You’ve probably resolved at least once in your life to commit to a budget and reduce expenses in your home. But the changes that spring to mind—canceling TV packages, lowering the heat and A/C, etc.—sound uncomfortable and difficult. However, it’s surprisingly easy to make small, simple changes in your home and routine that add up to major annual savings.

Utilities

Heating, cooling, electric and water are some of the major costs of owning a home but these important functions can offer savings through small changes without sacrificing comfort. Lower the thermostat in the winter and raise it in the summer—holding it nearer to 68º and 78º will make a big difference in how much energy your home requires. Ceiling fans will boost your A/C immensely (while you’re in the room) and weatherstripping around doors and windows will keep the heat in. Speaking of A/C, make sure you perform regular maintenance on air conditioning units inside and outside the house to keep them efficient and avoid larger repairs. Using Energy Star appliances—washers and dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators and others, in addition to A/C units—will help you save money in the background, too. Maintain the furnace, too: clean or replace its filter and perform any repairs immediately.

Bathroom and kitchen

In the bathroom, cut a minute off of your shower time and if that seems too easy, try shortening by two or three minutes. Switch to a low-flow showerhead to save a few extra dollars. An awesome toilet tip that’s worth almost $50/year: fill a medium-sized water bottle with water and put it in your toilet tank to trick the toilet into using less water per flush. Switch to generic cleaning supplies to save money every time you’re at the store.

You should insulate your hot water heater with a blanket or fit it with a timer to reduce its energy consumption. Washing clothes in cold water and air-drying them avoids hot water altogether and also cuts down on electricity usage.

In the kitchen, install a water filter on your sink (unless you live in an area with clean tap water) to banish plastic bottles from your grocery list and garbage can. Another surprising way to lower energy costs in the kitchen is to cook in the microwave or toaster rather than the oven. It also avoids producing unwanted heat in the summer.

[shortcode-anyclip-videoplayer]

Around the house

Further reduce your electric bill by moving lamps, TVs and other heat-generating objects away from thermostats, especially A/C thermostats. The heat their operation will make your air conditioners think it’s hotter than it is in your home. And, believe it or not, those phone chargers (and other things) are leaking electricity when they’re not being used. Save yourself the trouble of unplugging them by strategically placing a power strip and flipping them all off with one switch.

Depending on your home and situation, it might be wise to invest in a programmable thermostat or, even, a “smart” one. Then, set it to “away” mode and feel even better about leaving home to work or explore. And, of course, switch to CFL or LED bulbs. LEDs are better for lights that you turn off and on frequently, as this can shorten the lifespan of standard CFLs.

Now might be the time to revaluate your cable package. With so many networks offering their own streaming options, your cable subscription might not be the best value anymore. Your desperate cable provider might also be willing to negotiate before you leave them entirely. For basic cable channels, buy an indoor digital antenna and enjoy up to twenty free, HD channels. By selecting only the premium services you watch, you might find some savings. If you’re sick of Netflix’s rising prices, try your super-free public library’s DVD section.

Cooking

Smart grocery shopping is where you could find some of the biggest savings. Focus on value foods—ingredients with the most nutritional value for the best price—such as brown rice, canned beans, eggs, kale, lentils, sweet potatoes, frozen vegetables, apples and bananas. Shops sale items on the weekly circular and compare local stores for the best price in a given week.

Finally, make your own coffee. And when you do treat yourself to Starbucks, order wisely. This might be one of your biggest sources of savings, depending on your habits.

Tom Twardzik is a writer covering personal finance, productivity and investing. Follow him on Twitter.

Whether you’re looking for a new job or hoping to advance in your current career, earning a certification can be a practical way to build new skills and demonstrate your expertise. As technology and workplace expectations continue to evolve, certifications can also help professionals keep up with in-demand areas such as AI, cloud computing, data

Oh, how far we’ve come! Recently, it was revealed that — finally! — women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies outnumber male CEOs named John. A dubious milestone, but it’s something to celebrate. Though women have come pretty far in society, the progress we’ve made is far from enough. From the pay gap to daily microaggressions,

Trying to cancel your gym membership can be more tiring than actually attending that kickboxing class you keep skipping. Getting out of your gym contract can be so tough that people are going to great lengths to avoid paying any penalties. After going into debt living a lifestyle she couldn’t afford, this woman forged fake

Even if you don’t know the first thing about collectables, you know Funko POPs. Everyone does. They’re absolutely everywhere, from comic book shops to big box stores to movie theater concession stands. Many people think Funko POPs are cute, with their big black eyes and uniform features. Others think they’re creepy for pretty much the

Now that she’s the fifth billionaire musician Update: August 18th 2026 Beyoncé remains a billionaire, with Forbes currently estimating her net worth at $1 billion. Since reaching billionaire status in late 2025, the superstar has continued expanding her business empire and musical legacy. In August 2026, Beyoncé became the sole owner of SirDavis after buying

Updated: August 17th, 2026 Scott Disick spent much of last year rethinking his living situation, especially after briefly considering a move to New York with his eldest son, Mason. In a November 2025 episode of The Kardashians, Scott said Mason told him he “can’t actually move,” which led Scott to reverse course and keep the

Update: August 17th, 2026 TL;DR TikTok’s favourite tradwife has already welcomed her fourth child, settled into a new home, and continues to fuel the Internet’s debate around curated domesticity. Here’s what’s new with Nara Smith, why the “tradwife” trend is still evolving, and what it says about the appeal of traditional homemaking online in 2026.

There’s a weird shift that happens when your kid turns 18. One minute, you’re mushing their vegetables and cutting their grapes in quarters, and the next, you’re side-eyeing the dinner check, wondering: Wait… are they going to offer to pay? Should I let them? Do they have enough in their checking account to cover an

Mention the word “infidelity” and the usual images are conjured up:  secret encounters in sordid motels, callers who hang up when the wrong person answers the phone, tears and harsh words when the truth comes out. A less dramatic (but increasingly common) form of betrayal is making waves: financial infidelity. What is financial infidelity? Financial

You Lose $20K Each Year Just For Being a Mom You may not know this, but there was a time when smoking was considered “liberated” behavior for women. There was a cigarette company Virginia Slims that was created specifically to attract female smokers during the bad old 1970s. The slogan was “You’ve come a long