Are there any tips and advises to reduce the usual household bills ?
If not reduce then aat least put some controls in place to achieve good usage of water, gas , electricity, phone, internet etc and any other bills?
Are there any tips and advises to reduce the usual household bills ?
If not reduce then aat least put some controls in place to achieve good usage of water, gas , electricity, phone, internet etc and any other bills?
Re: Reducing the bills !
If I knew, I'd be a millionaire :(
Re: Reducing the bills !
but there must be a way of managing the bills positively … ![]()
Re: Reducing the bills !
We recently went on comparison websites to check cheapest providers for all our utility bill. We were with npower for gas and electricity but got a better deal with british gas. You can do that pretty much with anything like phone and internet. It all adds up in my opinion. My hot water and heating are on fixed timings so that if we are not at home they are switched off. The whole family is at it i think!! I was helping my little daughter brush her teeth and she said 'mummy dont waste the water turn it off quick !!'
I think in general desi peple are not very environmentally friendly either but these little things do add up and we should all be more energy efficient.
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Always pay your credit cards bills off in full each month
Always give something in charity each month
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For electricity, water etc, certain things seem small but they add up. Turn off lights when not in use. During the day, let the sunlight in instead of using the lights. If you live in a cold climate, winter proof your windows to cut down on heating costs. Install water efficient shower heads. Take short showers. Turn off taps when not in use instead of letting the water run. Hang clothes out to dry instead of using the dryer. Use cold water when possible to wash clothes. Unplug appliances when they are not in use. Use the fan instead of AC when possible. When buying new appliances, make sure they are energy efficient....etc
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We buy our groceries and household items in bulk and that saves quite a bit. Recently, my mother has discovered Restaurant Depot and loves it! Good habits help, less wastage and energy efficient appliances and vehicles.
Re: Reducing the bills !
Are there any tips and advises to reduce the usual household bills ?
If not reduce then aat least put some controls in place to achieve good usage of water, gas , electricity, phone, internet etc and any other bills?
do your grocery every month/two months rather than every day or week.
try to buy store's own brand cheap stuff rather than branded.
dont buy too much quantity...only what u need...because if its too much and it expires then it will all go in waste.
when appliances like microwave, laptops, tv, mobile chargers, iron are not in use always switch it off and unplug the switch because they still consume energy when on standby.
just make sure when u leave a room u turn off its light.
avoid staying longer in the shower.
when brushing your teeth etc dont let water turn. turn the tap off while you are actually brushing "it may sound what harm can it be if the water if left on for those 1/2 minutes...but infact gallons of water is wasted in that small time which we are unable to realise"
similalrly dont flush the toilet unneccassarily (that consummes too much water too) like we throw some rubbish, dust etc in the toilet and then flush it. use dustbins to throw your rubbish.
try to use your car less...where possible use cycle or do the walk...that will save on your petrol costs.
if you have radiator system (heating system) then turn it off when not needed
for telephone...try to buy the package where weekend/evening calls are free and then use that time to call people
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Store brands are as good as major brands, but often lot cheaper. Whatever you can replace with store brands, do that.
Re: Reducing the bills !
I disagree with the doing grocery once a month business.
plan meals for the week and buy stuff for the week
a lot of people who buy in bulk have a lot of stuff go to waste because by the time they get to it its gone bad.
if you read the stats on how much food gets thrown away on the average it adds up in thousands per household.
now some items can be bought in bulk but fresh fruits, veggies, bread etc are better, and in my opinion same holds true for meat.
some of the things that you can save quickly are on unneeded stuff, number of cable channels, cellphone minutes, long distance calls using calling cards or just skype, going generic for stuff rather than brands for cleaning supplies and other packaged goods. pack your lunches..and if u really want to save, take leftovers for lunch rather than have separate lunch shopping, brew your own coffee rather than hitting starbucks, get a more fuel efficient car, raise your insurance deductibles etc
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Adjust your toilet flush to fill it up early. Some people even advise to put one or two bricks in it. I just resorted to adjusting the toilet flush ball .
Compost your fruits , vegetables, food instead of using garbage disposal.
Always use washing machine and dishwasher when you have full loads.
When you are ironing iron lots of clothes at one time instead of one or two clothes.
Place a bucket under your shower or tap when you are waiting for the hot water to start flowing and use this water for watering your lawn or plants.
While you are washing your face or hands keep the faucet flow at low instead of at full.
Keep the thermostat low and wear a sweater or jacket. At night turn it even lower and use a comforter to stay warm.
Once you implement these tips you will start to come up with new ways of conservation or lowering your bills.
Re: Reducing the bills !
some of the things that you can save quickly are on unneeded stuff, number of cable channels, cellphone minutes, long distance calls using calling cards or just skype, going generic for stuff rather than brands for cleaning supplies and other packaged goods. pack your lunches..and if u really want to save, take leftovers for lunch rather than have separate lunch shopping, brew your own coffee rather than hitting starbucks, get a more fuel efficient car, raise your insurance deductibles etc
this
only thing I'll add, is if you come across sale of any non-perishable item that you frequently use, stock it up (items like paper towel, bathroom rolls, liquid soap etc etc)
Speaking of paper towel, we were liberal users of paper towels form last 8-10 years and always bought BOUNTY but lately we are cutting on paper towels and moving to small washable towels for kitchen use. So from 2 packs of BOUNTY in a month (thats around 24-28 rolls) we are now using 1 pack (or even less) in a month thats saving of around 25$ right there.
and finally, SAVE whatever you can. Before buying house, I was not too keen on cutting corners.
Like "oh ho ...5$ bacha ker kia ker lana hai"
or ...... "Aray yaar , 10$ save hoon gaai month main cell phone plan lower ker k, kia teer mareen gai"
but if you save 5 here, 10 there....its ads up to quite substantial amount.
Re: Reducing the bills !
everyone gave very good suggestions. For controlling grocery bills
u should have idea how much yur monthly grocery bill should be/how much can u afford.
do monthly grocery for items that can last whole month without going bad like lentils,spices,shampoo, surf,soap etc.
After doing monthly grocery , u will do weekly for veggie and stuff, know yur weekly spending limit and stick with it.
always check yur pantry while making list before going for shopping. Without list we often end up buying too much.
making meal plan ahead for the coming week helps alot in grocery and saves time too.
if u have kids try to make kids snack at home instead of buying package stuff like fries, nuggets etc.