Cutting the Cord and Cutting the Bills: About

Bills come in all kinds of shapes and sizes with some being easier to ignore than others. The first that come to mind are the usual utilities, rent, mortgage, etc that come in reliably month after month. Not much you can do about these, right?

Or how about those "stealth" bills that sneak in buried in your credit card bill? Companies love to sign you up for "subscription services" that don't seem like much at first. They are easy to ignore but they sure do seem to add up! Some bills go by different names, like the "fees / service charges" on your bank statement that seem to show up with increasing regularity. Even worse are the bills you pay in cash that leave no trace at all (like your daily coffee). Hard to live without those, right? Make no mistake, they take their toll over time.

You might not have paid much attention to these bills before (who has the time?). Well with smaller paychecks and more and more ways for bills to put holes in your wallet we are fighting a two-front war. It is time to go on the offensive and take your money back!

In many ways technology is part of the problem. I love shiny new toys and, being an engineer, technology has a special fascination for me. Rest assured behind every new startup or can't-live-without gadget is a business model aimed squarely at your pocketbook. Make no mistake about it, technology is after your money. However, technology can just as easily help you save money too. You just have to work harder at it since few people have any interest in showing you how.

The breaking point for me was when, despite my best efforts, my monthly cable bill (e.g. entertainment) had risen to over $160 / month. This was more than most of my utilities that keep my house supplied with all of life's essentials (water, power, etc). Since then I've cut the cord and have been on a mission to reduce my monthly burn in any way possible.

Reducing my cable bill alone saved me over $1,000 per year (and that is just the beginning). The best part is that I've done this without really giving anything up. Saving money while not having to make a sacrifice is where the real challenge lies. Saved money is free money and everyone likes free money!

What ways have you found that save you money?

Articles about this blog

Contact info: