There’s a window of time after buying a home when your priority is to settle into your new place. Moving is hectic on its own, but for first-time homeowners, the stakes can feel especially high. You’ve already put so much work into saving and finding the right place, so you want to make the right decisions right off the bat to set yourself up for financial success.

After all, you’ve got decorating, painting, and upgrades to tackle. It’s easy to get swept up in the rush that comes with making a house a home, but making smart money decisions should be your first priority. If you’ve just made the leap from renting to owning a home and are left wondering what to do next, here are three important tips for new homeowners to save money that you should follow.

1. Know Your Rebate Options

Hopefully, you’ve had some trustworthy financial guidance throughout the process of getting your home. Use them for advice and tips about the administrative side of repairs and renovations. There are different types of housing rebates out there that could be very helpful in saving money while improving your home.

Familiarize yourself with government programs that support new homeowners through tax rebates. You should also keep organized records and receipts of the upgrades you make so you can present them when it’s time to file your taxes. This brings us to the next important thing to do with your money as a new homeowner…

2. Spend Carefully

Now is the time to be extra frugal and to think long and hard before making any major purchases. As you start to furnish your home, think about ways to cut your costs. Can you get things second-hand? How much new furniture do you really need? Focus on getting the basics in place to live comfortably and still make changes as you go.

Be patient about buying furniture and décor. You don’t have to buy everything at once. Set up a budget and style for what you need, then shop around to find the best rates and best pieces that you need.

If you overstretch on spending right after buying a new home, you might thin out your funds and leave yourself vulnerable if a significant emergency cost comes along. Easy payday loans and short-term online loans are viable options for covering costs in-between paycheques, which is good to maintain as a backup. While you don’t want to regularly rely on online payday loans, it can be valuable to know where you can turn for trustworthy and easy payday loans.

3. Revisit Your Budget

Things change once you become a homeowner. You have to reconsider your old spending habits and come up with a new budget to cover your new costs. A home is a major purchase and buying one comes with all sorts of additional costs and expenses like insurance, property tax, warranties, interest, and so much more. Now is the time to re-configure your budget to include all your new expenses, but don’t write anything in stone yet. Allow yourself the time to hit your new stride and adapt your budget as necessary.