Living paycheck to paycheck is a reality for most Americans. However, you don’t have to settle for this. The seemingly small money choices you make daily add up. Making minor cuts in certain areas will save you a good deal of money overall — we’re talking in the thousands of dollars range. 

Get ahead by taking advantage of these 5 household hacks that will save you thousands of dollars over time. 

1. Evaluate Your Entertainment Expenses

Did you know that the average U.S. consumer has 12 paid media and entertainment subscriptions [source]. “Millennials had an average of 17 paid media and entertainment subscriptions each. Gen Z and Gen X also had more subscriptions than the total average.” 

That’s a lot of wasted money each month for subscription entertainment services. 

Not only do most Americans subscribe to different streaming platforms, but many are also overpaying their TV, internet, and cell phone service providers. What many people don’t realize is that you can negotiate your way to lower bills. 

2. Manage Your Maintenance Costs

Real estate experts suggest you save 1% to 4% each year for home maintenance. That means if your home costs $200,000, you should save between $2,000 and $8,000 for maintenance costs. Rather than spending thousands on home maintenance every year, consider the following tips.

  • Learn to DIY. One of the best ways to save money is to learn how to repair problems yourself. Make YouTube your best friend and try to fix problems before you contact a contractor.
  • Create a maintenance schedule. Instead of waiting for maintenance problems to arise, get ahead of the issues with a maintenance schedule. You will save a significant amount of money by repairing minor issues before they become major issues. For example, change filters, clear gutters, seal cracks, check appliances, etc.
  • Share tools. Curb appeal is directly related to how clean your home and lawn look, but it costs money to pay for landscaping or pressure washing. Likewise, it is expensive to purchase all the tools necessary for maintaining the look of your home. Instead, look for opportunities to share tools, such as sharing a pressure washer, lawnmower, or hedge trimmer.
  • Know when to pay someone else. Sometimes it saves money to spend money. For example, if you run the costs and discover it’ll cost more to DIY, hire someone else. Bonus tip: Hire teenagers looking to make some extra money for these maintenance tasks to keep costs low.

3. Conserve Energy, Preserve Cash

Want to know a quick way to throw away money? Leave your lights on. According to Nationwide, U.S. families spend an average of $2,060 per year on utility bills [source]. And electricity accounts for a large portion of your utility costs, specifically lighting. 

Lower your electricity bill and make a habit of turning off the lights when you leave a room. If your family members struggle with this, invest in light timers or smart light systems. In addition, install energy-efficient lightbulbs throughout your home. Because they use up to 80% less energy, this simple switch can save you thousands over time. 

4. Reduce Costs of Routine Household Purchases

The little things we need to make our household run add up. Toilet paper, laundry detergent, pet food, coffee, and over-the-counter medications are examples of essentials for most American households. 

Because you know you are going to purchase these types of products month-in and month-out, why not look for ways to save money when you do? Sure, you can clip coupons, but it is even better if you can find a way to automate savings.

Get Items Delivered Right to Your Door and Save Money at the Same Time

An easy way to reduce costs each time you make routine household purchases is to enroll in Amazon’s Subscribe and Save program. With Amazon’s Subscribe and Save program, you sign up for regular deliveries of items you need (like toilet paper, coffee, pet food, laundry detergent, and OTC medications). When you do, you will enjoy paying less for things you buy already. If you sign up to receive 5 or more products in one auto-delivery to one address, you’ll save 15%. 

Amazon’s S&S lets you choose a delivery schedule that works for you, whether it is every other week, once a month, or every three months. And, you still receive 15% off no matter how far apart you schedule your deliveries. Prime Members save even more when using S&S (20%). Not only will you reduce costs, but you’ll also never run out of the essentials you need. 

When shopping on Amazon, simply look for the “Subscribe & Save” button on routine purchases. If you select this option when purchasing, you are enrolled. It’s that easy.

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