Running A Family Home Is Expensive
Running A Family Home Is Expensive
Here are five simple ideas that can aid your financial health while also supporting your bid to build a better home.
Written by Liz Bayardelle, PhD | See Comments | Updated 08/25/2021
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Running A Family Home Is Expensive
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Your home is probably the most valuable asset you possess, both financially and in relation to what it offers your life. However, the ongoing costs of running a property are at an all-time high. Whether your income has been affected by the pandemic or not, finding ways to manage the expenses should be high on the agenda.
The small steps often make the biggest impact. Here are five simple ideas that can aid your financial health while also supporting your bid to build a better home.
#1: Claim Back Your Entitlements
Missing out on money that you are entitled to will continue to limit your hopes of creating a positive situation. Therefore, you must use this opportunity to determine whether you could be due to reduced taxes or any kind of rebate. Green home may be eligible for a $2,000 45L tax credit. Visit https://tri-merit.com/45l-credit/ to learn more. It may be possible to get discounted rates on various green updates too. The opportunities will differ from one location to another. With a little research though, you can soon determine what’s available to you.
#2: Stay On Top Of Maintenance
The reality of life is that problems will occur from time to time. It might be the oldest cliche in the book but a stitch in time really does save nine. As such, staying on top of your ongoing maintenance to prevent damage and limit the impact of any issues that do occur is vital. Many of the tasks can be completed on a DIY basis, although some issues like boiler servicing will need an expert. Either way, promoting the continued health of your home in this manner can cut costs. Better still, it saves you from stressful situations.
#3: Shop For Better Deals
Arguably the worst waste of money comes courtesy of overspending on subscriptions and ongoing home service. Running price comparisons on energy bills, broadband, and TV packages will serve you well. Meanwhile, you can visit https://youngalfred.com/ to find the best home insurance deals. Individual savings may be small but they soon add up over the course of a year. Crucially, the reduced overheads will not cause any negative impact on your quality of life. For that reason, you’d be very foolish to overlook this step.
#4: Get More Out Of Old Goods
We all grow out of certain products and homewares over the years. However, most people are guilty of tossing those items into storage before eventually trashing them. Rather than allowing them to take up room in the home, it would be far better to focus on trying to recoup some money via sales. This can be achieved through online selling or holding a garage sale. As a one-time way to bring a cash injection, this is probably the best option at your disposal. The fact that it teaches you to adopt a more organized interior design works well too.
#5: Focus On The Right Additions
All homeowners want to stamp their authority on the property. Sadly, many fall into the trap of completing the upgrades that are on-trend. It is far better to focus on the jobs that actually create a happier home environment. A change of color scheme and the addition of family photos can work wonders. Meanwhile, bathroom and bedroom upgrades often bring better results than a swimming pool. BBQ stoves and other small garden luxuries can improve your quality of life and relationship with the home. Worry about your tastes rather than an image.
Managing a property will still be expensive, but the above steps will make it more manageable. You’ve got this.
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About the Author
Liz Bayardelle, PhD
Founder | Contributor
Liz (or Dr. Mommy, as her toddler started calling her after learning what a PhD was) is the happily sleep-deprived mom of a toddler (and professional raccoon noise impersonator), a sparkle-clad kidnado, a teenage stepdaughter, 200 cumulative pounds of dog, and herd of dustbunnies (if daily vacuuming doesn't occur). During nights and naptimes, she uses her PhD in business psychology as an author, speaker, and consultant. She also serves as an executive and principal for three companies, two of which she co-founded with her very patient (and equally exhausted) husband.