Moneysaving tips for a new homebuyer

Brokenlynx

Hi, 

As someone (hopefully) due to complete a purchase that would move me out of my family home in the coming months I was wondering if any one could offer links to resources or any general knowledge of moneys saving tips that are useful for a new homeowner that wants to set a good foundation in terms of managing the costs of running a home. 

I understand this probably isn't a new or particularly unique topic and that some of the content will definitely exist on this site, but I'm just looking for things that I may not have thought about as a first-time home owner that can be valuable bits of knowledge that can get me off to the right start. 

Thanks in advance.

Ebe_Scrooge

Well you will get dozens of opinions on this one.  A few things that spring to mind:

Make sure you understand how your heating/hot water works.  Programming it to come on and off at an appropriate time to suit your schedule can help you use it as efficiently as possible.  At the moment, it's going to be expensive to run no matter what fuel you use, so do what you can to use it efficiently.

Start building up an emergency fund.  When your boiler breaks down or roof tiles get blown off in high winds, you don't want to have to rely on a credit card to get the repairs done.

Buy second-hand.  If you're furnishing a house from scratch then you can spend thousands.  But you don't need a brand-new sofa, fridge, freezer, etc.  Look in charity shops (especially the large BHF furniture stores if you happen to have one nearby), second-hand shops, Facebook, Gumtree etc.  You can often find some really good-quality stuff for a fraction of what you'd pay new.

Make sure you have buildings and contents insurance (either separately or as a bundled policy).  Shop around each year for the best price.  Make sure you are neither under- nor over-insured.  Make sure the policy covers what you want it to.  There are dozens of extras you can add on - lost keys, accidental damage, legal expenses, etc. etc. etc.  If an add-on will be worth it for you then buy it, but don't pay extra for stuff you don't need.

Remember to claim the single-person council tax discount if applicable.

FreeBear

Have a look at your local Adult Education web site for cheap & free courses. I have found some basic (free) courses here for bricklaying, carpentry, tiling, and plastering. Having just paid out a good chunk of money for a mediocre plastering job, I reckon I can do as well, if not better. So have enrolled on the plastering course.

Once you understand the basics of how to do a job, any job, it is worth investing in some reasonably good quality tools. Then you can save money on paying someone to do basic maintenance & repairs.

Brokenlynx

FreeBear said:

Have a look at your local Adult Education web site for cheap & free courses. I have found some basic (free) courses here for bricklaying, carpentry, tiling, and plastering. Having just paid out a good chunk of money for a mediocre plastering job, I reckon I can do as well, if not better. So have enrolled on the plastering course.

Once you understand the basics of how to do a job, any job, it is worth investing in some reasonably good quality tools. Then you can save money on paying someone to do basic maintenance & repairs.

I do like the idea of investing the time in doing the jobs that have either a lower skill ceiling or a lesser need for the best quality in their execution. 

Definitely an interesting tip I'll bear in mind should I need to paint or plaster.

RobM99

Buy good quality anything! Not those 50p bendy breadknives, for example. No pleasure in using cheap (in the worst sense)  things. 

kipsterno1

Make a meal plan before you go food shopping. 

ouraggie

I second the tip about having an emergency fund.
Whenever I move house I go everywhere armed with a little notebook which has the measurements of eg windows, shelf spaces, wall spaces etc. Then if i see a bargain whilst i am out and about i know where it will fit. Am currently looking for a laundry hamper 59x37 cm or less, plus a kitchen shelf unit for my herbs and spices max depth 16cm. 

Finally, if you decorate it is helpful to keep a record of how many tins of paint/rolls of wallpaper you used for each room. For next time you do it.

twopenny

Some simple things.
Put foil behind radiators in winter. You heat the room and not the wall.It saves a small amount but you are warmer for what you pay.
It may not look smart but especially this year you want value for money.

Having the heating on very low all day is warmer than ramping it up twice a day. Took a while to work out the best temperature but great one succeeded.

Thermal curtain linings can be bought to hook inside the curtains and make a difference. I've even been known to leave the curtains drawn while at work. Blow what anyone thinks, I'd rather have the savings to spend on a holiday.

I agree with a meal plan, about to start that again. You spend more than you think on extras you buy visiting the shops often. Know what you're going to eat and stick to it with a shopping list.
But, have a freezer and any discounted stuff goes in there. Then have a month of eating out of the freezer.

victor2

twopenny said:

Some simple things.
Put foil behind radiators in winter. You heat the room and not the wall.It saves a small amount but you are warmer for what you pay.
It may not look smart but especially this year you want value for money.

Been there, tried that. Made no noticeable difference to comfort or cost of running heating. Heat rises up from radiators and circulates, very little is lost to "heating the wall".

twopenny said:

Having the heating on very low all day is warmer than ramping it up twice a day. Took a while to work out the best temperature but great one succeeded.

Long, long thread that has been running for about 10 years on that subject at https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4327195/energy-myth-busting-is-it-cheaper-to-have-heating-on-all-day. No conclusive evidence either way.

Do agree wholeheartedly with the "buy decent tools" approach, and aquiring some basic DIY skills though. Good luck with the new home!

Alderbank

ouraggie said:

Finally, if you decorate it is helpful to keep a record of how many tins of paint/rolls of wallpaper you used for each room. For next time you do it.

I write the wallpaper notes on the wall before the last length goes up. They appear by magic when you strip the paper.

Apodemus

Set up a new bank account for Bills.  Keep a track of all the household bills as they come in, round each bill up to the nearest five and work out the annual costs.  Then transfer that sum monthly to the Bills Account.  After a year you will have a revolving fund for all your bills. When bills rise, recalculate and increase the monthly transfer to the Bills account.  If you do this you will remove any future worries about a bill coming in, because the fund is there to cover it.