Money saving ideas for around the home

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

So here I am, running a slight fever, sore throat, my cat does not want to relinquish the typing hands, the dog is outside herding birds and watching the farm, and I'm thinking. Worst of all worlds.

How have we moved to save money in our homes?

On our end:

The following systems were in place when we bought: We cut the aerial electric lines to the barns and pulled out all the old electrical system in the barns (mainly just five open outlets with dead bugs and mice in them and 15 extension cords) and detached garage. Saved ~$70 per month and we were running nothing in the barns and only electric openers in the garage.

Ran underground cables to supply electricity and re-ran all the wiring in the barns and garage. Installed compact fluorescent bulbs, every outlet and switch has a full cover. We are running water heaters this winter. I bought much of the wiring as NOS in the clearance aisle inside the original sealed boxes in 25' runs. We tried to buy everything else on sale but were not fully able to do that. I did hold out for outlets and fittings made in USA and Mexico.


Installed a new propane heater downstairs. More efficient, it heats more square feet using an advertised 80% of the propane. It has been a MUCH milder winter and so we are using MUCH less propane than last year. unfortunately, propane is MUCH higher this year than last. Heater was made in USA bought through our neighbor who is a distributor.


Re-caulked all our windows. Repaired the storm windows and re-installed using caulk. At the same time, we repaired or replaced as needed all the old wood and repainted from dark colors to white. We also took out the damaged windows and sills and replaced with new vinyl clad windows. We also filled in the cracks in our old stone work. Purchased all supplies and new windows through Menard's when they were on sale. Paint and new windows were assembled in USA.


Re-roofed the entire house in metal. Re-clad the chimney in matching metal and had a new top put on the chimney. The roof had an insulation underlay added. We bought through the distributor, paying cash. We still have the written warranty from the manufacturer. The company who did the roof had a crew on a break from their industrial roofing gig so we paid them direct. They did a nice job! Metal roof was made in USA about 80 miles from my home. Do not know the source of origin for the metal.


Put solid form (4'x4' industrial) foam insulation in the attic to ~10" thick. Noticed a difference immediately! The old insulation had "fallen" and was not working so very well. The foam insulation was seconds from the factory. They were findings and were going to be scrapped. We paid about $1.00 per 4'x4' sheet. Sheets were made in Texas.


We have repainted interior with light colors in medium to high gloss. House is lighter in the day and does not necessarily require a light to see with anymore. Need to do same with basement but it will require a complete re-build down there.


We are using the oven in the re-done kitchen. It is much more energy efficient. If we could afford to replace the upstairs refrigerator we would definitely save some money. It is an old ge appliance. I just hate living in a basement and our Maytag will not fit in the space.

We use a high efficiency washer but we have stopped using the dryer all together. Wife repaired the old, antique dryer! She found some steel cable lines run with a plastic cover so we now dry our clothes outside on the line when weather permits. She also found some portable stainless steel clothes racks at the Re-Store for about $12.00 each. We now use those to hang clothes on in the basement.


New pluming from street to house. Old in-bound lines were 1.5" PVC. Oh, they were also installed without glue in many instances! Where we could we ran PEX through the PVC, where we could not we had to dig out and re-do. We also added about 400' of new water lines so we could have water in the pasture.

Some new plumbing in the house but only to replace what was damaged either by me or age. Plumbing was purchased at Menard's, PEX was purchased from a distributor.


Our costs on the new water lines were paid off in about ten months! Our bill is under about 25% of what it used to be! We now pay a couple of dollars above the minimum cost for water delivery in the winter and about twice that in the summer as we water plants and cows in addition to ourselves, birds, horses.

Electric is harder to gauge. The winter has been milder. We ran more A/C last summer and saw a definitive $70.00 drop in the electric bill from cutting the lines. But this winter our electric bill has been between 40 and 45% of what it was last year.


Any other ideas! I'm sure we have missed something! Thinking of a new dishwasher. Running a propane line for an instant water heater has been tossed around but would have to be done in connection with re-doing the basement.

[Moses]

I dropped my two AT&T phone lines and switched to Ooma. Much better functionality and service. Works perfectly with my wireless phones. Completely blocks telemarketers and anyone else you don't want to talk to.

No phone bills. Ever. Saves me about $1,200/year.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Moses

I dropped my two AT&T phone lines and switched to Ooma. Much better functionality and service. Works perfectly with my wireless phones. Completely blocks telemarketers and anyone else you don't want to talk to.

No phone bills. Ever. Saves me about $1,200/year.

Yes, but how much are you paying for Internet?

I have been thinking of doing the same thing... but that means bringing Internet into the house... (yes you read that right) but that would be a huge time suck.

Right now I have satellite + land line + cell, been thinking of bundling (uverse and cell)... but AT&T is the only game in town here and not sure that would be a savings.

Would also like to go to tankless water heaters and high efficiency washer/dryer... but that is more $$$$ I don't have.

Biggest money saver I have implemented? Stopped buying booze for around the house... that is a New Years resolution (dovetails with the attempt to lose weight) so we will see how long that holds out.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Biggest money saver I have implemented? Stopped buying booze for around the house... that is a New Years resolution (dovetails with the attempt to lose weight) so we will see how long that holds out.

THAT is great! I wish you the best on this! Wish I could lose about four inches in the waist! Would love to get back to about a 32" waist. I figure at 5'11" that would drop me from about 235 to about 215 or less! Figure I am carrying about 40 pounds of excess weight.

Is that about right, five to ten pounds per inch of waste, uhm waist?

My hat is off to you!!!!




Yep, got rid of the land lines in about '95/'96. Got rid of cable tv with the ex-wife and have used nothing more than an antennae since '92. I'd rather check old movies and shows out from the library than pay for something I do not really even watch. Wife just recently took us from a 19" TV to a 36" and 42". Yep, from one to two. Still have the 19" to use as a monitor.

[Zeke]

If you had a 32" waist at 5' 10" you would probably weigh 175 at the most.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Actually, when I was on active duty in my first career field running about 10 miles a day and doing a couple hours of calisthenics daily I had a 28/29" waist and weighed at 190. I had huge thunder thighs and had to buy waist sizes too big to get over my thighs.

We had one guy that looked like a triangle, it was SCARY!!!! Good thing he was a nice guy who hated to squash a bug. Would have hated to be on the opposite end of him if he got mad!

Working around the farm, eating horribly (sugary snacks) along with fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, eggs, and meats from the farm I'm 5'11", 36" to 38" waist, and 235. Of course, I do not eat in any moderation.

Although, I do like the thought that I could be down to 175 ;-) I was 145 when I joined and gained 45 pounds in just over a year without increasing my waist size. Had to buy new shirts though...



Now, I'd REALLY like to hear how you have found to decrease the cost of owning your house! You've ALWAYS had some great ideas and neat stories! Let's hear some more of them! I'm looking at how to live with less outlay. Not making any more money, how do we save so there is more disposable income to put away for later?

[red-beard]

If you can, take down walls or siding and sprayfoam to insulate and make airtight everything you can. There are companies that sell 2 part spray foam kits (ecofoam for example). I was going to buy two large kits, but a local spray foam company is going to do what I need for about the same price, including labor. I need 2400 sq ft of wall insulated so I can Air Condition my Warehouse.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane

THAT is great! I wish you the best on this! Wish I could lose about four inches in the waist! Would love to get back to about a 32" waist. I figure at 5'11" that would drop me from about 235 to about 215 or less! Figure I am carrying about 40 pounds of excess weight.

Is that about right, five to ten pounds per inch of waste, uhm waist?

My hat is off to you!!!!

You must have an unusual build. I'm just a tad under 6'2" and for me to be at a 32" waist, I'd have to be ~185-190#. I'm currently about 200#, a 36" is a bit loose and a 34" is a bit tight. If I did some sit ups, the 34" would probably be fine.

[Zeke]

I don't buy anything, that's how I have saved operating costs.

I have manually operated sprinklers in front and none in back. Keep the house at 60* at night.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Steve,

Big thighs! I also do not look like 235, people do not believe it. Many look at me and place me at about 200 or slightly more when the conversation comes up. Wife's friends did not believe her when they were talking about husbands/SOs.

Anyway, lots of time lifting 50 pound feed sacks, 4" to 12" top fence posts, pulling fence, lifting wood and metal to build or re-build barns. Lots of walking, lifting and carrying 90 pound hay bales. Due to the hills many of the post holes are dug by hand and we have put in hundreds this year. Digging gardens, planting a few thousand trees over the past two years. Wife does all this as well. Also out working the animals. Seems like we never get anything done...


I had this doctor once who was giving me a pre-employment physical. Before he ever looked at me he told me I was morbidly obese. At that time I was about 225 and 36" waist. When quizzed he was about a 44" waist and around 180/5. Same height. He stated he was within the healthy weight range while I was morbidly obese. HR at the company laughed at his report and hired me.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I don't buy anything, that's how I have saved operating costs.

I have manually operated sprinklers in front and none in back. Keep the house at 60* at night.

Zeke,

Are you able to find spares/repairs locally or through your business? I'm most curious! I have gone for used items and realized a huge cost savings but cannot always find what I want. I have also bought things at estate auctions. It is always buyer beware. In the past few years I have not found much of anything useful on the side of the road, as it were.


Good point, keep a/c heat reasonable!

[Zeke]

I buy a lot used and you have to be patient. I have searched every day for 4 months for the tool I bought yesterday at less than half of retail. And it's near new with the original box!

[uncle_scott]

The house we have now has mis-matched door knobs throughout. At $10-20 per door knob. it would be a costly adventure to replace all of the hardware. Our solution was some of the Rustoleum "Hammer" paint in a dark bronzed color. It has taken about $15 worth of paint, and a weekend's worth of time to have consistently colored knobs throughout the place. Looks great. I hope it sticks alright, still have to see on that.

I also typically attempt to repair rather than replace anything that goes out. That has saved me plenty over my years of home ownership.

[jyl]

Tell me more about Ooma. Does it work with any landline phone? Reliability? 911 localization? Any disadvantage at all?

I use Comcast for phone, internet, and TV. I used to think I wouldn't save that much by turning off their phone. Turns out that a bunch of the fees and taxes and surcharges are attached to the phone service, so the saving from dropping phone from the bundle is significant. I'm thinking about it.

[RWebb]

kick the kids out - saves a LOT!

[JoeyD]

I am in full-on debt reduction mode. I am converting my 30 year mortgage to a 15 year and locked in a 2.875% rate. This will save me $190K in interest payments after a slight paydown of principal over the life of the loan!

I have no car loans and pay off the credit cards monthly. Bye bye interest!

[Hugh R]

Kick the MIL out - saves a LOT!

[myamoto1]

John - ooma is like a combo of Magic Jack and Vonage. It's a VOIP solution where you pay more up front for the hardware and a lower (no?) monthly service fee. I have no personal experience with OOMA, but a friend at work has the OOMA setup and loves it. I have Vonage and it's cheaper than Crapcast, although the quality has gone down a bit ever since Crapcast started offering their VOIP (coincidence?!?!).

[flipper35]

No land line but have cell phones on a family plan. No sat/cable and don't miss it. I need broadband for work so we do watch a few SciFi shows on Hulu. No car payments. We had to replace our furnace so we put in a geothermal heat pump. It was expensive but the loan payment and slight increase in electricity was less than our fuel bill plus it heats our 119 gallon hot water tank so it never runs during heating and cooling season. We calculated about 6.5 years and it will have paid for itself. We blew in extra insulation in the attic as well. All in all it saves us quite a bit every month.

[GWN7]

I've often thought that the dishwasher and shower dump a lot of waste hot water into the sewer without any recovery. How about replumbing those two heat wasters to dump into a tank in the basement. The hot water would enter the top and a exit line would pick up cold water from the bottom of the tank and run into the sewer line. The hotter water would disapate the heat into the air of the basement from the holding tank.