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Personal Finance from the Broke Perspective

4 Tips for Saving Money on Your HVAC System

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One of the most expensive costs of managing your home is related to your HVAC system. Your HVAC system (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) can gobble up energy and drive up the cost of managing your home. Cooling and heating account for about 48% of energy costs. Reducing costs associated with your HVAC system will lower your overall costs for home management. Follow these four tips for cutting costs.

Change Your Filters Regularly

Changing the filters on your HVAC system can help to reduce costs. Filters help to keep the airflow moving smoothly through your system, which helps to reduce the load on your system. In other words, changing the air filters frequently will improve your energy efficiency. This simple step can also extend the life of your system. You can expect the average furnace to have a life span of around 15-20 years. If you take care of it, you may be able to extend it beyond those years. Changing your filters at least once a month will help you to cut the cost of running your home.

Clear Away Debris

Keep outdoor units clear of debris. HVAC systems depend heavily on unobstructed airflow. Grass clippings, leaf litter, and other organic debris should regularly be removed from around your outdoor HVAC equipment. Making it a habit to clean the outside of your home and keeping bushes and other plants from becoming overgrown near your HVAC system is an easy way to cut the operating costs of your HVAC system. You should clear debris each week. You can use a water hose to clean the unit itself. Never use a high-pressure hose or you could damage the coils on the unit.

Have Professional Tune-Ups

One of the easiest ways to keep costs down on home repairs is to ensure that all your essential systems are getting the maintenance that’s needed. Your HVAC system should get annual professional maintenance. An HVAC “tune-up” can help to keep your system in top condition and help reduce the costs of operating your home. An HVAC inspection can reveal if there are any problems that need to be addressed. The service also includes cleaning up your system and making sure that all the components are in top working condition. It’s an affordable service that every homeowner should subscribe to. Taking care of the systems in your home is one of the most effective ways to keep costs down.

Make The Job Easier for Your HVAC System

About 25%-30% of heat and cooling loss occurs because of old faulty windows and doors. Sometimes, to cut home management costs and reduce the cost of your HVAC system, you must invest time and money. While replacing all of your windows right now may not be within the budget, there are other things that you can do to help your HVAC system work more efficiently. Check for drafts and use weather stripping to seal the drafts. You can also use a clear plastic sealer on your windows to help improve energy efficiency. Even small changes add up to savings on your home HVAC usage. Caulk any spaces around your window. Check your attic for areas that may need attention. If you can afford to invest in new windows, that will be a game changer for your home and for cutting costs. If you cannot do what you can to seal out the elements and reduce drafts.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that if they are not using a room in their home, they should close the vents. Your system is designed to work with all the registers open. Another error is constantly changing the temperature of the thermostat. Set it and forget it. Follow these tips to save money on heating and cooling costs in your home, and to extend the life of your HVAC system.

8 Tips to Stop Food Waste

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Tips to Stop Food Waste

Nearly every month, the cost of groceries seems to rise. What can you do? You need to feed your family, but the current high price of groceries is straining most families’ budgets, especially when combined with the high cost of other necessities such as gas and housing. For most families, the cost of food is the second-highest expense behind housing. (In our family, if I’m not careful, the cost of food is higher than our monthly housing costs.) While you may try to coupon or buy food when it’s at its lowest sale price, another way to save is to utilize these tips to stop food waste.

How Much Food Do Americans Waste?

According to Earth.com, the average American family “waste[s] nearly one third of the food they buy.” However, if they utilized strategies to eliminate food waste, “a family of four could save $2,000.”

If you haven’t made a conscious effort to stop food waste, now is the time.

8 Tips to Stop Food Waste

Years ago, my husband and I wasted quite a bit of food. Every week, we would have anywhere from three to six containers of leftover food that we would have to throw out. We would also sometimes waste fruits and vegetables. Now, we no longer do that; we rarely waste any food.

We used these eight tips to stop wasting food:

Don’t Eat Out Frequently

One reason we wasted so much food years ago was that we ate out three to five times a week. When you eat out that frequently, you don’t have the opportunity to eat the leftovers you already have or the ingredients you bought to make meals.

Not eating out dramatically reduced our food waste.

Make Meals You Enjoy

This seems silly to say, but make meals that you enjoy eating. I used to make casseroles because I liked making only one item for a meal that had the protein, carbs, and veggies my family needed. However, none of us liked casseroles, especially not leftover. The leftovers frequently went in the garbage.

Now, I make meals we enjoy, and they’re not wasted.

Freeze the Leftovers

We have two deep freezers, and I utilize them extensively to avoid food waste.

Freeze Leftover Meals

Tips to Reduce Food Waste

Sometimes I make a recipe that is supposed to serve eight, but there are enough servings for 12. We eat the meal once, and then we eat the meal leftover once later in the week.

By then, my family is tired of eating this meal, so if it freezes well, I freeze the last four servings. Then, about six to 12 weeks later, I pull it from the freezer and serve it to my family. They don’t complain because it’s been weeks since we last had that meal. I don’t complain because I get a night off from cooking, and I didn’t have to buy food at the grocery store for that meal that week.

Freeze Leftover Ingredients

You can also eliminate food waste by freezing leftover ingredients. For instance, I only use tomato paste for a beef stew recipe I have. Once I use one tablespoon, I have about two-thirds of the can left. Rather than just tossing it, I put the tomato paste in ice cube containers and freeze it. Each ice cube size of tomato paste is about one tablespoon. Now, the next four times I make beef stew, I don’t have to use a new jar of tomato paste; instead, I use one of my leftover ice cubes of tomato paste. Sure, I am only saving a little, but when I do this for many food items, the savings add up.

Create a New Meal Out of Leftovers

Luckily, my family doesn’t mind eating leftovers. If your family does, you can avoid food waste by making new meals out of the excess.

For instance, let’s save you have a pork roast for a meal and have leftover shredded pork. You could serve it just like you did the first time. Or, you could mix it with barbeque sauce and make pulled pork sandwiches. If you still had leftovers, you could use them later in the week for pork carnitas. Your family probably won’t complain about eating leftovers this way because you’ve made three different meals with the meat.

Don’t Buy More Than You Need

Don’t buy more than you need sounds simple but can be difficult. Rather than planning six meals you’ll make from scratch this week, only buy ingredients for four meals. You can serve leftovers for the other meals or make meals from what you already have on hand.

Buy Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Tips to Avoid Food Waste

If you routinely have to throw away produce because it goes bad before you can cook it, consider switching from fresh to frozen. Fresh strawberries may go bad within a few days, but frozen strawberries last for months in the freezer.

We usually buy fresh fruits and veggies, but we also have several bags of frozen that we use to supplement our fresh vegetables. Frozen veggies give you more flexibility because you don’t have to use them within a few days.

Have a Pantry Challenge

We’ve all bought ingredients for a recipe, but then something comes up and we can’t make that recipe. Meanwhile, the ingredients sit on our pantry shelves. One way to avoid having miscellaneous items fill your pantry shelves is to have a pantry challenge. For one to four weeks, buy the bare minimum groceries and focus on using up the ingredients that you have on hand.

Not only is this a great way to reduce food waste because you’re using what you already have, but it’s also a good way to save money.

Final Thoughts

If you’re struggling with the high cost of food, use these 8 tips to stop food waste. Learning to not waste food could save your family thousands of dollars a year.

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6 Items You Should Never Pay Full Price For

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Items You Should Never Pay Full Price For

When I graduated from college and came back to live at home for a few years, I went with my mom to the furniture store to buy a bed, dresser, and desk set. We found one that I loved. However, I was embarrassed when my mom started haggling with the salesperson. She haggled for about 10 minutes, and in the end, she got 15% off the set. Turns out my mom knew something I, as a young person in my 20s, didn’t—there are certain items you should never pay full price for.

New Furniture

As per my experience, you should never pay full price for furniture. To save money on furniture, use these tactics:

Shop in Winter or the End of Summer

Furniture stores get their inventory in the spring and fall, so they will be looking to get rid of older pieces and be more willing to negotiate. (I bought my furniture in January.)

Go to Smaller Furniture Stores

You won’t be able to negotiate at a big store like Ikea. However, if you visit a small, local furniture store or chain, the salesperson will likely negotiate with you.

Shop Clearance Items

Most furniture stores have a clearance section. They want to get rid of those items, so you may have even more negotiating power if you shop clearance.

Buy Used Furniture

Of course, buying new furniture isn’t the only way to go. You can save much more if you’re open to buying used furniture. For instance, I was driving through a neighborhood one day when I saw a dining room table as part of a garage sale. That table was only $50 and included the table, leaves, and four chairs. It has lasted us for 10 years, though we’re due to replace it sometime soon.

In addition to garage sales, you can find good used furniture advertised on Craigslist and at second-hand shops. You’ll pay only a fraction of the new price.

Hotel Rooms

You can save on hotel rooms in a variety of ways.

Use Online Tools

Many online tools can help you pay less for a hotel room. Consider using Kayak, Expedia, or Priceline.

Use Your Membership

Do you belong to AARP, AAA, or the military? If so, mention that when you check in, and you will likely get a discount.

Avoid Hotel Rooms

Another option is to bypass hotel rooms altogether. You may find that vacation rentals are cheaper than hotel rooms, especially if you have a large family.

Rental Cars

Rental cars are a necessity, but the price can add up quickly, especially when you add optional insurance coverage. Luckily, you can use these strategies to save.

Book in Advance

The earlier you can reserve your rental car, the less you’ll pay. Our family had to rent a minivan for a trip, and we booked three months in advance. As the day got closer to our day to pick up the van, I was astonished to see how much the price went up. We easily saved 20% by booking in advance. Most reservations are non-binding, so booking in advance is a low-risk proposition.

Use Your Costco Membership

If you have a Costco membership, use their travel tab online and make your reservation through Costco’s website. You’ll pay the least amount of money with your Costco card. That’s the only way we book rental cars now.

Don’t Rent at the Airport

Most people get off the plane and go right to the airport rental car desk. Sure, doing so is convenient, but you’re paying extra for that perk. You’ll likely save more if you take an Uber or Lyft to a rental car location a few miles from the airport.

Use Your Credit Card for Insurance

One of the costly fees when renting a car is to pay for the daily insurance. Before you rent the car, call your credit card company and see if they offer primary insurance on rental cars when you use their card to pay for the rental. If so, you could save a bundle by opting out of insurance.

Vehicles

In the market for a new car? Get ready to haggle because you don’t want to pay full price for a vehicle. The car will likely be listed with the MSRP (Manufacturer’s Retail Sales Price). However, to negotiate successfully, you’ll also need to know roughly how much the dealer paid for the vehicle. Then, you’re ready to negotiate. Consumer Reports has an excellent tutorial on how to negotiate with a car dealership.

One caveat: the used and new car markets are strained due to the pandemic, so we’re in a seller’s market. You may not be able to negotiate as successfully as if there wasn’t a supply chain shortage and an increase in demand.

School Supplies

Items You Should Never Pay Full Price For
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Our family never pays full price for school supplies. Instead, we buy an excess of school supplies in July and August when they’re dirt cheap. Then, when we need glue, or scissors, or paper, or a notebook some other time in the year, we just reach into our stockpile. By shopping like this, you can easily get school supplies for 90% off the retail price.

Mattresses

Look to buy a mattress during the major holidays and Black Friday. They will often be offered for 10 to 20% off. Also, just like furniture, you can save a bundle if you buy right as the new season’s mattresses arrive. That means if you buy last season’s model in April, you should save a significant percentage because the store wants to make room for the new models. You can also try to negotiate with the salesperson to save a bit more.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the market for these items you should never pay full price for, I hope you can use these tactics to save money. Many of these items are big-ticket items, so the more you can save, the better.

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