Want to cut expenses but don’t know where to start? Cutting out a weekly coffee probably isn’t going to cut it. Read on for some sure fire ways to save some money.
Save on Your Phone
One way I have saved a fortune over the years is by saving money on my phone bill. Going to a prepaid/postpaid option was a great start, going from $80 a month to $30 a month almost instantly.
The other way I have saved is by buying a refurbished phone outright. In the last few years I have been buying phones from Certified Tech Direct, saving me hundreds of dollars. They have always been in excellent condition and I’ve never had an issue. I know multiple other people who have bought from Certified Tech Direct and had great reports. If you are looking to save extra cash and don’t mind buying last years model of phone, this may be a great option for you.
I only know people who have bought from Certified Tech Direct so therefore cannot vouch for other refurbished phone companies. I would recommend buying only from companies/sites that offer full refunds if the phone is not what you expect, or at least a twelve month warranty. That way you will have some piece of mind if the phone doesn’t perform as it should.
Save on your Car
Expensive cars are overrated.
Sure if you love cars and it’s really important to you, than go for it. If you don’t really care, and are paying big bucks on a car loan for a car that is going down in value everyday, it may be worth selling it, clearing the loan and buying something a bit cheaper. At the end of the day, a car is there to get you from A to B. You may need to fork out a bit more if you want a 4wd or a 7 seater, but if all you need is a car to drive, 10k is plenty for a great second hand car that will do the job. These days you can get a lot of the smart features for a fraction of the cost, so paying hundreds a week in loan repayments just for heated seats and a sun roof just doesn’t seem worth it to me.
Decrease Living Expenses
Another big way to cut expenses is to bring down your living expenses. Rent and bills take away a large portion of our income so if we can cut these down we can make bulk savings. Cutting living expenses will take some sacrifices, so it is important that the sacrifices are worth it for you. To decrease rent you make look at downsizing and moving to a smaller home, or even getting another renter in to help pay the rent and bills. Being conscious of your energy and water consumption can also go a long way to cut back on bills. Turning off lights once you leave a room, putting on a jumper or blanket rather than the heater, and cutting down showers to only a few minutes are all small things that will add up in the long run.
Cook at Home
This is an obvious one, and I think most people know that this is a great way to save money but many are reluctant to do it consistently. Convenience is often what costs us the most, and taking the time to prepare meals for the week are a great way to save cash. Setting up a meal prep day to do a bunch of cooking seems like a popular approach. I also find it is great to have some freezer meals or easy things to cook like pasta kept in the pantry for the nights where I can’t be bothered cooking and am thinking of getting some takeaway. Heating up a frozen pizza is way cheaper than buying one from dominos and to be honest will probably taste better too.
Going out is always fun and enjoyable, so trying to cut this out completely in my opinion isn’t worth it. However limiting this to once a week and cooking the rest of the week will help your budget greatly. Having planned meals out in my opinion is fine, its more the convenient take out on weeknights or for work lunches that really blow out the budget.
Get a Better Rate
Do some shopping and find a better deal. Loyalty tax is a real thing & the longer you stay with a company, the worst off you will probably be. Phone, insurance and other companies give their new customers much better deals then their existing customers, so it pays to move around. It can be a bit of work to start with but could be saving you hundreds to thousands of dollars making it totally worth it.
Summary
At the end of the day, it is going to come down to what is and isn’t important to you when you try to work out where you can cut expenses. This list may not apply to you at all if you highly value all of these things. In my opinion, it is all about compromise, rather than completely eliminating expenses. Buying a middle of the range car with cash instead of a top of the range car with a car loan will do great things for your savings. Eating out once or twice a week instead of buying lunch every day will save you heaps. Living in a slightly older or smaller house will save you plenty in the long run. Deciding what isn’t as important and cutting expenses there will be the best option for your happiness and your wallet.
Mind Over Money 