Moneywise24 Personal Finance

Holidays are a perfect opportunity to just relax and chill out. In the past, I used to travel around during my holidays, but at a certain point it was simply getting too expensive and it was eating away my money. So, I decided to take some shorter holiday throughout the year and actually stay home.

Staying home during annual leave was quite a new experience for me. I really didn’t know what to do with my time. Most of my friends in the city I live in would be at work during the day, so there was virtually no possibility to spontaneously meet up. Often I ended up in front of the television, or reading a book. But this quickly gets pretty boring.

Still, spending a holiday at home can be great time to do some things, that I usually didn’t have time for… or that I am simply too tired to do during a working week. Let’s have a look at my personal favorite nine things to do during a holiday spent at home:

Getting up early

Okay, I didn’t mean at 6 in the morning… but I usually don’t sleep until late in the afternoon either. It is just too much of a pitty to let a day pass by. I would get up around 9 or 10 in the morning at the latest, make myself a coffee and perhaps a light breakfast. I check my e-mails and watch some news. Read the rest of this entry →

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The economic times we live in put many individuals under pressure; the recession, unemployment, more competition. But also inflation, and rising prices in general make the need to save more money where possible essential. Yet many people are literally throwing away their money, by using their homes or living environments very inefficiently.

There are, however, some very small things you can do in order to save money. In most cases, these may require a small investment at first, but they will be paid back quite soon considering the savings. Let’s get started.

Energy efficient lamps

Regular light bulbs may be cheap to buy, but they are also very inefficient. The majority of its energy is transformed into heat, and only a fraction is actually used to produce light. Additionally, a regular light bulb will need replacement after approximately 1,000 hours of operation.

Energy efficient lamps may be a bit more expensive, but they use 70%-85% less energy than regular light bulbs, and they last much longer, depending on the quality and manufacturer. Energy efficient lamps may be a bit more expensive to buy, but they use less energy and last longer, thus in the long run they will pay out. Especially with increasing energy prices, this is a potential which lures in each and every home.

Door and window sealings

Especially older apartments and homes have the problem, that the doors and windows are not sealed properly, or not up to standard. The result is that in winter warm air escapes and cold air comes in, whereas in summer the cold air from the air conditioning is not kept within the home properly. Depending on your situation, many gaps in doors and windows can be easily closed using cheap materials, which you can buy at any hardware store. Simply ask the hardware store specialist for advice and the best possible solution.

Blocked radiators

In order for a home to stay warm and cozy, the warm air it produces needs to flow freely throughout the home. However, many people block their radiators with closets or couches, causing the hot air to get caught. The result is usually, that the rooms stay cooler, and the radiator needs to work more. This drives the price up. Therefore, it is a wise decision to keep your radiator or heater free where possible.

Avoid taking baths

Many people love taking bath, or the jacuzzi. However, the water consumption is also very high. One short shower would more than suffice for your daily needs, and keeping taking a bath to a minimum can help save you real cash on the long run.

If you don’t use it, turn it off!

Probably the most important thing: if you don’t use something, turn it off. This means, don’t let the water running while you are brushing your teeth, don’t let the lights on in a room while you’re not there, don’t let the television run while you are not watching, don’t turn up the heating or air conditioner while you are not at home. It requires quite some discipline in order to do this consequently, but in terms of money it will surely pay out.

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