Dave Ramsey Said This Is One of the ‘Quickest Ways’ to Save on Home Expenses. Can You Try It Out?

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How much money could you save? 

Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, you likely have lots of monthly housing costs to pay, like your mortgage loan or rent payment. You likely also pay insurance costs, utilities, and more. The housing costs you’re committed to paying each month can make it harder to accomplish other things you want to do with your money — especially if you live in a high cost of living area where it’s expensive to put a roof over your head.

The good news is, there are ways to save. In fact, finance expert Dave Ramsey has offered a simple suggestion almost everyone can implement to easily reduce their monthly bills.

Making this move could save you a fortune on home expenses

Ramsey’s suggestion for quickly and easily reducing your housing costs involves implementing a technique to lower your utility payments.

While utilities aren’t included in a monthly mortgage or rent payment in most cases, they are a required monthly expense you need to pay to be comfortable where you live. But you have quite a bit of control over exactly how much those utility bills add up to — which is why Ramsey made this helpful suggestion.

“Lowering your heating bill is one of the quickest ways to save on home expenses,” Ramsey said. Specifically, he went on to say, “If you adjust your thermostat seven to 10 degrees while you’re at work, you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling!”

If you have a programmable thermostat, this is a really simple process — you can just set the thermostat to reduce the temperature in winter during the hours when you are at work and to increase the temperature a bit in summer during the same hours you’re away.

Many people also find it is helpful to adjust their thermostat at nighttime by a few degrees as well. You don’t need it to be quite as warm (or as cold) in the house while you’re sleeping, as long as the temperature doesn’t rise or fall to an uncomfortable level.

If you have a manual thermostat, this process can be a little trickier. But, as Ramsey explains, it is still entirely possible to save money by making a little adjustment. “If you have a manual thermostat, you can add this step to your morning routine — along with tooth brushing, bagel toasting, and coffee brewing,” Ramsey suggested.

Can you make some adjustments to reduce your heating costs?

Ramsey’s tip is a great one for everyone to try out because there’s really nothing to lose. You don’t need your house to be heated or cooled to the perfect temperature when you aren’t in it, and it makes little sense to pay just to heat or cool an empty space.

Start by adjusting your thermostat for a month or two to see if this technique will work for you. When you notice how much of an impact the change has on your monthly bills, chances are good you’ll commit to following through with it for the long haul.

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