Prevention is better than cure

Bean303

These prevention efforts are almost unlimited so please add more. It’s all the stuff that you do to pre-empt a drama/disaster, and for which you won’t necessarily get any recognition or thanks from your OH or family as they probably won’t realise: however by preventing stuff going wrong you are building a stable family life and minimising the stress (for you) of constant unnecessary and unpleasant household drama. These are all pretty obvious household tips to save money (and pain) in the long run, but you could easily put together another set of tips on looking after your health and looks to prevent costs in future. (e.g. wear face/neck cream with SPF protection to minimise sun damage and not have to spend money on treatments / surgery!).

Over a 10 year period of careful management you should 'save' a lot of money that would otherwise have had to be paid out for replacement of (or repairs to) appliances and other household stuff.

• Get the gas boiler serviced annually, should cost c. £60.
• Get the car(s) serviced in accordance with manufacturer recommendations e.g. every 12,000 miles or however many is recommended for your make/model: don’t wait until there are warning lights all over the place.
• Plus: observe other car maintenance tips as per other sections of the forum
• De-limescale the kettle: pour in some vinegar to about a third full (c. 15p from the supermarket), boil, leave to cool, boil, leave to cool, then pour out, and boil fresh water a couple times over to clean it up.
• Hoover dust from the back of the fridge / freezer (turn off and unplug from the mains first). Plus if your freezer isn’t ‘frost free’ then you’ll need to defrost it every few years to make space and maintain efficiency.
• Clean out crumbs from the toaster (turn off and unplug from the mains first): remove the crumb tray(s) and clean them. Tip the toaster over the bin and gently shake around until empty.
• Clean your washing machine: once a month (if used several times a week), or every few months if used less often: set it on a boiling hot wash on with nothing in the machine: just plenty of detergent and limescale remover.
• Ditto for the dishwasher. Plus lift out and wash the filters.
• Clean your oven every month or so – turn off at the mains first. Same with the microwave.
• Bathroom and kitchen plugholes: every couple of months or so, remove visible hair etc, then pour down some thick bleach, leave for maybe 15-30 mins (not too long as you don’t want to corrode your pipework), then slowly pour down a kettle full of boiling water (saves waiting for a blockage and then spending c. £8 on a Plughole Unblocker product)
• Polish up leatherware (boots, shoes and bags) to prevent them falling apart – any tips on a cheap home made leather cream?
• Water your house plants as required (saves them dying and you having to buy or grow more)
• A stitch in time saves 9… sew up holes in e.g. socks, tops, shorts etc in good time rather than waiting until they are beyond repair
• Keep the house ventilated to prevent costly damp problems: open windows, buy a good dehumidifier e.g. Ecoair ECO DD122FW (not sure if this model is still available but that's what I've got).
• Plus – other maintenance tips to prevent building damage - there must be hundreds….? E.g. getting slipped tiles on the roof repaired ASAP, keeping guttering clear of debris and working.
• Regularly vacuum thoroughly to keep infestations at bay.
• Stored linens: Do not let your neatly folded tablecloths and sheets come into contact with cupboard or drawer hardware e.g. the inside of handles and hinges, as rust will set in to the fabric, and is (I am certain of this) IMPOSSIBLE to wash out.
• Open fires? Get the chimney(s) swept annually, or every other year if not used much, may cost c. £60 per chimney, but is a lot cheaper than rebuilding your house after a fire.
• Install a fire alarm AND a CO (Carbon Monoxide) alarm – or an alarm that detects both – and ensure you have enough of them in the right places to protect you. One of each in e.g. the stairwell is probably enough for a normal 2 or 3 bed house but you can get a free evaluation from your local fire & rescue department.
• Regularly e.g. once a month: test your fire and CO alarms (should be a button to press for testing) to make sure they are still working.