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The Smartest Things People Are Doing To Save Money Around The House

We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.

The best upgrades to make in your home are the ones that are going to save you money in the long run. Whether you focus on increasing your home’s energy efficiency or shop for products that can do the job of multiples, updating your home could be a very thrifty move. If you’re unsure of how to get started, check out this list of the smartest things people are doing to save money around the house.

Eliminating waste can be a huge source of savings when it comes to your home’s expenses. Look around your house and identify items you have to buy on a regular basis, like paper towels. Now consider how much time and money you would save by switching your paper towels for reusable bamboo towels or microfiber cleaning cloths. While the upfront cost may exceed your normal $1 paper towels from the store, in the long run, you’ll spend a lot less money if you splurge on towels that can be reused for months or years.

In addition to energy-efficient appliances and home devices, there are some ways to reduce the money you spend on utilities every month. For example, a set of triple-weave thermal curtains or a door draft stopper, both of which keep heat and cool in, depending on the season. Additionally, upgrading to smart devices is another way to conserve energy, therefore, saving money.

These finds are budget-friendly and sure to show you a decent return on your investment. Each of these products is highly rated and reviewed to help you save money.

1

The Grout Pen That Makes Your Tile Look Brand New

Give your bathroom an instant facelift without breaking the bank with this crowd favorite tool: a grout pen. Use this $12 marker to simply "color in” the grout between your tiles and wait 30 minutes for it to dry — your walls and floors will look brand new.

2

These Amber Glass Spray Bottles For Cleaning Supplies

These amber glass spray bottles are loved by reviewers for both their durability and style. The two-pack includes BPA- and lead-free glass bottles, two leak-free phenolic caps for storage, and four labels to place on the outside. The ergonomic spray nozzle is adjustable between a spray, stream, and off. Each bottle holds 16 ounces and can be used time and time again.

3

The Clear Airtight Food Containers To Keep Food Fresh

Store your favorite snacks in these transparent containers that keep food fresher for longer. The clear design makes it easy to spot what you’re looking for quickly and the airtight lids snap shut, keeping out moisture and humidity. This pack comes containers in four sizes.

4

A Pack Of Reusable Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

These reusable microfiber cleaning cloths will save you tons of money on paper towels. These bestselling cleaning cloths have earned more than 40,000 reviews for their gentle, non-abrasive cleaning surface. These machine-washable cloths come in three colors so you can color-code your cleaning areas to avoid cross-contamination.

5

These Reusable Bamboo Paper Towels That Save Money

Stop throwing paper towels away and spending a small fortune on paper goods — this pack of reusable sheets of bamboo paper towels is better for the environment, your wallet, and it will last you up to six months. The sheets can be washed and reused up to 120 times. They're made of sustainable bamboo material that is absorbent, tough, and conveniently machine washable.

6

A Pair Of Thermal Curtains That Block Light In Style

This triple weave set of thermal curtains has more than 35,000 reviews and a 4.6-star rating for combing function and form for a low price. They block light, reduce outside noise, and are made from a machine-washable fabric that looks like velvet. They are designed with 1.6-inch silver grommets that hold the extra weight of these curtains — plus they’re easy to hang. They’re available in 24 colors so you can find a pair that matches your home perfectly.

7

The Peel-And-Stick Shiplap For An Easy Upgrade

This farmhouse-inspired peel-and-stick wallpaper is a simple and affordable way to upgrade your home. This wallpaper is described by reviewers as thick and it's made of PVC so it is built to last. You won’t have to worry about a sticky residue left behind — reviewers vouch for how easily this wallpaper can be removed and re-applied.

8

A Smart Light Bulb You Control With Your Phone

Smart bulbs are convenient — you can turn your lights on, off, or dim them via your phone, even when you're not home. And if you have Alexa or Google Home, you can control this bulb with your voice. It’s super easy to set up — just screw in a bulb, download the app, and your home will immediately feel more modern.

9

This Smart Thermostat That Connects To Alexa

This smart thermostat is easy to install and will save you money. It pairs with Alexa so you can control it with your voice or within an app — even if you’re not at home. It’s designed to reduce energy usage and even has an ENERGY STAR certification.

10

The Wood Repair Markers That Conceal Scratches

Nicks and scratches on wood furniture and floors happen, but these wood repair markers can restore your belongings for less than you think. This set comes with six markers and six wax crayons, as well as a sharpener, to fill in holes and imperfections on wood. The pack features six colors, ranging from maple to black. Just draw over the scratch and watch it disappear. They’ve earned more than 21,000 reviews and only cost $9.

11

The Slipcover That Protects (Or Hides) Your Furniture

This stretchy sofa cover slips over couches to keep drinks, pets, and everyday use from wearing down expensive furniture — or to disguise furniture you would rather not see. It comes in three sizes and 37 colors to match your space. The cover itself is soft, with an elastic bottom that keeps it in place. When it gets dirty, simply remove the cover and toss it into the wash.

12

A Roll Of Foam Weather Stripping That’s Customizable

This customizable foam weather stripping can help insulate your old doors or windows, keeping heat trapped in so that you save more money each month. This pack comes with 26 feet of weather stripping that are waterproof, dense, and resistant to dust, oil, and corrosion. Use it in your home, garage, car, or boat.

13

The Outdoor Lights That Are Solar-Powered

Add an extra level of safety to your home without spending a ton on electricity bills with these outdoor solar lights. The cordless LEDs charge all day in the sun so you can illuminate your cars, driveway, front or back door. The three-head light covers 290-degrees and is motion-activated to save energy. Don’t worry — they’re all-weather resistant.

14

These Fillable Paint Pens For Quick Touch Ups

Need to make a quick paint touch-up? These fillable pens make it so much easier. Fill the pen with your chosen paint color and then easily and precisely touch up your paint. The pen is airtight so you can even keep paint in there, without worrying about it drying out for years, according to the manufacturer.

15

A Collapsible Laundry Rack To Preserve Delicates

Extend the life of some of your more delicate clothing items and save money by hanging them to dry rather than running them through the dryer. This foldable rack is the perfect solution since it collapses flat when you’re not using it. The water- and stain-proof rack is lightweight, yet it can hold up to 32 pounds.

16

This Wall Repair Putty For Quick Fixes To Walls

No need to call a professional for small holes in your wall — this repair putty makes it simple. The compact applicator dispenses putty that repairs holes and cracks in drywall, plaster, and wood. The handheld putty tool dries quickly so that you can follow up by sanding and painting walls.

17

The Herb Garden You Can Grow In Your Window

Even if you’re a gardening novice, you’ll love this herb garden kit set. It comes with everything you need and makes it so easy. The set includes five herb pots and drip trays, soil discs, bamboo markers, and, of course, herb seed packets including cilantro, basil, and mint. Keep them by your window and watch the fruits of your labor grow — while saving money on produce at the grocery store.

18

These Edison Bulbs That Offer Vintage Character

Add some character to your living space by swapping out your ordinary bulbs for these character-packed Edison bulbs. This four-pack of dimmable 60W lightbulbs comes in a warm white color and classic filament bulb that looks vintage. They fit into any e26 or e27 screw base standard home lighting sockets. Best of all: each bulb has a 3,000-hour lifespan so you’ll save money in the long run.

19

The Filtering Showerhead That’s Better For Hair And Skin

Unfiltered water that contains an abundance of minerals can create buildup and residue on your skin and hair. Remove impurities from water and make every day a spa day with this showerhead, which has a multi-layer filtration system that removes excess minerals and softens hard water, as well as three pressure modes: rainfall, massage, and jetting. Thanks to its high-pressure delivery, it can save up to 30% of your water output, according to the manufacturer. It attaches to most standard showers and comes in a variety of colors to match your bathroom.

20

This Space Heater With An Adjustable Thermostat

Stay cozy at work and at home with this space heater. The lightweight, portable gadget heats up in seconds. Customize the temperature between 0 and 158-degrees Fahrenheit and it will cycle on or off according to the room’s temperature. It also doubles as a fan in the warm summer months. It’s small enough to be portable and can save you money on your heating bills.

21

A $20 Door Draft Stopper That Can Save Electricity

Cut down on energy costs with a simple solution that takes seconds to install. This door draft stopper keeps warm air in and cold air out. It slides under the door to create a barrier that blocks airflow, noise, critters, moisture, and even light. It’s made of thick cotton and can be machine washed between uses. Choose among 5 colors.

22

The Wool Dryer Balls That Cut Down On Dry Time

Swapping your dryer sheets for these wool dryer balls seems extra bougie, but it’s actually an affordable and eco-friendly switch. This six-pack costs less than $10 and will last through more than 1,000 loads of laundry. The organic wool limits static and lint while reducing wrinkles and speeding up dry time.

23

A Vacuum Sealer That Makes Meal Prepping Easy

Meal prepping just got easier — and now you won’t waste so much food thanks to this vacuum sealer machine. Just plug it in and hit the easy-to-use buttons to quickly and inexpensively preserve wet or dry food. This machine is easy to clean and resistant to stains. The compact machine easily fits in your kitchen so as not to add clutter.

24

This Two-Pack Of Beauty Spatulas For Emptying Bottles

Don’t toss that “empty” makeup container or peanut butter jar — get every last bit of product out of the bottle, no matter the size, with these beauty spatulas. This two-pack comes with a short and small spatula for really small bottles, as well as a longer, thicker spatula for lotions, creams, and other tall containers. This set is $7 and is sure to pay for itself just in beauty products alone.

25

The Food Wraps That Save Money And The Planet

Say goodbye to plastic bags and opt for these reusable and biodegradable beeswax food wraps. This set comes with three sizes — and each is made with organic cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin. After molding the wraps with the warmth of your hands, they each create a seal around your food.

26

A Rechargeable Battery Kit With Charging Ports

Rechargeable batteries will save you time and money, but you’ll need a battery charger and this one is a steal. For less than $35, this pack comes with eight AA batteries, eight AAA batteries, and a battery charger that can hold eight batteries at a time, while charging two additional USB devices.

27

These Reusable K Cups To Cut Down On Coffee Costs

If you have a Keurig but hate wasting money on expensive K Cups, these reusable cups are a real budget hack. This pack of four is made with stainless steel mesh so you can fill them with your favorite ground coffee beans for a smooth and customizable cup of joe. Plus, they’re easy to clean.

28

The Amazon Fire TV Stick That Makes Any TV Smart

This Amazon Fire Stick makes streaming your favorite shows a breeze. It plugs into your TV and gives you access to dozens of channels and free movies, TV shows, and documentaries. It’s affordable yet has all the bells and whistles, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself spending less money on outside entertainment in favor of hanging on the couch.

29

An Easy DIY Motion-Activated Light Switch

Customized lighting solutions can be expensive, but this motion-activated light switch makes it affordable and easy to do yourself. The switch can be used as normal or can be set to automatically turn on for one, five, 15, or 30 minutes after spotting movement. No electrical work is necessary.

30

A Versatile Multi-Cooker That Does It All

Clear out space in your kitchen while saving money by exchanging your kitchen appliances for this versatile multi-cooker. It has 12 digital cooking programs so you can steam veggies, heat soup, boil pasta, or make rice quickly with just the click of a button. Like a crockpot, it keeps your meals warm for up to 24 hours so you can set it and forget it until dining time.

31

This Defrosting Tray For Cooking At Home

This defrosting tray is the fastest and safest way to prep meat for cooking and a money-saver when you’ve forgotten to take the meat out of the freezer and are seconds away from ordering in. The aluminum tray naturally generates heat to speed up the thawing process. It’s perfect for thawing hamburger meat or chicken. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

32

A Filtering Pitcher For Drinking Water

Prepare to save a ton of money on water bottles. Purify the water your family drinks without having to spend an arm and a leg. This filter pitcher removes 99.9% of contaminants in tap water without taking up too much space. Keep it in your fridge, where the clear water reservoir makes it easy to see when the water is running low. Each filter lasts for 150 gallons.

33

This One-Touch Coffee Grinder That’s $25

This one-touch coffee grinder is budget-friendly and compact — a win, win. It features sharp stainless steel blades and a grinding bowl that can be used for coffee, herbs, spices, and grains. It has a lid-locking feature that keeps you safe and can grind coffee from coarse to fine, depending on your preference. Delicious coffee at home will save you money, too — expect to take fewer trips to Starbucks.

34

The Drain Snakes That Cost Less Than A Plumber

Keep your drains clean without paying a professional with this pack of drain clog removers, which are made to go deep into sinks or showers to clear drains of gunk, debris, and hair. It comes with six snake-style clog removers and one stainless steel cleaner. Safely clear your drains in just minutes.

35

These Fridge Mats That Make Staying Clean A Breeze

Give your fridge an instant upgrade with these quality EVA refrigerator mats, which come in a colorful pack of nine. The anti-skid mats catch spills and crumbs, can keep bottles from falling, and are simpler to clean than your fridge. You can cut them to fit your shelves and repurpose them for counters and kitchen drawers. These waterproof mats have earned more than 8,000 reviews.

36

The Silicone Chair Leg Covers That Protect Floors

These silicone chair leg covers protect both your chairs and your floors without ruining your aesthetic. The clear covers slip on over your chair legs and have a felt bottom that makes it easy to slide across floors without worrying about scratching. This pack includes 16 covers and is available in several colors.

37

An Adhesive Shield To Protect Furniture From Cats

If you have a pet that loves to scratch the side of your furniture, these scratch deterrent couch shields will save you money. The extra-large shields come in a pack of six and are transparent and self-adhesive so all you have to do is cut them to size and stick them onto the sides of your couch, table legs, or other places your cat likes to scratch. The protective layer is strong enough to protect your furniture yet flexible enough to wrap around the edges and blend into your home decor.

38

This Bottle-Emptying Kit That Reduces Waste

Never toss a jar of food, makeup, or paint without using this bottle-emptying kit first. The problem-solving gadget fits on most bottles and comes with a tripod that lifts the bottle off the counter, allowing gravity to force the contents of the bottle out for you to use. It quickly transfers even thick liquids like honey from one bottle to another.

39

A Flexible Cord Sleeve That Protects Your Cables

​​Keep all your cords organized and hidden with this cord management sleeve. The cord lane holds cords inside, keeping them from kinking or causing shorts. It works great for TV/cable cords that run down the wall from your mounted TV.

40

The Professional-Level Fabric Cleaner For $15

Keep your fabric furniture looking brand new and avoid having to splurge on new pieces with this affordable fabric cleaner that the pros swear by. It quickly removes oil and water-based stains by deeply and safely penetrating any upholstery, clothing, rugs, or carpeting. The 22-ounce bottle is even safe for wool.

41

A Pack Of Silicone Avocado Half Huggers

How many half-eaten avocados have you tossed because they’ve turned brown? Probably too many. These affordable silicone huggers keep avocado halves fresh until you’re ready to finish them. It’ll save you money (and trips to the grocery store).

42

The Stemless Wine Glasses That Won’t Break

Stock up on these unbreakable wine glasses for your next party. They’re made of Tritan and won’t break so you can use them inside or out, and even by the pool. The elegant 13-ounce, stemless glasses look like expensive crystal without the risk.

43

The Blue Apple Gadgets That Keep Produce Fresh

Keep your fruits and veggies fresher longer with these produce saver balls. These gadgets look like blue apples and work by absorbing ethylene gas in your fridge that prematurely turns your produce. Just place it in your fridge and change it out every three months.

44

These Portable Mini Bag Sealers To Take On The Go

Are you buying bag after bag of chips or nuts because the ones you open quickly spoil? Quickly seal your favorite chip bags or smaller containers with this pack of two mini bag sealers. The two-in-one tools both seals and then cuts open bags and are portable and compact enough to take on the go. Each sealer has a hook so you can hang them in your kitchen or pantry without losing them.

45

The Watering Stakes That Keep Your Plants Hydrated

These watering stakes keep your plants hydrated even if you forget to give them water. The long, thin tube can be placed into any water basis, while the other end, a clay tube, is placed into the plant. As the plant needs water, it will pull water from the basin via the tube and stake. This pack of three is less than $20 and is an absolute must for anyone who travels.