How to save money by choosing cheaper services and subscriptions
According to On Average, the average yearly salary of a woman in the United Kingdom is £25,336. And the cost of living for a family of four in London is over £32,000.
So it’s important to make sure any income you earn goes as far as possible – and that you’re not over-paying for the things you buy regularly.
These can include the things we need to pay for – such as utilities and car insurance – as well as the things we want, such as yoga classes or gym membership, and streaming video platform memberships.
It’s easy to sign up to a subscription, and find yourself over paying without even realising. But when you find cheaper options by shopping around you’ll save money every month. It may just be pennies, but over time, savings from a number of services can add up into a significant amount .
Household power shouldn’t cost a bundle
If you dread seeing your digital or paper power bills, you’re not alone. Pretty much everyone wishes their utility bills were a LOT lower!
And it’s quite possible that yours could be. Are you, for example, being charged more than you need to pay? Can you find a cheaper tariff or company?
If you need to, look around for a cheaper plan and make the switch. Switching from your current power company to a different power company near you is easier than you may think.
Are your memberships truly affordable?
Many of us love going to the gym or doing hot yoga or Pilates. Working out is part of staying healthy and feeling good, but the cost of exercise memberships can be very high.
So what can you do if you’re short of cash right now? One solution us to look around for new gyms launching near you. Often they’ll have enticing deals for new members when they first open.
Gyms also occasionally run promotions (January is a popular time for these) or offer short-term, no-obligation introductory deals that allow your to visit gyms or take classes for lower rates.
Some of these deals will allow you to lock in at a lower rate permanently, others for just a short period of time. But either way, they’re a more affordable way of affording the memberships you want.
How many subscriptions do you really need?
We live in an era where subscriptions are hot. They’re big business. It’s hard to find people who don’t subscribe to Netflix, Now TV, Amazon Prime Video or similar.
It’s easy to subscribe to the services you want. Too easy. £10 here, £20 there all add up into a significant monthly bill without even realising. You may even be paying for services you don’t even use! (How many of us have continued paying for a gym membership long after the novelty of going wore off…)
Still, it’s no shame to go back just a little bit save some money. Subscription alternatives like a TV aerial installation should help you out, even if it is just a little bit.
So do an audit of your monthly subscriptions. How many do you regularly use? Which ones could you cancel without too much hardship? And which ones can you find for less elsewhere? You may even be able to renegotiate a better deal with your provider.
With a little bit of time and effort, most of us can save a considerable amount every month, just by streamlining our subscriptions.
Photo by bruce mars
