Money Saving Housing & Utilities Tips
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Updated on: September 25, 2023
HOUSING
Rent/Mortgage
Consider getting a roommate or renting out any extra space
Sign an extended lease
Look for housing during winter
Ask the landlord if you can do maintenance, repairs or updates (painting, mowing, etc.) in exchange for having your rent reduced. They’ll supply the materials and you supply the labor.
Homeowners/Renters Insurance
Shop around
Raise your deductible
Bundle with other insured property (auto, life, etc.)
Ask about discounts for home security or disaster resistance measures such as storm shutters, shatter-proof glass, reinforced roof, etc.
Ask about exclusive discounts such as veteran or senior citizen discounts.
UTILITIES
City of Columbia residential electric customers who participate in the Home Performance with Energy Star program can finance the suggested energy efficiency improvements through our rebates and loans.
Electric/Gas
Use compact fluorescent or LED light bulbs
Turn down hot water heater.
Find out if your utility company has dual time or flat rates. If dual time, rates are lower at non-peak times, like at night. Plan your use accordingly.
Dry your clothes on a line (weather permitting) They make indoor clothes-drying, foldable racks so you could do this year-round, regardless of weather. Setting your washer on “cold” settings also saves some water heater costs.
Keep AC and furnace air filters replaced regularly (every few months) and make sure vents are uncovered.
Seal your home by installing weather stripping around doors, insulating outlets, spraying foam around windows and/or putting plastic to cover windows and crawl spaces
Use ceiling fans which will circulate heat and air
Turn off electronics you are not using
Use a fireplace or wood stove if possible; be sure smoke alarms work.
If you have a digital thermostat - set it to turn down/winter or up/summer during the day when no one is home, or at night while you’re asleep. Or remember to do it yourself each day and night if you don’t have digital.
Water
Take short showers
Cold showers will make them shower MUCH quicker and saves on water heater costs :)
Check faucets and showerheads to make sure there is no leaking
Wash clothes in cold water
Turn off water when you are shaving or brushing your teeth
Do not wash “half-loads” of clothing and dishes
If your home has a dishwasher, avoid using it if it’s an older model. Newer models claim to use less water than doing dishes in the sink. If you go to buy a dishwasher, ask if it uses fresh water to rinse dishes or if it uses recycled water.
Places like southern California, where water shortages are a big problem, conserve water with this restroom slogan, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” Rather crude? But if you’re desperate to save money anywhere possible, avoiding the flush every single time could save a bit on water usage.
Phone
Make sure you are not over-spending on phone minutes that you never use
Make sure you are not paying for more data than you use
Phone insurance is an option. One benefit it reducing the cost of replacing a damaged phone.
Enroll in autopay
Use prepaid
Shop around
Cable/Internet
Consider dropping cable entirely
Shop around
Use a cable alternative such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc.
If you drop cable, there are free ways to get news and entertainment; the local library has lots of movie choices. Some sites like Vudu and YouTube have free movies, and all the movies on https://bnwmovies.com/ are free.