64 Ways To Reduce
Housing & Home Expenses

If you're up to your neck in alligators from overspending, run to, not from the problem. The longer you carry this issue around the heavier it will get. If you start to implement all, of some, of the action items below you will immediately start to reduce your spending. Get the whole family to join in and make it a game to see how low you can get your expenses...

• Home Purchase and savings
• 1. Consider buying an old, inexpensive house & modernizing it yourself.
  2. Check firms that build the house's exterior and you do the inside work.
  3. Give thought to living in a mobile home or modular housing.
  4. You can save substantially by learning how to conserve home energy.
  5. Insulate your home yourself & you may be entitled to a large tax credit.
  6. Use solar energy in your home & reduce conventional energy expenses.
  7. Pay property insurance premiums annually for substantial savings.
  8. Moving costs may be tax deductible, if it was done for business reasons.
  9. If necessary, add extra rooms instead of looking for a larger house.
  10. Keep your home in good condition. It will insure top money when selling.
• How to save on home repair bills......
  11. Practice preventable maintenance. Take good care of what you have.
  12. Get an illustrated manual & learn to repair most common problems yourself.
  13. When needed, ask friends & neighbors whom they recommend for repair work.
  14. Always get competitive bids for larger repair jobs.
• 15. Before hiring a firm, ask for names of their customers you can contact.
  16. If a loan is required for repairs, shop round for lowest interest rates.
  17. Borrow money for the shortest period possible
  18. Use reputable firms. Check with Better Business Bureau if necessary.
  19. Establish a good trusting relationship with a reliable repair service.
  20. Get a signed cost estimate before repair work is started.
• Where to find the best home bargains.....
  21. The Internet
  22. Discount stores.
  23. Auctions.
  24. Catalog stores.
  25. Garage sales.
  26. Flea markets.
  27. Thrift stores.
  28. Classified ads. (You'll get a better bargain from private owner, than from a store).
  29. Sales and clearances of reputable stores.
  30. Look for "floor samples" and "demonstrator's models
  31. Shop for discontinued models and "slightly damaged" merchandise.
  32. Buy "unclaimed" and "repossessed" furniture at warehouse sales.
  33. Buy unpainted furniture and finish it yourself.
  34. Try to buy wholesale. Some manufacturers have"wholesale outlets".
  35. Consider working a swap with friends, relatives, neighbors.
• How to buy furniture, appliances, furnishings intelligently........
  36. Before you buy, ask yourself, "Do I really need it?"
  37. Shop around before you decide. Become an expert comparison shopper.
  38. Ask around. Talk to others and ask their experiences, suggestions.
  39. Go to the local library and read. Check out recent articles on the subject.
  40. Is the merchant reliable in case you have any problems later?
  41. Never sign contracts or agreements until you know what you are signing.
  42. If you buy on credit, keep a written record of your spending in your wallet.
  43. Use charge cards only if you pay bills before interest is added.
  44. Buy only low-energy, high efficiency appliances.
  45. See if you can "make do" with what you have.
  46. When ordering carpeting, ask for broadloom remnants and save about half.
  47. Make some items yourself, such as curtains, draperies, bedspreads, etc.
  48. Buy radios and TV's during January & May sales.
  49. February & June are good times to buy bedding, floor covering, furniture.
  50. Shop March & July for good buys on washers and dryers.
  51. Buy rugs during August and October sales.
  52. Stock up on household linens during the months of January, May & August.
  53. March is a good month to buy a house, right after school vacation starts.
  54. Buy a kitchen range, paint & wallpaper during April sales.
  55. March is a good month to select a new air conditioner.
  56. January sales are good for buying small appliances, blankets, quilts.
  57. Buy housewares in Feb., Sept.; china & glassware in March & Sept.
  58. Buy fabrics in Jan. & October; storm windows in June & July.
• Personal Choices
  59. Eliminate your cell phone and shop around for a long distance carrier with a low rate per minute and no monthly fee.
  60. Cancel newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. Everything you need is free at the library, accessible via the internet, or on television.
  61. Turn down the thermostat, use energy efficient lamps in fixtures, turn off the lights when you leave a room.
  62. Check with your local utility companies about budget billing, and review the many other energy and money saving tips listed at the U.S. Department of Energy's website which can be found at www.eere.energy.gov/consumer info/energy_savers.
  63. Purchase generic prescriptions when possible and obtain the best price by calling and comparing prices at local pharmacies,
  64. increase your medical coverage deductible. This will result in lower monthly premiums.
• These are just a few of the money saving tips. You can proabley come up with hundreds of others yourself. It just takes motivation and practice. Money problems usually spring directly from your lifestyle choices. Changing your lifestyle takes a little bit of work and a lot of courage. We do get comfortable in our lifestyle and to change anything is scary . However, remember the old adage "If you don't make the hard decisions someone will make them for you." That is what foreclosure on your home is about, or the IRS garnishing your wages, etc. TAKE ACTION NOW ! Don't be a willing victim.