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How To Save Money On Furniture And Homewares

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Save Money On Furniture And Homewares

It is time to get organised. Clean up, clear out and start fresh this festive season.

The holidays have rolled around again and guests are spending the weekend. You don’t want to be embarrassed by your old worn out homewares, so it is the perfect time to change your décor. Get that outdated and shabby furniture off your property and spruce it up with something new or new to you.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

You know the old saying. This is absolutely true when it comes to furniture and homewares. Unlike 10 years ago, today there are so many options to find a bargain and you are crazy to not try. Consider the following before you go out and pay full price:

Christmas and Boxing Day sales

Stores and warehouses around Australia have fantastic Christmas and Boxing Day sales. Sometimes you may have to hunt a little to find them but they are definitely there. You can save up to 50% on some items, which is nothing to be laughed at for brand new pieces of furniture!

Gumtree or Ebay

These websites are full of fantastic bargains. On Gumtree you will even find free homewares, electricals and outdoor furniture. A lot of the time there is absolutely nothing wrong with the items; people just upgrade and want to pass them onto someone else. Keep your eyes peeled for these bargains because they don’t last long!

TIP: For even better deals, check after Christmas when people replace their furniture or are selling their unwanted gifts!

Buy, Swap & Sell sites on Facebook

Similar to Gumtree, you can find mountains of free and cheap household goods and furniture in your local area. Social media has opened up opportunities for sellers to get rid of their unwanted goods and buyers to score themselves a bargain. Sometimes all the furniture needs is a little TLC to bring it back to its former glory.

Get creative with DIY

Look around your local garage sales, businesses, the above mentioned avenues and even friends places for scraps that can be turned into fun items. Wooden pallets are fantastic for creating practical but unique outdoor lounges and garden beds. Create feature pieces by turning old doors and cable reels into tables. For the festive season, extra esky’s and ice buckets are required which is where old bath tubs make the perfect addition to an outdoor area.

For more ideas on how you can create your own home decor with a little DIY, CLICK THE LINK!

Style and comfort doesn’t have to be expensive. You can stay well within your budget by doing a little bit of research and bartering to get a better price.

Everyone wants something new but new isn’t always better. Sometimes older products are built to a higher standard and will last longer than many new pieces. Consider your needs, wants and budget before making your purchases.

How do you save money on your furniture, homewares and gardening items?

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5 tips to save money on your electricity bill

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Everyone wants to save money any way they can and it’s no secret that electricity has become one of the large expenses in our day to day lives. There are some very simple things that can easily save money on your electricity bill that require little to no extra effort.

5 tips to save money on your electricity bill

1. SHOWERS

  • Purchase a kitchen timer. These are fantastic to monitor and control the time spent in the shower. We put one in our main bathroom for the kids and set it to 4 minutes. It has not only saved money on our electricity bill but it has also reduced our water usage.
  • Use energy efficient shower heads. Again this not only cuts your electricity bill by lowering your water heating costs, you will also save money on your water bill.

2. UTILISE THE SUN

  • Avoid using the clothes dryer. Yes it is convenient and I am guilty of using it as my preference (especially in winter) however it is a money drainer. The sun is much more efficient; it’s faster and free. It is definitely worth the few extra minutes it takes to hang your clothes on the line for all the money you will save.

3. FLICK THE SWITCH

This is probably the most commonly talked about way to save money on your power bill because it is easy and it works.

  • Switch off lights as you leave the room, if no one is in the room there is no need for them to be on.
  • Flick powerpoints off when you aren’t using the device. Things like toasters, kettles, hair dryers, DVD players, TVs and washing machines aren’t in constant use which means they aren’t required to be using electricity 24/7.

4. SOLAR PANELS

  • Solar panels are a great investment. Yes there is some start-up cost however you will see instant savings on your electricity bill.
  • You could potentially even make money by selling additional energy back to the grid ~ now that’s a bonus worth considering.
  • There are a couple of options to suit your needs – Grid Connect Solar System and Stand Alone System. A1 Battery Pro explains the difference and how each one has its own benefits.
  • For more incentives check out Australian Government ~ Clean Energy Regulator. 

5. RESEARCH

  • Shop around the electricity/power companies for the best deal available in your area. Energy Made Easy is a great free website that allows you to compare electricity and gas offers in a few simple steps.
  • As you receive each bill compare it to your last one so you can see what is working. As your bill is reduced it will give you incentive to continue finding ways to save money on your electricity bill.

Do you have a great tip that could help others save money on their bill?
I’d love for you to share them by leaving a comment below ~ nothing is too small, every cent counts.

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