House-related expenses can add up quickly. If they take up too much of your budget, you may find yourself skipping things you enjoy to save some money. Instead, try using these six simple strategies for lowering household expenses. 

1. Look Into Refinancing Your Mortgage

Your house payment is probably the largest single bill you face each month. Refinancing is a simple way to lower your mortgage amount without moving. If you have built up equity in your house, you may be able to refinance and remove private mortgage insurance, which is usually only required when you are unable to put 20 percent down on a purchase. 

Additionally, if your interest rate is high, it might also benefit you to take advantage of current conventional loan rates. That simple act could potentially save you hundreds of dollars each month. 

2. Add Thermal Lined Window Treatments

If you want a simple way to save money all year long, thermal-lined window treatments are a great option. You will need to invest in a quality set upfront, but it can drastically reduce heating and cooling costs, especially if you have an older home with drafty windows. They are easy to install and there are lots of affordable options on the market. 

Since heating and cooling take up a large part of most households' utility budget, this can translate to very real cost savings. As a general rule, you want to block the sun from entering your home in the summer to keep temperatures down. In the winter, the goal is to reduce drafts and keep heated air inside. 

3. Ask Service Providers for Lower Rates

Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. Go ahead and call your major service providers and see if they are running any specials in your area. It's a good idea to check with competitors to see what competitive prices look like before making these calls. This will give you an advantage in talking to each provider, and also give you another option if they just won't budge. 

4. Swap Out Your Lawn for Native Plants

Lawns may be part of the American landscape, but they are also a huge waste of time and money. Instead of reseeding this year, consider pulling up the grass and adding native plants. Because they are ideally suited to the local climate, they require a lot less work to stay healthy. That means less time you'll spend moving, reseeding, and providing general care.

In many cases, native plants can also get by with a lot less water and fertilizer. This means less money spent on those components. 

5. Learn How To DIY Basic Repairs

You can save a small fortune by doing some of your own repairs. Armed with some common sense and how-to videos, many homeowners can complete basic tasks like painting, changing light fixtures and small plumbing repairs. You may even find yourself building a backyard firepit when the weather allows. 

Major electrical upgrades, work that alters structural components of the house, and anything involving gas lines should be left to professionals. In many cases, work on gas appliances must be performed by a licensed contractor, so it's a good idea to call the building department where you live to check. 

6. Upgrade To a Smart Thermostat

If you are looking for a very simple upgrade that can make a significant dent in your monthly expenses, look no further than the thermostat. These allow you to make remote adjustments so that the house is always the temperature you want. Plus, you monitor conditions and energy use remotely, so you always know the status of your system. 

If you don't want to go with a smart thermostat, consider a programmable one. You can set it up to adjust temperatures around your daily schedule for the most efficient use of energy, but won't need a wifi or data connection.

Doing some basic repairs yourself, adjusting the temperature to a more economical setting and replacing the lawn with native plants are just a few of the simple changes that can help bring household expenses under control.