Household Utilities You Can Cut Costs On To Increase Your Bank Balance

By Author: Heather Protz
Total Articles: 46
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Are you starting to get acquainted with the frugal living? So you’ve saved money on gas, cut your grocery bills and you still feel that you’re lacking somewhere. Do you know how much money you spend on toilet paper every year? Frugal living is all about creative buying, doing things by yourself and investing the money that you save. To start with, you may have started saving money by cutting down fuel, food and insurance expenses. These are great ways to start. But when you take a deeper look inside your house, you may find that there are simple things that you’re missing out on. Read on more to find out what they are.
Before you proceed to implicate these steps, the first thing you have to do is sit down and make a list of all the expenses you make in a month. Collect all the bills, receipts and financial statements- don’t throw them away. There are probably some purchases that you haven’t accounted for. Once you’ve done that categorize each and every expense. Note down the fixed expenses. Calculate the monthly averages for other things like clothes, accessories for your home etc.
These are the things ...
... that you might want to concentrate on. Do you absolutely need a new dress for an upcoming party? How about dry cleaning one of your old suits or dresses instead? You don’t need to buy a new couch this time, and the desk lamp? Just replace the bulb. For every household need you may come across, ask yourself if you really require that right now. If it’s a dire need, try thinking of using something that you already own or something that costs much lesser. That doesn’t mean you have to go for a cheaper alternative. When buying a product always check whether it will last for the long run.
Another thing that you probably may have missed out when adapting a cost effective lifestyle is looking into your toiletries expenditure. A simple thing like a tooth brush can cost you a great deal every year. Purchase a cheaper toilet paper; brush the right way; do not over use your deo; when buying soap opt for a homemade product, they cost a lot cheaper. Once you bring these cost cutters into your life, you can probably save some more.
Telecommunications is another thing that you may have missed out. Bundling is a great way to save money. But think again. Do you really need a TV connection? With the vast advancements in the field of Internet there are options for you to watch TV through the Internet. There are plenty of sites online where you can watch your favorite shows and programs for free, legally. Not only that, making calls over the Internet is a great way for you to save money over your phone bill, VoIP calls offer cheaper call rates than your normal landline. So when you get a three in one package, why waste it? Ditch your home phone and cable connection and shift to an affordable internet connection like Cheap Internet. Once you switch to a Cheap Internet connection, you can even stop cutting down your magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
At the risk of being clichéd, go green. Not only will you help save the environment, but you can save some cash too. Switch over to CFLs. They are proven to reduce your electricity bills. Install timers on lights outside your home. This is a good way to save power. Don’t use the AC or the heater unnecessarily. Plant more trees if you want to cool the temperature down. Don’t use a dryer. Hang your clothes on racks and clothes lines instead. Unplug unused electronic appliances like the microwave oven or your phone charger- they drain a lot of electricity even when turned off.
Saving money does not mean being stringent. But little things like eating out, throwing away a Styrofoam tray- things that meant nothing before can help you maximize your savings. Remember, a little goes a long way.