6. Call your Cable TV Company or Internet Service Provider
Utility bills like these are constant and don’t fluctuate every month. Very
often you can get a month free or a 25% discount by paying an entire year in
advance. It never hurts to ask.
7. Get Rid of Annual Fees
First, get rid of credit cards with annual fees. However, if you can’t bear
to part with a credit card that has an annual fee, then call the card issuer
and ask to have it waived. There might be a small catch, but it’s usually
minor. Try to get a lower interest rate on the card at the same time.
8. Shop Around for a New Bank
Do you feel like you are paying the bank to keep your money instead of the
other way around? If you can’t belong to a credit union or a smaller
independent bank, there is another option: online banks. If you rarely visit
the bank in person and do nearly all transactions via an automated teller
machine (ATM), then an online bank will work for you.
Minimum account balances are usually lower and yields
are often higher than at conventional banks (although they may still be paltry
in the scheme of things). Ask about free services such as online bill paying,
unlimited free checks, and no monthly or per check fees. Some online banks even
reimburse ATM fees or drop monthly fees if you have direct deposit with them.