If you’re a new homeowner trying to raise young kids while making a living, your hands can easily get tied up between child care, work, and home upkeep. Aside from the tasks you need to tackle each day, one of your primary concerns would be keeping up with all the costs. With all the responsibilities you have, chances are, you don’t have a forgiving budget. The least of your worries would probably be home maintenance. This is since your work and kids will always be your top priorities.
If you own a car, then you probably don’t take car maintenance for granted. You might even save up enough cash to ensure your auto gets its regular dose of dyno performance tuning to ensure its optimal performance. You should also give your home the same TLC so make sure t stays in tip-top shape. The good news is, there are simple steps you can take so you can lower your home maintenance costs in the long run. This is aside from conducting seasonal home inspection and maintenance, saving up for a home maintenance emergency fund, and hiring the right contractor.
Befriend Your New Neighbors
Establishing good relationships with your neighbors offer tons of benefits. During the home-buying process, you can scout the area and ask the neighbors what they think about the neighborhood. This will give you an insider’s look at how safe the area is, how bad the traffic can get, and other crucial information before finalizing the home purchase.
After moving in, you can gain friends you can rely on during the tough times. They can help watch over the house for you. You can even have someone you can count on in case of an emergency.
As for keeping your home maintenance costs low, your neighbor can be a good source of information. They can tell you who to call in case you need a reliable contractor, plumber, or electrician. You can snag discounts if you have a connection with local contractors.
You can even share tools and equipment with your neighbor. This way, you don’t have to buy a new set of tools, a lawnmower, or even a power washer to maintain your home. If you’re lucky, your neighbor might even volunteer to help you fix a broken window or install a new appliance for you for free.
Use Your Manual
Do you have a recently installed HVAC system? Or maybe you just replaced your old thermostat with a smart one? Both old and new systems, equipment, and appliances all come with their own manual. It is not enough that you keep them organized in a box somewhere inside the house. You also need to learn to use them before the need arises.
Even if a professional installed a new appliance for you, it is worth reading and understanding the manual before you use it or try to fix it. You can learn valuable information on how to troubleshoot common issues. You can always download a manual on the internet if you managed to misplace a manual or two.
Learn a Few DIY Tricks
According to a study, a huge number of modern homeowners are clueless about simple home maintenance tasks. Most millennial homeowners have no idea how to wire a plug while a small number can’t even change a light bulb. If you can DIY some projects, there is no need for you to call in an expert and pay their professional fees for things you can easily and safely DIY.
There are home maintenance projects you can do yourself without putting yourself or the house at risk. This includes applying caulk, dealing with doors, and unplugging a clogged toilet. You should also learn how to safely clean your gutters, fix a leaky faucet, maintain your hardwood floors, and keeping tiles clean and sparkly.
Go for an Energy Audit
Some people think energy audits are a waste of investment. But in reality, this can help you check which areas are wasting energy. It can reveal which systems need immediate replacement and which ones only need repair.
A home energy audit is a good idea if you want to make your home more energy-efficient. This will give you an idea of which energy-efficient appliances are worth investing in. You can reduce your energy consumption and save more money in the process.
Being a working parent and homeowner is nowhere easy. Juggling different roles while making sure you’re not neglecting the important tasks is hard. When it comes to your home, you’ll want to cut down costs so you can save more in the long run. The good news is, with a few smart strategies, you can manage to lower your expenses and still stay committed to your role as a responsible homeowner.