Feeling Lucky, Homeowners? Tips for Creating Some Extra Green this St. Patrick's Day!
This St. Patrick’s Day, you don’t need to have the “luck o’ the Irish” to put a little extra green in your pockets. As a homeowner, you can make your own luck with a few money-saving tricks around your home. You can even forget the four-leaf clover. We’ll do one better! Here are five things every homeowner can do to put some green in their pockets this St. Patrick’s Day and the entire year through: Conserve Energy – Often times when it comes to home ownership, what’s good for the environment is also good for your bank account. Proper attic insulation, a programmable thermostat and CFL or LED light bulbs are all great home energy savers that also make an impact on your monthly utility payments. Making sure that your home is properly insulated will help make sure that no precious heat escapes in cold months. A programmable thermostat will help to regulate the temperature in your home; so, when you’re not home or you’re asleep, you can curb your energy usage. CFL and LED light bulbs have longer lives than traditional light bulbs; plus, they use less energy. Win-win! Leave Leaks Behind – If you’re just settling into a new home, do a sweep of all faucets and toilets to check for leaks. Even a dripping faucet will eventually drain your bank account. You don’t have to be a new homeowner to puddle up the savings, either. Even if everything seems to be flowing fine, consider installing low-flow showerheads in the bathrooms. That one change can positively affect both your heating and water bills! Take Advantage of Tax Season – There are several tips and tricks for homeowners when it comes to filing your taxes each year. Being a little savvy when it comes to your taxes can help you save in a big way annually. First-time home-buyer credits, energy-based credits, PMI deductions, home office deductions and moving expense deductions are all ways that homeowners may be able to capitalize when it comes time to pay Uncle Sam each year. Save some green by talking to your accountant to find out if you qualify for any annual tax benefits before you file this year. Make Home Maintenance a Must – It is common sense, but it is not always so easy to follow through with… regular home maintenance. By creating a monthly, quarterly or annual home maintenance schedule, you can help ensure that you keep your home running like a fine-tuned machine! Proper home maintenance can benefit you in a number of ways, but when it comes to saving some green, it will make your systems and appliances last longer, run more efficiently and cost less to repair! Do a Little D-I-Y! – Whether you’ve got a painting project, a clogged sink or toilet or some yard maintenance on your hands, any homeowner can save some major green by simply doing-it-themselves! Don’t consider yourself the DIY type? Don’t worry! You don’t have to be a jack-of-all-trades to get things accomplished around your home these days. There are homeowner handbooks or a bevy of online tutorials (think YouTube or Pinterest) that can help! Thanks to these five money-saving tips, homeowners can make their own luck and create a little extra green on this St. Patrick’s Day and all year long. Who’s feeling that good luck now, homeowners? Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This post is sponsored by PA Preferred Mortgage: Pennsylvania Preferred Mortgage is a full service mortgage banker and is a member of the Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC family. Specializing in residential and refinance loans, Pennsylvania Preferred Mortgage offers a wide range of mortgage products, including fixed and adjustable rate mortgages, jumbo loans, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) loans, and renovation financing. Learn more at www.papreferredmortgage.com.
