Save Money On Your Mobile Home Expenses With These Tips

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Sometimes normal living expenses can get the best of us. Adding up the total cost of things like internet, utilities, phone bills, insurance, and trash could be an overwhelming enterprise. But if you’re a resourceful person, you know that feeling discouraged isn’t your only option. Instead, set your mind to lowering your expenses where you can and budgeting so you’ll be able to pay when you can’t. 

Feature image for "Save Money On Your Mobile Home Expenses With These Tips"

Today, we pulled together some tips for saving money on your mobile home expenses. Take a look at these ideas and evaluate which ones might work for you. We’ve grouped them by expense category, so feel free to skip to the one that’s most relevant.  

Water

If you’re on a public water system and you’re trying to lower your water bill, our first suggestion to be conscious of and conserve the amount of water you use. And if you have kids, that may mean explaining to them that you’re actually paying every time you use water—even though they never see you swipe a card or hand over cash. Then, you can explain why this is relevant and what they and all of you can do about. Suggest simple things like: don’t leave the water running while you brush your teeth

Invest in water-saving shower heads. And if your water bill is abnormally high one month, check into it. See if you have any unknown leaks or if someone accidentally left a hose running. Why pay for water that’s slipping away into the ground? Plus, if you happen to already be replacing your toilet, why not go for one that has two options—a less-water flush and a more-water flush? 

Internet

When looking to lower your internet bill, check if other internet service providers have better options. Additionally, if you find yourself so inconvenienced by the poor WiFi situation in your home that you’re about to level up to more expensive option, try buying a range extender first.

Also, with internet, remember this—pay for only as much as you need. You may not need a bundle of internet and TV. And you may not need the fastest speed either. So, don’t buy more than you need just because it sounds like a good idea. 

Internet cables

Electricity

First up—turn off your lights. Naturally, you don’t have to turn them off all the time. (Because who wants to sit in the dark?) But you can certainly cultivate a new habit of turning off any unused lights as you leave an area.

Next, consider buying energy efficient light bulbs. And remember that energy efficient appliances like refrigerators and dishwashers are also options. 

Plus, if you’re the nerdy type, you may be fascinated to know that electricity is actually more expensive at certain times than at other times. Once you find out at what times of day your electricity is the cheapest or the most expensive, you might be able to use that knowledge to save you money (although it may be a negligible amount). For instance, you could wait to run certain energy-using appliances until it’s cheapest. Though, frankly, that’s probably a little farther than most of us want to go. 

Permits

If you’re moving your mobile home, you may already know that you’ll likely need a permit. Still, you hate to spend the money so you’re casting about for other options. Well, here’s one thing to keep in mind. If you still haven’t nailed down exactly where to move the home, try finding a park that will pay for your permit.

Some mobile home parks will actually pay the cost of your move. Likely, they want to get more mobile homes in their park, so they’re willing to invest some money to get you there. See if you can find one that’s willing to pay the permit cost, too. 

Inspections

Do you have to have your mobile home inspected? Before you commit to using the first inspector you find, try comparing prices among inspectors. If you’re a mobile home investment buyer, see if your inspector is willing to charge less overall when you have multiple homes for inspection. It’s like you’re providing the inspector with repeat business, so see if you can negotiate a price deduction. 

Renter’s insurance

Living in a mobile home rental may call for rental insurance. Again, comparison shop. Are you noticing a trend here?—comparison shop, comparison shop, comparison shop. When you can, why not search around among your options to nail down the best deal (assuming you have the time to do this). Your current renter’s insurance may not be the cheapest option. 

Trash pickup

This may not apply to your location, but if you pay for trash services, do some checking to see if visiting your local landfill and recycling is actually a cheaper option. Some landfills give you a certain weight limit per month. And up to that weight limit, your disposal of household garbage is free.

Four trash receptacles

Of course, you have to transport it and throw it away yourself. So, be williing to take that extra time. As the second part of this strategy, if recycling is optional where you live, recycle your plastic, metal, and glass if you can do so for free. 

You may find this to be a cheaper option than trash pickup. Do the calculations for your situation. Once you reach your weight limit for the month at your local landfill, you may have to pay for subsequent loads. However, overall you could still be spending less than your trash pickup would cost. 

Keeping expenses down

Another mobile home expense you might be wondering about is taxes. Learn more about them with What You Need To Know About Your Mobile Home Taxes. And if you’re someone who’s just about to launch their mobile home journey and looking to do it in a cost-effective way, check out First-Time Mobile Home Buyer Tips That Will Save You Time & Money.

About Dan Paton

Dan Paton has been working full-time in this field for over a decade. Both him and his partner, Dan Leighton, formed EZ Homes back in 2006 and have seen explosive growth ever since. Dan works heavily in the administrative role within the organization. He is a jack of all trades type of guy. Dan and his wife have 4 children.





Written by Dan Paton

Dan Paton has been working full-time in this field for over a decade. Both him and his partner, Dan Leighton, formed EZ Homes back in 2006 and have seen explosive growth ever since. Dan works heavily in the administrative role within the organization. He is a jack of all trades type of guy. Dan and his wife have 4 children.

August 6, 2019

 

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