This is a collaborative post
After 12 months of spending far more time than usual within our own four walls, we have probably all spotted things about our homes that we would like to change and improve. I am certainly no exception to this. Spending the entire year working from home without having the luxury of a spare bedroom or home office, we now have a long list of home improvements we would like to make to enhance and improve our home surroundings, particularly given the fact I am now likely to be working from home on a much more permanent basis.
Home improvements don’t always come cheap however and with the COVID pandemic also having a huge impact on our families income and earnings over the last 12 months, we have been looking for some simple and practical ways to save money on our home improvements and modernise our home without breaking the bank. If you are looking to renovate, redecorate or improve your home in the near future, here are some hunts and tips to help your home improvement budget go that little bit further.
Check out what others are gifting
First up, before going out and buying large furniture, especially pieces like desks, bed side cabinets or even bed frames, do not underestimate the amount of things people are willing to give away for free. Whether its Facebook groups and Facebook Marketplace, or websites such as Freecycle and Gumtree, lots of people are happy to give things away if it means that they get collected and taken away quickly, as it saves them the hassle of having to pay to dispose of it. My local Zero Waste group on Facebook sees people gifting a huge number of items, often in really great condition. It is always worth a look before you hand over the cash!
Rethink the carpets and flooring
Updating your carpets and flooring can make a huge impact on a room, instantly transforming and breathing new life into your surroundings. However, if you have young children, the thought of spending huge amounts on a carpet that is going to have to withstand more than it’s fair share of spills, crumbs and high energy heavy foot fall is not particularly attractive. If you are looking to buy new carpets online, Designer Carpet is a great place to start – the UK’s leading supplier of high quality carpets, carpet remnants and made to measure rugs at discounted prices. With many of their bargain price remnants being large left over cuts from a full sized carpet roll, you can easily carpet smaller spaces at a fraction of the RRP.
Time your purchases well
If you are going to invest in some new items for your home, particularly larger furniture items, white goods or electricals – time your purchases well. For furniture like sofas and living room furnishings, Easter and January are often when many of the larger sales take place, or where you may get a better interest free offering, allowing you to spread the costs interest free across a number of years. For electrical and white goods, it may be sensible to wait for the Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals or use cash back sites when purchasing, providing an instant cash back amount when bought through sites such as Top Cashback and Quidco.
Don’t accept the first quote
If you do need to get tradespeople in, for example, fitting new windows or having work done on your soffits and fascias, don’t accept the first quote you are given. It is recommended that you get 3 quotes from different tradespeople, and then review their offerings before making a final decision. Being upfront about this with your potential tradies not only highlights their need to be competitive, but ensures that you aren’t ripped off or mislead by unscrupulous candidates!
Do it yourself where you can
Whilst it can be tempting to have someone in to do jobs for you, if the time pressures allow, you can save yourself a fortune by doing some jobs yourself. Whilst some jobs such as electricals and plumbing are best left to the professionals, other tasks such as painting, tiling and grouting can easily be done yourself with a bit of effort and the help of an online how to guide! You can even order items like DIY shutters where you measure and fit yourself and receive a big discount for the benefit.
Think of the long term savings
Don’t forget that sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate as the phrase goes! Home improvements such as smart heating and loft instillation may mean a significant upfront cost, however can save you a fortune on energy bills in the long term. It’s also important to review what you are paying at least annually, checking switching websites to make sure you aren’t paying too much on your gas and electric.
Whatever your plans are for your home over the next 12 months, I hope you find some of these ideas helpful!
Lucy x
