The costs of home utilities and services—water, gas, electricity, television, internet, security, lawn maintenance and others—can add up to a substantial monthly bill. While a few of these services may be optional, others are essential and are a fixed cost of home ownership.

Although a utility service may be required, it can also vary based on usage, which means that some costs can be controlled and lowered by limiting the amount of consumption, such as electricity, gas and water. If you use less, you pay less. Over time, even small changes in behavior can help save an appreciable amount of money. However, you may be comfortable with a certain standard level of usage for utilities and therefore might be somewhat concerned about the quality of life if you now try doing without the same amount of a basic utility—for example, you wouldn’t want to keep some of your rooms totally dark by turning off most of the lights to save money on electricity.

It is possible to save a little money on utilities without making a big sacrifice in your lifestyle. If you want to try to spend less on water, here are a dozen easy tips to lower water costs without cutting down on the usual home aquatic benefits you are accustomed to:

1. If you have a shower, take showers instead of baths since they use less water.
2. Take showers that are a little bit shorter—but you may have to scrub faster.
3. Install shower heads that have reduced water flow, but they have no apparent effect on your showering experience—it feels the same but saves water. Putting in a new shower head shouldn’t require paying for the services of a plumber; you should be able to do it yourself.
4. Quickly fix leaks to faucets or pipes, especially outside faucets that may not be noticeable and that you may forget about.
5. Use the dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand, since the machine is designed to be precise and efficient with water.
6. Only wash completely—or at least mostly—full loads of laundry or dishes (extra energy-saving tip—wash and rinse most laundry loads using cold water to save gas or electricity used for heating water).
7. Don’t leave the faucet running while brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your face.
8. If your young children want to cool off and play in water in your yard during the summer, use a small, shallow kiddie pool of standing water instead of water toys that stream, jet or spray water continuously.
9. Buy hardy house plants, flowers, bushes or trees that don’t need much water.
10. Put mulch around all plants to absorb and retain water and also slow water evaporation.
11. Don’t thaw frozen food by running hot water over it in the sink or letting it sit in a sink full of warmer water; instead, either thaw it in the microwave or take it out of the freezer much earlier so it has more time to defrost and get up to room temperature.
12. Close faucets firmly to avoid wasteful and, over time, costly drips.
13. Bonus tip: Don’t spray off your driveway with a garden hose; rake or sweep it clear instead.

Interested in more suggestions on lowering basic living expenses?

The Delta Community Credit Union blog has some other ideas on managing home costs:

• Getting Your House Ready for Warm Weather
• 10 Spring Home Tips to Save Summer Money
• 9 Easy Home Improvements for Less Than $150 Each
• Home Improvements That Deliver the Best R.O.I.

Do you know how to BALANCE™ your home expenses?

BALANCE™ is a financial education and counseling organization that offers free services to Delta Community members. Some of its services include credit report reviews, debt management, and information on budgeting, money management and home buying.

Visit the BALANCE™ website to learn about their education and assistance programs. Members can also speak with certified credit and housing counselors to get personalized guidance.

Want to connect with a Financial Coach about your specific situation? Chat online e-mail, or call 1-888-456-2227 to speak with a Financial Coach today.

Note that the services offered through BALANCE™ are separate and distinct from any business conducted with Delta Community and are not guaranteed by, nor are they obligations of, the Credit Union.