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Whether you need to live more frugally due to recent economic conditions or you have a long-term goal such as a new home, you will be surprised at the savings generated by making some well-placed and creative cuts in your budget.
Here are some great ideas for reducing expenses in your life today.
Home Entertainment
- Bundling services. Most major providers offer bundling deals that provide cable, phone and internet for around $100 a month; depending on your current bills, you could be saving anywhere from $10 to $30 a month.
- Although it may be difficult at first, another option is to reduce cable services. Basic cable has an amazingly wide array of options these days. Better yet, get rid of cable completely. Major networks like ABC and CBS offer free online viewing of the vast majority of their programming. Favorites like Modern Family, America’s Got Talent, and CSI can be viewed instantly online. Hulu also offers an incredibly large selection of both current and past television programs free of charge.
- For movie viewing, consider subscribing to an online rental services like Netflix or Blockbuster. Movies are sent via mail or you can choose from their online streaming selections. Netflix has services that start under $10 a month, which may be significantly lower than your current cable bill.
- When purchasing electronics or other gadgets, internet research is one of the most important tools in finding a great price. Search the internet to find coupons and discounts for the products you want. Companies offer some very appealing online coupon codes as a marketing strategy to get consumers to visit their websites. IBotDis.com is a valuable tool in this research. Using the following links you can find great reductions in price.
- Amazon.com – http://www.ibotdis.com/store/amazon/
- Best Buy.com – http://www.ibotdis.com/store/best-buy/
- Buy.com – http://www.ibotdis.com/store/buy-com/
Utilities:
- Weatherproofing: Decrease your home heating bill by weatherproofing your home. In addition to the positive environmental impact, there are weatherproofing tax credits available from both federal and state agencies.Weatherproofing ideas include: Check attic insulation and make improvements where needed. Look for air leaks around the home and work to eliminate them by insulating around pipes, ducts, doors and windows with weather stripping tape or caulk. Install a whole-house fan to reduce dependence on air-conditioning. The fan pulls in cool air during the morning and evening hours, thereby reducing the need for air-conditioning. Although there is an initial expenditure to purchase and install the whole-house fan, the investment is soon paid for by a reduction in energy bill, due to reduced air-conditioning use. Sign up for an energy plan that rewards reduced energy expenditure during peak energy usage times.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with LED or CFL lights. Again, although LED and CFL bulbs are initially more expensive to purchase, they save money and energy over time. LEDs and CFLs use only about 20-25% of the energy of incandescent bulbs and they can last ten to twenty-five times longer.
- Laundry: Most of the cost of doing laundry comes from heating water. Although there may always be a few loads that must be washed with hot water, consider washing the majority of your laundry in cold water. Doing laundry in cold water makes economic sense. If you’re concerned about the clothes not getting clean, there are new detergents formulated specifically for cold water that are very effective. Another energy drain is the dryer. The dryer is a modern day convenience and not a necessity. Install a clothes line outside and during the summer months, dry clothing outside, using “solar” power. Your energy budget will thank you.
- Water: Save on your water bill by collecting fresh rainwater for your garden. Also, excess water from central air conditioning units and dehumidifiers can be collected and used to water plants. Don’t discard the water, use it to grow vegetables.
Transportation:
- Public Transportation: If you live in an area with reliable public transportation options, definitely consider using public transportation. Biking is also a viable option to get to work. Biking will not only save money, but incorporates exercise into your daily routine. Many cities have bike lanes, and combined with public transportation, bikes can get you where you need to go. Interest in carpooling has recently grown because of new apps that help coordinate and bring people together who are interested in carpooling.
- Vehicle Maintenance: Your car operates at peak efficiency when it is maintained properly. Look for the many coupons available for oil changes and tire rotations. These coupons are available online, in the mail, or sometimes in discount booklets, where you buy several oil changes at once for a reduced price.
Online Shopping:
Shopping online can be cheaper than in a retail store. Many stores offer promotions for purchasing their products online and offer free shipping for orders over a certain price. There are many discount coupon codes online for a variety of products.- IBotDis is a great example of an online coupon site. The site has coupons and discounts available from thousands of stores and they connect you with offers from major retailers like Target and Best Buy.
- Subscribe to social networking sites such as Google+, Twitter and Facebook. Many companies will have special offers and discounts only available through each social networking site. To receive the offer, simply follow or friend the company.
These tips should get you started on your savings journey.