5 Little Household Fixes that Could Save You Big

When you’re looking to pinch some pennies, home improvements aren’t exactly the first place you think to start. But not every project involves a team of workers and a rented dumpster taking up half your driveway. Here are 5 simple home fixes you can do yourself that add up in the long run. Add more insulation  In an unfinished attic, you should definitely take the time to evaluate your insulation situation. In the winter, extra insulation will keep the heat in, and also keep it out in the summer. This cuts down on your energy consumption, saving you cold hard cash. Clean out your AC unit and change filters Filters clog all the time, and when they do, efficiency takes a dive—remember to clean out pretty much anything that has a filter regularly, like AC units. They can attract all sorts of debris—leaves, dust, grass clippings—that hamper efficiency, costing you money. Turn off the power so you can brush out the gunk, or use a leaf blower to blast it out. Get yourself a programmable thermostat There’s no sense in heating a house (or cooling it down) when you’re not there. A programmable thermostat will help you control the temperature when you’re at work, so you’re not wasting energy when no one’s around to benefit from it. They’re also fairly cheap and super easy to install. Fix that leak If your showerhead leaks 10 drips a minute, then that adds up to almost two gallons of wasted water a day. Not only can this cost you money in the long run, but compounded across a whole city, it can contribute to undue stress on local water treatment, jacking up water prices even higher. So fix your leaks, and consider switching to low-flow showerhead. Get a clothesline When the weather’s warm, why not dry your clothes outside in the sun? Installing a clothesline, or a clothes pole if you don’t have the room, is a great cheap way to cut back on energy usage.  Plus, try as it might, no detergent alone can quite capture the fresh scent of sun-dried sheets.