9 Out of the Box Ideas to Save Money around your Home

There are often places in our homes where we can save money on energy and heating costs during the winter that we don’t even think about. But those savings found in unexpected spaces and places can really add up!

When trying to save money around your home, sometime you have to invest to see dividends in the future. That’s the mindset many of our customers have when deciding to purchase a Cook shed. Having that extra space now, will save you on rental storage fees and future frustrations!

So here are 9 out-of-the-box ways to save money in your home this winter and for years into the future. And for more creative ways to save around your house, read this post!

Shorten the dryer-vent hose

First, disconnect the hose and vacuum it out. Then, trim the hose length so it’s just long enough to be a few feet from the wall. This will make your dryer run more efficiently, save you money and get your clothes to dry much faster!

Close all closet doors

Shutting the doors to any closets along your home’s exterior walls will help insulate the entire house. This easy tip will save your about $50 per year by decreasing the square footage that you have to heat. And it’s a great way to hide all your clutter!

Paint trim with one color

Select one neutral color to paint the trim in your entire house rather than using a different color for each room. Using white or off-white makes things simple and ensures you have a matching color for any necessary touch-ups.

Turn down the water heater thermostat

Most water heaters are set around 140 degrees to decrease the wait time before a shower or bath. But setting the thermostat on your water heater down to 110-120 degrees is easy to do and will save your family some valuable resources!

Insulate hot water lines.

You can purchase preformed foam tubes that fit right around pipes for less than a dollar per square foot. This insulation keeps the heat inside and can help you save more than $50 yearly!

Plant a deciduous tree

Plant a deciduous tree or shrub to the south, west or east of your house. Once the tree is mature, it will help shade your home during the summer and because the leaves fall before winter, you will still benefit from any winter sunlight.

Install a shower timer

This is a great investment for a kids’ bathroom. The battery-operated device limits showers to either 5, 8 or 11 minutes and is easy to install. Although there is some upfront cost to purchasing the device, it pays for itself after the first year and will make your morning routine much easier!

Install an under-sink water filter

This helpful gadget gives your family clean and purified water right at your fingertips and will save you tons of money over the year in expensive bottled water. It’s also the responsible choice for the environment!

Buy firewood this spring

The cost of firewood is much lower in the spring so remember to stock up when winter ends this year! Logs will dry out and be ready to burn when the temperatures drops again and there won’t be any shortage because it’s the off-season.

If you like these money-saving ideas from Cook check our blog for even more ways to save money around your home! Our last tip for winter? Make sure you have a safe place to store all of your Winter and Springtime items. Take a look at our shed styles!