Now, more than ever, homeowners are seeking ways to save money on their monthly expenses.
Why you ask?
Although inflation is back to a percentage that appeases our economic leaders, around 2.5%, the price of goods and services are not coming back down to where they were before inflation began. In essence, higher prices are the new norm.
Since 2020, inflation is up about 21%. This translates to a higher price for things. Prices are here to stay and won’t fall back to 2020 levels. Life is just more expensive today.
So, I have a handful of ideas you can implement around your home now with little investment that’ll help you save money:
* Go Native – Plant trees, shrubs that are native to your area. They require less water, chemicals, and maintenance to thrive than non-native species.
* Compost – Composting allows you to turn food scraps and garden waste into nutrient-rich soil, reducing the need for fertilizer. It’s a simple, effective habit that contributes to a healthier environment.
* Catch Rainwater – Reduce water usage and lower your water bills by installing barrels and collecting rainwater for plants and flowers. Use the watering calculator on bewaterwise.com to calculate how much water you’re using on your landscape. We did this at our home in Delray Beach as we get a lot of rain during the summer months. It’s a great way to save money. This year we had to buy more 50 gallon barrels and used the water for all our yard.
* Harness Free Light – Install solar-powered or LED outdoor lighting. The energy is free, and you’ll reduce your electricity consumption and energy bills. That said, the lights themselves could use an eco-friendly upgrade, given that their materials aren’t long-lasting. For more, check out this essay.
* Manage Your Water Usage – Installing a drip irrigation system or smart sprinkler system can help you manage your water consumption by scheduling your garden watering around weather conditions and preventing overwatering.
* Install Awnings – If investing in impact glass windows is not an option, awnings reduce heat, keep your home cooler and more comfortable, and reduce air conditioning costs. On south-facing windows, awnings can reduce solar heat gain by up to 65% and by 77% on west-facing windows, says the U.S. Department of Energy.
For my home we did buy impact glass throughout. It was an investment, but our electric bill is down about 20-25%. It was a longterm investment to help us save money.
* Phantom Energy – This is the electricity that different types of devices drain, even when you think you have turned them off. They go into a kind of standby mode. But when you have standby power running 24/7, it will add up to a huge amount of energy waste. So, unplug you toaster, blender, coffee machine, phone & computer chargers when not in use.
As homeowners, my wife and I love finding ways to save money. She’s on Pinterest often and I’m looking at sustainable sites for new ideas. For you, you can do the same as you’ll run into plenty of ways to save money for your home… and your pocketbook.
(Photo above: Me in my butterfly garden with various native Milkweek plants, Papaya and Banana’s – these plants are all low water consumers)
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*** If you’re not familiar with Community Greening, learn all about them and how they’re creating a greener and more sustainable South Florida, one community at a time. They created their Delray Beach Residential Tree Drop Off? Check it out – it’s Free!
*** You can find plenty more ways to save money by trying some green ideas inside and outside of your home in my Green Real Estate Oasis page
*** Want to know the probability of where Federal Rates will be in the future? Here’s where to go to be the smartest in the room
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*** South Florida’s Surging Supply Update ***
* This morning’s Inventory is 50,819 *
* Last week supply was 50,424 *
That’s a 395 unit Increase in one week
October Inventory is UP 819 units
