Saving Money At Home

Finding the cost of living is going up and up? Despite the current economic conditions it is still expensive to cover all your household needs. If you have not sat down and looked at how your money is being spent then you may find lots of little things you see an insignificant are adding up and costing more than you think. Check out these ideas to help keep your costs down.

* Create a household budget - Work out how much money is coming in and how much is going out and then work out where you can cut back each month.

* Cancel your cable TV - Do you need the top level cable package or could you manage with a basic package or just with free telivision? Over a year cable TV charges can really add up and you will soon get used to not having it. It's possible you may even be able to keep some channels at no charge with a combined phone line package.

* Switch utility providers - Are your utlity companies providing the best deal for your energy, internet and cell phone or have you just gone with the crowd? Shop around and you may be able to save hundreds of dollars each year by moving to the best offer.

* Go eco - Get more environmentally friendly and save money by switching to low energy light bulbs and fitting water saving shower heads to save water. Save power by keeping lights switched off whenever you are out of a room and keep your TV, hi-fi and other equipment turned off fully when not in use instead of on standby which uses more power than you would expect. If your house is uninsulated you could be losing a lot of heat in winter and letting the heat in during the warmer months. Getting your house insulated can save hundreds on your power bills with reduced heating and air-con costs.

* Leave the car at home - For short journeys why not get some fresh air and exercise by walking and cycling. If you just going to the local shops do you really need to get in the car?

* Sell your junk - Have a big clear out of your house and sell all those items cluttering up your cupboards and storage space. More valuable items can sell well on Ebay while less valuable items may be better suited to a garage sale.

* Take your own lunch to work and make your own coffee - Buying a coffee on the way into work or grabbing something quick at lunch while working may not seem like a big cost but it adds up over time. If you spend $3 each workday on a coffee and $6 on lunch it would add up to over $2,000 per year. Taking your own food and drink would cost only a fraction.

There are obviously lots of other ways to save money but these will get you started. On their own each thing may not sound like much but the thing to remember is that together they all add up. By the time these changes add up together you can save thousands per year.