10 Extra Financial Bonuses from Buying Our House

Here are ten (financial) side bonuses that came from buying our house that you may want to look into:

1. We bought our house through a mortgage company which promptly sold the loan to Wells Fargo.  We weren't even looking for a new bank but when we went in to make a payment the lady said that because we had a mortgage with Wells Fargo we could get a free checking and money market account which includes free notary service, free money orders, etc.  We grabbed it (our other bank is on the military bases many miles away and this bank is right down the street--really convenient!).
2. I called the water utility to see what kind of offers they had and they sent me a package including low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators for the kitchen and bathroom sinks...for free!
3. I checked out the gas utility's website and found that they will give rebates when we need to buy new gas appliances (stove, clothes dryer, water heater).  I will definitely keep this in mind.
4. I checked out the electric company's website as well and found that they too offer some pretty nice rebates.  While we don't need any appliances right now, this is something to remember because it is like getting free money! (They also offer rebates on solar power systems but that will have to wait--even with a rebate such a system is very expensive).
5. We bundled our car insurance with insurance for our new house and ended up getting a great rate (much better than having insurance through two separate companies).
6. I need to check with the county tax assessor to see if there are any discounts for seniors on property tax.  Currently we are considered lower income and hubby is a senior and in many jurisdictions this will get you a discount on your property tax.
7. If I ever need to make some quick cash using my house, I will definitely check out this website which allows you to rent rooms in your house for a night or two to tourists (we happen to live in a tourist mecca which is a plus) and make instant money.
8. Owning a house also gives us the option to start a home-based business such as babysitting or pet sitting (our house has plenty of space, a back yard, a great location, and zoning isn't a problem either).
9. I love that we live close enough to shopping, stores, banks, etc that I can walk and save gas which is a small added bonus (note I haven't tried this yet as temps have been over 100 for the last two weeks).
10. Our house is a tax write off!  Of course we can deduct property tax and maintenance but if I decide to open a home business I can write off house expenses for that as well.