No one likes to pay bills, I know I don’t. Part of this may be psychological- paying for things such as utilities or cable once a month in a big chunk doesn’t translate into the time we spend using the service. Sometimes paying bills becomes routine, however, and we don’t realize there is a possibility that we could be paying more than we need to for certain services, or that we may not be being charged correctly. Taking a few simple steps every now again can be helpful in seeing past the bill itself and into the details- and determine if you can reduce them in any way.
Check your bills for errors or necessary fees. Whether intentional or not, errors can frequently be made on bills you receive-and it will usually not be in your favor. Checking your bills for errors will keep you from overpaying. Another thing some companies often do is add additional fees from time to time. If you notice any of these, try to get them removed as well.
Pay your bills electronically to avoid paying postage-It may be a small savings if you only have a few bills, but over the course of many years, you can save a significant sum by saving on postage. Also, paying electronically can keep you from relying on the post office to get your bills in on time, and potentially save you from paying late fees also.
Make sure to pay your bills on time or pay bills ahead of time- I used to always wait until the last minute before a due date to send in bills, not wanting to give my money to a company until I absolutely had to. Not surprisingly, I ended up paying late sometimes, having to pay additional late fees. I now try to pay my bills ahead of time- or set up automatic payments ahead of time to be paid right before or on the due date- in order to keep this from happening.
Be direct- ask for a discount- If you don’t feel like you are getting your money’s worth for a service, or fewer you are paying too much, ask for a discount on your monthly bill. You may be surprised, but companies know they make more money keeping current customers than trying to recruit new ones, so they do offer discounts. They may offer additional services or perks for the same monthly cost as well.
Review the services you are paying for – Every so often, check your bills to see if you actually use what you are paying for. If your habits or tastes have changed, you may be paying for something you rarely use and may not even want or need anymore.
Trying doing without- This obviously won’t work with bills like electricity, but can you reduce or eliminate some of the regular monthly bills you are paying? Like the gym, for example, or premium cable? You may find that you really don’t miss them at all.
Make a conscious effort to reduce variable bills- The amount of some bills, like electricity, natural gas, or other utilities depend on how much you use each month. Can you reduce your household energy usage, for example?
Have you eliminated or reduced any of your regular bill payments lately? What were they, and how did you do it?
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- Some New Credit Card Rules Put in Place- What Will The Effect Be?
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Asking for discounts is a great way to get the retailer to knock off a couple of dollars off your bill, especially if you are buying clothes. Ask about any offers that the retailer might have and see whether they are applicable to you.
Your recommendation are good ones thank you for a wonderful article.
The last two are the ones that I’ve been pushing with my family. I can’t tell you how many times I walk around the house and turn off lights in rooms that are empty.
The big fight right now is with the cable bill. We don’t need THAT MANY channels. Way too much money for what we get especially since we make use of NetFlix so much.