Save Big by Downgrading Nonessential Monthly Services

Cable

When you make your monthly cable bill, are you paying for basic cable, or for a super deluxe package that includes dozens of movie channels  you rarely watch?

Most of us who order movie stations in a cable package are sorely disappointed with the selection of repeat movies, but never get around to canceling. Consider canceling the high priced movie bundle or specialty channels and just paying for basic cable. The difference is about $50 each month and on the occasions that you do want to enjoy a movie, you can borrow them free of charge from any public library as long as you have a valid library card. That is a savings of approximately $600 per year.

Telephone

When you pay for your monthly telephone bill, is it for the cost of the lines, or does it include high cost per minute long distance, call waiting and other non essential services? Just because you use a telephone does not mean that you are obligated to pay for the rental of the phone or all of the extras that the phone company has to offer, and that includes long distance charges.

Purchase a phone or phones, so that you do not end up paying the rental fees each month. Even if the rental is only $3-$4  month, you will save $36- $48/year, so the phone that you purchased will pay for itself in no time.

As for long distance charges, many of us are satisfied to pay whatever the phone company tells us is the lowest rate available per minute. This can be anywhere from 5-7 cents per minute, and although this is low, you can do much better. There are many pre-paid long distance calling cards available now that allow you to talk long distance to anywhere in North America for as little as one cent per minute. So if your household makes sixty minutes of long distance calls each month instead of paying $3- $4.20 each month, you would be paying only .60 , saving you between $36 – $50.40 per year.

If you get rid of other unnecessary phone features such as call waiting, call forwarding and call answer, you can save another $144 – $180 per year.

So by downgrading two non-essential items each month, you have already saved almost $1000 in one year. You still have phone and cable services, but you are paying only for what you need and use.