It’s astounding how small bills can add up and sap your monthly funds. From utilities to phone bills and everything in between, you can be left with almost no money at the end of the month. It can often be a cycle as you becomes accustom to having particular service. In most cases, you don’t have to give up the things you need or enjoy, just replace them with less costly ones.
Entertainment
All work and no play can make anybody bogged down and unhappy. Instead of going out the movies every weekend, take in a movie at home. There are movie-dispensing machines where you can rent a movie for a dollar. Netflix and other online providers also allow you to watch many movies for a much lower price than the $8+ it takes to see a movie in theaters. There are thousands of movie masterpieces you have not seen, and they can all be viewed on the cheap. Instead of spending money on music consistently, you can use sites like Youtube or Vimeo where other users usually load up music. Sites like Pandora are also a great alternative to spending big bucks on downloaded or otherwise purchased music.
Utilities
Go around your house and try unplugging items that are not currently in use. Turn off electric strips before you leave the house to run errands. Attempt to conserve energy by not running laundry or dishes during peak hours. Use a clothes line instead of a dryer altogether. Take a shower just before bed instead of twice/three times a day. You will save fistfuls of money each month, if done properly.
Gas
Many times per month, you are likely taking your car to run errands that you could be walking to. Furthermore, you may be running one or two errands at a time, and then returning home just to run more errands the next day. Attempt to schedule your errands so you can cover them all in one day. Whether you choose the walking or simply schedule better, cutting down on gas can save close to a hundred dollars a month without too much effort.
Cable/Satellite
With internet, TV, and entertainment becoming so prominent, there is much less need for television in general. Most people do not watch 90% of what is provided on television. And in general, the lack of on-demand entertainment for most cable/satellite packages makes it not worth the payment. You can save quite a bundle by removing the cable bundle.
Cell Phone Bills
Smart-phones have become all the rage; however, cutting back on the plan you have can save you a large chunk of money per month. While some people are stuck in contracts, those who have contracts ending can opt for smaller plans. Do you really need to have all the data and smart-phone plans? The answer is usually no, because you could live without it. Plans can be as low as $20 per month, saving you nearly $40 every 30 days.
Telephone Bill
For all intents and purposes, you do not need a landline phone any longer. Between a cell phone and a computer service (Skype), you already have your phone needs covered. So, remove that bill altogether and enjoy the savings.
Credit Card Interest
Paying the minimums on your credit card bill is actually costing you money. That is because when you are paying the minimum, you are actually spending money on the interest rather than eating away at the loan. So overall, you are actually chipping away less at the actual debt. On the other hand, if you pay higher amounts per month, you will complete your loan earlier and save money overall. Simply put, spending a little more now saves you more in the end.
Banking Fees
Find a bank that offers free checking and does not having hidden fees at all. Many banks charge fees for “convenience” as well as ATM fees, account fees, and so forth. If you do your due diligence, you can open accounts at new banks that offer no hidden fees or lower rates. The fees are ridiculous, in general, and can cost you your hard-earned money. By taking the time to shop around, you will be able to save much needed cash.
I’m Jesslyn and I write at Hack My Modern Lifestyle, where I give my best shortcuts to a productive and fulfilling life. If you like this article, you might enjoy reader favorites like Top 21 Quotes to Live By. Get our RSS feed directly and follow us on Facebook.
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8 Monthly Bills You Can Eliminate To Save Money http://t.co/nkKq4Djl via @JoanneGreco777
8 Monthly Bills You Can Eliminate To Save Money http://t.co/FO9rZ6TR via @JoanneGreco777
Great article. We are about to get rid of cable. I am scared to take that leap but it will save us $100 a month!
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Thanks!
8 Monthly Bills You Can Eliminate To Save Money http://t.co/E9cEGqZh via @SimplySaving4U
8 Monthly Bills You Can Eliminate To Save Money http://t.co/ZDKLKHHk via @SimplySaving4U
8 Monthly Bills You Can Eliminate To Save Money http://t.co/hO1l2ZXY via @JoanneGreco777
8 Monthly Bills You Can Eliminate To Save Money http://t.co/uWQ8OhRx via @JoanneGreco777
We don’t do cable, landlines, or accounts with fees anymore. Love all these ideas!
femmefrugality recently posted..Frugal Cooking 205
@Kara,
Happy to hear that you find this article useful! :) Yes, you are right..cutting on the cable can really save quite a bit! :)
@femmefrugality, so glad that you like this article! :)
Jesslyn recently posted..Make Your PC Run Faster For You Without Spending a Cent
We got rid of credit cards a long time ago and switched to Visa debit. Also, for $15.00 a month on Quickflix (Netflix equivalent this side of the pond), I get more ad free TV than I have time to watch. This is awesome because I was spending $40 + on DVDs scratched and barely watchable DVDs every month.
Leigh recently posted..Get Better Gas Mileage On Camping Trips
Very true I cut out TV )for Netflix) and home phone. Saved me a few bucks!
Cable/satellite prices are ridiculous. We get have Netflix and Hulu+ (with a box to let us stream to the TV) and that gives us all the TV and movies we need for a fraction of the price.
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Just shared on Facebook and Twitter! Thanks :)
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