35 brilliant ways to save money around your home

A simple clothesline allows you to dry your clothes for free using the power of the sun instead of expensive electricity. Electric clothes dryers can really put a dent in your wallet, especially if you have a large household. While a clothesline does require a bit of manual labour to hang the clothes, you will enjoy a fresh, natural smell in your laundry as well as a reduced utility bill.

Back in the day, it was common for grandfathers to organise their hardware in glass jars. The simple practice entailed fastening the lid to a shelf bottom and simply screwing on the jar. Other useful containers for free storage include laundry soap bottles, shoeboxes and many more. Use your creativity and keep these items out of the landfill. Books can look beautiful as repurposed items like as a knife block, too.

When it is time to replace your HVAC system, consider switching to a ductless mini-split. The super-efficient systems require less labour during installation, do not require air ducts and allow you to cool/heat your home in zones instead of the entire house. This can have a profound effect on your energy costs in a good way.

So a doorknob slammed through the wall after one too many times slamming the door. No need to call your handy contractor. You can easily fix a few holes in your drywall by injecting a setting compound (for smaller holes) or by cutting out the damaged sections and replacing them with new drywall (for larger ones).

Salvaging used or leftover building materials is a great way to save a few dollars. Visit a nearby construction site and speak to the project supervisor. Often, they will allow you to dumpster dive for discarded materials. Not only is this good for your wallet, but also the environment by keeping it out of landfill. In addition, used materials often have a unique patina, which could add extra appeal to your project.

Sick of staring at old, curling and peeling laminate flooring? If you’re working with a small space, you can remove the existing flooring and replace it with tile in just one day. Intimidated by the thought of laying your own tile? Choose larger tiles, and you’ll only have to lay a few. After the first is in place, the rest are a snap.

Growing vegetables at home can be a great activity that is fun for the entire family. You don’t have to rent a plow and tractor to grow a few tomatoes in your backyard. Many vegetables – tomatoes, squash, radishes, etc – are easy to grow in containers. This garden practice utilises containers such as a simple wooden box or even 20 litre-buckets for planting vessels. Aside from the fun you will have growing your own vegetables, the next time you need a tomato, you will save time, money and fuel when you can just pick it from your own garden.

Learn how to prepare your garden to grow winter vegetables.

Cut down on energy costs by maintaining your HVAC system. A dirty filter can really drag down the efficiency of your heating and cooling system as well as shorten its life expectancy. Replacing the filter every couple of months will suffice for most, but it really depends on your household. Pet owners, for instance, might need to change or clean the filter more often due to dander and pet hair.

Instead of forking over $5,000-10,000 to replace all of your old windows with brand new ones, consider repairing old windows yourself. With a few hundred dollars in supplies (sand paper, paint, window glaze, etc), you’ll be prepared to reglaze every window in your house. Though it can be a tad time consuming, you can prioritise the project by room, removing windows one by one to paint, reglaze, and, if necessary, replace any cracked glass.

Discover how to restore leadlight windows.

Purchasing cotton rags for painting, cleaning or dusting projects can get expensive. Make your own rags for free using old T-shirts and other unused garments. A few minutes with a pair of scissors or utility knife set up like this is all it takes to convert unwanted clothing into useful rags.