Does it ever seem like your monthly bills are out of control, even though you feel like you do everything in your power to keep them low? Well here’s a little checklist of things you may not be doing that you should get on doing immediately to consistently save money:
- Never Checking Your Bills for Mistakes: it is very important that you always give your bills the once-over, even if you do automatic bill pay, just to make sure you’re aware of what you’re being charged for. Just last month, I started up with a new cable/internet company, and upon checking out my first bill, I found a $10 for a security back-up service I hand’t asked for. After one quick call to Verizon, the unwanted service had been removed from my bill and the $10 was credited to my next statement. If I had never checked, I would not only have lost $10 that one time; I would have lost $10 every month unnecessarily!
- Not Negotiating for Lower Rates:
There’s a quote that says “Success in life is directly proportional to the number of awkward conversations you’re willing to have.” People shy away from negotiation because they feel like it’s uncomfortable, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get. The worst thing that will happen is the answer “no.” Negotiate interest rates at your bank, a better plan for your cell phone bill, accidental overdraft charges, better terms on your loan payments, and more.
- Making Do with Less Energy Efficient Bulbs: you’ve heard this tip before, but there’s no harm in a little reminder. If you’re still settling for bulbs that aren’t energy efficient, you’re throwing money down the drain every month.
- Not Refinancing Your Mortgage or Car Loan: contact lenders about your monthly rates.
You may be able to find a plan that lets you pay less for your debt payments without greatly increasing the total cost of your loan. Make sure you do your research to see if refinancing is right for you.
Check out more tips over at SavvySugar’s How to Lower Monthly Expenses.