Any house move can be a real strain on your finances, whether you’re just stepping onto the property ladder or you’re moving home for the dozenth time. You might have some idea of what to expect once you’re unpacked and settled, but each home brings new considerations that you might not have thought of before.

In this article, we’re looking at 10 things you can do to save money and limit long term costs once you’ve finally made it to your brand new home.

Revamp old furniture

Furnishing your new home can eat up a lot of funds, but you’re not forced to go whole hog right away. Clean up existing furniture and decoration – give wooden tables a lick of paint and polish, stitch up worn fabrics instead of throwing them out – and leave replacing your sofa, beds or wardrobes until later. You can obtain some fantastic results by budget-thinking, and your new home will enjoy a bit of extra character in the meantime.

Shop around

If you do need to bring in a new sofa or a piece of furniture, it helps to shop around. Social media selling sites – local selling pages on Facebook, for example – can net you a great bargain for a whole host of goods. People are constantly getting rid of useful items that are still in great quality, selling them for bargain prices. Use this to your advantage and check trading or selling sites for that much-needed bookcase before heading straight to Ikea.

Be frugal with electronics

We could save a huge amount of money if we were more strict with how we use electronic appliances. A new home is a great chance to start afresh, so take the time to think about what you use often and what you don’t. Leave fewer things on standby, and unplug items you only use every now and then. Stay consistent and you’ll see the difference in your bills.

Declutter

A house move is a perfect time to re-evaluate, and whether you’re downsizing or not, you might be able to make do with much less than you already have. Take stock and rid yourself of excess belongings. From old furniture you’ve never used, to toys, appliances or clothes you no longer have a need for, you can make a respectable amount of money by selling them off. Try a garage sale or use any number of selling pages on the internet and you can save a lot of space while making a tidy sum in the process.

LED lightbulbs

Halogen bulbs might be cheaper upfront, but the long term saving you’ll see with LED bulbs is definitely substantial enough to warrant an all-LED home. LED light bulbs last thousands of hours longer than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, while also draining much less power. If the initial price is too hefty, consider swapping to LED bulbs in high-usage rooms first, like the kitchen, then slowly upgrade to LED as time goes on. An all-LED home can save hundreds of pounds a year, and should definitely be high on your new home’s to-do list.

Programmable thermostat

We spend a lot of money on wasted heating and cooling. Often due to absent-mindedness – accidentally leaving the heating on when nobody’s home, for example – but a programmable thermostat will help make this much more efficient. A programmable thermostat works to your schedule, limiting periods of wasted energy. When the house is empty or everyone is asleep, program it to drop a few degrees, and have it heat up when you wake up or come home. This will be a consistent money-saver and is incredibly convenient – especially if you opt for one that can be operated remotely via a smartphone or tablet.

Insulate your pipes

It’s worth checking to see if the hot water pipes in your new home are insulated or not. If they aren’t, they will be wasting energy whenever they are used, but this can be fixed inexpensively by insulating them yourself. It’s an effective energy saver that will also mean a more reliable supply of hot water, and water will stay warmer for longer, too, making this a convenient DIY job once you’re settled in.

Fix up draughts

Draughts from windows and doors are a consistent burden on your monthly bills and will remain as such until they are seen to. Draught proofing your windows can be a simple job if you do it yourself and will be much cheaper than replacing windows entirely. You can also check for draughts elsewhere – around doors and in the attic, for instance – and put in the work as necessary. Draught proofing your home will make improve efficiency and save you money that would otherwise be completely wasted.

Reputable help

For immediate repairs you can’t do on your own, a repair or handyman might be necessary. Make sure to have a thorough look at your options, and ask for recommendations from people you trust – and steer clear of cold callers who use pressure sales tactics. A reputable repairman will save you much more than a cowboy worker, whose shoddy work may require even more work to rectify down the line. Hundreds of people lose out to cowboy roofers, builders etc. every year, and new homeowners are a common target. Employ caution and you can avoid costly scams which may end up seeing you losing thousands at a time.

Professional house movers

Some of the tips we’ve listed are suitable for DIY attention, as they are perfect tasks for new homeowners to get stuck into. But getting to that point means surviving the move itself, and this is always best left to the pros. You can save a lot of money – and stress – by using a professional removals firm to help you with the transition. Transporting your belongings, for instance, can be supremely expensive to tackle alone, often requiring multiple trips back and forth to cover everything. With a removal firm, the service is catered to you, providing you with the ideal sized removal vehicle and swift and efficient service that makes the entire process much simpler – and much more predictable cost-wise.

Chappell's Removals provide a comprehensive removals service throughout Weybridge, Richmond, Woking and Guildford. Our experienced team of movers work diligently to provide a prompt, safe and reliable service to ensure all your items are packed, handled and transported with care. To find out more about all of our services don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today – we are always happy to help.