It’s easy to stop pulling out the wallet every once in a while and declare triumph, but don’t kid yourself – we know it’s the recurring expenses that really drown us into debt. The monthly expenses are what most people neglect because they are subconsciously trained to ignore it after seeing the same line item month after month after month. Let me tell you the truth. It’s the area that’s most beneficial to look into because you work on eliminating it once and you are saving money every month. Want to know where to start? Here’s the tip of the iceberg.
The Usual and Important Bills to Cut Every Month
- Cell Phone – Remember me getting a few hundred dollars for switching cell phone carriers? What I didn’t mention is that many people are starting to look into prepaid plans as well. The per minute cost may be high but if you never experienced having your ears burn because you talk too much on the phone, you probably can save some money by paying as you go.
- Home Phone – I don’t have a home phone and I have no idea why the business model still exists. Do you have one still? That’s so 1980s…
- Internet – Have you looked into the different technology (and thus, options) available to you? Could you actually buy an Internet capable phone and hook it up to a PC (a feature known as tethering) to get essentially the same service for a fraction of the cost?
- TV – The case is made countless times but I bet many of you still pay way too much for your favorite shows. There are many legal ways to watch TV online like hulu.com and if you are a movie buff, there’s always Netflix.
- Gym Membership – Gym? Do you actually go? Most people are going after a healthy and fit body instead of becoming a muscle man (or lady). The fittest people are always the ones who go out to jog every day. They run on the road, on the beach and in the parks. You don’t need to smell other people’s sweat and pay a bunch of money just to stay fit right?
- Clubs, Newsletters, Subscriptions – Enough said. Unless they provide real value, stop paying for it!
- Electricity – Many tricks we know, but in order to save money every month, we have to change our habits! Turn off the lights and electronics whenever it’s not needed, dial down the water heater to 112 degrees, open the windows instead of using A/C are all simple ways to not only save but to put less strain on the overall environment.
- Pills – It’s easy to switch your subscriptions to generic brands and best of all, it’s almost always cheaper. (Stole this tip from Frugal Dad. Check out his list at the bottom of the post)
- Cars – Oil changes and regular maintenance may be out of your league but wash your own cars. Please!
- Insurance Companies – Call the representatives regularly and see if there is a better deal (remember their competition as well). If everyone does this, it may even create more jobs!
Activities You Should Try
- Stop Bringing Your Credit Card Out for a Month – At first, you will feel very restricted but you will slowly realize where you are spending money on. It’s amazing that we remember our purchases so much better when we pay in cash!
- Try Paying All Your Bills by Check for 3 Months – Stop all the automation for 3 months and see what happens. When you have to spend time to handle payments, you will find a way to cut out the ones that aren’t absolutely necessary.
- Pretend You are Broke for 2 Months – The ramen days are over but that doesn’t mean the hard earned money that we have should go to waste. Try it. It’s quite fun (I lived with $34.01 a week once and learned a few things)
- Add Up All Your Monthly Recurring Subscription Cost for the Year – It’s amazing how pricing strategy works. $37 a month is actually closer to $450 a year. It’s not that cheap after all.
- Check Your Credit Card Statements – One of the worst money suckers are the ones that automatically charge our credit cards. It’s no wonder why my credit card balance is 4 digits every month and I left the card in the freezer!
What Do You Do to Save Money Every Month?
I know you have some great tips and tricks. Share with others!
Further Savings Every Month:
- 11 Effortless Ways to Save Money Each Month – Frugal Dad
- 11 Ways to Save Money This Month – My Dollar Plan
- 10 Practical Ways to Save Money and Increase Your Net Worth – Bible Money Matters
- 25 Ways to Save Money – Cash Money Life
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Regarding a home phone… my wife is home during the day with our 3 little kids. We maintain a corded, non-fancy telephone plugged into our landline for the sole purpose of being able to dial 911 in case of emergency and not having to worry about coverage/dropped calls/low battery/can’t find the cell phone/etc… Another nice benefit is that the 911 operator would be able to see our home address instantly, rather than having to rely on the GPS or whatever.
On the flip side, our landline plan includes unlimited long distance, and we don’t pay for a monthly cell plan either. I have a work-owned mobile phone, and she has a prepaid mobile for when she’s out and about. (So our monthly “mobile” bill is near nonexistent; we pay maybe $100/year for service that matches our usage pattern.)
911 service is the same reason we haven’t switched to a VOIP phone setup, either. Perhaps I’m over-cautious, but in case of emergency I would hate to think that there might be any sort of delay at all in communicating and getting help.
it’s actually better for the environment for you to take your car to the car wash. it may cost $10 but they can recycle and reuse the water and waste water is treated before it flows into open water sources like rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
In our small rural area, we are ‘forced’ into having a land line phone if we want cheap internet. I cannot get the internet from my local provider without the landline (basic with no long distance)…. it’s a major pain, but that’s how it is. I could go to satellite internet, but it is more expensive than the phone and internet combined. My employer covers my cell phone, so I have no personal expense there. The business phone also hooks to the fax machine – not everyone wants to send via email or internet. (nor has the capability) Plus around here, during stormy times, the cell towers go out in windstorms – no cell service for a week last winter. It’s best to have a back up plan!
Basically, to save money, I stay out of the stores and off-line. No temptations allowed! ie, Don’t spend any money and you save a lot
Basically free food is available almost all over if one wants to put the time into finding and harvesting it. Fishing and clamming provide most of the meat – and the garden provides most of the veggies and fruits. Trading excesses with friends also helps fill in the gaps of what I don’t grow/harvest. I trade meat cutting and wrapping for free deer, elk, and beef. Freeze, can, dehydrate, and use up everything! For clothing, home decor, and gifts, go garage saling. All those things enable me to get by on very very little actual cash out of pocket, and still live great!
Wow, great post. Two useful things I’ll do:
1. Cut my premium gym membership (used to be able to take my gf, but she never really goes)
2. Try not to pull out wallet for a month (this is going to be painful)
Thanks for these tips! I personally let go of credit cards–they’re just trouble. I find I save more by being frugal and by using pure cash rather than plastic.
Hey David,
You are soooo right about the last statement “Check Your Credit Statements” as recurrent charges are extremely sneaking. I once signed up for Major League Baseball internet tv package that allowed me to watch all the games of my favorite baseball team online.
After the baseball season was over I assumed the monthly charges for the services would stop as well. Well 2 months later I realized that they were still charging my credit card the recurrent fee!
Some people have found that when they buy a product online or through infomercials that they may have unknowingly signed up for some sort of newsletter or internet subscription as part of the ordering process. They may not realize this until they see the recurrent charges on their credit card.
Finally checking your credit card statement allows you to quickly spot and report credit card fraud. This happens more frequently than you think. I recently checked my credit card statement and notice that it had been charged $300 for gas in Texas the day before even though I live in Illinois and the credit card was still in my wallet.
I’ve stopped watching television altogether – I just don’t have time anymore (too much time spent online). One thing I’ve noticed though – I’ve become calmer since I stopped watching TV news. Reading stuff online just doesn’t have the same emotional impact, so you can react to news more objectively.
The other recurring expense to watch is buying too much food and then throwing it out at the end of the week because it’s gone bad before you could eat it. This particularly applies to vegetables.
i was about to get a gym membership at costco – but then i realized i’d never go – and the smell of a sweaty room with no ventilation is definitely disgusting.
thanks for the link!
Great ideas for cutting your “normal” expenses – some people don’t even consider those things because they seem so normal, and something you just have to live with.
Love what you are doing here so much. I must follow this steps to see how my life can get better.
Thanks for these tips! People must learn to let go of credit cards–they’re just trouble. I find I save more by being frugal and by using pure cash rather than plastic.
Great post! Many ways to save. The generic medicine tip is a no brainer.
A great way to save money is by budgeting your wireless phone minutes through a prepaid wireless carrier. I use Tracfone as it is the best value prepaid service out there. Tracfone also has grerat reception which is important to me as i am a farmer. With my prepaid phone service i am not stuck paying for alot of minutes i really don’t need or even want.
Woow..these are very good tips, especially the no credit card at all. I mean why do i need a credit card? Are they giving me free money? No, instead they are lending you trouble. I have never used a credit card, but i have my debit car with me all the time… at least i don’t get crazy interest rates.
Add another one to the list. Just don’t bring the wallet and see what happens. Those essential purchases may not be so essential after all!
Bring lunch to work. It cost like $2 to make lunch. Buying lunch costs $7 easily. I save $25/wk. It adds up to $1000/yr. If I bring lunch 1/2 the time, I save $500/yr.
I have learned that I can save money by not looking at all those Sunday ads…when I see things on sale, I think I NEED them. If I don’t see the ads, I don’t know what is on sale and then I only go to the store when I really NEED something.