If you've only had chips or something dry in them, you can use them right away. Lettuce can be in the same bag for a couple weeks before it needs rinsed. Any non-food item bags can obviously be re-used.

*Reuse EVERYTHING! -- "Anything else" falls in this category. You can reuse old canisters or bottles to store stuff (it doesn't have to be food) or turn into a children's toy. Old spice containers (plastic) make great toys! Basically, if there is a way something can be used again, do it. Get creative.

*Move away from disposables -- When possible, don't use ANYTHING disposable. No paper plates. No Kleenexes (ideas on how to get around this are coming soon). No disposable diapers (clearly we use cloth). No paper towels. No napkins. No plastic silverware. No plastic cups. Nothing! It isn't always possible, but do what you can.

Water Use
*Only wash FULL loads in the washer -- Combine loads if you have to, or wait an extra few days. If you must wash not full loads, at least use a lower water level.

*Consider low-flow toilets and showers -- A low flow toilet uses less than 2 gallons per flush, instead of 3 - 5. A low-flow shower head uses less than half as much as an ordinary head too. Reducing the overall length of your showers, or frequency, will save money on water, too!

*Don't flush the toilets so often -- Okay, you might think this is crazy. But a toilet doesn't need to be flushed EVERY time you pee in it. Let it go for 2 or 3 times and flush it only once or twice a day, instead of every time. This will save a lot of money if you have a big family. We do this on our upstairs toilets, though not the downstairs ones where guests go. Poop always gets flushed immediately. :)

*Reuse bath towels -- these can be used at least 3 - 4 times! Ideally, you should replace them about once a week, but NOT after every shower.

*Combining baths/showers -- If you have little kids, take them in the bath or shower with you. Or, bathe them together. Use less water for the bath. It will all save money, and time!

*Leave sinks off -- If you're washing dishes, fill the sink and just use that, don't keep the faucet running. If you're brushing your teeth, keep the water off except the wet the brush and to rinse. You can fill a small cup to rinse with, too, so you don't need the water on.

In the Kitchen
*Plan creative menus that use leftovers to avoid food waste -- Making chicken for dinner one night? Plan soup or sandwiches with the leftovers. Get creative with what's left in your fridge (or pantry) that will spoil if you don't use it. A wilting head of lettuce, last night's burgers and some old tomato sauce could turn into a sloppy-joe like meal with a side salad, for example.

*Compost food and garden -- Sometimes, you just won't get to the food in time. In that case, throw it into a compost pile and use it in your garden in the summer. Just don't add meats or oils of any kind, and of course no non-food items (coffee grounds, egg shells, etc. are okay).

*Don't buy things with a lot of packaging/individual servings -- Buy a big bottle of juice instead of individual sizes. Buy a huge box or bag of raisins instead of little ones. Then, split them yourself into individual servings if you like. I know, I prefer things in meal or snack-size portions too, but I put them into containers myself. Glass are ideal, but plastic or even baggies (reuse those!) work in a pinch.

*Planning meals that use food wisely (salads, soups, seasonal items, etc.) -- If you make a salad or soup, you can use some expensive ingredients (like meat) but stretch them far. One large chicken breast could be enough to serve 3 - 4 people if it's in soup; otherwise you'd need one per person. Also look at what items are in season and buy those, as they tend to be cheaper. If you can, stock up on seasonal items and can them or freeze them (home canned items are done in glass and don't have the BPA issues of store-canned foods).

Energy Use
*Turning lights off -- When you're not in the room, turn the lights off! During the day, just don't turn them on. This really applies to anything you're not using, like computers, the TV, etc.

*Closing unused heating registers and closing doors -- If there's a room you're not in much, close the heat registers and then close the door, so the heat doesn't have to reach that room.

*Lowering heating/raising air conditioning temperatures -- Thermostats can be lowered to 65 - 68 in the winter and 75 - 78 in the summer to maximize efficiency and cut heating/air bills. We actually don't have central a/c at all, just a couple window units, and we turn them on when we're in those rooms (one downstairs, one in our bedroom, one in Bekah's room).

*Consider Energy Star/High Efficiency appliances -- These will lower your energy bills. Although I have heard that HE washers are not great for cloth diapers, so it may be better to have one that you can adjust the water level yourself.

*Mow the lawn every other week in the summer instead of every week -- It'll be fine even it doesn't look super nice. :) It saves money on gas and it saves your time.

*Don't water the lawn -- It doesn't need it. If it's a dry summer it won't look the greatest, but what's more important? How your lawn looks (i.e. what the neighbors think), or saving money AND water?

Miscellaneous
*Learn to repair your home yourself, instead of paying a repairman -- There are some things you shouldn't do yourself, like major plumbing, but for simple fixes, learn to do it yourself. There are books you can buy that are a lot cheaper than a repairman, or even websites that will teach you. We have an advantage here. Ben grew up fixing up and remodeling houses with his dad, so he knows how to fix most anything, including the electrical! Certainly don't call a repairman if, say, your washer is simply off balance, or the garbage disposal doesn't work. Take personal responsibility and learn to repair small things on your own.

*Learn to do other things yourself, too: make your own coffee, mow your own lawn, cook your own meals, etc. -- We really covered this in the last post, but you don't need to go out to eat a lot, nor do you need to hire someone to do basic things like mow your lawn. :)

*Banish unnecessary items from your home -- Don't buy an extra piece of candy at the store (even if your kids were really good). Don't buy new toys (even for birthdays; they'll get new stuff from friends and family anyway). Don't buy food you won't eat. Don't buy unnecessary medicine (we don't buy anything OTC anymore)!

*Make things yourself -- Make your meals, sew buttons back onto your clothes, fix hems or rips in clothes, make your own baby toys (make sure they're safe), sew cirb sheets and blankets (it's easy!), etc.

There are LOTS of ways to save money around the house. Most of these are also environmentally-friendly, too. It's all about living a frugal and sustainable life!

What do you do to save money around the house?