Sustainability for Singles: Save Time & Money

By Jeff Echols

As a single woman, what are two of your most important commodities? Maybe you answered time and money. And, unless you’re of the likes of Warren Buffet or WalMart, you probably don’t have enough of either. That’s one reason that sustainability should be important to you.

Admittedly, sustainability is a term with an increasingly broad definition. It takes on many forms and applies to every facet of life on Earth. You may not have any interest in rain water harvesting, regional transportation, local farmers markets or solar panels but as a home owning single, take note; sustainability can save you time and money. The kind of sustainability that I’m referring to is the kind that involves making decisions and taking actions that allow you to maintain and improve your quality of life.

I recently heard an expert say that you should plan to spend between 1% and 3% of the purchase price of your home every year to cover maintenance issues. With the median home value in the United States being in the neighborhood of $200,000 that means that you’d better have $2,000 to $6,000 to set aside. How’s that sound? Have you budgeted that much? And, since we’re on the topic of budgeting, how are your utility bills? They keep going down right? I know mine don’t.

So here’s today’s Sustainability Tip for Singles:

Whenever you need to repair or replace anything inside, outside or around your home, spend as much as you can to use the most durable, long-lasting, energy efficient materials, equipment and appliances possible. The payoff will be long-term and it will come in the form of savings in time and money. You’ll spend less time calling and waiting for the handyman service, not to mention writing fewer checks to the service. And you’ll pay less for utility bills. The added bonus is that there are a number of State and Federal tax benefits available related to the purchase of those energy efficient products.

So protect those most valuable commodities in your life and take a sustainable approach to maintaining your home, your most important investment.

Jeff Echols brings over 20 years experience in design, construction and renovation to his Renovation Resources Blog with the goal of educating, inspiring, informing and motivating homeowners wherever they are in the Renovation process. In addition to his blogging and other Social Media efforts, Jeff also focuses his architectural and construction management talents on a variety of project types as an Associate at ONE 10 STUDIO in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Read Jeff’s Blog at http://www.renovation-resources.blogspot.com or email Jeff at jeffechols@renovation-resources.com

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