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Monthly bills can quickly add up, and it is a shame to spend your hard-earning money on just living costs. With the cost of living crisis, these prices are only expected to rise. This will not only increase the amount you are spending each month, but also the stress and frustration that comes with it. It is therefore important to take control of your bills and see where you can make changes. This will save you money each month and provide you with the funds to enjoy your life more and stress less.
Here are some top tips to help you get started with saving money on your bills.
Review
The first and most important thing you should do is review your finances. Take a look at how much you earn and what you are spending your money on. It can be helpful to create a spreadsheet, so you can map it out and visually see where you are spending your money. You may wish to colour code your outgoings, so you can identify what is essential and what isn’t. From here, you will have a much better idea of what you are spending your money on and you can make some changes. For example, if you are paying for bills that you no longer need, such as magazine subscriptions and gym memberships.
Track
You should start a habit of tracking your money. From your spreadsheet, you can create a new tab that enables you to track your spending. This will help you budget each month, and also check if any bills have increased without your knowledge. Many consumers make the mistake of just paying their bills without any questions and then don’t notice when they increase. By tracking your outgoings, you can raise any issues with your providers straight away, ensure you don’t get any unnecessary charges, and you can change your contracts if your provider increases their prices. Tracking always makes you more aware of your money, which will naturally help you spend less on unnecessary bills.
Upgrade your contracts
You should always keep track of when your contracts are coming to an end, so you can find the next best deal. Many corporations rely on the fact that consumers will just continue their contracts after they have ended because it is much easier to do so. Unfortunately, this normally leads to consumers paying more than they need to. Make sure you always check for new deals when yours has come to an end, whether it is your phone bill or your energy tariff. This will help you potentially save hundreds each year.
Upgrade your appliances
Making small changes to your home, fixing your appliances and upgrading them can make a huge impact on the amount of money you are spending each month, especially when it comes to energy bills. You should first start by making your home more efficient by insulating it and fixing any holes or gaps. Check your boiler is working properly, and speak to a boiler repair specialist if you have any doubts. You should also upgrade your technology to smart systems, so you can track your energy consumption and a thermostat so you can limit the time you have your energy on. You can also upgrade things like your kettle and washing machine to energy-efficient models.
Making changes to the way you run your home can make a huge difference to the money you spend on bills. Follow these top tips to help you save money.