Browsing Tag

bills

Slash Costs And Save Money In 4 Key Areas

As a mom, I know all about trying to save money when you can. It can be hard, though – there is always something that needs to be bought! However, I love to help people find ways to maximize their budget, and make savings where they can. These are my ideas to help you save on certain areas of your life.

Save on… Online Shopping

Shopping around online can often save you money. It is easier to find competitively priced goods, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home. Many of my readers love to shop with coupons and think that they can save money on their purchases by using coupons in high-street stores. For me, it can be a lot of hassle looking for and remembering which coupons I have. I recently used an online program that works in a similar way if you want to shop online. Once you download the programme onto your computer, it will browse the internet for coupons that apply to the website you are on. It will then apply them to your shopping basket, helping you to save money.

October 22, 2015

Money Saving Tips

Are You Bundling Your Services?

Do you have Internet, cable TV, and telephone? If so, do you use the same service provider for all of your services? If not, here are just a few reasons why I recommend that you look into starting to bundle your services.

Bundling saves you money. If you want to pay the least amount possible for your phone, Internet, and cable TV, then you need to contact your current service provider and find out what discounts they offer if you bundle your services. First, do a quick online search to find the cheapest Sky package, for example. Make sure you understand what deals are being offered so that you are knowledgeable and not just taking a salesperson’s word for it. When you do make the call, do not be afraid to ask for a deal. The worst they can say is no. Most companies appreciate your loyalty and they will reward you for bringing all of your business to them. If they don’t, then consider looking for another service provider.

Bundling saves you time. When you bundle your services, you usually only get one bill for all of your services. This eliminates confusion and makes it easier to pay your bill. Also, if you have a problem or inquiry, it’s easier to only have to call one company, rather than dealing with so many. This way you can take care of all your inquiries by dialing a single phone number.

May 9, 2013

Money Saving Tips

Pay Less for Your Phone Service

Telephone service can be expensive if you are not actively looking for the best bargains. A lot of people these days don’t even pay for a home line. They just use a cell phone. If you do still like having a line at home, Vonage might be a good option for you.

We’ve been using Vonage for about 3 years and it is quite cheap compared to other phone companies in our area. We pay on average $25 per month and that includes talking to people overseas in addition to local and long distance calling.

In order for Vonage to work you need to have a high speed Internet connection as Vonage uses Voice Over IP technology (VOIP). The quality is good and if you move to another city or even to another country, you can keep your phone number.

The only major downside about using Vonage is that if your Internet goes down, your phone service does too. We are fortunate to live in an area where our Internet seldom gives us issues, but if you are already have Internet connectivity troubles, I certainly wouldn’t recommend signing up for any kind of VOIP service.

There is really no need to be paying high prices for phone service nowadays as there is so much competition. Check out your different options and don’t feel like you have to stay with your current phone service provider. Besides, if you are considering changing phone companies, your existing phone company might offer you a better deal in order to retain your business. There are also some free alternatives out there such as Skype. Skype works great for connecting with friends internationally. The bottom line is just make sure you are not getting ripped off. You want quality service but you don’t want to have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

August 23, 2009

Banking

The Pros & Cons of Preauthorized Payments

For the most part, setting up preauthorized payments for your bills is a good idea. It’s convenient, and it ensures that your bills will be paid on time. When life gets busy you don’t have to worry about remembering to pay your bills.

However, there is another side to preauthorized payments that you need to consider. If you are on a tight budget – living from paycheck to paycheck, you may not find preauthorized payments helpful. Why? Because if you suddenly realize you cannot afford to have the payment deduct from your bank account, you will have to go through the hassle of contacting your payee and they often need at least 2 weeks notice in order to cancel a payment. You can often place a stop payment on the item through your financial institution but it will cost you. So, if you really don’t know from month to month if you will have enough to pay your bills, I wouldn’t recommend setting up preauthorized payments.

Preauthorized payments are good for people who know they’ll have enough to pay their bills, and who don’t want to be bothered with having to pay them manually each month. They are also a great way to tuck away money for retirement. Set up a preauthorized payment into your retirement savings account on pay day and you won’t miss the funds.

If you do use preauthorized payments, be sure to use an account that always carries enough funds so that you don’t ever get caught off guard. You don’t want to be stuck paying hefty NSF (nonsufficient fund fees) to your financial institution.

July 9, 2009