23 Tips to Save You Money in The Home and Garden

Benjamin Franklin once said “a penny saved is a penny earned” and to help you save more than a few pennies around the home and garden, below are a number of money saving tips – many of which require minimal effort on your part.

Around The Home:

1. Switch off and unplug your appliances. Too many of us are guilty of leaving our appliances on standby when they’re not in use, yet this is a waste of energy and money. Switching our appliances off and unplugging them has the potential to save up to £30 per year.

Along with switching off, it’s important to make sure you don’t overcharge your appliances – something 49% of us are guilty of according to one energy provider.

2. Keep your fridge and freezer at their optimum temperatures, to ensure the motors do not have to work harder than necessary. The ideal temperature for your fridge is between 3°C and 5°C, whilst for your freezer the temperature should be -18°C.

3. Turn it down. By turning the thermometer for your heating down by just 1°C you have the potential to save roughly £85 – £90 annually on your utility bills, and you’re unlikely to notice the difference in temperature. Turning the water temperature down on your boiler will also help you save money throughout the year.

4. Repair broken appliances. It’s all too easy nowadays when an appliance breaks, whether it’s a vacuum cleaner or washing machine, to throw it away and purchase a new one. But you could be wasting money unnecessarily.

Instead, by taking the time to purchase the required spare part and fix the appliance yourself, you can save money and increase your DIY knowledge.

5. 66% of the British population drink tea every day, but many of us when brewing up are wasting money by filling the kettle up with more water than is needed. This unnecessarily requires your kettle to use more energy than required.

Re-boiling the water in your kettle can also impact on the taste of the cuppa, and increase the build up of limescale minerals, which reduce the performance of the appliance. Limit the energy you use each time you make a cup of tea by only using the water you require.

6. Switch to LED bulbs. The initial cost may be slightly more expensive, but the overall savings can be beneficial, with it being suggested that by changing 10 light fittings with 60W bulbs, to 6W LED bulbs will save you close to £240 a year. As an added benefit, LED bulbs come with an estimated life of 20,000 hours.

7. It may sound obvious, but whenever you’re using your washing machine or dishwasher, make sure you do so when there is a full load. This will work out cheaper than running two half loads, as less energy is being used.

8. When doing your laundry, save money by washing on an economy wash which uses less energy, and using tumble dryer balls when drying. The latter helps to generate more space between clothes as they tumble ensuring hot air gets to where it needs to go and reducing the drying time.

9. Cook various vegetables at once, instead of having them cook on different hob rings, use a steamer or segmented pans. The latter enables you to cook various vegetables at once on one ring – saving you energy and money. Steaming your food is also a healthier option as it keeps all the nutrients in!

10. Become wise to your water usage. Did you know, for example, leaving your taps running is quite literally water down the drain? It’s estimated that leaving the tap running as we clean our teeth results in 6 litres of water each minute being wasted. Meanwhile, 5500 litres of water is wasted each year due to a dripping tap, which equates to £18 per year of wasted money.

11. Cut out the drafts from your house, by using draft excluders, letterbox covers and keyhole covers. Each of these simple devices will help keep cold weather out of your home, reducing the chances of you needing your heating on – therefore saving you money.

12. Keep your fridge and freezer well stocked. An almost empty fridge or freezer will see the appliance cooling air, making it work harder. If your fridge or freezer is looking a bit empty, but you don’t plan to go food shopping just yet, fill the space by:

I) using scrunched up newspaper to fill gaps in the freezer.

II) using bottles of water in the fridge.

13. Use your tumble dryer less. Just because the sun isn’t out, it doesn’t mean your clothes won’t dry outside. If the weather is dry, hang the washing out. By limiting the amount of time you use your tumble dryer, you can save anywhere between £30 and £100 each year.

In The Garden:

14. Plant Perennials – these are a great way to save money in the garden as once they’re planted they’ll continue to grow each year. Some perennials which can help your garden become your own little slice of paradise include gaillardia, peonies, daffodils and chrysanthemums.

15. Grow your own fruit and vegetables – the British weather although you may not think it, is great for growing your own fruit and vegetables. Growing your own fruit and vegetables can also help you save money and live a healthier lifestyle.

Some of the easiest fruit and veg to grow in your garden include broad beans, blueberries, asparagus, strawberries and potatoes.

16. Say bye to slugs – slugs can be a nightmare for gardeners, but it is possible to remove them without purchasing slug pellets. Using household products such as beer, coffee grounds and vinegar can remove the threat of slugs from your plants.

17. Stop forking out on fertilizer, but continue to feed your food. There’s no denying that fertilizer is beneficial to plant growth, but it can be expensive. Cut the cost by making your own. This can be done in a few ways:

1) Collect the leaves which cover your lawn each autumn and winter, place them in a bin bag whilst they’re still wet and allow them to rot down. Whilst this will take up to 2 years, it’s a cheaper alternative to purchasing fertilizer.

2) Make your own compost. From food peelings and egg shells, to cardboard and tea bags, all can be added to your own compost bin, which if turned regularly and left to degrade can make excellent fertilizer for your plants without costing you a penny.

18. Use rain water wisely – there’s no hiding away from the weather in the UK, but the rain can be put to good use. By collecting the rain water, you have a continuous source of free water to use throughout your garden and greenhouse.

General:

19. With up to 60% of a home’s energy coming from the boiler, yours could be costing you significant amounts of money. It’s recommended if your existing boiler is at least 15 years old and no longer effective, you should replace it.

Although this will cost you in the short term, in the long term you have the potential to see savings between £190 and £240 a year by switching to a high efficiency condensing boiler.

20. You’d be surprised how much heat is lost through your roof and therefore how much money you’re wasting. But with effective insulation you can help keep your home warmer, your energy consumption down, and your bills lower.

21. Recycle more. You may already be recycling your paper, tin, glass and cardboard waste, but there’s so much more you can recycle. Old cutlery can be turned into coat hooks, CDs can be used in the garden to keep birds off your allotment, and your old vinyl can be turned into wall art, cake stands or fruit bowls.

22. Become internet savvy and take advantage of the multitude of websites available where you can get goods for free or sites where you can swap your unwanted goods for other items.

23. Monitor your energy usage. A simple energy monitor, will help you keep an eye on your current energy usage, how much was used in the past week, month, etc. It’ll also help you find out how much your energy consumption is costing you – enabling you to find ways to cut back, or find those appliances which are using the most energy.

The Author:

Repair rather than replace your appliances, with the help of BuySpares. We stock an extensive range of spare parts and accessories for all your household and garden appliances.

Photo. Louda2455