How to Drastically Cut Household Expenses

What’s going on everybody? I hope things are going well as they can be. 2020 has been the wildest year ever. Hopefully, the rest of it will be better. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have an alien invasion in July or August though (just kidding). With the economy still being shaky, this is the perfect time for you to lower your household expenses. Today’s post will feature several easy ways that will show you how to drastically cut household expenses because, at a time like this, you probably need it.

Check Your Plans/Packages

At least, two or three times a year you should check your phone plans and cable packages. Companies come out with new plans or packages a couple of times per year. They don’t always let their customers know. You may continue to pay $20 or $30 extra even though the price for your plan may have changed. I actually switched my phone service from monthly to pre-pay a few years ago and saved $60. A few years after that, my phone company released a lower plan. They didn’t contact me. I saw it on their website. I was able to save even more money.

Cut the Cord

If you don’t watch that much TV, you can consider cutting the cord. There are other options out there such as Netflix and Hulu. Research them and if they are cheaper, go for it. For me, I’ll probably never get rid of cable. I enjoy live sports too much. They have alternative options out there for you to watch sports, but I’m not a fan of them. I’d rather see my sports live and without lag time.

Bundle

Some people bundle their services to save money on their household expenses. In my area, the bundle option wouldn’t have saved me any money. Depending on what companies are in your city, you can save a lot of money bundling your cable, internet, and phone service. Take some time and research your options. You may be surprised at what you find. It’s could be easier to have your bills bundled into one account.

Thrift Stores

If you like to shop, consider going to thrift stores. I visit multiple thrift stores per month and believe me, there are some very nice items in them. Many items are gently used. You can even find brand new things in thrift stores. Besides clothing, you can find books, electronics, toys, and kitchen items in the stores. You can definitely save money shipping there.

Workout at Home

Next up on the list of how to drastically cut household expenses is to workout at home. If you have a gym membership, you can cancel it and workout at home. You can watch videos on YouTube or you can purchase workout equipment. It’s so many options out there.

Coupons

Coupons are another easy thing that anyone can do on the list of how to drastically cut household expenses. Using coupons can save you a lot of money over time. I use coupons a lot when I’m shopping at Kroger. If I’m doing online shopping, I try to see if any coupons are available.  I check sites like Retail Me Not. There are also sites like Swagbucks and Rakuten that give you cashback if you buy online from their site.

Related Reading: How to Make Easy Money With Rakuten

Refinance Student Loans

Student loans are one of the biggest household expenses out there for a lot of people. Many of us are in tons of debt because of the decisions that we made in our early 20’s. A lot of people have multiple degrees so that makes it nearly impossible for them to get rid of their student loans. This is where refinancing can help you out though. There are companies out there that will refinance your loans and give you a better interest rate. You can also get a lower payment if you want that.

I refinanced my private loans a couple of years ago. My interest rate is much better. I used a company called Earnest. Visit them here to see if you qualify to get your loans refinanced. It can save you a lot of money.

Plan Things at Home

Instead of spending money that you don’t have, you can plan events for you and your friends at your home. You can have game nights, wine nights, whiskey tastings, and more. The opportunities are endless. The way that things are right now, it may be better to do things at your home anyway.

Watch out for Miscellaneous Charges

The next thing to watch out for is miscellaneous charges. Sometimes companies charge you too much money. In most cases, they probably won’t contact you about the error. This has happened to me before. Make sure you check your statements each month. If you are working on paying off debt, you don’t want to be giving them too much money. Credit card statements and phone bills are ones that you should check from time to time for miscellaneous charges.

Happy Hour Dates

Going on happy hour dates can save you money as well. Depending on where you live, you and your significant other can eat and drink well for $40. You can’t beat that. Check your favorite restaurants’ websites or Yelp to see which places have happy hours.

Ask Companies to Waive Late Fees

Sometimes we forget to pay some bills on time. It happens to all of us. We are humans. Instead of going crazy and cursing, you should contact the bill collector as soon as possible. Tell them your situation and ask if the late fee can be waived. I remember a couple of years ago I had a late fee on one of my credit cards. Instead of bitching about it, I called the credit card company and asked them could they waive the fee. To my surprise, they did it. I was happy because that fee was $35. That amount can add up if I was late every month.

Groupon

Groupon has deals for dates, events, and more. If you want to keep your household expenses low, but still want to have fun, check them out from time to time. They even have travel deals. Check them out here.

Get Out of Debt

Debt is one of the biggest household expenses for many people. You can’t truly get a grasp on things until you get out of debt. Think about all the things that you can do without debt. I know that I could invest a lot more money and travel even more. It’s something that I’m looking for to.  Below are a couple of blog posts that have some side hustles that you can do to get out of debt.

20 Easy Side Hustles for Single Mothers

6 of the Best Side Hustles That I’ve Done 

Lowering your household expenses is something that most folks need to do. Their financial lives will get better once they make it happen. If you are struggling right now, check out the tips listed above and get to work.

What one of the things on the how to drastically cut household expenses list will you be doing?