15 Things Homeowners Should Do Immediately To Save Money

Owning your home comes with a lot of perks – like no longer paying expensive rent! But, you might’ve noticed that home ownership isn’t exactly cheap, either. Living costs continue to rise and home maintenance is more expensive than it used to be. So, we’ve gathered 15 ways that you, and all other American homeowners can use to save money.

This list includes 15 things you should do immediately to reduce the cost of home maintenance in the long run. Read about them below and click the links to get more useful information.

1. Clean Your Toilet In Minutes With Kool Aid

Remember Kool Aid? It’s time to head to the drugstore or grocery store and pick up a package. There’s no need to use stinky or toxic cleaners in your toilet, because a Kool Aid packet is all you need. You can opt for lemon or orange, because you want one with citric acid. Just sprinkle the package into the bowl before bed, then scrub lightly with a toilet brush, and let it sit. The citric acid will work its magic on buildup and stains all night long, so when you flush the next morning, they will all be gone.

2. Homeowners Get $3,252/year Taken Off Their Mortgage With The New Federal “Relief Program”

If you’re a homeowner, this one thing could save yourself thousands of dollars this year…

The Fed recently issued new mortgage guidelines, which allows the average homeowner to get $3,252/year (or $271/month) taken off their mortgage as early as this February.

There’s no telling how soon the Relief Program will expire, so it’s suggested that homeowners complete the mortgage relief survey to check their eligibility right away.

While the banks happily wait for the program to end, a final push is urging homeowners to take advantage. The Relief Program is currently active but could be shut down at any given time. The good news is that once you’re in, you’re in.

So if reducing your payments by $271/month, paying off your mortgage faster, or even taking some cash out would help you, it’s important to check your eligibility here. Checking your eligibility is quick and completely free!

3. Clean Your Greasy Microwave Without Any Chemicals

You can scrub for an hour to get your microwave clean, or you can try this clever hack. Take ½ cup of water and ½ cup of vinegar, then mix in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the bowl until it steams, then let the steam break down the stains and caked-on food. Wipe clean! No vinegar? Grab a lemon, cut it in half, and place inside a bowl of 1 ¼ water, microwave for several minutes, and you’ll be able to wipe it clean.

Microwave dirty and smelly? Try this mixture: 1 cup of baking soda — make sure the cup is microwave-safe — then add cup of water. Microwave the cup for several minutes, then wipe clean. The baking soda will neutralize odors and give you a good clean.

4. Join This Discounts Club and Get Exclusive Discounts at 350,000 Stores & Restaurants – Pay Only $2.99 If You Qualify

Prime Discounts membership gives you access to huge discounts, deals, coupons and more.

With a Prime Discounts membership you get a discount at over 350,000 participating locations across United States and up to 70% OFF from America’s top brands. The discounts available to members range from big national brands to a lot of local businesses. So you will always find deals and discounts near wherever you live.

We’ve tried this discount club ourselves and we love it. One of our staff writers managed to save over $300 a month using exclusive coupons and discounts she found on Prime Discounts website. You can literally save thousands of dollars each year paying for stuff you would have to pay for anyway.

P.S. Not everyone may qualify to join this discounts club, but you can easily see if you qualify.

5. Use Coca Cola To Clean Your Home

Who knew one of the world’s most enjoyed drinks could be such a practical household staple? Coke is similar to an acidic cleaner. The quantity of acid in soda is sufficient to erode at the enamel of your teeth, making them more vulnerable to decay. So why buy those expensive cleaners when you can perfectly clean those stubborn stains with Coke. You can use it for a variety of household chores, here are the top 5:

1. Remove grease stains from clothing and fabric

2. Clean a toilet; pour around bowl, leave for a while, flush clean

3. Clean tile grout; pour onto kitchen floor, leave for a few minutes, wipe up.

4. Descale your kettle

5. Remove marker stains from your carpet. Apply Coke, scrub and then clean with soapy water

6. Clean your windows; soak a cloth with Coke and rub your window. Then simply wash the glass pane with water

7. Wipe your glasses with a rag dipped in Coke

8. Prevent your sink from clogging by pouring Coke into it

6. Never Pay For Home Repairs Out-of-Pocket Again

Unexpected home repairs can be catastrophic to the finances of most homeowners who are on a fixed monthly budget. Your home insurance will not cover your refrigerator, stove or washing machine breaking down unexpectedly. Same goes for your heater in the winter or AC unit in the summer, if it breaks, you have to pay the heavy repair bill.

The good news is that there is now a new Home Warranty Program that can help protect you from unexpected home repair bills & save you thousands on repairs. Appliances, AC’s, heaters, roofing repairs, etc. – they are all covered under the program. If they cannot fix it, they will replace it, its simple + saving homeowners thousands.

7. Owe More Than $20,000 in Credit Card Debt? Use This Brilliant Debt Payoff Plan

Owe a lot of money in a credit card debt? This is what credit companies don’t want you to find out:

If you owe more than $20,000 in credit card debt, this proven debt relief program Freedom Debt Relief can reduce the amount of money you owe. You can resolve your debt with no requirement of loans and thus become debt free in just 24 – 48months. If you’ve been struggling to pay your credit card debt, then click here to find out how you can become debt-free!

8. Save up to 70% On Life Insurance

Unfortunately with every year you age your insurance premium amount rises 8-10%. For some, rising life insurance policy costs can add up significantly. And what’s worse is the fact that many have a hard time qualifying for new policies altogether once they reach a certain age.

Fortunately though, there is a way to get a very cheap life insurance policy. You need to compare quotes from multiple insurance companies. This amazing website will let you do that and the best part it is totally free! They will run down your information through their technology to automatically find the best life insurance policies available for a much much lower price. You may end up saving up to 70% on their life insurance policy.

9. Use a Drill to Clean the Tub

After years of dirt and grime building up on the surface of one’s bathtub, it typically takes lots of elbow grease to deep clean that tub.  That is unless you have a cordless drill and foam polishing ball attachment. Even if you don’t have one, you can easily find them at most auto repair shops in the wash/wax section. Simply apply the household bathtub cleaner and let the rotating ball do the work for you.

Also, while you’re at the automotive store, pick up a bottle of windshield rain repellant and apply it to the glass (door and walls) of your shower—to help reduce the amount of soap scum buildup.

10. New Home Windows Upgrade Service Saves Homeowners a Fortune

Homeowners should never pay full price for windows. In the past replacing windows could cost a fortune. Worse yet, failing to not replace old windows could be catastrophic – causing water leaks, mold and mildew, and increased heating and AC bills.

Savvy homeowners understand that replacing windows is a home improvement investment that not only increases appeal, but can also put money back in the homeowners pocket with lowered heat and AC bills.

Thanks to this brilliant windows comparison site, homeowners no longer have to pay an arm and a leg for new windows, but can instead get them at the best price! The website gets the top licensed and insured vendors in your area to compete for your business – allowing the consumer to secure the best available price without hassle.

Additionally, by adding new windows, you may secure discounts, local promotions and financing options – which could lead to paying $0 down. Every homeowners should check to see what they qualify for – especially those with windows that are more than 8 years old.

11. Fix Annoying Carpet Dents With A Simple Ice Cube

It’s nice to move around the furniture every now and again, it can feel like you’ve moved into a new home. But after moving a piece of furniture after years of resting, whether off a carpeted floor or a fibrous rug, there will be permanent-looking notches beneath its feet. These indents are more than unattractive, as they can become early signs of wear and tear, unless fixed before damage is done. Here’s where an ice cube comes in handy. Place an ice cube on top of the indented carpet fibers and let it melt. Once your ice cube has turned into a puddle of wet carpet, use your fingertip to fluff up the fibers, getting them upright and indent-free yet again.

12. Clean Dirty Carpets With Vinegar

Many of us hate the smell, taste, and overall look of vinegar. But it can actually be your best friend when it comes to removing stains off of your carpet. If you suddenly spilled coffee, red wine, or anything else on your carpet, don’t quickly rely on a rag soaked with soap and water.

Vinegar is used to clean many surfaces, including rugs. Once you’ve suddenly spilled red wine on your carpet, pour some vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the surface of the stain. Allow the vinegar to sit in the strain for a few minutes before blotting it out. This is a way better alternative than having to go on your hands and knees to scrub out the wine stain.

13. Remove Dust, Sweat And Dead Skin From Your Mattress With These Household Items

Mattresses trap a lot of dust, sweat, smells and dead skin. Even though you may change the sheets regularly, the mattress still needs to be cleaned for a healthy bedroom. One option is to use a spray bottle of vodka mixed with your favorite essential oil. Just spray it on the mattress then once it dries, all that will remain is the light oil smell.

The other alternative is to clean your mattress with baking soda and oils. Mix a jar full of baking soda with a few drops of essential oil — lavender is a great choice since it has sleep-inducing effects and is calming. Shake your jar well then strain the mixture on the mattress, let it sit for an hour, then vacuum.

14. Improve Your Home Value By Doing The Following Home Improvements

If you were offered $100,000, no strings attached, what home improvements would you do? Chances are, a long laundry list of changes come to mind, from refinishing the hardwood floors to adding a new bathroom. Some home improvements, however, are more likely to increase your home’s value than others. Therefore you should take into account all short-term and long-term benefits any improvements will bring you.

15. Lower The Temperature on Your Water Heater Down To 120 Degrees Fahrenheit

120 Degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature to set your water heater to. Most people don’t use water hotter than this as any anything above 120 is hot enough to scald you or a child.

Check your water heater and if it’s set above 120 turn it down, otherwise it’s a waste of energy and money.

BONUS #1: Deduct Your Mortgage Interest On Your Tax Return

According to the Congress’ Joint Committee on Taxation, mortgage interest deductions total an estimated $70 billion among American tax payers. If you aren’t deducting mortgage interest on your tax return, you could be missing out on your portion of that $70 billion.

Mortgage interest can total a pretty large number, and this tax break alone allows many tax payers to itemize other smaller breaks instead of settling for the standard deduction, if you want to itemize use Form 1040, but know that you can’t itemize and claim the standard deduction – you must choose. If you’ve paid $600 or more in mortgage interest during the tax year use Form 1098.