*This is a collaborative post.
Sometimes, it seems like we’ve barely had a chance to see our wages in our bank accounts before they’re swept out from underneath us by countless companies staking their claim. From food bills and rent, to energy costs, there are so many monthly expenses to get on top of, you can end up feeling seriously overwhelmed.
Fortunately, for those who are worried about making ends meet from one month to the next, there are always opportunities to live a slightly more frugal lifestyle. Today, we’re going to cover a few quick ways that you can reduce your house bills, instantly.

1. Get Rid of your TV Package
In days gone by, television and entertainment packages used to be a great deal. You would get your broadband, television channels, and your phone line all bundled together into one affordable package. However, these days, most of use our internet to watch television, ignore the shows that we actually pay for, and never even plug our house phones in.
If you’re living in a house that doesn’t even have a landline phone, but you’re still paying for a landline package, now might be the time to make a change. Get rid of your package and pay just for your internet instead. Once you’ve got your connection ironed out, you can start thinking about things like streaming services for entertainment, and a mobile phone contract.
2. Replace your Old Appliances
If every time you turn your microwave on your energy bill shoots up, that’s a good sign that you need a new microwave. A lot of the old devices that we’ve been holding onto for a few years now just aren’t as energy efficient as they should be. Unfortunately, this means that they’re constantly consuming energy every time we need to use them.
Taking out a small loan so you can afford to buy some more energy-efficient products could mean that you save what you would be paying on your interest rates in energy costs. You’ll also be doing the earth a favour too. Start by replacing the item that you use the most, then go from there, getting rid of the least efficient items as you go.
3. Get Insulated
Snuggling up under a blanket and wearing plenty of layers when the weather gets colder is a great way to make sure that you stay snug during the winter. However, if you really want to avoid turning the heat up at the first gust of wind, then you’ll need to ensure that your house is insulated. Contact your energy company to find out if they’re offering free loft and cavity wall insulation in your area.
At the same time, go around your house and seal up any cracks around your windows with caulk. Put some draught excluders under the doors in the rooms that you use the most and invest in thicker curtains around your windows to keep the heat in too!
4. Reduce Phantom Power
While leaving an outlet plugged in and on might not use a lot of power overall, if you do that all around your house, then you could be constantly costing yourself a small trickle of energy on top of your usual bills. Whenever you go to bed at night, make sure that you’ve taken the time to walk around your house and turn everything 100% off.
The only thing that you should still have using energy by the time you fall asleep at night as your alarm system if you have one, and the charger that’s keeping your phone from running out battery. You can keep your alarm clock plugged in too, if it’s separate to your phone (and your fridge).
5. Make your Own Cleaners
Finally, rather than relying on chemicals bought from the local supermarket to clean your house – why not try getting crafty? There are plenty of recipes online for creating cleaning solutions out of things like baking soda and white vinegar. If you can combine a few simple things together like that, and add your own scents in the form of lime peels and oranges, then you could create a fantastic cleaner without having to spend more than a couple of pennies.
As an extra bonus, you can use your home-made cleaners without worrying about the extra impact that your chemicals and gasses from commercial products are having on the impact. It’s peace of mind and money saving potential in one tip.
