When you’re trying to cut your budget and save money there are lots of ways to do it. You can cut back on restaurant meals, conserve water, and adjust your thermostat.
Still, if you’re already doing these things you may think there’s nothing else to trim from your budget. That’s where you could be wrong. There are some other services you may be overpaying for that make your budget higher.
1. Cell Phone
I don’t know about you, but I hate overpaying for the use of a cell phone. That’s one of the reasons you should check to see if you could be paying less with a few changes.
How do you know? Start by checking your usage against your current phone plan. If you’re way under on usage you might be able to switch to a cheaper plan.
On the other hand, bumping up your plan could save money too. If you’re going over on your monthly minutes and paying extra for it, changing plans might save money.
You should also try negotiating a lower rate with your service provider. Or, if that gets you nowhere, do a little comparison shopping. Check your plan against what other cell provider’s offer. If another one is cheaper, think about making the switch.
If you do change companies and phones entirely, consider selling your old phone and accessories. It’s another way to get a little money back in your pocket.
2. Landline Phone
According to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey, more than 50% of households now rely on cell phones only. That means that fewer households than ever even use a landline phone.
However, some people have both a landline phone and at least one cell phone. If your household has both, you may be overpaying each month.
In addition to household’s having both a landline and a cell phone, some businesses do too. But when you consider the usage of your landline phone, does it make sense to pay for both?
Regardless of whether you use a landline phone at home or in a business, why overpay? That’s an extra $300 or more per year that you could use elsewhere.
3. Cable TV
Cable TV is another service you may be overpaying for. If either you or your business has cable TV, you’re probably paying a minimum of $70 per month for it.
That’s another example of a service you may be overpaying for. Instead of paying such high bills each month, perhaps you should think over dropping cable entirely.
There are plenty of cheaper alternatives. For example, Hulu, Sling TV, and DirecTV Now are just a couple of options to help you save money.
4. Internet
Have your internet bills got you down? You may be overpaying for this service. Watch out for inflated prices if you bundle internet with other services, such as cable TV.
Paying for them separately may be cheaper than bundling. As an example, get your cable TV from one provider and your internet from a completely different one.
To know for sure, begin comparing prices, services offered, promotions, and speed. Then try to negotiate the price to a lower rate. You may have more wiggle room if your internet has gone down frequently in the recent past.
You might be surprised that your internet provider would rather lower the price than lose your business.
Clearly there are services you may be overpaying for in your household or any business you own. But there are also solutions that will help you pay less and keep more money in your pocket.
