Can you pay less for comparable products and services?

We each have a list of monthly expenses that we need to pay in order to live our lives the way we like. While the items on the list and the exact amounts will vary from person to person, most people have expenses for their cell phone (with or without  a  data  plan),  for  their cable  or  satellite,  for  their internet,  for  food,  and  so  on.Really,  these  items  are essential for life as we  know it and  no  one  should  tell  you  to get rid of any one of them. However,  many  Americans  are  watching  large  amounts  of  money  go unnecessarily  down  the  drain  each  month  because  they  are  simply  paying  too much for the services that they love. So the solution is not in cutting the services and  in  reducing  the  quality  of  your  life;  the  solution  is  finding  a  comparable product or service for less money. Let’s look at an example.

Let’s  say  that  you  currently  pay  $85  for  cable  (not  including  internet  or  phone service). You like watching your TV shows and movies, so let’s not take  that cable service  away  from  you.  But  what  might  happen  if  you  do  a  little  research?  You may be surprised to find that another cable provider in the area can provide you with  the  exact  same  channels  for  only  $50 per  month.  Is  it  worth  the  hassle  to switch over? ABSOLUTELY. Think about what $35 per month ($420 per year) could add up to over the  course of  five or ten years. Think about the investments that you could make with that money and what kinds of returns you could reasonably expect to see.

Let’s look at another example.  In your town, chances are that there are several places to buy gas for your car or truck. You have probably noticed that the price of fuel  is  going  up  and  if  you  have  to  use  your  vehicle  on  a  regular  basis,  it  can translate into  a big hit on your wallet each month. Simple things like buying your gas  where the fuel is cheaper or where you get a bonus for purchasing with the  company’s  credit  card  and  being  sure  to  give  regular  maintenance  to  your vehicle  thus  optimizing  its fuel efficiency are all ways to save money that can be used for investments later on.

Consider one more example. In today’s world, it is illegal in most areas to drive without  car  insurance  and  irresponsible  to  live  without  health  insurance.  But insurance providers are private companies that must compete with  one another to get clients. And where there is competition, there are savings to be had. Taking a few hours to find a comparable insurance policy for a lower payment can mean more money freed up at the end of each month.

And  think  about  other  monthly expenses  that  you  might  reduce  by buying food in bulk,  buying high-quality clothes  at  the  end  of  the  shopping season,  and  even  having  a  backyard garden  to  cut  down  on  produce  purchases.  Even  small  steps  like  these  can  cut down  on  your  monthly  expenses  without  adversely  affecting  the  quality  of  life that you have grown accustomed to. While simply trying to make more money is always  an  option,  better  using  the  money  that  you  already  make  just  seems logical.

Leave a Comment!

You must be logged in to post a comment.