How to Trim the Fat from Your Monthly Spending Budget

Do you sometimes wonder how you’ll cover all your bills? Do you find yourself flip-flopping which bills will get paid this month and which will get paid next month? It can be hard living paycheck to paycheck, but many of us have expenses that could easily be cut. Whether it’s that large satellite package or your daily treat that’s costing you a small fortune, you can cut the fat from your monthly spending budget.

Refinance

One of the biggest things you can do to cut expenses is to refinance. However, this is something you should carefully research. You want to find the best interest rates so that refinancing will save you a lot of money on your mortgage payment without extending your payoff date.

Go Green

Going green will always save you money in the long run. New appliances that are eco-friendly can make a huge difference on your electric bill. The same goes for small changes, such as installing new LED light bulbs.

Cancel Unneeded Subscriptions

If your magazines go unread and you have unwatched TV channels, stop wasting money. Cancel the subscriptions you no longer use and cut back on those that you do. For example, find the least expensive satellite package that offers the channels you watch most often.

Get Healthy – At Home

Gym memberships and exercise classes can eat away at your budget. At $20 to $50 per month, you’re spending $240 to $600 per year, not to mention the amount spent on gas to reach the gym. You can get healthy at home watching online videos for free. Why waste your money, especially if you’re the type that only goes to the gym a couple times a month?

Buy in Bulk

Do you have a favorite snack that you have to have each evening? Then check out how much it would cost to buy the snack in bulk. For example, you might enjoy a candy bar every night. At a price of $0.78 each, that’s almost $290 a year. If you buy in bulk at a price of $0.55 the price lowers to $200 a year. These small savings can really add up.

Opt for FREE Entertainment

Last, but not least, stop spending money on things you can do for free. Watch your favorite TV shows online through the network’s website, download free Kindle books, and play free online video games. There are so many ways to stay entertained that only cost as much as your monthly internet bill.
You don’t have to scrape to make ends meet. You can actually free up money for savings by cutting back on unneeded expenses through proper budgeting. Still not sure what to do? Visit SmartAsset and try it out by submitting a question about your finances!

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