MAKE 5 CHANGES TODAY TO SAVE MONEY

These days we can spend our money on the least expected things that we do not need and will throw or give away when we are spring cleaning. Don’t buy those things and you will definitely save the money. But there are many everyday necessities which we overlook and pay extra bucks even though we are not using them. There are many small things we ignore in our day to day life that is costing us huge sum in a long run. Recently I have realized that making few changes to my everyday utilities not only could save me money but will make me a wise consumer.

 1.    Phone Plan

I have 8GB of 4G internet 2G thereafter, unlimited calls, unlimited international and national texts, MMS, free calls to 50+ countries as well as $20 international calls fund on my phone plan. Do I really use them? Not me. I only use few MB of the internet sometimes even few KBs because where ever I go there is wifi. I do not use much text and calls because I use internet apps for communication and most of the time I use my google number. I have prepaid plan when I do auto recharge I get 10% off, which costs me $36 monthly. I know for some of you, it might be the cheapest plan, but I am not using it so I went for $30 per month plan and with auto recharge $27. My new phone plan has everything same except it has 3GB of 4G and 2G thereafter and $10 in the international calls. I still do not use all of it. 

My sister is in college, she lives around the college, she always has the internet where ever she goes. She does not have a monthly plan, she uses pay as you go plan $10 for 3 months and in 3 months she even does not use that $10. Last time when her plan expired, she had $5.60 remaining and she did not recharge that phone for a month. After 30 days, she has to recharge it because she can’t have the same number if she did not recharge for 30 days.

Analyze your phone plan, are you really using all of it and do you really need that big costly plan? Then switch your plan. Going prepaid also has saved me a lot. If you want to check out my plan here is the link, you might even get $10 off when you activate your number. 

 2.    Internet/Cable Plan

If you bundle up your internet, cable or landline plan you will save money. But I save more than that. Last year I used to have 200+ channels which I hardly ever watched and 100 Mbps internet plan which speed would be always around 20-60 Mbps. Before that, I used to have 50 Mbps internet plan that gave me same speed 20-60 Mbps. Even though they advertise 100 Mbps, it will never be 100, so do not upgrade that internet and save $10-$30 per month. 

I canceled my cable and did not even miss it. I bought the antenna from Walmart, which gives me around 30-40 free channels and I had Netflix. Recently I canceled my Netflix because I was not using it like I used to do. I felt like I have already watched everything I loved also I would force myself to watch Netflix so that I would get much out of money I was paying for it. Now I watch online movies, series, and Youtube. I might try Hulu later, but not now because my current arrangement is totally working out for me.

 3.    Grocery Stores

Changing your grocery stores can save you so much money. When I did not feel like driving 5-10 minutes to Walmart, I used to go to local health stores and pay a few dollars extra for everything. I stopped going to any other stores besides Walmart except in emergencies. Now I have found a cheaper place than Walmart i.e. Aldi. When I shop at Aldi, I feel so good when the cashier hands out my receipt because you can get more for less amount of money. Also, cashiers are faster in Aldi than other stores i.e. no long lines. If I did not find what I want in Aldi, then I would go to Walmart. You can always save money going to Sam’s Club, COSTCO, and other wholesale stores. Use coupons, and cash back apps like ibotta, Walmart saving center, checkout51 etc.

 4.    Shopping Malls 

Stores in different shopping malls have different prices, so find out which shopping mall around you is selling the same goods for the cheaper price. If you are near to Outlets, use Outlets they have so many sales going on and sells goods at the cheapest prices. Use stores like Ross and TJ Max instead of Macy’s, Dillard’s etc. I love shopping at Ross, sometimes you really make the good finds and I love their returning policy. You can find a branded dress for a lot cheaper price. Go to Dollar Tree for Christmas decoration and other seasonal decorations. 

 5.    Ad-block

I used to shop online every month or even every week. I used to buy stuff I would not need or use, clothes I would never wear and would be in the hanger for years. These days I found myself not shopping online at all. I did not buy anything on Cyber Monday or Black Friday or on any other sales. It happened because I have installed ad block in all the browsers that I use. If you won't see those sales and those cute dresses you won't get temptation of buying them and you will never buy them. Install ad blocks in your browsers and save money as well as make your internet surfing better by not letting you distract with those blinking ads. Use the browsers which already has ad-block or ad-block extension available. 

 6.    Online surveys

It is not actually a saving tip, but is an earning tip that you can add to your savings. I knew online surveys existed for years, but never really tried it, thought my 30 minutes is not worth few cents. But I was wrong, even if I don’t like taking surveys, there are a lot more other things I can do on those survey websites like paying, answering, earn for internet searching, get sign up bonus from other websites and much more. Currently, I am using Inbox Dollars, jobs2shop.com, and Swagbucks. Don't forget to use ebates every time you shop online. I am really making money out of these websites by doing my everyday things that I would do anyway and they are fun too. 

If you are really into saving try these 5 things, you are going to save a lot also you won’t be spending on things that you do not need.