Budgeting for Home Maintenance
Many people don’t know how to budget for home maintenance. One popular rule of thumb says that one percent of the purchase price of your home should be set aside each year for ongoing maintenance. For example, if your home cost $200,000, you should budget $2,000 per year for maintenance. It just means that on average, over a span of a long time period (10 years or more), you’ll spend around $2,000 annually, according to this rule of thumb. Some years you’ll spend far more like when you have to replace the roof and some years you’ll spend far less.
Home Warranty Options
If it is the first year of home ownership for you, you may want to consider a home warranty like one from American Home Shield. A few hundred dollars for a warranty at closing could save you thousands if something breaks. It will also give you time to rebuild your savings.
FEBRUARY TO DO LIST
Outside Your Home:
- Regularly check for ice dams and icicles
- Check all locks and deadbolts on door and windows
Inside Your Home:
- Inspect and change furnace filters, if needed
- Test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
- Clean garbage disposal
- Take down and wash / dry clean draperies
- Check caulking around showers and bathtubs, repair as needed
- Rotate and flip mattresses
- Vacuum and clean mattresses
- Check electrical box and make sure all is labeled correctly
- Clean and vacuum entry closet
- Dust all wall decor
- Dust ceiling fan blades
- Wash kitchen cabinets (inside and out)
- Wash pantry/cabinet shelves, discard expired food
- Clean out files
- Clean out and organize drawers
- Discard / shred unnecessary paper work