Let’s talk about bills!

If you’ve read any of the articles we’ve written on this website, you probably know that we typically talk about how to improve your life while spending less money. It might seem hard to believe that you can do everything you want and desire while being on a budget, but hey, that’s what frugal people do, right?

Well, one of the things that people spend a lot of money on is their bills. Of course, you need to pay for your electricity, Internet, phone, probably mortgage, and many others, but is there something you could do to lower the amount of money you pay each month?

A while ago, we talked about reasons why your bills are extremely expensive and sometimes hard to deal with. You can find more details here: The Real Reasons Why House Bills Cost You a Fortune! But in today’s article, I want things to be different and actually come with a few doable tips and tricks on how you can do a few changes in your household so you can start saving money.

If this is of interest to you, continue reading because I have some useful information to share with you! So let’s begin!

1. Groceries

Well, you have to eat, right? I don’t know about you, but in my family, a lot of money is going toward our food bill, especially now that inflation is bigger than ever. But we can all learn from these amazing tips I’ve gathered from experts.

The basic rule when it comes to grocery shopping is that you have to write a grocery list so you can keep track of all the things you want to buy. A great tip I have for you is to shop smart when you’re required to purchase by the pound.

For instance, if you want to buy cauliflower and you know that you’re not going to use all of it, it might be best to only get a small part so you have the chance to consume it before it goes bad. Also, don’t forget that you can remove all of the leaves to avoid paying extra for items you won’t be using.

You probably already know tip no. 2 when it comes to grocery shopping, which is to shop in season. If it’s winter, don’t put strawberries in your cart because they’ll be way more expensive compared to summer, and they also won’t have a good taste. Shop for products that are in season and plan your meals based on that. You’re going to save 15% of your grocery bill, which is amazing!

What about meat and rain checks?

Ground meat is typically pricier compared to regular meat, so why not save yourself a couple of bucks and do this all by yourself, in the comfort of your own home? You can buy in bulk when it’s more affordable, and you’ll save up to $3 per pound off of your ground-meat bill. Just take it home, put it in your food processor, and you’re done.

Many people know about shop sales and coupons, but not a lot of them are using them, although they should. When a product you want is on sale but is out of stock, you can ask one of the employees to issue a rain check, which will give you the chance to buy the item you wanted at the same discounted price.

2. Lawn care

If you live in a house, the lawn care process is probably going to add up to your total household bill. But you can easily save more money by doing 2 things differently.

The first one is all about dropping your pest control service. You don’t need a professional company to tell you that you have pests on your lawn. However, you can get rid of them by spraying a pest-repellant regularly, and your lawn will be shiny and healthy.

Another thing you should definitely do is to stop watering your lawn in the middle of the day because most of it will evaporate and end up being in vain. You can water your grass in the morning or in the evening, so you avoid water waste.

3. Electricity

Electricity is probably one of the most expensive household bills, but with a few tips and tricks, you can successfully lower it. First of all, you have to unplug all of your unnecessary gadgets, such as your phone charger or the kettle you only use once a day for a cup of tea. They continue to consume energy, which will be reflected on your next bill.

If you’re not going to be home for a couple of days, unplug your TV and your computer, because nobody is going to use them, and it will help you save some cash. As you already know, LED bulbs are more energy efficient, so invest in those and replace all the bulbs you have. You’ll save a ton of money in the long run.

Another thing you can do is lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees. It’s going to take less energy to keep your water toasty, and you’ll enjoy your hot water more. Besides that, it will also help you save roughly 10% on your next bill, which is amazing.

Did you know that you can save energy by running your appliances at night? Apparently, that’s a thing, and it works. It seems that a lot of utility providers have lower rates during the night or early in the morning. So if you can, it might not be a bad idea to use your dishwasher, dryer, and washing machine during these times so you can save some cash.

If it’s summer, or if you live in a place where it’s hot all the time, such as Los Angeles, you can even ditch your dryer and allow your laundry to dry naturally. It might seem old-fashioned, but it’s going to be worth it because, depending on your home, your dryer might consume more energy than your AC unit, for instance.

4. What about subscriptions?

Yes, I know, you need a bit of entertainment in your life, but you can have it and still lower your bills. Let’s say that you have many subscription services, such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Go, and Amazon Prime. Do you really use all of them?

It’s better to analyze how much you use and how often you use them so you can only keep the one that you like the most. You might think that you don’t pay a lot for digital subscriptions, since it’s only a couple of dollars each month, but if you have a lot of them, that sum is going to quickly add up.

Another thing you can do is opt for a bigger plan and share it with your friends and family. This way, each of you has your own profile, so you don’t get into each other’s TV shows, but it will save you all serious amounts of money. Isn’t that nice?

So if you’re looking for other tips on how to save money on your household bills, you should consider checking out what the books say. I love reading, and I’m always intrigued to find ways to improve my life. If that’s something you want to do as well, I recommend you check this one out!

Do you want to read more from us? Then here’s another article you don’t to miss: Living on a Fixed Budget? Earn More With These 6 Retirement Gigs!