6 Ways to Cut Your Most Expensive Bills Without Giving Up Anything (2024)

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You’ve done what you can to cut back your spending.

You brew coffee at home, you don’t walk into Target and you refuse to order avocado toast. (Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)

But no matter how cognizant you are of your spending habits, you’re still stuck with those inescapable monthly bills. You know which ones I’m talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…

Although we can’t swipe these off the table for you, we can stop you from OVERPAYING them…

1. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company

If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape…

And the truth is, your credit card company doesn’t really care. It’s just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates — some up to 36%. But a website called AmOne wants to help.

If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.

The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 2.49% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.

You don’t need a perfect credit score to get a loan — and comparing your options won’t affect your score at all. Plus, AmOne keeps your information confidential and secure, which is probably why after 20 years in business, it still has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

It takes less than a minute and just 10 questions to see what loans you qualify for — you don’t even need to enter your Social Security number. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.

2. This Company Could Replace Nearly Everything You Own in Case of an Emergency

Think about it. Basically everything you own — everything you’ve worked hard to afford — sits in either your home or your apartment. What happens if someone breaks in? There’s a fire? A massive water leak?

Unless you have insurance, you could be out of luck.

You might be thinking, I can’t afford insurance. But with a company called Lemonade, prices start at as little as $5 a month for renters or $25 a month for homeowners.

Even better? No phone calls. No lengthy sign-up process. The whole process takes just 10 minutes.

Just answer a few questions about your home or apartment to get started.*

3. Cancel Your Car Insurance

Here’s the thing: your current car insurance company is probably overcharging you. But don’t waste your time hopping around to different insurance companies looking for a better deal.

Use a website called EverQuote to see all your options at once.

EverQuote is the largest online marketplace for insurance in the US, so you’ll get the top options from more than 175 different carriers handed right to you.

Take a couple of minutes to answer some questions about yourself and your driving record. With this information, EverQuote will be able to give you the top recommendations for car insurance. In just a few minutes, you could save up to $610 a year.

4. Killing Time on Your Phone? Play Bingo for up to $83 Per Win

Our smartphones are the world’s greatest time-killers. Browse Facebook, Twitter, TikTok or Instagram. Watch a video on YouTube. Play some Minecraft or Roblox.

Oh, and there’s bingo. We found a free iPhone app called Bingo Cash that lets you play for real money. You could get paid up to $83 per win.*

You might be thinking: There’s got to be a catch. This is definitely one of those spammy apps, right?

But there really isn’t a catch. Sure, you can pay to play in some higher-stakes tournaments, but there’s no pressure. And, in fact, there aren’t even any annoying ads.

The game is based on a classic Bingo format. You’ll battle it out against other players at your same skill level. Everyone gets the same board and sees the same Bingo balls. The top three players in a game can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

Over on the App Store, it has a 4.7-star rating (out of 5).

To get started, just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

5.Let This Free App Save You $340/Year on Gas and Food

It’s no secret that the cost of living is on the rise — especially when it comes to everyday expenses like groceries, dining and gas.

But an app called Upside can help you earn real cash back every time you dine or fill your tank — to the tune of $340 per year for frequent users.

The Upside app uses a map feature to show you local gas stations where you can beat the pump price by as much as 25 cents per gallon. Regular users earn an average of $106 per year on gas alone.

On top of that, Upside can help you earn an additional $234 each year with cashback offers at thousands of restaurants and grocery stores, making your everyday expenses even more manageable.

Just download the Upside app and create a free account, then browse the map to find participating locations. Claim an offer, pay normally with the physical card that’s also linked to your Upside account and follow any additional steps in the app

Upside will keep track of all your cash-back earnings. You can cash out any time via your bank or PayPal account, or exchange them for a gift card for brands like Starbucks and Amazon. You’ll get your money in two days or less.

Join the millions of people who earn more than $300 annually just for buying what they need. Download the Upside app to get started — it’s completely free, and gets you cash back at more than 50,000 businesses.

6. Find Out If You’re Overpaying

Wouldn’t it be nice if you got an alert when you’re shopping online at Target and are about to overpay?

That’s exactly what this free service does.

Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites, including Walmart, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. Plus, you can get coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even see the item’s price history.

Let’s say you’re shopping for a new TV, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact TV is available elsewhere for cheaper. If there are any available coupon codes, they’ll also automatically be applied to your order.

In the last year, this has saved people $160 million.

You can get started in just a few clicks to see if you’re overpaying online.

Capital One Shopping compensates us when you get the extension using the links provided.

*Lemonade is available in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Wisconsin.

*Bingo Cash and Bubble Cash: Real Money tournaments are not available in the following states: AZ, AR, IA, LA, SC, WA

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6 Ways to Cut Your Most Expensive Bills Without Giving Up Anything (2024)

FAQs

What is the 50/30/20 rule? ›

Those will become part of your budget. The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings.

What bills can I save money on? ›

How to save money on household bills
  • Reducing your home phone and broadband bill.
  • Get a cheaper mobile phone bill.
  • Cutting the cost of your water bill.
  • Government help to reduce your energy bills.
  • Are you paying too much Council Tax?
  • Cut the cost of driving and public transport.
  • Pay your bills on time.

What to say to get bills lowered? ›

Otherwise, say something like: “Thanks, but the problem isn't that I don't have enough to watch, it's that my monthly bill is too high. What can you do to lower my bill?” You can often get free ancillary services in addition to a lower monthly bill.

What is the 50 15 5 rule? ›

50 - Consider allocating no more than 50 percent of take-home pay to essential expenses. 15 - Try to save 15 percent of pretax income (including employer contributions) for retirement. 5 - Save for the unexpected by keeping 5 percent of take-home pay in short-term savings for unplanned expenses.

Is $4000 a good savings? ›

Are you approaching 30? How much money do you have saved? According to CNN Money, someone between the ages of 25 and 30, who makes around $40,000 a year, should have at least $4,000 saved.

How to save $10,000 in a year? ›

6 steps to save $10,000 in a year
  1. Evaluate income and expenses. To make room for saving, you'll need a meticulous budget that outlines all your sources of income and all your expenditures. ...
  2. Make an actionable savings plan. ...
  3. Cut unnecessary expenses. ...
  4. Increase your income. ...
  5. Avoid new debt. ...
  6. Invest wisely.
Apr 2, 2024

How to live on very little money? ›

These seven tips may be able to help.
  1. Understand your current financial habits. Not sure how to start spending less? ...
  2. Create an effective budget and stick to it. ...
  3. Look for ways to reduce spending. ...
  4. Set financial goals for future success. ...
  5. Save for emergencies or major purchases. ...
  6. Pay down debt. ...
  7. Stay aware of lifestyle creep.

How to save $1,000 every month? ›

The experts we spoke to recommended taking these steps.
  1. Analyze your finances. If you want to save $1,000 in a month, then you need to earn $1,000 more than what you spend. ...
  2. Plan your meals. ...
  3. Cut subscriptions. ...
  4. Make impulse purchases harder. ...
  5. Sell unneeded items. ...
  6. Find extra work.
Sep 26, 2023

How do I get rid of my bills fast? ›

How to get out of debt
  1. List out your debt details.
  2. Adjust your budget.
  3. Try the debt snowball or avalanche method.
  4. Submit more than the minimum payment.
  5. Cut down interest by making biweekly payments.
  6. Attempt to negotiate and settle for less than you owe.
  7. Consider consolidating and refinancing your debt.
Mar 18, 2024

What is the 30 day rule? ›

The premise of the 30-day savings rule is straightforward: When faced with the temptation of an impulse purchase, wait 30 days before committing to the buy. During this time, take the opportunity to evaluate the necessity and impact of the purchase on your overall financial goals.

What if I cant afford my monthly bills? ›

If your finances are out of control, contact a consumer credit counseling agency. However, avoid "debt doctors," who often claim they can erase your credit history for a fee. Develop a strategy for debt repayment. Remember, if they do not know your situation, you could end up in court.

What is bill trim? ›

When a bill is due, BillTrim pulls the money from your connected bank account and pays the bill for you automatically. BillTrim. now. Your cable bill is lowered by $70! Annual savings: $840 💰

Is Goodbill legit? ›

I was skeptical to use the site at first because I hadn't heard of it and I had to share personal medical bills, but it's a legitimate, accessible service conducted by an actual human who simply knows how to bring your bills down for a reasonable cost.

Why are medical bills so high? ›

There are many possible reasons for that increase in healthcare prices: The introduction of new, innovative healthcare technology can lead to better, more expensive procedures and products. The complexity of the U.S. healthcare system can lead to administrative waste in the insurance and provider payment systems.

What is a 50/30/20 budget example? ›

Applying the 50/30/20 rule would give them a monthly budget of: 50% for mandatory expenses = $2,500. 20% to savings and debt repayment = $1,000. 30% for wants and discretionary spending = $1,500.

Is the 50 30 20 rule a good idea? ›

The basic concept behind the 50/30/20 rule works for just about anyone. But depending on your income and debt load, you may need to adjust the exact breakdown of your expenses. For example, a low-income household may need to spend more than 50% of their after-tax pay on needs.

Is the 50 30 20 rule outdated? ›

However, the key difference is it moves 10% from the "savings" bucket to the "needs" bucket. "People may be unable to use the 50/30/20 budget right now because their needs are more than 50% of their income," Kendall Meade, a certified financial planner at SoFi, said in an email.

What is the disadvantage of the 50 30 20 rule? ›

It may not work for everyone. Depending on your income and expenses, the 50/30/20 rule may not be realistic for your individual financial situation. You may need to allocate a higher percentage to necessities or a lower percentage to wants in order to make ends meet. It doesn't account for irregular expenses.

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