Saving Money at Home: Your Guide to a Budget-Friendly Household

Let's be honest: We all love our daily routines and habits. They are like a comfortable pair of Birkenstocks – comfy and reliable. The problem is, these habits may be causing us to miss out on significant opportunities for improvement, especially when it comes to saving money at home. But don not worry: In this blog post, we will show you how tiny adjustments to your habits can save you a lot of money in household expenses

Saving at Home on Regular Expenses

Start by examining your regular household expenses. Take a close look at how much you spend monthly on the internet, streaming services, and insurance related to your household. The Liiva Financial Assistant can help you quickly get an overview of your expenses. Critically evaluate which of these items are indispensable to you and where you could save by switching to a cheaper provider or plan.

Saving at Home by Reducing Energy Consumption

Next, turn your attention to another major household expense: electricity. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to save energy and thus money at home. If you follow these tips, your next electricity bill won't knock you off your feet.

1. Cool it down: Turn your heating down a bit. Just one degree cooler room temperature can save about 6% of your heating energy. In the evening, Grandma's cozy wool blanket might just do the trick.

2. Every Jack will find his Jill: Cooking with a fitting pot lid consumes about 30% less energy than without one! Using a kettle for boiling water is even more energy-efficient.

3. Let there be light: Replace your old bulbs that are frequently used. LED lamps with a high energy efficiency class consume up to 60-70% less electricity than conventional halogen lamps and even up to 80% less than incandescent bulbs.

4. No one wants to be a spendthrift: Think carefully about the requirements of your household before purchasing electrical appliances. Oversized appliances for your needs unnecessarily consume a lot of power. An air fryer that can fry potatoes for the whole neighborhood might be great for that one Super Bowl night. But honestly, for the other 364 days, a smaller model will suffice.

5. Goodbye, limescale: If you live in an area with high water hardness, it might be worth investing in a central water softening system. This can prevent your household appliances from calcifying too quickly and consuming less energy. The Swiss Association of Water Providers recommends installing water softening systems for water hardness above 25 °fH (French degrees of hardness). Here you can find out about the water hardness in your area.

6. The long-awaited A-class: When buying new electrical and household appliances, pay attention to the energy label. Good energy efficiency classes will positively impact your electricity bill in the long run.

7. All or nothing: Regularly air out rooms thoroughly and avoid leaving windows tilted open. This way, the air is quickly exchanged without losing too much heat or causing walls and furniture to cool down. Always turn down the heating during this process - otherwise, your thermostat will think it needs to work overtime.

8. Goodbye standby mode: Completely turn off your electronic devices, for example, by using a power strip. Here, the saying literally applies: Saving at home at the push of a button.

Saving at Home by Smart Shopping

Surely, the consequences of rising food prices have not passed your wallet unnoticed. A trip to Migros, Coop, and the like can make one's jaw drop at the sight of former bargains. However, with a bit of skill, you can also save a lot of money on this expense.

1. Preparation is key: Write a shopping list before heading to the supermarket. Knowing exactly what you need prevents unnecessary and expensive impulse buys.

2. The hungry wolf at the supermarket: Make it a rule never to shop on an empty stomach. This way, you avoid putting more in your shopping cart than you really need – both your budget and your waistline will thank you.

3. Supermarket brands instead of brand products: Opt for supermarket house brands. They often offer a similar quality level but are significantly cheaper than branded products.

4. The hero in you: Save food that is close to its expiry date from being thrown away. On apps like Too Good to Go, you can find daily offers from supermarkets, restaurants, or cafes in your area. This way, you save money at home and do something good for the environment.

5. Meal-prepping is the new cool: Remember the days when a midday restaurant visit was a true status symbol for business women and men? Those days are numbered. Sustainable, healthy, and financially savvy is now the way to go. So, why not prepare your lunch at home and take it with you? This saves money at home and usually chooses the healthier option. Bonus tip: Prepare larger quantities at once and freeze them - this saves additional time.

6. Vegetarian cuisine: "A meal without meat is not a real meal" - this view is also long outdated in 2024. By occasionally skipping expensive meat products and choosing vegetarian foods, you can save a lot of money at home while doing something good for the environment and animal welfare.

Saving at Home by Thoughtful Water Use

Another resource guzzler for wallets and Mother Earth is water consumption in Swiss households. With these tricks, you can significantly reduce it:

1. Showering instead of bathing: A lavish bath may be the epitome of relaxation, but it requires significantly more water than showering. Your water bill will thank you for showering!

2. The little helper: A simple but effective measure to minimize water consumption while showering is to install flow regulators on showerheads and faucets. This can reduce water flow by up to 50%.

3. Full load ahead: Always fully load your washing machine, dishwasher, etc., before running them. Also, use the saving or eco-programs of the devices to save water, energy, and thus money at home.

Used, Shared, Recycled - Sustainable Saving at Home

Financial and ecological benefits can also be cleverly combined in the household through sharing, recycling, and buying (or selling) used items. Keep the following in mind:

1. Buy used: Browse thrift stores, flea markets, and online to discover used treasures like furniture, clothes, tools, etc. These are often offered at a fraction of the new price. Saving at home has rarely been more fun.

2. Sell used: That old oak wardrobe standing unused in the basement and the TV in the bedroom you've been wanting to get rid of? It's time to offer these items on platforms like tutti.ch or Ricardo.ch. As the saying goes, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." This way, you can quickly improve your household budget.

3. Sharing is Caring: Need a car to pick up the new carpet from the furniture store or a drill to install the hanging chair on your ceiling? Sharing apps like Mobility or Sharely offer flexibility without the costs and obligations of ownership - and you're doing something good for the environment!

4. Repair the broken: From the flickering living room lamp to the wobbly cooking pot to your favorite jeans with a hole - in repair cafes, you can breathe new life into your beloved items together with experts, saving a significant amount of money at home - fun and a lot of pride included.

Conclusion

As you can see, saving at home is easily achievable with some conscious decisions and small adjustments to your habits. For even more saving ideas for your everyday life, discover our article Saving with a system: «How to become a real saver».