You can’t control the economy and the cost of groceries, gas, and other necessities. But you can control some everyday moves that can help you reduce your expenses, so your bills become easier to pay.
Here are several examples of moves you can make to start saving more money each month:
1. Combat rising gas prices by doing this to your car.
Gas prices are out of control, and they don’t look as if they’ll go down anytime soon. To combat the rising cost of gas, try these three car “tricks”:
- Boost your gas mileage by two percent by using the grade of motor oil recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
- Increase your fuel economy by two percent by eliminating excess weight from your car’s trunk, back seat, etc.
- Enhance your gas mileage by 3.3 percent by inflating your tires to the proper pressure.
While those moves may seem small, they can add up to improve your fuel efficiency, so you don’t consume as much of that pricey gas.
2. Cut the cord.
Cable may have been a necessity in the past, but not anymore. Ditch your cable service and install HD antennas on your TVs to get free local channels. Then use free streaming services to stay entertained, such as YouTube, Pluto TV, Tubi, IMDb TV, Roku Channel, Peacock, Crackle, and Vudu. And if you want to splurge a bit, subscribe to one premium streaming service per month, such as Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, or HBO Max. Even though they carry a cost, they’ll set you back a lot less than a full cable lineup.
3. Ditch your Internet.
The Internet is necessary for work, school, shopping, entertainment, and staying in touch with others, but you can cut your service and stay connected by using your cellphone as a hotspot.
Upgrade your cellphone’s plan to add unlimited data, which should cost around $10. Then, use your phone as a hotspot and connect your other devices to go online. In doing so, you can enjoy Internet without paying for a separate monthly bill.
4. Install a water-efficient showerhead.
Sure, a new showerhead could cost around $50, but you’ll more than make up that investment with the amount of water it’ll save you. Studies show that you can slash your water bill by 40 percent by installing a water-efficient showerhead.
5. Change your air filters frequently.
Here’s another move that requires a small investment yet can yield significant savings. Change out your air filters every two months, and you can save hundreds on your yearly cooling and heating costs since your systems won’t have to work as hard.
6. Pay your car insurance in full.
Do you have some cash sitting around collecting dust? Pay your car insurance for the year in full versus paying it monthly, and you could save as much as $700.
7. Pay down credit card debt like this.
Do you pay the monthly minimum on all your credit cards? That can make your debt grow while shrinking your bank account, so try this instead: Look at the Minimum Credit Warning box on all of your card statements. It reveals how much you’ll end up paying in total if you just make minimum monthly payments.
Compare this total on all of your cards, then pay the most each month on the card with the highest amount. Doing so can save you a ton on interest costs.
Section 8 Assist