What Bills Can I Cut Right NOW!!??

Electric Bill

Unplug unused electrical devices

Don't leave the lights on

Use timers and power strips

If your hot water heater is electric, lower the temperature to 125 degrees

Take shorter showers, shower every other day instead of every day

Run full loads of laundry

Hang your laundry to dry

Add a towel in the dryer, it will greatly reduce drying time

Skip the heat dry cycle on your dishwasher

Use a microwave, crock pot or toaster for cooking, they use much less energy then your oven.

 

Heating Bill:

Lower the thermostat, if you are not home during the day turn down to 65 degrees, Set at 68 degrees when you are home and turn it down at night. Put on a sweater!

 

Cover windows and doors with blankets to keep out the cold.

 

If you use gas for cooking and heat try to use the oven much less, when you do use it cook several things at once

 

Cable

Cut your cable to basic or turn it off completely. Use Netflix and Hulu to watch TV.

 

Ask your family members if you can share their Netflix, Hulu

 

Check out Google TV on your smart TV, Redux

 

Watch TV online the next day, many channels offer viewing after the shows have aired. PBS, ABC, NBC, etc

 

 

 

 

Ways to Save on Food:

Cook and Pack your own food for lunches: prepared food or buying at a convenience store wastes money.

 

 

Bake your own snacks, brownies, cookies, muffins, banana bread, etc

 

No eating out

 

Use coupons, http://www.thesimpledollar.com/coupon-finder/

 

Make two casseroles and freeze one for a "quick" meal one night

 

Eat less meat

 

Have breakfast for dinner

 

Buy store brand products

 

 

 

Earn More:

Change your deductible on your paycheck (be careful not to pay in taxes, there are worksheets to figure out exactly what you should claim).

 

Get a second job

 

Start a side gig (take photos and sell then, officiate at weddings, babysit)

 

Blogs will pay for posts, The Penny Hoarder, Listverse, Babble, Austin Briggs, Galavanting, Worldstart, The Motley Fool, Tuts are all sites that pay for posts.

 

Sell your unused items.

 

Write and sell ebooks

 

Start and online tutoring business in your specialty. Use Skype to connect with students

 

 

Reduce or eliminate Consumable Habits like smoking, drinking

 

Move to a less expensive apartment with at least some utilities included

 

Downgrade to a cheaper cell phone plan, download apps on your phone that track data, only use your phone for calling!