Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on pinterest

7 Effortless Ways to Save Money

Yard sale
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on pinterest

1. Re-Negotiate Service Contracts

Are you overpaying for your cable, cell phone, pest control or any other recurring service? Reach out to the service provider to inquire about more cost-efficient options that may be available to you. If the customer service representative is unable to assist, ask to speak to a manager or kindly threaten to take your business elsewhere.

2. Energy Audit

Tired of forking over an excessive amount of cash each month on energy expenses? Give your utility provider a call to request an energy audit. These are typically offered at no cost to customers and you could even qualify for a small statement credit.

Another option: a do-it-yourself energy audit, which can be done using these instructions from Energy.gov.

3. Reassess Your Insurance Deductible

The higher the deductible, the lower the premiums. Increasing your deductible may save you money on your monthly payment, however you’ll want to make sure there will always be enough cash in your emergency fund to cover the deductible should you ever need to file a claim.

4. Portion Control

Do you typically cook or order way more food than you can you actually consume in one sitting? Unless you’re a fan of leftovers, doing so is costing you hundreds, if not thousands annually that could otherwise be saved or spent elsewhere.

According to the National Resources Defense Council:

The average American throws away between $28 and $43 in the form of about 20 pounds of food each month. If we wasted just 15 percent less food, it would be enough to feed 25 million Americans.

5. Generics

Before you completely dismiss this option, bear in mind that there are several generic options for all sorts of items that are very comparable, if not better, to their name-brand counterparts. Wondering which generics made the cut? Take a look at this comprehensive list from CBS MoneyWatch.

6. Eliminate Pricey Gym Memberships

If you have a gym membership, take a moment to divide rate by the number of times you actually visit each month. So, if you visit five times a month and pay $50 for the membership, you’re spending a whopping $10 per visit.

Consider investing in a modest set of home gym equipment. Also, if classes are your thing, there are a lot of options for on-demand streaming classes out there, in pretty much every variety you can imagine, and those are often much cheaper than memberships.

7. Sell Some Stuff

Do you have valuable items lying around that you never intend to use? If so, visit the local pawn shop or sell them online using eBay or Craigslist. For the less valuable items, a yard sale or the flea market will suffice.

You might also like...