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| Wednesday, October 26, 2005 |
| Reduce, Reduce, Reduce! |
I have been spending a lot of time on the phone lately trying to reduce the amount of money I spend on fixed expenses. I was successful in lowering my Comcast bill but not my insurance bill. I would love to be able to raise the deductible on my homeowners, but my mortgage company requires a low deductible - so that savings was a no-go.
I already use Vonage for my home phone, so feel that I am saving as much as I can there. My cellphone is reimbursed by my company so that cost is basically free to me. Unfortunately the electric company is not going to lower my rate, but I have replaced the old bulbs with energy saver ones in my most used lamps and have been really careful about turning off lights as I leave rooms.
All of my storm windows are down and I took the time this weekend to wash my windows (although with the Nor'Easter that blew through today you can hardly tell). I am trying to maximize the solar heat during the day by opening the blinds when I leave for work and closing them again when I return. My washer and dryer are located in my kitchen and I am now waiting to run the dryer until I am home so I can benefit from the heat the machine generates.
I need to decide soon if I will reduce or cancel my NetFlix membership. I suspended it for the summer and am now thinking about just canceling it outright. I love the service and the concept, but I believe I would really rather have the cost savings.
Another line item I can attempt to reduce is my monthly grocery bill. Certain items are necessities (like the Diet Coke) but there are plenty of other convenience food items that I tend to purchase that might allow for some savings.
I will update later with the financial results of some of these changes. |
| posted by Boston Gal @ 7:28 AM *
* Subscribe to Boston Gal's Open Wallet |
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| 5 Comments: |
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I, too, have cut off my netflix subscription... my addiction to netflix is still there though :).
Good job with your spending cuts!
Poe
Orange County Budget Living
http://www.ocbudget.blogspot.com
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Convenience food are not always a waste of money. In fact, I have found that they have saved me money over the alternative of eating out. I keep some non-perishable convenience lunches in my office. It is always cheaper to heat something that cost me $2-4 than it is to drive somewhere and spend $5 plus gas. As for home, the frozen pizzas and various boxes of "stir and dump" dinners have eliminated the urge to call for delivery when there is a sudden homework crisis with one of the kids.
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I agree with you Dale. I make my own lunch every day of the week and so does my wife. This generates a big savings area for us. Also, she cooks dinner each night during the week and we have a set rule that we only eat out once per week, usually on Friday or Saturday and generally that meal is only in the neighborhood of $25. It has worked out really well for us... especially since my wife enjoys cooking. Grocery is definitely much cheaper than restaurants.
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I think you are missing the point here.
Try to eat healthy !
It would be sad if you saved so much for retirement and did not make it that far ...
Yes, fruit and vegetables are more expensive than a frozen pizza.
But I would advise you to spend the extra money.
Now, about netflix. Don't you have any blogs to write instead of watching movies ? :)
Though I understand, I just spent a month in the US. Bloody commercials. We have them in Europe too of course. But not (yet) that much !
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Bronx chica...I have reduced my cable bill by taking off channels that my roommate and I don't watch. Also I plan to cancel my blockbuster membership(really it will end this year) and the gym(i walk everyday).
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I, too, have cut off my netflix subscription... my addiction to netflix is still there though :).
Good job with your spending cuts!
Poe
Orange County Budget Living
http://www.ocbudget.blogspot.com