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Our home is where we spend a great deal of our time, particularly when we are trying to save money and travel less. We require our homes to be safe and weatherproof, warm and healthy environments for our families. As they age, homes experience wear and tear and need maintenance.
Looking after your home, keeping it well maintained and doing some repair jobs yourselves, can both save you a fortune in repair bills and ultimately grow the value of your greatest asset. Here are our top ten ways to save money and look after your home this year. Click through to related projects and articles for more details.
1 - Save on Repair Bills
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Walk around your home and note any repair problems occurring in the interior or exterior. Keep a dated list which will help you determine if a problem is worsening. If you can do the repair yourself when the issue first arises you will not have to pay somebody else to fix it later on.
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Leaks and cracks are not something you should ignore. Always search around the suspicious crack for signs of water damage – call in a qualified builder if there are any concerns. |
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Leaking window frames or spouting – may merely require new sealant (Using Silicone Sealants Guide). |
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Notice any borer holes in the floorboards or framework? Get this treated quickly (Getting Rid of Borer Guide). |
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Notice any mould or mildew around? Identify whether this is built up from the atmosphere or a sign of a larger issue. Get this cleaned and repaired and then look at longer term solutions – such as heating and ventilation, or mould resistant paints (Mould and Mildew Guide). |
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Damaged spouting – plastic spouting can be easily replaced by a DIYer and should be done before water causes damage elsewhere (Installing PVC Spouting Guide). |
2 - Reduce Water Bills
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Leaking taps and showerheads – If you catch these quickly, not only will you save water but you may also save yourself the cost of replacing the tap. Traditional style taps and many kinds of shower heads use replaceable washers or jumpers that you can buy cheaply at Mitre 10. Single lever tapware is less likely to leak but if so may require a body washer (leaking through the middle or seat of the tap) or a replacement ceramic assembly (leaking through the spout) (See our How To Fix a Leaking Tap Guide) |
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Leaking toilets – If your cistern is continually filling, you may simply require a replacement Ballcock Washer. If the water is continually running in to the pan, replace the bottom inlet washer on the flushing mechanism.(Fixing a Leaky Cistern Guide).
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Leaking showers – When the shower enclosure or base area appears to be letting water escape, always get in a professional to check it out as leaks may be behind the wall lining or getting underneath the shower tray or tiles – this can cause extensive damage if not repaired quickly. |
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Consider Gas Hot Water Systems - An instant gas hot water system means that you won't run water unnecessarily waiting for it to heat and you’re not paying to heat water stored in the hot water cylinder. |
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3 - Insulate your Home
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Insulation keeps homes warm and dry which helps you to lower your heating bill in winter as well as making it a healthier home too. In houses, the largest amount of heat loss occurs through the roof (hot air rises), then the walls, windows and floor. It is important to have insulation installed to retain heat. (Find out more in our guide: Installing Pink Batts) |
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The ENERGYWISE™ funding programme is a government initiative that provides funding to help homeowners and landlords upgrade the insulation in older homes built before 2000. By doing this, not only will the residents enjoy a healthier environment but the country will also benefit from associated energy and health savings. (To see if you qualify for funding assistance, see our EnergyWise Programme & Tips). |
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Cylinder wrap reduces the heat lost from your hot water cylinder. (See our Insulation Products.) |
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Sealing around windows and using draught stoppers on doors will reduce how much cold air leaks into and out of your home. (Refer to "Prevent Draughts Guide" for more tips.) |
4 - Power Saving Tips
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Proper insulation will stop heat escaping from your home reducing your heating bill in winter, and by helping maintain a consistent temperature, keep your home cooler in summer (Refer to the "Insulation" tips above). |
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Consider an instant gas hot water system so that you’re not paying to heat stored water. |
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Consider a heat pump as an energy efficient heating device (See "How to Choose a Heat Pump". ) |
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Energy saving light bulbs. Replace just four traditional incandescent bulbs and you could save up to $75 a year off your power bill!
(Read our "Convert to Energy Saving Bulbs" guide)
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Make sure that you turn non-vital electrical equipment off at the wall when they are not in use, eg drill battery chargers. |
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If you’re going to be out at night and want to leave a light on, use a timer so it comes on just before you are due home. (Find Timers in our Cords and Powerboards department.) |
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We have plenty of other energy saving tips, everything from your choice of appliances to how you use them, such as not using the standby mode (Energy Saving Tips Guide) |
5 - Grow your own Vegetables and Herbs
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Save money at the supermarket and have the pleasure of knowing you are eating fresh. Check out our garden calendar for tips on what to do each month. (See our Garden Calendar) |
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Make your own compost. (Making Compost.) |
6 - Redecorate for Less
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Paint - A fresh paint job can make a big change in your home without spending a huge amount of money and you can change the look of a medium sized room in just one weekend.
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Remember to choose lighter colours if there is not enough natural light in the room and you want to create an illusion of more space. |
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See our Tips on Colour Selection for advice on how to choose paint colours. |
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Read our Interior Painting Guide for step by step instructions on how best to paint your room. |
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You can also keep your paint job looking great by cleaning off scuffs and marks carefully (Looking After Interior Paint Work). |
7 - Save on Home Improvement
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Pick home improvement projects that improve value - Kitchens and bathroom improvements are likely to recoup more value when you sell your home. They are the most important rooms to update if you're selling your home as they make a big impact on potential buyers. You can also renovate your kitchen and bathroom affordably. |
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A flat pack kitchen is a great way to put in a kitchen at a low cost – you can install the modular units yourself to save on the labour cost (Flatpack Kitchens Planner). |
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Bathrooms can also be updated without spending a lot of cash – simple things that don’t require a lot of labour like replacing tapware, a vanity or a mirror can create a new impression. A new coat of paint also goes far in improving a bathroom. |
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Add new towels and decorative accessories to finish the look (Rejuvenate Your Bathroom Guide). |
8 - Clean up Clutter
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Decluttering is an inexpensive project that will give you more space to enjoy in your home and make it look larger and more appealing. |
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Purchase affordable storage units such as plastic bins for toys, wardrobe organisers for the bedroom and/or cupboards for the spare room, laundry or garage. You can rearrange your lounge furniture so that toy storage is hidden behind a couch or even consider curtaining off an alcove or corner as a storage area.
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An attractive trunk or storage chest, or even a low shelf by the front door is a great place for shoes. |
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A good wardrobe organiser can give you more space and allow air to circulate better through your clothes. |
9 - Save on Entertainment
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Have "Family Days" at home: Plan family days where you stay at home and do fun activities together rather than go out. |
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Plan a picnic in your back garden and use the bbq to cook on. You could even set up a tent and go "camping" and play board games. |
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Gardening with the kids is an excellent way for them to learn about plants, the soil, weather, insects and how to look after the land. There are a number of ways to approach gardening for kids. See our "Garden with the Kids" guide for some tips. |
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Do an easy DIY project together that makes something the kids can enjoy when complete. For example Make Stilts for the Kids or Build a Sandpit or Painting Kids Bedrooms. |
10 - Shop Wisely
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Tips on how to save money with careful shopping: |
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Plan your meals in advance and have a shopping list. By knowing what food you need you will be able to buy in bulk (this is often cheaper). You will also cut down on convenience food and "impulse" purchases. |
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A Fly Buys rewards card is free and every time you fill up your car or buy some groceries at any of the participating stores you earn rewards points which can be used to order rewards products. Click here to register at Fly Buys. . |
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Shop around retailers to find the best value for money.
Mitre 10 has a Price Promise: "Should you discover a lower price on an identical item at another local retailer, Mitre 10 will beat it by 15%". (Conditions apply; Local is defined as being within 30 kilometres. Excludes trade and special quotes, stock liquidations and commercial quantities. To ensure the lowest price, the actual price may be lower than that advertised.) |
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