If you want to save money but think that you can’t possibly tighten your belt any more, then this is the guide for you. Below you will find ways to save money all over the house. None of these strategies alone will save you a fortune but if you do several, or even all, of them, you could easily save enough money to pay your phone bill or for diapers each month.

Kitchen

• Turn your dishwater’s heated dry feature off and let your dishes air dry.
• Only add dishwashing detergent to the main cup (with a lid) in your dishwasher.
• Always keep a hand towel (or two!) hanging in the kitchen. This will reduce the likelihood of reaching for a paper towel to wipe up a spill or to dry your hands.
• Vacuum the coils on your refrigerator twice a year. This keeps the fridge running efficiently and also extends the life of the appliance.
• Use your oven more during the winter months as the oven will help to warm the house.
• In the summer months, use the Crock Pot, stove top, and microwave, as these emit less heat into the house.
• Cooking a casserole or stew? Make a double batch and freeze half for another night. These frozen dinners are lifesavers when you don’t have time to cook and are cheaper than dining out.

Laundry Room

• Use the smallest recommended amount of laundry detergent. Too often we just fill the whole cup or scoop when much less would do.
• Wash your laundry in cold water. The exception to this is when you are washing with bleach (whites or cloth diapers)  in those instances, wash in hot water.
• Consider line drying your clothes during the spring and summer. The clothes dryer is one of the biggest energy users in the home. Even just drying your towels and bed linens on the line could save you quite a bit of money.
• Instead of liquid fabric softener, add a ½ to 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse water. The vinegar will soften your clothes and the smell will vanish when the clothes dry.
• If you use dryer sheets, cut them in half before using them. A half sheet is enough to keep the static out of your clothes.
• Use your used dryer sheets to dust around the house. They work just about as well as dry duster cloths (like Swiffer brand cloths) and are essentially free.

Bathroom

• Repair leaky faucets so your hard-earned money doesn’t go down the drain!
• Limit showers to 10 minutes per person.
• Don’t buy expensive drain cleaners to clear a slow drain. Instead, pour a ½ cup of baking soda into the drain followed by a ½ cup of vinegar. Allow the solution to sit for several minutes and then flush with boiling water.
• Reuse bath towels. Each person can reuse his or her towel for at least two or three days, thus reducing your volume of laundry.
• Try using half the amount you would normally use of shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste.
• If you have more than one child, bathe two at a time to save on water, time, and bubble-bath.
• Rarely, if ever, use your bathroom’s ventilator fan. In addition to pulling out odors and steam, it will also pull out heated or air conditioned air.

Living Room/Family Room

• Turn the t.v. off. A lot of us have a bad habit of leaving the television on even when we aren’t watching it.
• Cancel or downgrade your cable or satellite subscription. Do you really need 400 channels? Instead, consider subscribing to Netflix or Blockbuster Online. You’ll have an endless stream of movies and t.v. shows at your disposal but you pay much less than you will for cable or satellite service.
• Have a fireplace? Use it to save money on your heating bill. It should go without saying, but always be careful with fireplaces and young children.
• Particularly if you have kids, put a large area rug over your existing carpet or flooring. It is much cheaper to replace an area rug than it is to replace wall-to-wall carpeting or hardwood floors.
• Don’t forget to turn off the lights (and lamps) in the family room. For some reason, we tend to leave this light on, no matter where we are in the house. If no one is in it, turn off the light.

Bedrooms

• Keep your closet doors closed. On hectic mornings it’s not unusual for a closet door to be left ajar. But why cool or heat these extra spaces in your home?
• Pile on the blankets in winter. Turn your thermostat down and use extra blankets to keep warm while you are sleeping.
• Set the timer on your television if you have a tendency to fall asleep while it’s still on.

All Around the House

• If you have drafty windows, run a link of caulk around them to keep air from seeping through. The caulk will come off easily when you are ready to open the windows again.
• Change your heating and air conditioning filter on a regular basis. This will keep your unit running efficiently. For added efficiency, have your ductwork cleaned annually by a professional.
• Unplug electronics and appliances when not in use. Pay particular attention to computers, battery chargers, and small kitchen appliances. Even when they are off, they continue to use energy.
• If you have a programmable thermostat, use it! If not, adjust the temperature before leaving the house so that your heat/air doesn’t run unnecessarily.

Photo by James Bowe, Creative Commons license