Saving money on your monthly bills does not have to mean going without. Anyone taking a bit of time to review their arrangements could find themselves saving money without losing out. Here are five ways you can reduce your monthly bills without cutting back the services and lifestyle you currently enjoy.
1. Cut the paperwork
Simply by receiving statements online rather than getting those bills through the post can help save you money. Many utility providers offer discounts for those who opt to cut the paperwork. There are further savings to be had if you choose to provide your own meter readings in addition to many online deals which are available only through the internet.
Through choosing a paperless account, providing your own readings and selecting an online exclusive deal for your energy bills it is estimated that savings in the range of £300 a year are not difficult to come by.
2. Make a bundle
Another way to save cash is to look for bundle deals on services. This means that you look to get a deal by having more than one service from the same provider. This is particularly the case with home media providers who offer significant reductions on TV and broadband bundles.
For example, if you have a basic entertainment package from Sky TV it will cost you around £19.50 each month. There are, however, packages available that offer you a similar TV package plus broadband provision for exactly the same price.
3. Take advantage of internet calls
National and international internet calls from the UK are significantly cheaper than those using traditional phone networks. This does not mean you need your computer and headset to make or receive calls as providers such as Vonage use an adapter that plugs your home phone into your broadband supply and gives you instant access to cheaper calls all over the world.
Visit www.vonage.co.uk for more information on the premium features you can receive without the premiums and details of low-cost call plans that can slash your phone bill.
4. Make a change
The reason so many of us stick with the same mobile network, bank, insurer or energy provider is not a deeply felt sense of loyalty but the result of inertia. It is, quite simply, so much easier to stick with the devil we know and keep paying those bills.
This inertia, however, is costing many of us dearly. It really does pay to regularly shop around and ring the changes. What is more it has never been easier to do so, with comparison sites doing nearly all the legwork for us.
Ann Robinson, the director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, recommends that each year consumers check to make sure the deal they are on is the best one available. Furthermore, she goes on to comment that “at the moment, switching providers can save consumers up to £530.”
5. Meter it out
For most households with more bedrooms than people, it would be cheaper to have a water meter installed than to pay a standard rate. The average saving is £56 a year and if you switch to a meter but find it is not saving you money you can come off it again provided you do so within a year.