At a time when every household is desperate to save money and increase its overall budget, it is essential to know what elements of your everyday life are draining your budget. It comes as no surprise that grocery shopping is on top of the list of expenses. However, where previous generations of homeowners were able to keep hold of their grocery budget and to invent fantastic meals with very little ingredients, modern generations are not that economical with their food. In fact, the equivalent of US$1 trillion of food is wasted in the world. In the USA only, up to 40% of the food supply is wasted, which is the equivalent of over 20 pounds of food per month per person. Needless to say that this makes grocery shopping a major hole in the household budget. However, this isn’t the only lifestyle element that is eating your budget away. Interestingly enough, while food is energy for the body, it’s the energy in your home that is representing a huge cost in your household budget.
Identify The Big Money Holes
Having said that energy is a key money hole, it is important to look at the factors that are increasing your costs. During the cold months, heating is a guilty part! You may want to consider investing in hot water bottles to place at the bottom of the bed at night. While this may sound a little vintage, your energy bills will rapidly show the advantage of this little touch from the past. Another great example during the cold months is hot showers. People naturally tend to increase the temperature of the shower when it’s getting cold outside. Therefore, it can be helpful to drop the heater temperature: Your bills will show a clear difference too! Additionally, your fridge and freezer are energy monsters, especially if you are not making the best use of the space on the shelves. Consequently, an empty fridge costs you more.
Look Out For Energy-Efficient Solutions
Once you’ve identified the important money wasters in your energy budget, it is also essential to identify areas that could be improved with clever home projects. For instance, windows that are not air-tight – which tends to happen when they are over 15-year-old – keep your home cold in winter and hot in summer. They will need changing, but it’s an investment that will significantly reduce your energy bill within the first year. Additionally, old heating or air conditioning systems can be a drain on your budget as they don’t function properly. More often than not, getting in touch with a professional heating or AC service will help you to update your solutions. Finally, keeping an eye on your boiler performance is important: Old boilers cost a lot of energy for little results.
Consider Embracing The Green Side Of Life
Last, but not least, the trend for green energy is generating saving that is significant for the household and the future generations too. More and more households are considering governmental grants and fundings to afford the installation of environment-friendly solutions, such as solar panels or even rainwater harvesting systems. While these are a significant investment in a lifetime, green energy gives your home the possibility to become partially self-sufficient and to generate its own energy.