Posted by Guest on March 5, 2010
One of the ways we all go through money is through subscriptions. If you’re like me, a lot of people are dinging credit cards each month. These fees add up and so I’m always looking for ways to cut back or at least be mindful about what I’m spending. I try to see if I’m being redundant.
I’m not saying all monthly fees are bad – but that you choose them wisely according to what your present needs and patterns are. The expenses that kill me is when I sign up for something online, forget about it and never use it (you’ve never done that, right??).
The best way to track these things is to check your credit card statements regularly.
Here are some of the monthly charges I pay:
Cable TV – I bundle this with my internet, but when I went to cancel, they offered me a better deal. If you’re like me though, you watch certain shows most of the time. Why not pay for just those shows? This DISH Network reseller has a calculator on their site that lets you put in the tv shows you want to see and it calculates the cost for you.
NetFlix – I’m canceling this one soon. We don’t watch movies enough, and I like going to the local dollar theater. However, there aren’t a lot of options for getting movies in my town beyond Redbox. A premium movie channel plus the internet may take the place of Netflix. I may as well look for the movies on eBay that I really want to see and own – it would be cheaper.
Cell phone – This one kills me. Enough said. I could go to a prepaid service like TracFone, but with my talking, that’s not an option. But perhaps you could really save by doing this.
Internet - Have to have. Period.
Gym – I won’t give this up (I’m a Curves girl) because it keeps me motivated to stay in shape plus its social interaction, which is important because I work online. Alone. It’s isolating. Working out with a group of women every day is good, so I’ll continue to pay. It saves on the therapist bill. 
Clubs, Newsletters, Subscriptions, Membership Fees – Stay on top of these. If they aren’t adding value, cancel them. For example, I signed up for a kid’s club with other moms. But then I found that most of the events were so crowded that I dreaded going. Plus the children were a lot younger than my son. So I canceled. My best savings was on my Costco card. I downgraded from a business to a regular card when my spending habits changed. They refunded the difference between what I spent and what I would’ve spent had I been on the lower price card. There are ways to get magazines cheaper (look on eBay) or share subscriptions but pair down to what you really read and enjoy.
Once I signed my son up for Club Penguin. He didn’t use it after the first month, and I didn’t notice it for a few after. I decided I won’t sign up for something I don’t budget and that I have to remember to cancel. Pre-pay when possible for a set timeframe.
How do you save on subscriptions? What ones can’t you live without?
This guest post was provided by Sterling Satellite, a Top Five Dish Network Dealer that has been in business since 2003. They offer extraordinary customer service, which they believe is their competitive advantage.
Many companies will sell you DISH Network. In their effort to provide outstanding service, they go one step further than the competition and assist their customers in determining the best package to meet their unique needs.
Posted by Guest on March 2, 2010
The following is a guest post from best selling
author Jamie Novak, founder of Bite Size Living.
Does the thought of having to invest in costly containers stop you from getting more organized? The truth is de-cluttering doesn’t have to be expensive. Simply apply my ‘shopping at home’ method to re-use common household items, even some you’ll find in your recycling bin, and you’ll get organized for free. Since we all know organizing saves us money you’ll actually make money when you organize a few key areas of your home using items you already own!
Grab these five items you probably already own and try these clever ways re-use them to get more organized today:
Cardboard Paper Towel Insert
1. For cords. Bend the extension cord back and forth then insert into the tube. Don’t forget to label the tube so you know what’s inside.
2. For pantyhose. Slip a pair into the tube to prevent snags, toss them in your dresser drawer or suitcase when packing. Don’t forget to label the tube so you can tell navy from black.
3. For kid’s artwork. Need a way to protect that noodle and glitter creation for years to come? Roll it and insert it into the tube. Put your child’s name and the year on the outside so you can remember who created what and when.
An Egg Carton
1. As a drawer organizer. In a desk, makeup or junk drawer egg cartons make great organizers. They are shallow enough to fit in a slim drawer, you can leave the lid open to hold larger items or cut the lid off and just use the “cups.” You can even customize the size by trimming down the number of cups to suit your needs.
2. As a workshop organizer. All those little compartments make a great place to sort and store nails, nuts, bolts and other little doodads like the picture hanging hooks.
3. As a jewelry organizer. No more tangled necklaces or missing earrings. Use the egg carton to store commonly worn jewelry. Earrings, bracelets and necklaces will each have an individual section plus you can use the lid as the place to store watches.
Clothespins
1. For paperwork. Use a clothespin to sort and identify papers. Simply clip similar papers together and label them by writing directly on the clothespin. At a glance you can tell the bills from the to be filed from the to be shred.
2. For chips. Prevent open bags of food from uncurling and spilling over in your pantry. Use a simple clothespin to keep open bags closed and your pantry clean and organized.
3. For socks. Do you have a pile of unmatched socks? Most of us do. Instead of trying to match socks after they’re laundered keep them together through laundering process by clipping matches together as soon as you take them off using a clothespin.
CD Cases
1. For necklaces. Keep your necklaces tangle free by placing them in a CD case prior to traveling. Not only will they be protected, they’ll lay flat and will not be tangle into those disorganized knots.
2. For recipes. Use the case to store and protect a few of the recipes you make all the time. Slide the recipe into the side where you’d usually place the CD then flip it up so it sits on the counter and you can read your instructions.
3. For photos. If you adhere a magnet onto the back of a CD case you can then stick a photo inside and hang the ‘frame’ on the side of a filing cabinet or the front of the fridge.
Magnet
1. In the medicine cabinet. Adhere a magnet to the inside of the medicine cabinet door or under one of the shelves. Then you can stick tweezers or clippers to the magnet so they are within reach.
2. In any room. Stick a magnet to the bottom or back of containers like a mint tin or even a can from the creamed corn you had with dinner. You can then stick the containers to a magnet board for and instant wall organizer.
3. In the laundry room. Grab a magnet and use it to stick a zip top bag to the front of your washing machine. Then the next time you pull loose change, a stick of gum or a tube of Chap Stick out of someone’s jeans pocket prior to dumping it in the washer you’ll have a place to put it.
Jamie’s newest book Stop Throwing Money Away is on shelves now as well as available from Amazon.com. Jamie also hosts an online community at Bite Size Living.
