9 Expenses to Cut to Save Money
If you want to be able to make your money last longer, then you’re probably going to need to make some long-term changes in your life. After all, clever spending practices aren’t something that you can develop overnight. However, while you’re doing your best to create a budget and curb your impulse spending in the months to come, there are some simple expenses that you can cut out of your life right now, especially with the holidays right on the doorstep. So, get ready to save some money as we go over nine unnecessary costs in your life and how to get rid of them.
1. Cable Television
Answer this one question: just how important is TV if you’ve got the internet? There was a time when the telly was the only way to experience visual media in the home. Now, the best television programs from around the world are often available free of charge over the internet with more content available through sites such as Netflix or Hulu for a small monthly fee. If you’ve already got the internet anyway, then you might as well cancel that cable subscription.
2. Landline Telephones
As with the internet and cable, so it is with mobiles and telephones. If you’re already paying for a cellular telephone that you keep with you at all times, a landline becomes just another wasted pile of money every month. Cancel your service and make your mobile phone your only phone.
3. Newspaper Subscriptions
Again, if you’ve got the internet, you don’t need a newspaper. The internet delivers up-to-the-second news from anywhere in the world on any topic you could want; newspapers just deliver filler for your recycling bin.
4. Unnecessary Food
How often do you eat out? If your answer is “very,” then we’ve found another expense in your life worth cutting back. Buying ingredients, preparing the meal yourself, and eating food in your own home can save you big money in the long run. Likewise, expensive snacks and bottled drinks cost several times the amount that it take for them to be produced. Any money spent on them is money wasted when you could be eating something homemade.
5. Credit Cards
Believe it or not, it is possible to survive in today’s society without a credit card. If you find yourself constantly spending money that you don’t actually have, consider getting rid of your credit cards and opting instead to use a secondary debit account for purchases. You can put a portion of your income into this account, and keep track of the money that you have. This way you’ll know when it’s time to stop buying things (such as when that account runs out of money).
6. Health Club Memberships
There isn’t a thing that you can pay to do in a health club that you couldn’t also do at home or on the street for free. You don’t need intricate machines or personal trainers to get in shape; just figure out what kinds of exercises work for you, how often you need to do them, and what your personal goals are, and you’ll be able to stay fit while holding onto your hard-earned cash.
7. Brand Names
No matter what you’re buying, there’s probably a generic version of it that is practically identical while being substantially less expensive. Remember, when you buy brand-name items, all that you’re really paying for is a label. Switch to generic items and put that extra money to better use.
8. Your Car
Ok, we understand that this one isn’t for everyone. Dependent upon where you live, where you work, and several dozen other factors, you may very well need all four tires and the automobile attached to them to be able to fulfill your responsibilities. However, if you can possibly replace your car (or even replace some of the time that you use it) with walking, cycling, or public transportation, then you’ll find that you save huge amounts of money on the petrol alone. And if you really can get rid of the car, you won’t be paying insurance anymore either.
9. Consumable Habits
Do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you play the lottery? If so, then you’re spending a great deal of money on habits that really aren’t doing you any favors. Cutting out the cigarettes, after-work beers, and weekly lotto tickets (or at least cutting back on them), will free up money for more healthy pursuits. Besides, why bother with the lottery when you can just keep the money you already have?
