My top five mortgage tips that could help you save thousands January 30, 2021 â 11.00pm January 30, 2021 â 11.00pm Save Normal text size Advertisement Welcome to the first week of Money with Jess, my 10-week guide to household budgeting. This week weâre tackling housing costs. For most of us, the simple act of putting a roof over our heads eats up the biggest chunk out of our household budgets. Itâs different for many older households, of course â but you remember the days, right? Illustration: Dionne Gain Credit: In future weeks, weâll look into the costs of running a household, from council fees to strata fees to utilities. For now, weâre just focusing on what you pay for rent or mortgage interest.