10 useful tips to reduce household expenses

• Use household products instead of commercial cleaners. Vinegar, baking soda, toothpaste, lemons and household ammonia are excellent substitutes for cleaning kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
• Buy in bulk.
• Choose “reusable” rather than “disposable”.
• Lower the power bill by reducing energy wastage. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights.
• Use washing machines for full loads only. They consume as much energy running a small load as a full load.
• Ironing several items of clothing in one session is more cost effective than ironing them individually at different times.
• Lower the water bill by reducing water wastage. Use water-saving faucets, showerheads and toilet tank. Water the lawn at night or early in the morning to minimize loss from evaporation. Rain harvesting is another good method to reduce water bill.
• Invest in energy efficient appliances.
• Keep dirt out to minimize cleaning and related expenses. Close windows on windy days to minimize dust, lay doormat to catch dirt from outside.
• Use tints, shades, blinds or drapes to reduce transfer of heat through glass windows. Hence, minimize cooling cost.

Wassalam.