Building a personal budget boils down to one very simple concept, money coming in needs to outweigh the money going out. When your cost of living outpaces the money coming in, you are left with two options, increase the money coming in or reduce the money going out. Many have focused on finding a second revenue stream, so much so that the term side-hustle has become an everyday household phrase. Utility bills have been a focus for homeowners looking to reduce their expenditures. Reducing the cost of running and maintaining your household can go a long way, help save money on your utility bills with these upgrades:

Install a Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat will help reduce your energy bills by automating the heating and cooling of your home. With a smart thermostat, you are able to program varying temperatures for different times of the day, this way your HVAC system is working hard to maintain a comfortable home environment when no one is home, or everyone is sleeping. Most smart thermostats have an app that allows you to access your system when you are away from home, so next time you head out of town and forget to turn down the thermostat, don’t fret as you can take care of it from the road.

Replace Old Light Bulbs

Replacing any old incandescent light bulbs with a new energy-efficient CFL bulb will help reduce your energy costs. Over its 10,000 hour lifespan, a CFL bulb will cost roughly $25, this includes the bulb itself and the cost of electricity. To run incandescent bulbs for the same 10,000 hours, it would cost you roughly $80. This includes the purchase of roughly 10 bulbs and the energy costs.

Seal your Windows and Doors

Over time you may begin to feel a draft coming from around your windows and doors, this ultimately leads to increased utility costs as your HVAC system needs to work much harder to warm up or cool down your home. In most cases, these drafts can be sealed up with some expanding foam and new caulking. Once these drafts are eliminated, your home should be more comfortable as you will also eliminate any cool/warm zones in your home.

Insulate Your Attic and Basement

An unfinished attic or an unfinished basement can lead to energy inefficiencies in your home, these large open spaces are prone to allowing heat in and out of your home. By replacing your insulation in these spaces with one that has a higher R-Value you will slow the rate of heat escaping your home in the winter and slow the rate of heat entering your home in the summer. This will keep your home at a more consistent and comfortable temperature while reducing the load on your HVAC system. 

So there you have it, a few simple yet efficient ways to help you reduce your home energy bills.