The tiny house movement is getting big. More and more people are learning about the benefits of living in a tiny house and liking what they hear. They want to protect the environment, and they really want to save money so they can have more freedom in their choices. Many people who live in tiny homes are able to leave their high-pressure, corporate jobs and make more time for their families and their other interests. They find that with the money they save, they can work only part time and create more freedom in their lives.
Not sure how this works? Here are just a few of the ways you can save money by living in a tiny house:
Have Solar Power
Most tiny homes are not wired the way a traditional home is. They are not hooked up to a meter, and the owners do not receive a monthly power bill. Instead, many tiny homes are powered either by a generator or through solar power.
Solar power is the most efficient option. You don’t have to pay for gas like a generator. Instead, the panels generate all the energy you would need. Plus, you get to be “off grid,” meaning you are not beholden to any company or city official for what you need. Companies like Ion Solar offer great solar panel options for tiny homes.
Less Furniture
Furniture doesn’t have a monthly cost associated with it, but it is very expensive to buy. When you are outfitting a huge house, you can spend many thousands of dollars on furniture. When you outfit a tiny home, you could theoretically spend nothing.
You can easily find the simple pieces of furniture your tiny home would need on sites like Freecycle or the free section of Craig’s list. Or you can buy new pieces for a low cost by shopping second-hand or by shopping for a la carte pieces instead of getting a whole, matching room. You can even repurpose items like wood crates for things like shelves.
Fewer Appliances
Appliances also cost quite a bit of money to buy and to maintain. You have a huge refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, and washer and dryer. Then you usually have things like coffee makers, microwaves, food processors, and more. In a tiny home, you don’t have room for all that.
You only have room for a small fridge and stove maybe. Some people use a dorm fridge and hot plates or toaster ovens for their food storage and prep. The smaller and simpler your tiny home, the more you will save on purchase, maintenance, and power.
Less Water Usage
In a tiny home, you aren’t going to be using as much water because all your appliances will be smaller, you’ll only have one toilet (or maybe even just a compostable toilet), and you will have a very simple shower system. Most tiny homes also use a closed water system that is similar to what is used at a campsite or in an RV. Most tiny homes are completely off grid, which means they are not hooked into any city system and pay no monthly utilities.
Zero Rent
Of course, the biggest cost-savings advantage of a tiny home is that you don’t have to pay rent for them. Most banks do not issue mortgages to build a tiny home, so people either come up with the funds to buy them outright or they build the tiny homes themselves over time with recycled and low-cost materials.
You will just need to find a place to park your tiny home. There are many communities and networks that put tiny home owners in touch with land owners who will let them park their homes on the land for free. There are also many public places where you can park your tiny home for free, such as in some national parks.
By owning a tiny home, you can easily cut your monthly expenses by thousands of dollars. Imagine how much more freedom you would have if you didn’t have to make that much more money each month. You could quite your high-stress job and start exploring all those dreams you set aside, like writing that book or learning how to play the guitar.