14 Things Homeowners Should Do Immediately To Save Money

November 28, 2018 at 11:27 am EDT | Sponsored Content

So you’re one of the lucky 2/3 of Americans who own a home and no longer have to pay rent. That’s great, but by no means is home ownership cheap. With the rising costs of living, finding ways to save money is something that everyone should do.

Here are 14 things to do immediately that will reduce the costs of living in your home over the long haul. You can read about them and click any of the links provided for more information. Please write these down and go through each one so you can capitlize on the potential savings. Checkout #2 SmartView Antenna as its the best selling savings product for 2018.

 

1. Lower The Temperature on Your Hot Water Heater

When it comes to saving energy and reducing your household utility bills, simply by lowering your water heater temperature can help. Most water heater manufacturers have the thermostat set at a default temperature of 140 degrees. A water temperature this high results in energy losses and poses a safety risk to vulnerable members of your household. By reducing the temperature 20 degrees, you can cut the appliance's energy consumption as much as 10 percent. When you consider that hot water heating accounts for up to 25 percent of the total energy usage in most households, it's easy to see how lowering the temperature can provide significant cost savings.

2. SmartView Antenna — Get Free TV

Did you know you can pick up network TV for free? You just need the right antenna — SmartView Antenna. No subscription fee. No installation fee. No satellite dish. Attach the sleek antenna to your wall or hide it under a cabinet or behind a picture — as long as there is a good signal — and enjoy watching leading networks, including 90 of the top 100 programs. All for free! (Yes, it’s legal.) You also get free DVR capability with an on-screen channel guide. What will you use the extra money for when you cancel your monthly cable or satellite TV subscriptions and get SmartView Antenna? You can think about that while you enjoy free TV.

Click To Learn More About SmartView Antenna >>

3. Negotiate A Better Mortgage Rate With HARP

If you’re a homeowner and you want to save yourself thousands of dollars this year, there’s a government program that you might be able to take advantage of called HARP. The Home Affordable Refinance Plan (HARP) could help hundreds of thousands of Americans reduce their monthly payments by as much as $3,500 in their first year. The program was set to expire in 2017 but has been extended to 2018 for the time being. In order to qualify for HARP you’ll need good or excellent credit, so if you don’t have a very good credit rating then this probably isn’t for you. To check if you qualify visit HARP Approvals, and fill out the short quiz (take 2 minutes).

If lowering your payments, paying off your mortgage faster, and having an extra $290 a month in HARP savings would help you, then this could be the easiest money savings tip you take.

Click Here To See If You Qualify For HARP »

 

4. Install A Home Alarm System

A monitored home security system protects you, your family, and your home against intruders, and that is reason enough to have one installed. But there is a huge bonus to having a security system that makes the decision to get one even more attractive: you could save a bundle on insurance.

Many insurers offer deep discounts as much as 20% when a homeowner has a home security system. To put it simply, a home that is less likely to be broken into will have a greatly reduced chance of needing the insurance company to pay claims. Insurers like this, so they discount insurance for protected homes.

The good news is that home alarm companies are pretty desperate for new customers, so you can get a good deal. For instance, one of the best alarm system companies – ADT is currently offering over $850 in free equipment plus a $200 Visa gift card with $99 Installation and purchase of monitoring service. That means you basically get a free alarm system for over a year, just by paying a $99 fee.

Click To Learn More About ADT >>

5. Never Pay For Home Repairs Again

Many homeowners don’t have the extra cash to shell out for repairs when something in the house breaks. You most likely have homeowners insurance right? But what about if your washing machine of 10 years breaks down? Or your dryer just stops working one day? Homeowner insurance won’t cover those repairs. That’s why getting setup with a Home Warranty Program can actually end up saving you a lot of money in the long run.

It will cover any unexpected repairs to your appliances, plumbing, water heaters, heating and other electrical systems. They also will replace anything that they can’t fix. Make sure you shop around for rates on a home warranty program – this website will give you quotes that you can then choose from. A home warranty program should be a minor cost that can end up saving you major money.

Click Here to Learn More About Home Warranty »

6. Save Thousands of Dollars by Appealing Your Property Taxes

The second biggest expense for homeowners, after the mortgage, is usually property taxes. With up to 60 percent of taxable property being over-assessed, according to the National Taxpayers Union. There's a good chance you're paying more than your fair share in property taxes.
Surprisingly, in most cases, getting a break on property taxes isn't difficult. Go down to your local assessors office, or even hire a tax attorney to help grieve your taxes for you. Attorneys usually take a small flat fee or just take a 35-40% commission on whatever they save you for that year they grieved. So if NO savinghs, they dont collect anything. Tax Exemptions are also available for seniors, veterans and the disabled. To find out if you qualify, check out your assessor's website or call them.

 

7. Consolidate All Your Existing Debt Into One Simple Payment

Ever hear the phrase "Saving Money is Making Money". Well think how much you pay in interest and fees for all the loans and credits you have each month. The sooner you're the debt free the better. Debt consolidation is the process of combining all your unsecured debts and even tax debt into a single monthly payment. Generally this allows for much lower payments on a monthly basis than the sum total of the separate debts – making life a lot more manageable. The likelihood in these circumstances of reducing interest rates is very high, and there are many firms out there who will walk you through the process making it simple and painless. If you have more than $10,000 in debt, then this is something you should do right away. You can get the best quote to consolidate all your unsecured debt by clicking the link below.

Click To Settle Your Debt >>

8. Save Money on New Windows

Many people opt to replace old drafty windows at home with new energy-efficient ones. Replacing old windows can also lower your utility bill by 40% per month and increase your home’s curb appeal. You may also qualify to save $100s in seasonal discounts from manufacturers like Pella, Champion, and Andersen. Make sure you find the best price you can get by visiting Modernize Windows to compare pricing from local professionals.

Click To Learn About Savings on Windows >>

9. Automate Your Thermostat

In my first home, I would manually turn up the thermostat as I walked out the door to work, and I would manually adjust it down when I came home in the evening. Last year I replaced all of the thermostats in my house with the Nest learning thermostat. It learns your schedule to keep your home comfortable when you are home. Nests’ are pricey, but according to the Nest website, some energy companies will give you a $249 Nest Thermostat free when you sign up for some of their plans. Definitely check with your utility provider to see what you can get from them. If you can’t get a free or discounted smart thermostat from your utility provider, you can go the manual route like I used to.

Go get a sticky note, and put it on the door you take to leave your home. Write a reminder to change the thermostat as you walk out the door. Simple and free.

 

10. Improving Your Credit Score Can Save You Money

Think of your credit score as your resume. Wouldn't you want to build a stronger resume before applying for that job? The truth is, not only will an improved credit score allow you to qualify for that mortgage, personal loan or premium credit card, but a higher score means better interest rates which can save you a fortune in the long run.

It's really important to be aware of your credit profile. More often than not, people are under the impression that their credit score is in better shape than it actually is. By reviewing it annually or semi-annually, not only will you be aware of the room left for improvement, but you may also find errors on your report. It's really common to find errors that can negatively impact your credit score. Click link below to get your three credit scores and reports from all three credit bureaus

Click Here To Check Your Credit Scores >>

 

11. Save Money on a NEW Roof

Similar to replacing your windows, replacing your roof can be an expensive investment faced by all homeowners, but it’s something that’s necessary. The damage caused by leaky roofs and poorly insulated houses could end up costing anywhere from three to five times more money in the long run. If you think your roof needs to be replaced or repaired we recommend visiting this website to find quotes from highly rated roofing experts.

Click Here To Learn More »

 

12. Deduct Your Mortgage Interest On Your Tax Return

A report from Congress’ Joint Committee on Taxation estimates some $70 billion in mortgage interest deductions annually among American taxpayers. Make sure you get your fair share — not just because mortgage interest can be substantial, but this tax break alone opens the door for many taxpayers to itemize other, smaller breaks instead of settling for the standard deduction. Simply use Form 1098 if you have paid more than $600 in mortgage interest in the tax year.

 

13. Reduce Your Electricity Bill with Solar Panels

For Homeowners, rising monthly electricity costs can make you feel like you’re always living paycheck to paycheck. The good news is that now more than ever the government is offering subsidies to install solar panels. That means if you live in a sunny part of the United States, you may be able to qualify for a free installation, and it will significantly reduce your electricity costs in a matter of weeks. In fact, some Americans have saved as much as $183 per month on their energy bills. If you’re not happy with solar panels, you can always wait until the new Tesla home Powerwall is ready and purchase that. If you’d like to get a quote on solar panels in your area – you can visit The National Solar Network and get an idea of how much money you can save by making the switch.

Click Here To Learn More About Solar Rebates »

 

 

14. Are you owed money? Here's how to find out

There is is close to 60 Billion Dollars that is unclaimed with state governments, financial institutions, and/or companies. The most common unclaimed money is ‘no owner contact’ for forgotten checking and savings accounts, as well as security deposits, IRS unclaimed refunds, uncollected insurance checks and even inheritance that is simply sitting; untouched. We helped many claim thousands of dollars owed to them.

Currently, the government does not have one central website for finding unclaimed money by name, Social Security number, or state. To find unclaimed money from the government, start with your state and click here. Takes 2 seconds to run a quick search. Hope you have a check waiting for you. Good luck!

Click To See If You have Unclaimed Money >>

 

I hope you took some notes and inquired with a few of these savings tips. Our goal is to help you, like we helped other readers save tens of thousands of dollars simply from reading this article. If you want to help your friends and family with these savings tips, Click the Facebook Share button below.

 

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